CIMA : The Enemy

CIMA: The Enemy is a Game Boy Advance title that blends role playing and strategic management within a distinct narrative framework. The story involves alien beings known as CIMA, who construct mazes to imprison people and harvest their hopes and dreams. A protective force called Gate Guardians is tasked with countering this threat, and the game begins as three such Guardians and a group of settlers are unexpectedly transported to an alien dimension.

The core gameplay revolves around protecting and directing a large group of non combatant settlers, who possess unique professional skills like healing or blacksmithing. These abilities are essential for progression through the environmental puzzles and threats. Unlike many RPGs, there is no experience based progression or economic system; the entire focus is on the real time management of this sizable party.

Direct control is handled through an interface where individual characters or the entire group can be selected and given movement commands. Managing their pathfinding is a consistent consideration, as the game allows for setting multiple waypoints to navigate the maze like areas more efficiently. A central mechanic is a trust system, where each settler's willingness to cooperate is visually represented by a gauge and heart icons that change based on Guardian actions, such as protecting them or defeating enemies.

The stakes for this management are high, as the game ends immediately if any party member perishes. A visual and audio cue warns the player when a character is in critical condition. This creates a challenging dynamic where safeguarding every individual is the paramount objective throughout the journey to escape the alien maze and return home.