Wargroove is a charming, jam-packed little indie game that's unfortunately being overshadowed by everyone going crazy over Apex Legends. Still, it's a no-brainer at $20, especially on the Switch. Nintendo faithful have been waiting for an Advance Wars follow-up for years, and Wargroove is essentially that.

Related: Wargroove Review: The Best Game Boy Advance Game Of 2019

Perhaps you're short on cash or too busy with Apex Legends and Kingdom Hearts III, however. Don't worry, we got you covered. Here's what happens in Wargroove's campaign.

Like Twilight, It All Starts With A Vampire And A Teenage Girl

The story begins on a dark and stormy night when a vampire named Sigrid infiltrates a human castle. It turns out to be the home of the king of Cherrystone, and Sigrid is there to assassinate him. As she tears through the castle guard, the king frets over a secret he has to tell his daughter. Before he can muster the words, Sigrid finds him and demands he hand over some sort of "key." He refuses, and she goes away empty-handed. But not before killing him.

Meanwhile, the princess of Cherrystone - Mercia - is training with her guardian mage Emeric. The two are shocked and saddened when a soldier brings them word of the king's death.

Months later, Mercia is made queen of Cherrystone. She gets little time on the throne, however, because the neighboring nation of Felheim invades. Felheim's ruler Valder wields the Fell Gauntlet, an item that lets him raise an undead army. Mercia clashes with the undead warrior Ragna and her skeleton troops, but is forced to retreat when Valder himself shows up. It is all Mercia can do to collect the refugees and flee from Cherrystone.

They're Trees But Also Aliens

Wargroove And Starbound Universe

As they retreat, Mercia and Emeric decide to seek help from Heavensong, an old friend of Cherrystone. That requires them to go east, right through the Gloomwoods. It isn't long before they encounter Sedge, one of Floran. He takes them for intruders and attacks, forcing them to fight back and escalate the conflict. This escalation brings Greenfinger Zawan to the battle, but afterwards Mercia is able to negotiate a peace and explain her situation. Greenfinger offers to hold the encroaching Felheim back as an apology and also offers Nuru, the best Floran hunter, as a guide for Mercia.

As a side note, the Floran are actually aliens who originally appeared in Starbound. Nuru herself is even a major character in that game. They apparently landed on Wargroove's planet via a comet.

See: Wargroove And Starbound Share A Universe – Is Stargroove Next?

That Didn't Take Long

After exiting the Gloomwoods, Ragna appears again. It seems the Floran's efforts to hold them back didn't do much. Mercia sends her packing again, and they proceed to the Quagmarsh.

It's in the Quagmarsh that Emeric the mage offers up a bold suggestion. It turns out the marsh is full of magic that makes it easier to contact the dead. He proposes a spell to contact Merica's father and ask him what the war is even about. Unfortunately, only the caster can actually talk to the dead, so Emeric must leave Mercia behind while he summons her father's ghost.

The ghost of the king tells Emeric of an ancient war and a powerful weapon called Requiem. Requiem was summoned by a now-gone kingdom called Cacophony, who later sealed it away because it was too powerful.

The heroes have little time to puzzle over the meaning of this revelation as they continue their journey east. Right as they are about to reach Heavensong, Sigrid the vampire appears to finish them for good. Nuru jumps into action, taking on the seemingly endless army of the dead so Mercia can escape. Despite all odds, everyone gets away from Sigrid safely.

A Warm But Cold Reception

The gang finally reaches the desert land of Heavensong, only to immediately be mistaken for aggressors at the border. The soldiers have an extreme distrust for Floran and think Nuru is a raider. When she defeats them in battle, they call upon their general, Ryota, for backup. He insults Nuru, causing Mercia to step up to defend her new friend. After Mercia defeats Ryota, Prince Koji of Heavensong steps up. Emeric comments that Koji is as spirited as his mother the Empress, but wants to test him in battle to see if he matches her there as well.

After all the fighting is resolved, Heavensong's Empress Tenri herself makes her entrance. She is already aware of everything that has happened, and pledges her aid to Mercia's cause. Their plan is to sail right into Felheim, find Valder, and destroy his Fell Gauntlet so that he can't summon any more undead.

Tying Up Loose Ends

As the gang prepares to set sail to Felheim, Prince Koji apologized to Emeric for attacking them. The nice moment is interrupted by Sedge, the Floran who attacked them before. He is defying Greenfinger to get revenge and ambushes the heroes. Koji takes him on while Emeric travels to the nearby mountains to enlist the aid of dragons.

With the dragons, Nuru, Koji, and also a group of merpeople on their side, the group sets sail. But of course, they don't get far before running into Ragna again. Mercia hands Ragna a maritime defeat, and Sigrid watches as Ragna drowns, not caring to rescue her.

Once the heroes land on Felheim, Mercia proposes they split up. She asks Emeric, Nuru, and Koji to take on the bulk of the undead army while she seeks Valder out for the final battle.

It All Comes Down To This

via: Chucklefish

Once Merica storms into Valder's castle and defeats him, she learns the shocking truth. The sword she's carried this whole time, the Cherryblade, is the "key" Sigrid killed her father for. Sigrid takes the sword and moves to kill Mercia, but Valder stops her. He had thought Mercia started this war, but now realizes it was Sigrid's plot to get Requiem.

Valder pledges his aid to Mercia, and the unified force heads to Cradle Island to stop Sigrid from activating Requiem. They're too late, however, and even Mercia killing Sigrid can't stop it.

They find Requiem's true form: an ancient princess who gave her soul to give the weapon life. She is tied to the weapon, a cello with a melody that brainwashes those who listen. The princess plays the song, almost enslaving our heroes. Ragna, somehow alive despite drowning, shows up to snap them out of it by yelling. With renewed hope, the Commanders must fight through their own armies, now enslaved by Requiem, and stop the princess.

Once they do defeat the princess, Requiem drops harmlessly to the ground. All is well, except... Mercia feels personally responsible for destroying Requiem once and for all. Despite her companions' warnings, she reaches out to touch the evil cello. Then... The credits roll.

The End!

Next: Wargroove Review: The Best Game Boy Advance Game Of 2019

Okay, not really. There's a post-credits epilogue mission that has Mercia corrupted by Requiem. Completing this mission returns her to normal and unlocks the Dark Mercia for use in other modes. Now the end!