The HD-2D art style is absolutely gorgeous and pulled me in immediately. This game looks incredible with its mix of pixel sprites and modern lighting effects. But what really kept me going for 50 hours was the combat system even when the story started losing me.
Breaking enemy shields and boosting your attacks creates this satisfying rhythm in battles. You’re constantly planning ahead to set up the perfect break timing then unleashing massive damage. Finding the right combination of jobs and abilities to exploit weaknesses never got old. The system has enough depth to stay engaging without being overwhelming.
The job system lets you mix and match classes in fun ways. Making Alfyn a cleric-chemist hybrid or turning H’aanit into a dancer for support options kept party building interesting. Path Actions give each character unique ways to interact with NPCs too. You can steal items with Therion or challenge people to duels with Olberic. These little touches add variety to exploration.
But here’s where the game lost me. These eight characters travel together but never actually acknowledge each other exists. You’re telling me Primrose is on a dark revenge quest while standing next to seven other people who apparently don’t care or even notice? The complete lack of party interaction killed so much of what I love about JRPGs. I play these games for the character dynamics and banter and relationships that develop. This game has none of that.
Each individual story has its moments. Primrose’s revenge tale is dark and compelling. Olberic’s honor quest works well enough. Therion’s heist storyline was fun. But they all feel like eight separate games awkwardly mashed together. Your party members just stand there silently during each other’s dramatic moments. It’s so weird and takes you completely out of the story.
The game tries to hint that these stories connect somehow but I didn’t care enough to pursue the postgame content that apparently ties things together. After 50 hours of disconnected narratives I was done. Didn’t bother with the true final boss or whatever Gate of Finis is supposed to be.
The soundtrack deserves praise though. Some of these boss themes are legitimately incredible and I still listen to them occasionally. The battle music especially carries a lot of weight in keeping you engaged when the story isn’t doing its job.
It’s frustrating because all the pieces are here for something great. Beautiful art style that I want to see more of. Solid combat that rewards strategy. Interesting individual character concepts. But the decision to keep everyone isolated from each other undermines everything. In most JRPGs the party chemistry is what makes you care about seeing the journey through. Here there’s no journey just eight people who happen to be walking in the same direction.
Worth playing if you can get it on sale and you’re okay with treating it as eight mini-stories rather than one cohesive narrative. Just don’t expect the party dynamics that make JRPGs special. That HD-2D style is stunning enough to almost make up for it. Almost.