Playtime:
3363 minutes
I played this on Steam Deck, but without Proton-GE, it [b]WILL[/b] crash.
[b]Pros:[/b]
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[*][b]The story is extremely engaging.[/b] If it weren’t so good, I don’t think I’d be able to recommend this game, but it’s THAT good. I even wish it leaned more into the visual novel aspect than the RPG elements. The plot is filled with twists, and the characters are fascinating. While the art style could be more appealing, the writing is what keeps me invested, and it excels at that.
[*][b]Seriously, the story is awesome.[/b] Once all the characters are introduced and you choose your route, the story becomes entirely unique to the romantic interest you’ve chosen. I just finished the Tea route, but there are still four more to explore. I’m not sure how different each will be, but the effort to create distinct experiences is commendable.
[*][b]Another pro for the story...[/b] after going through one of the NG+ routes is that there is a considerable amount of changes to the main quest line. Different enough that its worth seeing it just for the changes in story. You don't have to do any of the side quest so running thruogh with already leveled characters isn't TOO much of a hassle. Lots of route specific environments and puzzles too.
[*][b]Interesting puzzles[/b] provide a nice change of pace. Just when you start getting bored, the game gives you a break with a puzzle. The game also isn’t afraid to mix up the combat by splitting your party, which, while not a huge change, helps keep things fresh.
[*][b]New Game+[/b] is available, which is great because there are tons of endings and quite a few missable achievements. Worth noting, It says all skills and items transfer but that's a lie. Very little of it does.
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Yes. Half of the pros are points towards the story which means everything else is severely lacking. If the story wasn't so good, this would be the easiest skip ever.
[b]Middling:[/b]
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[*][b]Combat is… okay.[/b] With the combat speed turned all the way up, even grinding for XP isn't as tedious as it could be. The variety of encounters makes exploring new regions rewarding throughout the game. However, the playstyle doesn’t evolve much—it’s the same characters using the same strategies for a very, very long time. While there are plenty of encounters, they’re mostly the same enemies with slight reskins, which often feel out of place in the world. The enemy design is generic, and the boss fights are forgettable, making the combat feel more like a chore. It doesn’t help that about halfway through, I ended up with near-infinite health potions [spoiler]thanks to the casino[/spoiler].
[*][b]Exploration[/b] is consistently rewarded with new places to discover. Though the art may not be the best, the developers made the most of what they had. The game pulls you into areas to fight unique mobs that you’ll only find in those specific locations. It’s a creative solution to the limited overworld space and adds some much-needed variety to the game’s pacing.
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[b]Cons:[/b]
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[*][b]The art is very "RPG Maker."[/b] There are lots of reused assets, and character sprites often reappear as different people, which can be distracting. This hinders the atmosphere, making towns feel generic and the overworld look like it’s straight out of a basic "Getting Started with RPG Maker" kit. The backgrounds, while occasionally decent, often feel like they could be AI-generated. This sometimes leads to confusion about where you can actually go, as the art doesn't always convey the correct pathways. The wording of some quests doesn’t help with this issue either.
[*][b]Quest documentation is lacking.[/b] If you search the community discussions, you’ll find a lot of confused players. The game often tells you to do something without providing clear guidance on how to do it. Checking the journal usually offers no help, and returning to where you received the instructions doesn’t always trigger a repeat of the dialogue. While the story is excellent, the quest design feels like it's just barely hanging on. [b]Example[/b] of this is getting a quest and in the conversation they'll say something vague like "It's on the highway" but then when you look at the journal it'll say that the quest is located "everywhere". If you forgot or skipped past that conversation part, you'd be incredibly lost then
[*][b]The game includes NSFW romance scenes[/b], but they’re more like audiobooks with occasional picture changes. They’re not terrible, but they don’t add much to the overall game. You won’t miss much if you skip them.
[*][b]Everyone in this game is bi and/or gay... like, everyone.[/b] While this isn’t inherently a con, it can be a bit distracting once you notice it. I'm not just talking about the player and companions; even random NPCs who only have one line seem to fit this mold. There are maybe two straight couples in the entire game. [spoiler]Also turns out one of the characters is trans and the reveal comes out of nowhere. So if that's not up to your speed, then its certainly something to keep in mind. That said, it's only revealed if you choose the least likely of 5 routes. Also happens to be the only route with no nsfw scenes. I imagine that was intentional so that players don't feel they were tricked into that. At risk of going political, It's a bit awkward that in all but one ending, the trans version of a happy ending is to spend the rest of her days living in a world of deceit and delusion. Those are the games words, not mine.[/spoiler] Again, it’s not a problem, but in a game so focused on romance, it stands out when nearly everyone you meet outside of your own romance is also gay. Like what they hell did they put in the water over there.
[*][b]The music is… extremely generic.[/b] If you search "fantasy RPG background music" on YouTube, you’ll probably find something similar. While it’s not bad, it’s not memorable either. Boss fights don’t have standout tracks, and date scenes don’t have interesting music. It’s all very generic, the kind of background music that could fit any game.
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[b]TL;DR[/b]: There are lots of cons, but the story more than makes up for them. The combat may be grindy and mindless, and the music and art repetitive, but the story is worth it.
It looks like the devs' next game is focusing more on the story, with a visual novel-type experience. Honestly, this is the right move. They should focus on their strengths and create something truly worthy of their excellent writing.
[b]EDIT after 100% achievements [i](Achievement hunters beware)[/i][/b]:
After having experienced all the routes and all the endings, I can confidently say that the story is pretty kickass. The only route I didn't like was Lyra's route, and that's mainly because [spoiler]I'm not interested in trans relationships[/spoiler]. Even still, each route provides a piece of information that the other routes only glance at; and by the end of it all, I've more than fallen in love with my guild <3
I've touched every corner of the game, talked to nearly every NPC worth talking to, and experienced all the secrets that world has to offer. Granted, I did kind of start cheating after the 2nd playthrough, and here's why... NG+ only puts you halfway through the story, and it really is a drag to replay all of this 5 different times given the slow paced nature of it all.
I get that some of the main quests change depending on the route, but A LOT of them don't, and you still have to play through those quests if you want to see all the endings. If combat were better and exploration were more enjoyable, that'd be a different story, but as you saw from the rest of the review, combat and exploration are merely serviceable the first time and entirely boring thereafter.
I'm going to miss you Morpheya. Thanks for having me
👍 : 7 |
😃 : 0