"A unique reimagining of a JRPG set in a small American Town"
"A unique reimagining of a JRPG set in a small American Town"
Overall rating: 7/10
Playtime at review: 78 minutes
Value for Money: TBA/10
Clarification: it's difficult to assess the value for money as I am unsure how long the full experience will be.
TLDR: Excellent voice acting, story focused JRPG that should be a blast if the story resonates with you.
This title has an incredibly charming style using a primarily 2D focused engine (Construct 3) to create a 2D/3D hybrid world. The voice acting is excellent and the storyline becomes more unusual (no spoilers, don't worry) as the game continues. It follows the classic JRPG format of combat encounters being unknown blobs (in this case, they look like ghosts) before revealing which enemies will fight you, and doesn't break the mould much when it comes to combat but does have one interesting mechanic. As you level up and progress the story your relationship with the NPCs boosts their abilities, and they gain levels just as you do. The unique link abilities add some variety to the combat and unlocking them gives you interesting cutscenes with lore about the NPCs and their relationships.
About the creators:
Tekkou Studios started in Ohio in 2020 with just one member, Adam, who started out with smaller story focused titles before partnering with their publisher (Page to Pixal Publishing LLC) to create their first full scale RPG. They're still a small team who aren't afraid to deviate from the genre norm and "hope the game's charm and unique energy will stand out in a positive way".
Notes for the devs:
1) In the radio tower there is a z-hopping issue on in the corner where the wires are in the 2nd room
2) Locks in the radio tower do not display the "activated" texture if you swap rooms, making them look unpressed but they still solve the puzzle just fine
3) If you answer the phone sometimes npcs go missing (eg: in the radio tower joey and isaac disappear when picking up the phone to upgrade their relationship)