This was probably the best non-FromSoftware souls-like I’ve played. The environments and character designs were incredible and very distinct. The world and story were really interesting, and it motivated me to explore every inch of the levels. The only character I didn’t like was the talking cricket that you’re stuck with. It might’ve been intentional, but the voice actor was performing almost like he was in a Disney film, and the way he chimed in to explain things to you like a child sort of ruined the tone and mystique at times.

Apart from being one of the best and most original souls-likes I’ve played, it was also one of the hardest. I felt underpowered through most of the game, and I probably only got through it because of how powerful the throwables were. It’s tough to find the right balance of challenge and fairness for these games, and in this case, I think the game probably could’ve used a few more tweaks towards fairness. It’s possible I just played the game wrong, but I definitely found it to be far more challenging than the Souls series and Elden Ring.

But despite its difficulty and the annoying cricket, I’d highly recommend trying this one out if you’re a fan of the genre, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what this studio does next.

The most realistic battle simulator I’ve ever played. I ran heroically into battle for the first and last time. My comrades and I found cover behind a rock on high ground. Several long, boring, and confusing minutes passed. No enemies were seen; just some gunfire in the distance. I peaked my head out of cover for a split second and was instantly shot down by a distant enemy. I didn’t even get to look him in the eye before he killed me. I just hope they can retrieve my body and give me a proper burial.

After quitting multiple times, I finally finished this thing. It probably took far more willpower to complete than a game with this high acclaim should, but the game just never quite clicked for me.

Most of my issues with it can be attributed to the turn-based combat, which for me, never offered one single moment of enjoyment. Every combat encounter was a tedious chore that completely disrupted the flow of the game and left me feeling drained. Although there was some satisfaction in finding ways to end the combat encounter as quickly as possible, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t have used a “skip combat” button every time if the game had offered one. I don’t have much experience with turn-based games, so if this is the best that it gets, then I guess it’s just not for me.

I also found the game to be quite glitchy at times, and the inventory system and overall gameplay just felt a bit janky. But exploring the world outside of combat and discovering new characters and quests was very rewarding, and it was probably the main reason I kept coming back. (Although a sprint button would have been nice.)

I was really impressed with the amount of narrative choice the game gives you, and it definitely helped keep me engaged with the story. It was a fairly interesting and well-acted story at times, but I was eager for it to end long before it had any intention to. And despite the incredible freedom the game gives you with its story and combat styles, I still somehow felt sort of restricted by how the game wanted me to play and experience the world. I imagine it might’ve been because everything was designed around dice rolls and turn-based gameplay.

And as a side note, the fact that every cutscene on the console version essentially has a massive watermark at the bottom left of the screen showing your character’s stupid face is one of the most absurd things I’ve ever seen in a video game. It was completely pointless and disrupted any possibility of immersive cutscenes for me.

I’m sure a second playthrough would help me understand what a true technical achievement this game is, but I think I’d rather put those 70+ hours into something that doesn’t feel like a turn-based chore.