have been coming back to this one lately after stalling out back in 2021 and wow is it disappointing that they don't do anything more interesting with the slavery plot. setting up a free excuse to go absolutely apeshit on the baddies and instead they do nothing with it, like the writers mistakenly thought that "slavery" is the name of a schoolyard bully or a big cartoon dragon and not, uh, something that is responsible for incalculable real-life misery. it's just... that's kinda a heavy concept to wield when the rest of the game is so ankle-deep. it feels like they were totally bored with the idea before you even make it to the second boss

i do sincerely like the combat though! as someone who barely touches JRPGs i had some issues with not being genre-savvy enough (mostly as it pertains to buffs/resource management) but other than that? i had an unreservedly good time with this chunk - dog, look at those boost strikes! pure shounen action schlock (i say this affectionately). shame that everything even tangentially related to the story is completely toothless!

Reviewed on Mar 24, 2023


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1 year ago

Billy Withdoctor voice: Arise Tales! Tales arise! Arise!