This isn't my favorite Vanillaware game overall, but I still really enjoyed it. It's like saying there's a flavor of ice cream that you don't like as much as another. I played this using a translator because I was impatient and bought it before it had a Western date - it worked pretty well considering.
(4/4/23 - editing to add, since the game is out worldwide now - I'd encourage you to try the demo first to see if you'll enjoy it. If you like the gameplay, which is the toughest hurdle to get over with this game, you'll fall in love with the rest.)
I found myself being reeled in by the story and pleasantly intrigued by each new revelation. The game is set up in small chapters, making it very easy to jump in and out of play, so it's a great VW game for those with very little time on their hands (OnceMore especially, thanks to the fast-forward function). This remastered version has some welcome quality-of-life improvements and new features. The tutorials are very hand-holdy, but this worked out since I was playing it in Japanese and it helped me understand specifics without having to take my phone out every few seconds. The game does get tough fast, even on normal difficulty, and the gameplay might be a hard sell to some, but it's a very solid experience overall. The unlockable art in OnceMore in particular is absolutely stunning, too.
If you know 13 Sentinels, that game is a spiritual successor to this one, so there isn't a better time to rediscover it than now - and if you want to play it, OnceMore is the way to do it.
(4/4/23 - editing to add, since the game is out worldwide now - I'd encourage you to try the demo first to see if you'll enjoy it. If you like the gameplay, which is the toughest hurdle to get over with this game, you'll fall in love with the rest.)
I found myself being reeled in by the story and pleasantly intrigued by each new revelation. The game is set up in small chapters, making it very easy to jump in and out of play, so it's a great VW game for those with very little time on their hands (OnceMore especially, thanks to the fast-forward function). This remastered version has some welcome quality-of-life improvements and new features. The tutorials are very hand-holdy, but this worked out since I was playing it in Japanese and it helped me understand specifics without having to take my phone out every few seconds. The game does get tough fast, even on normal difficulty, and the gameplay might be a hard sell to some, but it's a very solid experience overall. The unlockable art in OnceMore in particular is absolutely stunning, too.
If you know 13 Sentinels, that game is a spiritual successor to this one, so there isn't a better time to rediscover it than now - and if you want to play it, OnceMore is the way to do it.