Chained Echoes

[h2] Short ver. [/h2] Written as of 100% completion. A great JRPG, with a very fun combat. I do think it has a rough start, but once you get the ball rolling, you can't stop playing. I especially love the combat. It felt a little unbalanced at first, but gets really easy when you understand the synergies (or if you [spoiler]dump all of your resources into Sienna[/spoiler]). I LOVE how you heal after every battle, it lets you go all out. There is are things that could be better *cough* sky armour combat *cough*. But is a overall a really good game 8/10. Highly recommend this to any JRPG fan. [h2] Details details [/h2] Spoilers are full spoilers - Don't open it if you plan on playing it yourself. You should still be able to the details. I the story is great. It's hard to give all 12 party members an equal amount of depth, so the optional party members really aren't that well developed. It's a shame, seeing as I'd love to know more about [spoiler]Raphael[/spoiler]'s past, given his involvement in the main story. The main story is also really good. There are times that feel a little forced, such as [spoiler]Prince Frederick's sacrifice[/spoiler]. Nothing in the story has built up to that and really wasn't good. Even lore wise, when in the beginning when [spoiler]Sienna joined the team to avoid fighting the thieves[/spoiler], it makes no sense knowing her rank in the past. A lot of these inconsistencies can be covered up by you the player though. I did love how the game ended. We got an [spoiler]open ending, and the story ends when this saga ends[/spoiler], so it really leaves you wanting more. I doubt we'll get a sequel though. Point is, you won't get bored of the story. Also the existence of an Act 1 implies (⇒) the existence of an act 3. The same applies to [spoiler]act 4 ⇒ act 5[/spoiler] BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE HERE SO WHY!?!?! I KNOW THIS IS DUMB BUT IT IRRITATES MORE THAT IT SHOULD! The gameplay is very good. Firstly, the level design is great. Nothing to write home about, but it's really good. I don't appreciate the use of red herrings all over the place (from puzzles to empty alleys). It isn't too much that the world feels empty, but it makes me mad that I searching for nothing. I have problems with how the game does tutorials though. I hate how all tutorials are just information-dumped on to you. I genuinely forgot about the Reward Board until Act 3, just because I couldn't find it had. I HAD PRACTICALLY NO MONEY UNTIL I REMEMBERED IT. I please don't ever do this, if you are making a game. Show, don't tell. The combat is the bread and butter of the gameplay. I love the combat. The overdrive bar really makes you improvise on the spot instead of relying on the same strategy. I might have to change the order of Victor's Buffs, or even decide between healing and going into overheat or lowering the overdrive bar and tanking the hit. It'll definitely keep you engaged in the combat. At least until you found a team that works and vertically invest into that team and almost forget about switching party members. I have this condition that makes me stick to one team I like throughout the whole game Glenn Sienna and Victor never left my party. I'm sure that there are other great builds like (I'm making up names here) Debuffs and DoTs, Crit Magic, or Force Weakness, but I am too Persona-brained that I just resort to physical because I have a consistent 95% crit rate on Sienna. If there were 2 teams and 2 battles, then I would use the other team more often. Here is my final team by the way: [spoiler]Glenn ⇄ Robb (if Glenn is low, else I oil up the enemy and burn them) Sienna ⇄ Ba'thraz (If Phys res, else crit) Tank (Usually Raphael) ⇄ Any (I never swapped out my tank) Victor ⇄ Amalia & Cres (if healing is needed, else buff)[/spoiler] Sky Armours are bad. I don't like it. It fits really well with Glenn's whole story, but I really don't like the combat here. Just Charge (Ether Cannon) and then kill, that is it. Maybe debuffs and buffs but nothing else. I'm not a mech guy, but I really can't get attached to the mechs as much as I do with the characters. The game felt difficult in the beginning. I loved having the need to use items, and feeling like every battle is a challenge. But as I stated previously, there is a point where you understand everything, it gets easy. Even the super boss (I think he is one, if he is called a [spoiler]God King[/spoiler]) is easy to beat. I don't think I even fell below 30% hp. I definitely did more damage that I should. Like 5000 per Sienna action (She moves fast), on bosses with max ~25000 hp. Yeah, no I out damage everything. Aside from some QoL, such as easily moving crystals between equipment, the game is great! Any JRPG fan would love this game.