Shattered Hourglass

*Some fixes are added after the review was posted [b]Playing status:[/b] 100% achievement, 3x playthroughs [b]My first playtime:[/b] 72.7h [b]Grindy Achievement(s):[/b] No. [b]Optional Achievement(s):[/b] Yes (79 achievements). [b]Difficult Achievement(s):[/b] No. [b]Guide:[/b] [url=https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/809304-shattered-hourglass/faqs/79747]Click here[/url] [h1]Intro[/h1] [b]Shattered Hourglass[/b] is an RPG Maker game that offers multiple choices. Different choices will lead to different routes, promoting different playstyles. It also boasts a lot of optional content, providing you with rewards that can help you to finish the game easily. [b]Pros:[/b] - Optional dungeons that can be tackled anytime you want - 3 routes with a slightly different story and playstyles - You can change the difficulty anytime you want [b]Cons:[/b] - Replaying the game at least thrice to see all endings can feel repetitive - Leveling a new job makes that party member useless for a while - Random encounters can be too high [b]Specs[/b] Intel Core i5-9300H 2.40GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 [h1]Should you buy this game?[/h1] [b]Yes.[/b] [i]If you like to play lengthy RPG Maker games, especially with a lot of optional content that you need to keep track of yourself, buy this game.[/i] [hr][/hr] [h1]In-Depth Review[/h1] [h3]Visuals[/h3] Towns look different and memorable from each other due to their size and building placements. Dungeons are also unique with different themes, although some look a bit empty with the lack of decorations. Nevertheless, they still look alright in the eye, especially since visuals are usually not the main focus in games like this. [h3]Story[/h3] Despite offering three different routes, the game is not story-heavy at all. Most dialogues don't affect the story and simply act as a breather from the exploration. It's fun reading the characters bickering to each other, especially with their cheerful and easygoing characteristics. Most of the important plots will be revealed near the end of the game, although you don't have to worry about plot dumps since they are usually very short in length. As for the story itself, I like how the twist goes. All 6 endings, even the premature ones, will give more info to the main plot. Moreover, it's not hard to connect the dots between them, although those who just finished the game for the first time might be confused a bit due to the connection that each ending has. Although most endings are meant to give more mystery to the story, some are good enough to act as a closure. [h3]The Game[/h3] [b]Gameplay[/b] The game is focused on exploration. You'll be given a main objective with optional content that you can tackle in between. The gameplay never got repetitive since I was always busy thinking about the optional content that I want to do next. Moreover, you can always finish those in any order you want, and you won't run out of them for a while. Optional contents are part of the main playthrough. They usually give rewards that can help you to finish the game, and most importantly, EXP. I found it impossible to finish the game without clearing them since you will be underleveled to progress otherwise. You can always grind levels manually as an alternative, but it can be boring to do, especially when you still have the optional contents to tackle. Moreover, there aren't a lot of stat discrepancies between gears that are obtained in the early and end game, so some rewards that you get there can be used for a while. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2096566239 A small amount of grinding is still needed to finish the game. Sadly, despite the optional contents, it might not be enough if you are not lucky. The game offers a job system where each character has several jobs, and choosing a new job also means that you'll make that character weaker until they are leveled enough to hold their own. This makes the game's balance to be off mid-game, especially since you need to change jobs for a lot of characters at the same time. It might be possible to finish the game without changing jobs, but you might need the skills from other jobs to defeat some optional bosses, especially the post-game ones. The job customization might be unbalanced for some characters. Some characters are only suited for one role, while others are suited for more than one role. They all come with their pros and cons though, since leveling too many jobs will also mean more grinding to unleash their potential. [b]Combat[/b] Random encounters can be annoying. You can be in a battle just by stepping one tile after the previous one. This makes it hard to concentrate on exploring the area sometimes, especially the ones with difficult random encounters. Some enemies can be tough to beat, to the point that they can wipe your party if you are not careful. Bosses are challenging due to their stats. You usually need to do the same thing in general, but being underleveled will make it tougher, especially if you play in a harder difficulty. You need to find the boss' weaknesses, defend whenever they cast ultimate attacks, or even make sure that they are debuffed enough to deal less damage. It's always fun to figure out how to beat each boss. Moreover, some bosses are completely different from the others, requiring a certain strategy to beat. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2260022723 [b]Length and Difficulty[/b] I finished the game in the "Good Route -" route in 51.5h and finished all optional contents in 72.7h. I mostly play in hardcore difficulty, the second hardest difficulty that gives the most gold and EXP reward. You can change the difficulty anytime you want between 6 settings, but playing in a lower difficulty will give a lower gold and EXP gain, which can force you to grind levels and money for gears. To be honest, I found the difficulty to be geared more towards the harder difficulty because of this, and it can be hard to switch to an easier one since you might risk having to grind due to the less EXP gain. Luckily, the hardcore difficulty isn't difficult as long as you are leveled enough, and you can always lower it if you are having trouble with bosses - there won't be any penalty apart from the less gold and level gain. Since the game has 3+1 endings, you need to play the game at least three times to see all branches. Moreover, the three main branches will lead to two more endings in the post-game, encouraging more playthroughs. You'll get different party members with a unique playstyle on each route, but since the progression is mostly the same, it can be boring to replay it several times just to see what happens at the end. Moreover, you can't skip the optional contents in your subsequent playthroughs, and since two of the main routes have party members with a similar strategy, you might get bored quickly. [h1]Conclusion[/h1] [b]Shattered Hourglass[/b] is a lengthy [i]RPG Maker[/i] game with a lot of optional contents. Its strength lies in the freedom of exploring them in any order that you want with an ability to mix and match your job to make a party that suits your playstyle. The game can be grindy sometimes, but I never feel like I have to grind too much. The optional contents are usually enough to cover your lack of levels, and the harder ones are usually in the post-game, which can be safely made easier without having to worry about missing out. However, if you are looking for a story-heavy game, this might not be suitable for you. The twists and story might be interesting, but the plot is not something that you need to think too deeply about. Moreover, you also need to spend more time seeing everything because of the connection between all endings. Nevertheless, I would easily recommend this for those who like long RPG Maker games, especially those who like non-linear gameplay. [quote]This game was reviewed with a key provided by the developer for free[/quote]

Enjoyed my time playing this JRPG, grab it whenever you can.

I've been watching this game since its development and it really took my interest. This is what I call a well tailored RPG Maker game. The difficulty is just right, you can be OP but it'll take time. If you don't want to spend so much time on grinding, you should tactically learn all the classes each character can or can't do and which skill to exploit. You can also change the difficulty of the game anytime you wish and, of course, if you choose the harder one you'll be rewarded with more gold and higher drop rates. The game is quite simple yet it has entertaining features like expanding your home and fishing. Some of the elements like crops and gold coins (exclusive from the in game currency) are something that can be harvested within a certain amount of in-game time. So, if you want to have a deluxe life, you should pay attention to these little details. I like the way how I have to go back home to harvest some stuffs while exploring the dungeon back and forth. The classes are well balanced. Technically, you have one jack-of-all trades, hard hitter, white mage, tank and glass cannon. As you gain level, you'll get access to new classes and masteries, which add more utilities to each of them. When you gain max level, you have to plan thoroughly who should play what role. I also like how it has so many bosses, and each of them are challenging in their own ways. You can also track what items you are missing using the identify book. And the most important thing is [b]the dialogues are funny![/b] This is what a game should be like, [b]entertaining[/b]. This game never fails to entertain me.

With over 60 hours of playtime this rpg is fantastic, and a dev that not only responds quickly but does updates immediately to make the game better as he listens to players feedback. The quick battles, the areas to explore, the quests, the challenge, all the characters in the party with useful skills, the huge amount of creatures and bosses, so many things to do and find, it never ends. The use of scrolls to teleport where you have have already been and ships and boats to aid in travel adds fun and speed to the vast world to explore. Searching everywhere will yield important items that are used to get better weapons/armor/items. There are also interesting puzzles to solve and rewards for finding many secret locations. An arena to get better equipment and a house you buy to build up with property that also adds goodies. This game has it all,. Highly recommended to all rpgers!

One of the best RPG game I have ever played, and it currently sits on the 2nd rank of my personal top 10 RPG games list. I spent over 25 hours in-game (but 17 hours in the record), and this is my review : Graphic (8/10). The graphic is ok. Nothing very groundbreaking, but it really does the job. Characters (10/10). The character design and story is very great, they have a different personality, capability, nice backstory, great design, but most importantly: Juliet is very pretty. I'd like her, without her this game becomes pathetic. Story (9.9/10). For the story, the story is quite unique. You play as a Time Mage, and this game is 80% about time travelling, a parallel universe which is very interesting. However the ending is a bit weak, but it's okay. Gameplay (10/10). Idk how to write this review lol. In a short word: very fun and quite challenging. Worth to play. Overall score: 9.999999/10. This game is worth to buy and play :) Sorry if my English is bad Edit: I forgot about the music lol The music is nice and fits into the game, and the special thing in this game is the artist's names are included, so I can find the BGM artist. That's great

My take on Shattered Hourglass. I have played this game 6-8 times since the first version. I never tire of it. I have played all endings which are based on your choices and Karma points. I have always enjoyed this game and would recommend it to anyone who likes a game with so many ways to play it. The optional dungeons are tough but, the rewards are great. One game, I put over 200 hours into it. So, 15-20 hours is just getting warmed up. Depending on the path you chose, you may meet different characters and also experience gameplay that is only available during that particular path. I would suggest the"good" path first. I also enjoyed the trivia chests with some helpful items. Thank you, Sawworm!

One of the greatest RPGs I have ever played. If you want a HARDCORE role-playing experience, this game's for you. Especially if you're a boomer like myself. Happy pwnage! :^)

This game is great! Rich in content, it gave me much more value for the price - than many similar games. Surpisingly complex and unique dungeons, many tasks to complete, interesting leveling system. I actually wanted to achieve various goals and make new discoveries. Another plus is the difficulty adjustment and the diversity of equipments. Also, the support is quick and responsive. The only thing thank would make this game even better - is an in game journal - to keep track of those interesting sidequests and places with unresolved tasks. My time was close to 180 HOURS! I'll be definitely waiting for new games from this developer! Thank You!

Shattered Hourglass has a nostalgic vibe for me. I played that back in 2014, it was in the development phase even though the developer claimed the main story is completed, they know it has still many things to be added and had many issues. I'm glad that all of the problems are solved over time, especially famous grammar issues. Didn't experience a single bug, that's rare. Even the encounter rate is simply fixed with a simple item that you can buy acts like a Pokemon repeller, nice! I played a bit over 50 hours on my first playthrough in the free version and because of my curiosity, I got the True Bad Ending+. I don't think I'm going to bother with the other endings because the game is too darn long. It's a long and fun JRPG. Has an absurd amount of content, grumpy main character and colorful characters. if you are into optional stuff you are in threat, the real piece of pie is the optional dungeons, tbh I don't wanna mention that water dungeon. wow. just experience yourself. Overall it's 9.5/10, probably one of the best rpgmaker game out there, well polished and darn challenging. PS. I hate you Zulwhern Another PS. Bad and Neutral playthroughs got another world map to explore unlike the good one

the bunny is very helpful *sniff*