Through Rust We Are Returned

In my flimsy defense I went into Through Rust We Are Returned expecting more of a JRPG rather than Visual Novel meets SRPG it turned out. Not that this realization significantly impacts problems I have with the game, but those should be tempered given we are talking about a free game. We step into a weird setting of British Imperium where minds are apparently uploaded to homonculi and robot bodies. Death is less of an obstacle as memory can be drawn from central storage, although the process itself is not perfect because our protagonist Angel finds herself missing some key memories. This tends to be a problem when you're part of the military dealing with rebels interested in supplanting the government... only for you to keep running into people who somehow know you. Following a brief opening M.U.M. pairs you with a fellow soldier Thomasine and you're away from Manchester-Liverpool district to solve an indigenous problem tying into brewing issues back home. You know, the usual - fomenting rebellion and some sort of NULL virus threatening a very cyberpunk society where humanity was left by the wayside. So what's my problem? Well, all of the above is not conveyed in engaging fashion. Game structure is essentially "talky faces -> combat -> more talky faces" with an interesting element like unlocking your memories and being able to only choose four of them largely safe to ignore as Through Rust We Are Returned is way too easy for its own good. If you're looking for a simple SRPG this just might be what you want, though. Or would be if combat encounters weren't hampered by a limited enemy roster, no customization beyond said memories and those amount to minor statistical bonuses + situational benefits, and lastly cookie cutter scenario design where you're just plopped into one. Not even ramping up enemy numbers, something game does in its latter third, can really tilt the odds against you. None of this is horrendous or anything because it all still works just fine so nothing actively detracts from the experience. I'm just saying if you have even remote SRPG experience you can probably play this in your sleep as managing resources is simply a matter of waiting for a while. Generous movement areas let you dance around enemies with ease as they rely on simple attacks vs plenty at your disposal. There were aspects I wish were expanded upon some more. Like how each Memory has some story attached and by the end you piece it all together. Another point is game tells its story through flashbacks with characters realizing after the fact exactly what went down. Works out much better than I thought it would. 2D assets also look very distinct even if I'm not sold on combat aesthetic with rudimentary backgrounds models. I imagine scope of the game affected all of these things so I won't hold it against the developers. Solid undertaking with some issues. This is one of those instances where lack of additional balancing pass turns the final product into a cakewalk.