Trials of Kokoro

Trials of Kokoro is not a bad game. In fact, it's rather good! I am however, debating on if the price is matching the experience though. The game (at this moment) is $13.99 USD and is roughly about 16 to 18 hours in length. There is no real replay value or any kind purpose to go back through the game a second time, compared to others of the similar price point. It is also not as long as some of those other games. No exploration as there are no maps as this is much closer to a visual novel than a traditional RPG. No different builds or unique encounters that come to mind and no achievements to hunt. The music is rather fitting and nice throughout, even though there is a weird jarring that the menu to manage your party has it's own music that can be vastly different than the scene you were in. Gameplay wise, it is rather straight forward. It is a ATB-Turn Based game where there is a variety of abilities to speed up, slow down, or even stun to keep someone from taking a turn. Though, the stuns will never work on a boss or feel like they don't work very often. However, the main issue is that there is some rather sudden difficulty spikes in the game. Primarily in the last two acts, there is a couple of boss moments, or rather the fights to even get to the boss. The difficulty suddenly spikes up where you will struggle to keep up, and if you don't have enough healing items stored up, you will struggle more. The game doesn't give you a lot of money, and you can sell stuff to get just enough for an upgrade, but you may need a couple healing salves for a pinch. Mechanic wise it is rather solid, with you having to balance out which abilities to spend your Power Points on, making an effective build with your team so that they can support each other and bounce off each other. Personally, I enjoyed giving Rhea the Encore ability and opening on Aedric (I renamed him Lorph) so we can just burst out the door with his own buffs. Though by the end of it, you can get most of the abilities with only a couple left off. Story wise it is rather fun and interesting. Taking over a person with amnesia who has random bouts of deep insight or knowledge of things he should not, was an interesting twist. There is also plenty of touching moments, inspiring speeches, and an optimism that things will work out, even when they might be rough. While there is a loose thread in the end, and the fact that they could have also shown a bit more of the Distant Ones and how the Gods battle against them, I feel like overall the story is rather good. Score: 4.5/5 - Kill the ♥♥♥♥♥♥' clown with extreme prejudice.

TL;DR: There is a lot of passion put into this game and the fact that ToK is so unknown is a loss for the gaming community. The gameplay is completely linear, which for some it may be a negative, but believe me that the developer made the best out of it and almost every battle feels unique and special. The characters are endearing and you can feel their growth as the story progresses. Probably my favorite part of the game. Quality of life features could have been improved though, especially in the menus. Like if I buy a new piece of armor, I would like the option to immediately equip it. The battle system is pretty much the classical turn-based RPG formula. Each character has a clear role and they complement each other pretty well. It feels quite polished and the overall experience was pretty fun for every battle. I think in part this is thanks to the fact that the number of battles is predetermined, so the developer was able to fine-tune the battles and make each of them feel challenging but rewarding. I really enjoyed the game and I hope with time it will become more well-known.

I loved this game! If you love statistical strategy combat and visual novels this is a perfect marriage of the two. The range in the combat in terms of elements, options, approaches, and scenarios, truly makes for an engaging battle system that scales as you grow with the game. Combat progression is such a delicate balance, often pitting too challenging with too easy. Here, you can tell the care taken into balancing each fight. I loved that it never felt unattainable and the dynamic of each fight made for a good challenge. You play up to 4 characters and support characters are also included. Again, this is a strong point. Most NPCs are infamous for getting themselves killed or being incompetent. This game does not suffer from this and is quite refreshing to see NPCs handle their own and be a relief at times in their support of your own party members. Equally, difficulty ranges from easy to veteran so there is opportunity in replay to maximize mastery of the battle system. But if combat is not your thing, then there is a story mode that allows you to solely focus on plot development. There’s something for everyone. With that said, let us now discuss the story and the characters. This is the second entry in the World of Vitaria series and the lore continues to be expanded on. This narrative truly is strong in conveying information, showing rather than telling in such a way that feels immersive and realistic (people talking about world-related things because it’s actually applicable. No obvious info dumping segways or things of the sort.) Character development is progressive; no static characters outside default enemies though even they have backgrounds fleshed out in the Bestiary which I found to be a neat feature and a good indicator of your progress in the game. The storyline is very engrossing and touches on many internal issues and concepts I find important to today’s collective consciousness. Another focus by this dev, per the prior game, real-life issues are discussed respectfully and handled with realism, a concept usually sanitized or glossed over in mainstream media. As for the world itself, Vitaria is a vibrant place and there is much depth involved in its lore. The storyline is very fulfilling but there are definitely many loose ends ripe for a sequel (or prequel ;) As for my critiques, may sound cliche but I wish things were more fleshed out. Some minor pacing issues and differences imo on introductions of certain characters, this being a more personal preference as the game conveys what it needs well in its own respect. Another is the use of “a few hours later” cuts. This verbiage is not necessary as omitting it would have presented a more cinematic take outside perhaps a single cheeky use for reference. I honestly had no issues with the combat, as I said it was very well balanced and each character’s build/options are packed with amazing variation that allows for a range of play styles. Hint systems and clues are fair and are hard to miss so battles are not blind all the while engaging you to utilize your skill. Lastly, I’d like to state the music and sound selection is phenomenal. Magic is a strong suit for this game and is beautifully executed and rich in conceptualizing. Each element is distinct and it was fantastic to see all the little details involved. All in all, Trials of Kokoro is a strong entry into the World of Vitaria series and is a must-play for those who love compelling narratives and tactical battle systems.

Trials of Kokoro ToK is a unique game that blends visual novel and turn based combat well. It has awesome characters and writing. The combat is smooth and explained well. I enjoy the strategy behind the fights as well. If you mess up the game is unforgiving, but if you plan right you will be victorious! The message behind the story is a good one and one I think people should read and learn from. Overall a very solid game and worth playing and supporting the dev!

Trials of Kokoro has been on my radar since I first saw its screenshots and trailers. Finally got to play it, and it's a really neat visual novel with RPG battles in between story segments. I am really enjoying it. The VN portion is excellent. Characters are distinct, scenes are concise, and dialogue is snappy. The graphical and audio details really make the story immersive. There are tons of traditional RPG mechanics that provide depth to battles. They are gradually introduced through scripted battles that also serve as tutorials, so you never feel overwhelmed. In particular, I really like the row and aggro systems, which requires tactical strategy. Battles are overall tight, and each one feels like it matters, so you're more invested in the outcome of your characters. The transition between VN segments and battles are seamless and the pacing feels just right. Definitely give it a go, especially if you want a more involved VN. Please support indie devs--the dev is a great person to talk to.