2026-07-31 31h 34m First Time
An excellent action RPG. Loved the breezy island setting and the exploration aspect. Finding castaways to grow your base who also act as shopkeepers is brilliant design- it helps your exploration have real gameplay impact and makes the settlement really feel lived in. It's a fun supporting cast though and they hold just enough space to be distinct without feeling like there's a million people to meet.
The story was interesting and runs a little long, but kept me engaged throughout. I wouldn't have hated if they'd kept it a simple adventure story, but I didn't mind where it went. I liked the time jump gameplay and am glad they didn't use it too heavily for puzzles. There was just enough of it to be novel.
Basically the epitome of a AA RPG. Combat is engaging without being complicated- jump, dodge, attack, block, 4 skills. Weapons get upgraded over time without you having to shop for them. There are armor & accessory slots that provide character customization, but there are only 3 stats, so your choices are never overwhelming. The controls are also simple, letting you do everything without memorizing a bunch of chords and button combinations. Each of the 6 characters handle differently, so they feel distinct to use, keeping combat fresh. Plus you could adjust the difficulty on the fly, so you can engage as much or as little as you want.
Maybe more than anything else, I loved how fast paced everything felt. Animations were snappy, you can sprint everywhere, the menus were responsive, and you can fast forward all the cutscenes and dialogue (if you so choose). The whole thing just felt breezy. It was a svelte runtime too, especially for a game of this size!
Just a delight, top to bottom.