Definitely derivative of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy X, but I Am Setsuna manages to stand out as a chill, comfy JRPG holiday special. Unfortunately, the shoestring budget makes it feel inadequate as a sit down TV experience.
I love the idea of the piano only soundtrack, as it gives the game a somber, lonely vibe as you adventure across a dying, permanently blizzarding hellscape, no doubt a fantastical stand in for the Canadian prairies. It doesnt hit right all the time, though. Serious events or any moments of action are underplayed because of a lack of voice acting and some harsh staccato piano key smashing. But that's part of being experimental; you can't get it all perfect.
The game's combat is fun and strategic, even if the difficulty is low. It's basically just Chrono Trigger, so...if it aint broke, dont fix it. The main addition are "fluxations", which are permanent buffs to your materia stand-ins. You get them completely randomly, and you can go the whole game without getting a fluxation on one of your moves. It's supposed to reward you for using a move repeatedly but the rate is far too low, and the payoff unrewarding.
At 14 hours (20 to 100%), it's a great choice for the holiday season because of the winter theme and general cozy vibe of everything. A solid 7, but definitely could have been a lot better with voice acting and cutscenes.
I love the idea of the piano only soundtrack, as it gives the game a somber, lonely vibe as you adventure across a dying, permanently blizzarding hellscape, no doubt a fantastical stand in for the Canadian prairies. It doesnt hit right all the time, though. Serious events or any moments of action are underplayed because of a lack of voice acting and some harsh staccato piano key smashing. But that's part of being experimental; you can't get it all perfect.
The game's combat is fun and strategic, even if the difficulty is low. It's basically just Chrono Trigger, so...if it aint broke, dont fix it. The main addition are "fluxations", which are permanent buffs to your materia stand-ins. You get them completely randomly, and you can go the whole game without getting a fluxation on one of your moves. It's supposed to reward you for using a move repeatedly but the rate is far too low, and the payoff unrewarding.
At 14 hours (20 to 100%), it's a great choice for the holiday season because of the winter theme and general cozy vibe of everything. A solid 7, but definitely could have been a lot better with voice acting and cutscenes.