This review contains spoilers
So from a story perspective I liked it. I do think the abysmal pacing brings it down more than a fair bit. It is pretty nothing for at least half of the game and it only really starts 2/3rds through. Now some stories do start slow or need to take some time to set things up but I don't think P3R's story is one that really needs all that time which is nothing but SOL.
It does use the 'second year of high school environment' well overall tho its not the kind of story I tend to prefer. I'm def not the target audience here.
We see the characters learning to grow and get ready for the future through their experiences while trying to solve the dark hour. The aspect of accepting the transient nature of life while still finding meaning in continuing to persist is not one I was expecting in a high school environment. The game ends up being 'positive nihilism' vs 'straw nihilism'. My favorite parts of the game were probably just after the reveal that the world is ending and it can't be stopped as the characters have to grapple with that apparent fact.
I think the things involving the protagonist could have been better done if they were less of a blank slate. They have some characteristics but they're fairly subdued in favor of making them the vehicle for the player. I think the game would have been better if it wasn't like that but I guess that's just not what the game is going for.
The visuals are a mixed bag. Its very stylized, especially the UI but the very flat lighting hurts it overall. When the lighting does work it looks good but that sadly isn't often.
The soundtrack's good. Not the sort of thing I tend to listen to usually but good. Especially the tracks towards the end of the game. The one track I disliked was the default dorm theme. Its 'fine' but after having to listen to it for so long I've ended up disliking it.
The gameplay feels like a good combat system that is purposefully hamstrung? weaknesses, buffs and debuffs. It has the three basics that can make up a good turn based system while also giving some extra options to the player like theurgys but you really just do so much damage that you just steamroll through everything.
I wasn't even looking up shit or planning ahead and I got the final boss first try, making them change their Arcana nearly every turn(only twice that it took me two turns to get them to change their Arcana).
It does use the 'second year of high school environment' well overall tho its not the kind of story I tend to prefer. I'm def not the target audience here.
We see the characters learning to grow and get ready for the future through their experiences while trying to solve the dark hour. The aspect of accepting the transient nature of life while still finding meaning in continuing to persist is not one I was expecting in a high school environment. The game ends up being 'positive nihilism' vs 'straw nihilism'. My favorite parts of the game were probably just after the reveal that the world is ending and it can't be stopped as the characters have to grapple with that apparent fact.
I think the things involving the protagonist could have been better done if they were less of a blank slate. They have some characteristics but they're fairly subdued in favor of making them the vehicle for the player. I think the game would have been better if it wasn't like that but I guess that's just not what the game is going for.
The visuals are a mixed bag. Its very stylized, especially the UI but the very flat lighting hurts it overall. When the lighting does work it looks good but that sadly isn't often.
The soundtrack's good. Not the sort of thing I tend to listen to usually but good. Especially the tracks towards the end of the game. The one track I disliked was the default dorm theme. Its 'fine' but after having to listen to it for so long I've ended up disliking it.
The gameplay feels like a good combat system that is purposefully hamstrung? weaknesses, buffs and debuffs. It has the three basics that can make up a good turn based system while also giving some extra options to the player like theurgys but you really just do so much damage that you just steamroll through everything.
I wasn't even looking up shit or planning ahead and I got the final boss first try, making them change their Arcana nearly every turn(only twice that it took me two turns to get them to change their Arcana).