I went into this game knowing absolutely nothing other than the existence of a couple characters and needless to say I am so fucking thrilled I went in blind. This game absolutely enveloped my time for a solid period of 5 days, I adore everything about the game. Upon completion I couldn't help but smile like a moron while tears silently hit my desk. I felt so much for the characters and was so engaged. A brief breeze of sadness hit as I realized I had reached the end. Needless to say this is one of my favorite video games of all time.

"Time to mix drinks and change lives."

One of the few games where I can say that the gameplay is so gripping and the music is so good that I'm only continuing to play despite the story being total dogass.

Counting this as mastered because I got Ace rank on every level and don't care for any of the visual novel stuff

I feel that it's important to note that I'm currently halfway through the game with only 3 hours in, I'm expecting to beat it at 6-7 hours which leaves the VN sections taking about 10-11 hours of the game's time which really annoys me because so far it's just poorly written.
I was right i beat it at 7 hours and 20 minutes lol

The Fullmetal Alchemist of JRPG's

Now, what exactly does this mean? This isn't some attack at Chrono Trigger or anything meant negatively towards the game. But rather an analogy I accidentally created. Do keep in mind that I absolutely love this game. Over the course of the past week and then some, my time playing games has mostly been dedicated towards playing this game.

My analogy to Fullmetal Alchemist comes rather as an overall reflection of the game. It's nearly flawless but, as a result it lacks in any areas where it really shines. This is not to say that the gameplay, story, music, etc are bad, but rather that they're all at such a level in which none of them stand out in any special sense. Far from average in fact. The game features a really good story, ost, (debatable) gameplay, and they all are amazing. Given the large 4-5 star reception of the game, I believe that comparing it to something like Fullmetal Alchemist is a fair and easily digestible comparison.

This game manages to perfectly sew together all aspects of what makes a video game good. While not being profound, it's perfect. The culmination of numerous JRPG developer minds at the time, those behind Xenogears, Final Fantasy, and more. Chrono Trigger also had so many new and quite honestly insane ideas at the time which now can be found all across gaming. New Game+ or even multiple endings (even crazier, they're all based on the players moral compass). This game rightfully sits atop many top 10 videogames lists because of how flawless it is.

My only real complaint with this game is that the bosses are just ass, for every good boss there's like 4 or 5 shitty stupid bosses which are just an absolute chore to beat and FUCK the Golem Twins I hate those absolute shitters. Stupid ass boss.

Analysis video that I think is worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiaMl3yN5io 23 minutes (spoilers)

After completing the game on numerous runs, I can say that I have unfortunately warmed up to this game and like it a bit more now. Original review below.

Enter the Gungeon, but for people who are fans of
-Big boobs
-Crammed rooms
-Big boobs
-Newgrounds

I finished the game it's awesome my thoughts down below remain

Ikaruga, a game though I am not quite finished with yet, I find so unbelievably fascinating. At this point in time, I have only completed chapters 1 and 2, and I'm currently going through hell and back to beat chapter 3. My thoughts are most definitely going to change as I progress further, thus I'd like to consider this a "snapshot" of my thoughts with where I'm currently at.

In my eyes, I believe it's more or less a game about what it means to be human and/or the sheer determination of being human. Upon starting the game and entering arcade mode, you're placed right into the action. After getting your ass handed to you a couple of times and learning the mechanics, it's at that point whether you've passed the developer's subtle test. You can either forge on, oblivious to what your true goal is other than “beat the level,” or you can just quit. The game's atmosphere is so powerful to the point where you either quit or you can press onwards with nothing more than the occasional quote to motivate you further. That I find quite beautiful. A game which keeps you playing utilizing the player's determination.

Largely unrelated to the rest of my thoughts; I believe part of the reason I am so gone on with this game is because I think it motivates the player in a manner loosely similar to Dark Souls (I love that game).

Moving on, many aspects of this game are truly timeless and aren't really lost between platforms, which is just incredible. Gameplay being a core part of this, the controls and mechanics are so unique and still hold up well 22 years after its release on arcade. Atmosphere and graphics are also another important avenue which stands the test of time. Though the graphics aren't necessarily heavily stylized and, if anything, are more “realistic” they still hold up surprisingly well charmingly. This in addition to the music sets quite the tone for the game in my eyes. Above all else, I personally think the translation team did an excellent job moving this overseas. Though I cannot possibly fathom the initial weight of the poetry, it still carries quite a heavy and impactful message when moving in between chapters and whatever segments of the game. Thanks localization team!

I can definitely see in some sense how this game has inspired another shmup I've played (ZeroRanger) and I cannot wait to explore more of the shmup genre for this reason.

The music OH MY GOD it's so fucking good man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAn6XxsDDTI

Upon rereading, my thoughts have become a lot clearer regarding this.

I'd like to view its existence as something more than only being a game. Yes it's very clear that it plays like a game, it shouldn't necessarily be rated or critiqued and in doing so would be insulting to the author.

This is, in my eyes, a journal entry adapted to fit stylistically in the world of Cave Story. A style much similar to the other game created by Bagenzo, Madotsuki's Closet. It isn't created as a work to be enjoyed in a traditional sense. You are looking into, what I interpret to be, an autobiographical memory or some turning point for the creator.

I think it's best to view this as a creation birthed from self-healing and personal reflection. Intent behind the creation is suited for the creator, not you.

Also check out Madotsuki's Closet if this game struck you in any way shape or form

Quite honestly, if the devs let this game cook for like another year or however long, I think they really could've had something special on their hands.

“KAMIKO” is a short level based arcade styled beat em' up. The game consists of four(?) short and simple stages. Each stage requiring a tiny bit more of your puzzle solving skills than the last. It takes a good hour or so to beat the game on your first run and around 30 minutes, even less, for subsequent replays with any character. Once you've completed the first run, the maps become super easy to navigate and become even more and more menial. There isn't much replay value to be found to be honest. I didn't notice any storytelling elements that changed with whatever character you chose, though each character has their own unique way of playstyle. I think this is another one of the missed opportunities this game has. Furthermore, I really wish they would have expanded upon the individual selections of the character's more than just gameplay.

Oh! Additionally, one of the puzzles involves you pressing a switch and narrowly making it across a bridge that persists for just the tiniest amount of time. If you get sidetracked for even the slightest moment, you'll have to retry until succession. Meanwhile, enemies keep respawning. Again. And again. And there's nothing you can do to make them not respawn. Wonderful.

Combat in this game is really lacking in depth, progression throughout stages sees character benefits only in health and stamina. While playing the stages, the buffs may seem trivial due to the fact that there's no punishment for dying, as you respawn back to life with full health and stamina at the cost of 5 seconds of waiting. The final boss is really going to require you to have those health bonuses if you play reckless, though. Honestly, I believe that if they had let this sit in development for a bit longer, we would have had a game with a more compelling story and probably even a better combat system. Mashing “A” while dashing between all 4 corners of the map gets boring, in addition to the infinite enemy respawns and limited health spawn points. 4 times. Without any significant changes.

The gameplay also switches between playing like a Zelda-like game to spontaneously becoming a bullet-hell. That switch-bridge puzzle I mentioned earlier? Yeah, there's like 2 or 3 of those. Grabbing a key to open up a door? Great! Just traverse the entire map while the enemies you killed 5 minutes ago respawn again and make your way to the door without getting hit. Grabbing an orb to place on a pedestal? Nice! Just know that you have to do that twice or else you can't progress. Also, the orbs are located in different areas. You'll have to play this pseudo bullet-hell game 3 times in a level. You can't fight back until you place the item in its respective area or until you get hit and drop the orb. Easily one of my most disliked aspects of the game.

On the contrary, the art and music direction is super cute. I think this is honestly the best part about the game. They really nailed the pixel art for what it's worth, to be honest. I wish they had used the style featured on the game's cover as the style of the graphics. I prefer that and the style of the character CG's much more than the actual sprites featured during gameplay. Not going to complain much on that front since the game is absolutely dirt cheap.

TLDR: Short but sweet beat em' up that I personally believe had the potential to be so much more. Pickup when it's on sale, it ends up costing like $2, I think it's worth the +1 hour of playtime.

Excellent sprite work, wonderfully crafted world building, impeccable voice acting. All of this is let down by the quite frankly frustratingly shitty combat, which leaves a sour taste in its wake.

This review contains some minor spoilers.

1. Bosses
It's very clear that this game draws an astronomic amount of inspiration from Dark Souls in every nook and cranny of the game, all the way down to the design philosophy of the bosses. Unfortunately, it fails to recognize what makes the bosses of the Soulsborne games any good. As a result of the 2D plane this game utilizes, the combat suffers heavily from bosses that use moves which necessitate an eagle eye to determine what course of action to take. Many bosses have moves that use the same animation as a startup for different attacks. Many of your deaths will be purely through RNG and the inability to telegraph what move the boss will use to strike you. It's a majority of guessing until the last frames of the startup, where you can actually determine the attack to be used.
Another facet of the boss that leaves behind a feeling of discontent is the lack of awe they bring. Consistently, vanquishing a boss in most of the bosses featured within the Soulsborne franchise will leave you feeling like you've overcome an insurmountable foe. That triumphant feeling of overcoming a boss is absolutely not present in this game. On every single one I fought, I audibly groaned at my victories. Displeased with the revelation that none of the bosses I encountered were interesting or captivating in any way at all. Beating them just had me feeling like “that's it?” it was upon my 3rd hour playing the game where I came to this realization, regardless, pressing on another 13 hours to actually beat the game. The final boss being the worst offender of this, I won the fight in less than a minute on my first attempt.

1.5. Mobs
Mobs and enemies encountered in the over world are an absolute joke. Genuinely futile. The only difficulty comes from the occasional abominable platform placement. Many times, the platforming will be your enemy more so than actual enemies. More on this later.

2. Combat
The upgrades are absolutely inconsequential, and I wholeheartedly believe you could beat the game without upgrading your weapons at all. The extra moves you get are so trivial, the best of the worst being the ranged weapon or the dash slice. Plunge attack, charge slash, and either of the combo finishers are completely unnecessary and have very few use cases during gameplay. You have to actively look for a scenario to use these because their usefulness depends on your determination to actually find a way to utilize them properly. The plunge attack especially is terrible because your vertical vision is so reduced and isn't helped much by the fact that changing your camera doesn't give much leeway for faraway vision.

3. Exploration
One of the few things about the game I actually enjoyed. Inevitably leading to its detriment. For some inexplicable reason, the entire upper half of the map has no waypoints whatsoever. Once you start truly exploring the lower half of the map, the devs decided to start hurling all the necessary waypoints, entirely neglecting the lack of northern waypoints until the midpoint of the game. Traversing elevators gets especially tiring when you have to run through the elevators with no way to simply teleport up to either of the important northwestern regions. Exploration as a whole is COOL!!! As stated earlier, this is one of the few parts of the game I found enjoyment in. Entering new areas fills you with a sense of awe. The backgrounds are wonderfully crafted. Musical references to its culture are beautifully incorporated. Many areas are eloquently made in reference to Spanish Gothic architecture and design. When you're able to pay no mind to the awful gameplay, it's truly a beautiful experience.

4. Platforming
Platforming in this game is quite honestly one of the BIGGEST fumbles this game makes. Throughout the entire exploration experience, I can absolutely safely say that one area of many gave me an actual challenge with its platforming. The rest of it is piss easy. Often times, the devs opt to use terrible enemy placement or bad obstacle placement to make platforming difficult and a chore to traverse. Namely, the swinging axes of the “Sleeping Canvases” area. Their inclusion is so extraneous and makes 0 sense for being present. Not much else to say other than what has been said. Bugs are also prevalent in quite literally only the platforming. Countless times, I have grabbed ledges from a noticeable distance above or below, failed to grab a ledge my character was pressed right up against, and teleported through floors. Bugs impact purely the platforming throughout my playthrough.

5. Music
Incredibly graceful.The use of Spanish instrumentals paired with the Christian symbology is unquestionably the best part about the game. Cantes de Confesión, Entregarás Tu Rostro a La Señora, and Coplas de Incienso are by far my favorite tracks the OST offers. Simply beautiful work.

6. Story & Sidequests
Not delving into the story/lore because the way that it is handled, it's pretty removed from the actual progression of the game outside the content that is spoon-fed to you through required interactions. That being said, it was okay, I suppose. I feel that too much information is packed into the “lore” button for items and weapons, which is quite annoying. Talking with the dead is a pretty cool mechanic, and some side quests provided a very cool dive into the world of Blasphemous.

CONCLUSION
Unfortunately, this is a game that doesn't stand up to the expectations that are set by the promotional content. I'm overall displeased with the game and moreover disappointed with the juxtaposition of eloquent visuals & music alongside terrible buggy gameplay. It manages to rope you in and keep you hooked until you realize that it's disappointing overall.

Incredible.

Trails in the Sky brilliantly sets itself up for the grander story that is to come in the following game, the Second Chapter. Many elements of this game are masterfully crafted: music, characters, side quests, and many in universe aspects as to how the world functions.

The tools of engaging the player with the world did a lot to immerse me in the world. Countless days I've played where I couldn't put down the game due to how engaging and beautiful the game is. Despite a large portion of the game being optional; the Bracer Guild board postings and the occasional hidden quests that you seek out yourself, with absolute certainty I can say I participated in almost every side quest and a handful of hidden quests. The gratification of stumbling upon a hidden substory is unparalleled. Often times, the side quests, hidden and publicly known alike, offer so much knowledge into the world whether it relates to the history, different branches of society, or relationships between characters. Trails has an amazingly realized world that delves into some truly unique territory. Purchasable newspapers, books, and other various outlets for in world authored texts is truly something I heavily appreciate in the game.

Being a PSP game, it should come to no one's surprise that the soundtrack is fairly limited. Exploration of the world can only be so grand, combat has many hardware limits inflicted upon it, and NPC dialogue can only go so far. That being said, the game utilizes all of these aspects to their fullest.

The soundtrack is about an hour in length, yet throughout the +40 hour duration of the game it ceases to wear itself out. Not once was I able to find myself annoyed with the choice of music or even the existence of a track altogether. I absolutely adore when and how the developers chose to use certain tracks for cutscenes, locations, and events. Sound design is, simply put, superb, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Standard battle music, boss music, and any music played during specific fights always land. I can very easily recall moments where the game uses music to its advantage. The most notable and memorable being a scene in specific where a character snaps, eliciting a reaction from an opposing person, then eerily creeping back into their ominous foreboding song. Contextually, this scene is absolutely fucking loaded with emotion and intense story significance. Typing it this way to avoid spoilers absolutely does it zero justice, you have to witness it firsthand. Music in this game carries a LOT of emotional weight, the use of music to fit regardless of tone or setting is also shown in how music environmentally consistently matches the mood throughout the entire main story. For what it's worth, given the length of the game and the length of the soundtrack, I have an utmost level of appreciation for how expertly crafted the music and environments are built in tandem.

Exploration and visual flair is definitely one of the biggest aspects in my adoration with the game. Areas are beautifully crafted, with each space having such uniqueness to it. Each of the main explorable cities and their outskirts are all uniquely interesting and a blast to explore & learn about their history upon reaching them for the first time. Bracer Quests are equally one of my favorite mechanics for this reason. Should you not feel compelled to explore the lands of your own volition, Bracer Quests act as one of the supporting reasons to explore and familiarize yourself with your surroundings. The 1.3 GB file size for the original PSP release still absolutely blows my mind. I love the unique style in how the world is designed and how it presents itself, that early 2000s JRPG aura is super emphasized, and I'm here for it.

I don't want to delve into the specifics of the combat much to be honest. I enjoyed it for what it offered and that's about the most I can put into words about it, I'm willing to excuse its simplicity for it being the first game in the series. Though I can safely say I'm not the biggest fan of sepith farming, I do however like the payoff. It grants the complexity of crafting your “perfect” orbment loadout for your characters, adding just another layer of strategy to the base combat that I'm definitely a fan of.