This review contains spoilers
Took me awhile to get this game finished after taking a few months off about halfway through, glad I did though.
Gameplay in this entry is in my opinion some of the best in the series. The new mechanics such as Break and Engage offer something new to consider when strategizing, and go a long way toward making the gameplay of this one feel distinct and stand out from the others in the series. Game generally feels well balanced, both in the character roster and class design. I personally found the difficulty well done, levels felt challenging without veering into overly frustrating or poorly designed. Map design is some of my favorite in the series, while not every map is created equal I found most of them memorable and enjoyable and some I would consider some of my favorite in the series (shoutouts to Chapter 17).
The game does have its faults though, and I would say that's most apparent in the story. I'm personally am fine with this game having a straightforward and simple story, especially coming off the heels of Three Houses, and given that it seems to be a series celebration title. I was able to enjoy it for what it was for the most part for the first half or so, but after that it felt rather inconsistent, and by the final third or so I had lost all interest with how needlessly convoluted and contrived it was making everything.
Despite any criticisms of plot or some of the character designs not really being to my tastes, the gameplay is so good I couldn't help but enjoy myself while playing this game. Other than a few slight missteps with a handful of maps or other gameplay aspects, the core of this game is solid. If I decide to play again I probably won't worry much on the story or Somniel activities and instead just focus on the great gameplay this game has to offer.
Gameplay in this entry is in my opinion some of the best in the series. The new mechanics such as Break and Engage offer something new to consider when strategizing, and go a long way toward making the gameplay of this one feel distinct and stand out from the others in the series. Game generally feels well balanced, both in the character roster and class design. I personally found the difficulty well done, levels felt challenging without veering into overly frustrating or poorly designed. Map design is some of my favorite in the series, while not every map is created equal I found most of them memorable and enjoyable and some I would consider some of my favorite in the series (shoutouts to Chapter 17).
The game does have its faults though, and I would say that's most apparent in the story. I'm personally am fine with this game having a straightforward and simple story, especially coming off the heels of Three Houses, and given that it seems to be a series celebration title. I was able to enjoy it for what it was for the most part for the first half or so, but after that it felt rather inconsistent, and by the final third or so I had lost all interest with how needlessly convoluted and contrived it was making everything.
Despite any criticisms of plot or some of the character designs not really being to my tastes, the gameplay is so good I couldn't help but enjoy myself while playing this game. Other than a few slight missteps with a handful of maps or other gameplay aspects, the core of this game is solid. If I decide to play again I probably won't worry much on the story or Somniel activities and instead just focus on the great gameplay this game has to offer.