Originally, I was saving this game to maybe play with someone one day, but I had no idea how long it would sit in my backlog, so I decided to give it a go and see if maybe it was enjoyable solo.
This is gonna feel like a review with a bunch of caveats, but let's start with the graphics, I' swear I've seen this art style before, but can't recall what it came from, but I really love how everything looks. It has a sort of cel-shaded mixed with watercolors kind of look to it. The land is vast while being in small pieces if that makes any sense, there's plenty of places to go but they all are small "islands" if that helps. The game runs very smoothly and honestly looks great, but I don't think this art style could work for different game than this.
The controls actually work very well, though if you are going to play, go to the Options first, there's alot there to adjust the playstyle to fit what you are used to, if you play everything on it's default settings, I guarantee a headache and steep learning. The combat is actually the weirdest part, first of all I didn't know it had RPG combat, but the way it does it feels kind of a step up from turn based combat and is lightly reactionary, but nowhere near an action game. It's kind of like rock-paper-scissors in a way, closer to Paper Mario or Mario & Luigi, but it's interesting and never really feels stale, but isn't front and center all the time.
The music is very pretty, it's like an odd mix of atmospheric vocals and instruments, the closest game I can think the music matches up with is the dungeon themes in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, music you'll love to hear in game, but may never find yourself humming.
The story is where the game is at it's best. It's built around exploring the world and character dialogue between Kay and Yu who you can choose who to use at any time at the push of a button. I really love the dialogue between the two, I'll admit I was a tad put off at the start with one of the characters, but the dynamic grew on me a whole bunch. Also, as people likely know Kay and Yu's genders aren't set so you can change the couple's gender and it doesn't change the story at all, it's cosmetic mostly, but the dialogue is adjusted depending on the pair.
The only drawbacks of the game are well, one is a personal issue and the other is a weird oversight. The personal issue is...you can play the game solo, but I feel the dialogue flows better if playing with someone else, but at the same time it seems like the exploration might be set for the leader to control the going-ons, I don't know I soloed it, but that's the vibe I get.
The oversight is, while the developers added the ability to adjust the gender of Kay and Yu, one combination is missing...your options are as follows (Kay/Yu), male/female is how it released. your other option is female/female and male/male, but it can't be flipped for Kay to female while Yu is male, not a big deal, just odd given the other free selections.
Those things aside, I love this game, despite playing on my own, this was a solid game and VERY different, but stands on it's own as a great game.
This is gonna feel like a review with a bunch of caveats, but let's start with the graphics, I' swear I've seen this art style before, but can't recall what it came from, but I really love how everything looks. It has a sort of cel-shaded mixed with watercolors kind of look to it. The land is vast while being in small pieces if that makes any sense, there's plenty of places to go but they all are small "islands" if that helps. The game runs very smoothly and honestly looks great, but I don't think this art style could work for different game than this.
The controls actually work very well, though if you are going to play, go to the Options first, there's alot there to adjust the playstyle to fit what you are used to, if you play everything on it's default settings, I guarantee a headache and steep learning. The combat is actually the weirdest part, first of all I didn't know it had RPG combat, but the way it does it feels kind of a step up from turn based combat and is lightly reactionary, but nowhere near an action game. It's kind of like rock-paper-scissors in a way, closer to Paper Mario or Mario & Luigi, but it's interesting and never really feels stale, but isn't front and center all the time.
The music is very pretty, it's like an odd mix of atmospheric vocals and instruments, the closest game I can think the music matches up with is the dungeon themes in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, music you'll love to hear in game, but may never find yourself humming.
The story is where the game is at it's best. It's built around exploring the world and character dialogue between Kay and Yu who you can choose who to use at any time at the push of a button. I really love the dialogue between the two, I'll admit I was a tad put off at the start with one of the characters, but the dynamic grew on me a whole bunch. Also, as people likely know Kay and Yu's genders aren't set so you can change the couple's gender and it doesn't change the story at all, it's cosmetic mostly, but the dialogue is adjusted depending on the pair.
The only drawbacks of the game are well, one is a personal issue and the other is a weird oversight. The personal issue is...you can play the game solo, but I feel the dialogue flows better if playing with someone else, but at the same time it seems like the exploration might be set for the leader to control the going-ons, I don't know I soloed it, but that's the vibe I get.
The oversight is, while the developers added the ability to adjust the gender of Kay and Yu, one combination is missing...your options are as follows (Kay/Yu), male/female is how it released. your other option is female/female and male/male, but it can't be flipped for Kay to female while Yu is male, not a big deal, just odd given the other free selections.
Those things aside, I love this game, despite playing on my own, this was a solid game and VERY different, but stands on it's own as a great game.