Berwick Saga is... Berwick. The game is beyond weird, unreliable, finicky, actively hostile, slow, annoying, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The story and world are very well crafted, but you are expected to do a LOT of reading. Not as much as TRS in some parts, but there's some very dialogue heavy moments.
The game excels in making every playthrough unique, because nothing will ever happen the same way twice, no matter how much you beg for it to do so. Every unit has a niche, is legitimately usable if not viable at endgame with minimal investment, and the weapon system, while occasionally irritating, serves as a good method of progression. Everyone has their moment in the sun. Even Adel.
Story wise, a lot of the characters fall into common tropes, especially in Kaga's body of work. There are some subversions, some are played straight, but all of them feel in some way, distinctly human. That is where Berwick Saga shines, that sense of humanity and dignity everyone receives.
Of course, this is less for some women, notably Christine, and to a lesser extent Sylvis, in how they're treated, but those are minor nitpicks (and let's be honest, if you're playing this, you can stomach Kaga's misogyny.)
But that doesn't take away from the fact that this is probably Kaga's best story about humanity, because of the setting. It's victim to a lot of his writing quirks, for better and for worse, but mechanically and narratively this game is satisfying. Just be patient, and it will reward you with a fantastic time.
The story and world are very well crafted, but you are expected to do a LOT of reading. Not as much as TRS in some parts, but there's some very dialogue heavy moments.
The game excels in making every playthrough unique, because nothing will ever happen the same way twice, no matter how much you beg for it to do so. Every unit has a niche, is legitimately usable if not viable at endgame with minimal investment, and the weapon system, while occasionally irritating, serves as a good method of progression. Everyone has their moment in the sun. Even Adel.
Story wise, a lot of the characters fall into common tropes, especially in Kaga's body of work. There are some subversions, some are played straight, but all of them feel in some way, distinctly human. That is where Berwick Saga shines, that sense of humanity and dignity everyone receives.
Of course, this is less for some women, notably Christine, and to a lesser extent Sylvis, in how they're treated, but those are minor nitpicks (and let's be honest, if you're playing this, you can stomach Kaga's misogyny.)
But that doesn't take away from the fact that this is probably Kaga's best story about humanity, because of the setting. It's victim to a lot of his writing quirks, for better and for worse, but mechanically and narratively this game is satisfying. Just be patient, and it will reward you with a fantastic time.