I can see why this game saved the franchise. Difficulty is just about right, customization has pretty good choices without being too overwhelming. A good starting point for someone who wants to get into the series without going through the idiosyncrasies introduced by 3H.

The writing is... fine. The motif of changing the future is handled mostly well, and it provides a nice little narrative centrifuge that pays off. Character writing is a little uneven, ranging from three-dimensional characters with interesting histories and motivations to anime cardboard cutouts.