Linda Cube is divided into 3 main scenarios and a bonus scenario. The first two scenarios are story based shorter scenarios that can be completed in about 2 in-game years, the 3rd one is an open world scenario with very little in terms of required story, primarily revealing events through NPC dialogue and sidequests. The first two kind of function as tutorials to get you used to the world before you really get into exploring Neo Kenya to rescue every animal in the 3rd. This 3rd scenario is a very enjoyable open world game. Small compared to modern games, but quite dense compared to them as well. Many questions are raised about the nature of the world, but often we are just left with implications rather than answers. There’s lots of themes to be seen from the game too. There's the obvious fact that the indigenous people of Neo Kenya are a lower class than the earth humans, but scenario A takes this further with the Christmas themed pharmaceutical company and indigenous villages being slaughtered on Christmas in the past.
Linda Cube’s battle mechanics are mostly straightforward RPG mechanics, but the fact that animals need to be captured, not killed creates its distinctions. Rather than worrying about grinding, often you need to worry about causing too much damage and killing an animal. I was often using skills to make sure I don’t deal heavy damage. Sometimes there's a weak animal that's best killed by throwing fresh poop at it till it's captured. But don't keep it in your inventory for more than a season or it will dry and only do one damage at a time. Actually there is one specific use for that too. Knowing each animal's behavior and how to encounter it can be a challenge too. Only female anglerfish are found in the wild, like real life. So the easy way to get a male is to capture a few and dissect them for eggs to hatch into males. Sometimes you don't need to battle though. You can buy animals, capture them in traps, and buy them in illegal auctions.
The animals themselves have quite odd designs. All are named after earth animals, though their familiarity varies from wolves being very similar to reindeer only being vaguely similar. Compared to the original Turbografx designs, the PS1 versions maintain weirdness, thought they are less creepy. I prefer the Turbografx designs, though the PS1 has improvements such as only keeping a single palette swap (Frog and tree frog). The small amount of Turbografx exclusive animals seem to be odd and generally a mismatch from the appeal of a somewhat familiar animal. The Stand may be disturbing, but it’s not disturbing in the way that I appreciate the other animals are. Even with these animals being so weird, they still need to be saved.
Speaking of Turbografx differences, the summer theme there is a lot better. Hope that gets translated too eventually.
Linda Cube’s battle mechanics are mostly straightforward RPG mechanics, but the fact that animals need to be captured, not killed creates its distinctions. Rather than worrying about grinding, often you need to worry about causing too much damage and killing an animal. I was often using skills to make sure I don’t deal heavy damage. Sometimes there's a weak animal that's best killed by throwing fresh poop at it till it's captured. But don't keep it in your inventory for more than a season or it will dry and only do one damage at a time. Actually there is one specific use for that too. Knowing each animal's behavior and how to encounter it can be a challenge too. Only female anglerfish are found in the wild, like real life. So the easy way to get a male is to capture a few and dissect them for eggs to hatch into males. Sometimes you don't need to battle though. You can buy animals, capture them in traps, and buy them in illegal auctions.
The animals themselves have quite odd designs. All are named after earth animals, though their familiarity varies from wolves being very similar to reindeer only being vaguely similar. Compared to the original Turbografx designs, the PS1 versions maintain weirdness, thought they are less creepy. I prefer the Turbografx designs, though the PS1 has improvements such as only keeping a single palette swap (Frog and tree frog). The small amount of Turbografx exclusive animals seem to be odd and generally a mismatch from the appeal of a somewhat familiar animal. The Stand may be disturbing, but it’s not disturbing in the way that I appreciate the other animals are. Even with these animals being so weird, they still need to be saved.
Speaking of Turbografx differences, the summer theme there is a lot better. Hope that gets translated too eventually.