I suspect Nier Automata's STG sections with shifting perspective were inspired by this game. This game clearly has the focus on building an integrated overall player experience, rather than being a hardcore shooter, which makes it a good introductory title for newcomer of the genre. It's a shame that it doesn't have localized voice acting. Nobody has got the time to read subtitle during gameplay, which makes the story in cutscene incomprehensible. Thankfully the lore documents that are unlocked after finishing the game give a pretty good explanation of everything.

At first glance, you might think this is a hardboiled detective story featuring a cynical retired cop, but it really isn't. Our protagonist is on a personal quest, seeking the truth behind incidents happened to him prior. By accident or by design, he meets the colorful residents of Hotel Dusk, all of them having something to do with the truth he is seeking. He has exactly one night to figure it out, in a motel where no one is coming or leaving. Indeed, the setup is a classic "insulated mansion in a stormy night" rather than the sprawling metropolis where the hardboiled detectives usually dwell. Thankfully, nobody dies in this game, and the worst thing that could happen to our protagonist is getting kicked out. The detective work here is done mostly by talking to people (with some poorly designed puzzle solving in the mix). There is no gun in this story. The plot meanders quite a bit, with each side character has their own little arch. Sometimes it's not clear what to do next with the event that triggers plot progression seemingly coming out of nowhere.

There are two kinds of puzzles in this game: the environmental puzzle which is mostly about finding clues, and the "proper" puzzle, which involves you piecing together the secret of each plant from the clues you find. The latter is pretty interesting, and not very hard. You just need to read the clues carefully. There is no weird logic leap that you'd find in a point-and-click adventure game. The environmental puzzles can get a bit obtuse at times. Thankfully the whole manor is not that big, and there is no required backtracking between chapters. There's also a story. Classic 19th century feminism. Personally, I'd just be glad that I was born a noble lady living in a lavish manor.

This game uses the same engine as the first few Trails games. The nostalgia is overwhelming. Unlike Trails though, this game is extremely fast paced, both in terms of combat and story, which is refreshing in an era when every ARPG wants to be Souls. My only complaint regarding combat is some of the aerial enemies are annoying to deal with, as our protagonist doesn't have the best airborne abilities. I'm pleasantly surprised by the level design. Each level is just the right size. I always knew where to go, and when I deviated from main path, there's always something worthwhile to be found.