This game is a Hardcore Strategy JRPG, which means it's not for everyone. So if you can't stand turned-based battle systems, pandering anime styles, Japanese audio, reading, or drawn out progression don't bother with this game. These are probably the major instant turn-off. If you like FFTactics you might enjoy this game.
Before I continue, I'd like to say I have played this game for 55This game is a Hardcore Strategy JRPG, which means it's not for everyone. So if you can't stand turned-based battle systems, pandering anime styles, Japanese audio, reading, or drawn out progression don't bother with this game. These are probably the major instant turn-off. If you like FFTactics you might enjoy this game.
Before I continue, I'd like to say I have played this game for 55 hours on hard and still have not beat it.
About The Game (No Spoilers)
-Story/Art-
The Story telling itself is very slow and anime inspired. I personally like to think of it as an anime version of "The Lord of the Ring". The audio is in Japanese, so if you don't like reading subtitles you definitely won't like the story telling. I personally like that it's a Japanese "Lord of the Ring", but I will say the "Lord of the Ring" did it better. Sad to say, this story is not for everyone
The game is full of politics of it's world and a variety of races and enemies. Though, the politics probably could be done better, especially considering how slow the game burns. The story mostly focuses on the main protagonist, and the country politics are just one of many obstacles in his way. I wish I could say how, but I feel that it could have been done better. Perhaps if they gave us more political choices.
The overarching story doesn't have as much to do with particular warring countries as it does with miscellaneous politics of various countries. While the story instantly starts out with a country at war it quickly changes focus to the promise the main character makes, where he gives his life and the lives descendants to another character in exchanged for being rescued. Then throughout the generations you are fulfilling that promise and you need to pick a wife so that the next generation can fulfill his destiny.
To be honest, while every choice you make effect who likes you, there isn't that much dating-sim in the story. The artist uses a style that panders to the horney Japanese teenage boy, but it doesn't really shove that much of it in your face out side of some costume design. Out of the about 40 hours I've played WITHOUT GRINDING, I've maybe seen 5 minutes of cut scenes that shoved ecchi in my face
-Game play-
I can break the game down into 5 parts: the over-world, combat, Dungeons (quests), town menu, and camp menu
=Over-world=
The over-world has two purposes I've found. One, to progress the story, and two to have set enemies that you can farm from for particular items and objectives. Each area on the map takes up one turn, and the number of turns you take effects the game. I have yet to figure out how exactly for myself, but apparently it can effect the ending you get.
=Dungeons (Quests)=
These are area where you can grind without increasing your turn count. They are in a 3D environment, and each one has significance to the lore. These are also the only place where you can find free loot and find certain monsters. For some reason the game calls them "Quests" but don't have quests in them.
=Combat=
Combat is a simplistic turn based strategy, but if simplistic and turn based meant bad then chess would be bad. Like in most strategy games of this kind, each unit you control has a certain amount of actions he/she can do, and take its own turn pending on the AGI Stat. There is no plain "Attack" Action. You Equip each character with "Skills" and each skill takes up actions. Where the Combat really shines is in the variety of "Skills: and the ability to combine skill, especially of those of other characters. If you position your characters correctly you can use multiple characters on the same turn. Every time a character does something or is hit, it gains "SP" and SP is needed for some special attacks. The biggest down side is the amount of time it takes to execute your turn
There is an Auto-Combat option if you Press "Q" during combat, but I don't recommend it unless you're grinding in a very easy Dungeon. The plus side is that it makes decisions faster than you can navigate the battle menu.
=Town Menu=
Here is where you can buy and make various items and skills. If you like getting loot and making stuff out of it there is a lot of that, and it's one of the stronger parts of the game. For most things, you have to make it at least once before you can just buy it.
=Camp menu=
Basic menu where you manage your characters, items, and skills. There is a lot to manage in my opinion.
THE BAD (Art is personal preference)
The worst thing about this game is it's pacing, the fighting takes a long time and there is more story progression than there is story. The game is begging you to use it's DLC and the DLC makes the game way too easy. On top of that, the act of grinding is very time consuming. The game Vanilla does not respect your time, on hard at least. Port problems, made for console, not much Ghostlight could do to better the port. Read manual from steam page for controls.
THE GOOD
Great depth to the story, combat, and items… Expand
Agarest: Generations of WarYour Score0 out of 10User Score
