Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky

The UI leaves something to be desired and backtracking to previously explored areas is not terribly exciting, but neither of these issues ruin the game and there are more than enough positives to offset those imperfections.

Despite the bumpy and confusing start, the excellent plot -combined with a rather satisfying gameplay and a delightful art style- make Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky a recommended experience for any fan of the genre.

If you’ve been craving a Valkyrie Profile or just an RPG with a unique visual style and fun combat system, Exist Archive is the game for you. It is good to see more RPGs like this on home console in a time when most JPRG developers are ditching the big screen.

Exist Archive is a title elevated by its superb combat that remained enjoyable even after a thousand encounters. However, it doesn’t have much more to offer outside of the combat, as there’s a serious lack of variety in the overall gameplay. The repetitive nature of exploring one dungeon after another, punctuated by the odd event here and there played against my patience.

Within Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky you will be treated to a game featuring a unique storytelling angle, amazing art design, a roster of a dozen compelling and unique characters and a beefy campaign. It legitimately feels like a successor to the Valkyrie Profile series, from the people that made the series what it is today. Despite its repetitive nature, this is still an adventure that is worthy of exploring, as long as you have plenty of free time on your hands.

Exist Archive is a quite interesting game, but it takes its time to be engaging. It feels like the developer is not used to work with this budget, but it's still a game that hides many good things.

With its clever story and well-written characters, Exist Archive deserves a lot of credit. The 2D platforming felt like a breath of fresh air, and the combat’s nuances are deep enough to be worth investing some time in, despite some excessive grinding. Best of all, it clearly flags the points at which its various endings branch off from one another, giving curious players a chance to save their game and make a clear decision about what course they want to pursue.There’s a story worth experiencing here, even if there isn’t quite enough game to support it.

A lovely little RPG that rides on the wings of Valkyrie Profile despite noticeable flaws. Its narrative hooks are undeniably riveting as it presents an unconventional premise of a flimsy stalemate that’s ready to break down at a moment’s notice. With a fast-paced battle system accompanied by 2D platforming sections, this successor to Valkyrie Profile is a fairly good game barred down by a monotonous overall fetch quest that revisits reused dungeon designs for many hours.

Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky is a test as much as a game, with some interesting new ideas being applied to a pretty standard JRPG. There are some highs and some lows, but the overall product is lacking in severe ways that are amplified by the generally promising new concepts. However, a strong story and some exploration options make this a game to consider.

Exist Archive is a game with a lot of potential that ultimately feels like it's missing something. The story starts with a heap of promise but ends up going nowhere with it, and the great combat is unfortunately marred by frustrating, lengthy level design. While I wouldn't go so far as to say the game is bad, it is disappointing in too many ways to really call it good.

Exist Archive may test your time and patience, but if you’re willing to make that commitment, you should find a worthwhile experience.

Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky is an advertisement for the mantra that less is more. There's an enjoyable ten hour game here, but it's buried in a repetitive and frustrating forty hour experience in which the majority of the content not only feels superfluous, but actually detrimental to the whole.