I Am Setsuna

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 193 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 128 out of 193
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 193
  3. Negative: 29 out of 193
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  1. GrumpyReviewer
    Sep 14, 2016
    7
    I really was counting the days to play this. Seeing the trailers, I was immediately connected to a great era of JRPGs, when I played masterpieces like Chrono Trigger on the Super Nintendo.

    It's not that Setsuna disappoints. It doesn't. It is a fun, turn based, JRPG that pays tribute to the great games of the past. I loved it from the beginning to end, but always had a bittersweet taste    I really was counting the days to play this. Seeing the trailers, I was immediately connected to a great era of JRPGs, when I played masterpieces like Chrono Trigger on the Super Nintendo.

    It's not that Setsuna disappoints. It doesn't. It is a fun, turn based, JRPG that pays tribute to the great games of the past. I loved it from the beginning to end, but always had a bittersweet taste in my mouth while playing it. It's like something is missing; the game feels bland, a bit uninspired, with over complicated combo/grind mechanics. Also, the story never really becomes interesting and the cast of characters falls short.

    I don't have any problems with the cliches, though. As a matter of fact, I was expecting every cliche possible. The game is just not as good as I wanted and expected it to be. It's a nice, small game, and a true product of love. But it's far from being nearly as good as the games it tries to mimic.

    Setsuna is a nice JRPG. Not a memorable, unforgettable one, though.    … Expand
  2. Nagido
    Dec 4, 2016
    5
    The developers should be ashamed of themselves. How can one make a game that actually gives you choices just to blatantly disregard them two lines later? Why say that the main character is a cold mercenary but basically ignore any player choice that goes in that direction? If they did not wish the player to have any impact on the events of the game, then why not say that the protagonist isThe developers should be ashamed of themselves. How can one make a game that actually gives you choices just to blatantly disregard them two lines later? Why say that the main character is a cold mercenary but basically ignore any player choice that goes in that direction? If they did not wish the player to have any impact on the events of the game, then why not say that the protagonist is simply another one of Setsuna's guards from the get go and remove dialog options that go beyond small talk?
    I have played maybe one hour and the game already pisses me off. Bravo Square and Tokyo RPG Factory. It's been a while since anything managed to do that. Next time, maybe you should try to get someone who actually knows how to tell a story.    … Expand
  3. TheOmegaMale
    Jul 24, 2016
    7
    Sometimes nostalgia is not a good thing. It can blind you from remembering some of the more frustrating and annoying things in gaming that you are actually glad have now got better with time. This is something to consider when looking at I am Sestuna.

    The game is a beautiful reincarnation of classic Square RPGs of your youth, most notably, Chrono Trigger. Visually the game hits the    Sometimes nostalgia is not a good thing. It can blind you from remembering some of the more frustrating and annoying things in gaming that you are actually glad have now got better with time. This is something to consider when looking at I am Sestuna.

    The game is a beautiful reincarnation of classic Square RPGs of your youth, most notably, Chrono Trigger. Visually the game hits the right spot and has been very deliberately designed to invoke memories of SNES and PS1 days. The music is outstanding. Who knew that plinky plonky piano could convey so many different moods and emotions? Combat is managed through a Active Time Battle system (think FF7 or earlier) and is satisfying, especially when combining attacks or using the momentum system to add extra effects to standard abilities.

    So.... why is there this sense of annoyance overshadowing the game? Well it goes back to this idea of nostalgia and how it's sometimes deceiving. As I was playing the game new mechanics were being introduced with only a short explanation and no real tutorial to make sure you had a full understanding. This led to situations where I was coming across serious spikes in difficulty (usually with boss battles) that I was woefully unprepared for. This resulted in me having to undo several hours of gameplay so that I could re-train and re-equip characters. Many people would look back on this as "old school gaming" and maybe that was fine when I was a teenager with nothing else to do but sit around for hours in front of the computer, but like so many others I'm just not in that place anymore.

    It irks me that, for the sake of a clearer tutorial, I lost several hours of my time and experienced unnecessary frustration with what is otherwise a great gaming experience. I've never understood the logic of hiding how a game works or making things deliberately more difficult to understand as a choice (I'm looking at you Dark Souls series). Anyway, it made me appreciate how somethings are just better left behind.

    So in the end I can't really punish the game to much for my own sense of nostalgia letting me down. However I can punish it (or rather Square Enix) for being overpriced at launch, and for their refusal to release on the PS Vita in North America and Europe. Also.... no physical copy? Shame on you Square Enix.

    Want a solid "old school" RPG experience? It's right here if you're willing to pay for it.    … Expand
  4. Pasifull
    Apr 12, 2023
    7
    Enjoyable, but frustratingly unambitious genre piece

    Recommend if you have a high tolerance for melancholic piano music
  5. Prrgangsta
    Jul 27, 2016
    5
    My original rating for this was a 7 but after beating it i had to lower it because of how it disappointed me with its ending, don't worry no spoilers, but i will tell you that your choices that you make will not impact this games ending whatsoever.

    I was hoping for multiple endings (like in chrono trigger ) but there is only one ending to this game and no new game+. The game also    My original rating for this was a 7 but after beating it i had to lower it because of how it disappointed me with its ending, don't worry no spoilers, but i will tell you that your choices that you make will not impact this games ending whatsoever.

    I was hoping for multiple endings (like in chrono trigger ) but there is only one ending to this game and no new game+.

    The game also gives you a new character at the final boss of the game that you dont really need to be honest since i was 30 lvls ahead of him already.

    It was fun but poorly paced and disappointing storywise.    … Expand
  6. gqmasters3
    Oct 30, 2019
    6
    This game can be summed up as: Chrono Trigger gameplay with Secret of Mana plot. The graphics in the game are great and I liked the simple, somber music as it compliments the tone of the game (I can see how this may turn many off). Unfortunatelty, the characters, outside of Setsuna, were rather stock and forgettable and the game is extremely linear unlike it's "inspiration".
    Some combo    This game can be summed up as: Chrono Trigger gameplay with Secret of Mana plot. The graphics in the game are great and I liked the simple, somber music as it compliments the tone of the game (I can see how this may turn many off). Unfortunatelty, the characters, outside of Setsuna, were rather stock and forgettable and the game is extremely linear unlike it's "inspiration".
    Some combo attacks are OP and you will find yourself using only 2-3 of them 99% of the time for the entire game. Weapon and armor upgrades are almost entirely simply purchased in town, which is kinda boring and there aren't really any hidden side areas to loot up on either until the game is basically over.
    "I Am Setsuna" is not a bad game but it's not great either. I can't say I would recommend it.    … Expand
  7. DarkwingSchmuck
    Mar 16, 2022
    7
    I am Setsuna is a brief, but fun RPG with clear influences from classics such as Chrono Trigger. It features a rather robust combat system, though its simplistic story and characters keep it from reaching the lofty heights it desires.

Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
71
#71 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 72 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 72
  3. Negative: 0 out of 72
  1. The Sydney Morning Herald
    Dec 29, 2016
    60
    The relaxed, largely goal-free nature of the game has the potential to wear thin, but personally I found the controls fun enough, the environments and music beautiful enough, the various animals smile-inducing enough that even after the three hours it took to reach the end I was happy to dive back in, ready to search for more clues and uncover what it was all about.
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  2. Easy Allies
    Dec 1, 2016
    80
    Tokyo RPG Factory has done a fine job of capturing the spirit of classic JRPGs with I am Setsuna. It feels like returning home after a long journey. Its superb soundtrack and solid gameplay bring nostalgic feelings of joy and comfort. Even though a lack of balance holds back the creativity of its combat, it never extinguishes the emotional tone and engaging story of the game. It may not be the next classic, but it does an excellent job of honoring its heritage.
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  3. RPGamer
    Sep 19, 2016
    60
    In short bursts of play, I Am Setsuna ticks all the boxes one could want from a modern JRPG designed as a callback to the classics: a seemingly emotionally involving story, stirring music, pretty visuals, and a battle system that offers up nuggets of nostalgia like "ATB" and "tech combos".
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