Earthlock

 Switch
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 28 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 28
  3. Negative: 3 out of 28
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  1. MrTusks
    May 31, 2018
    6
    I grabbed Earthlock because I wanted an old-school turn-based RPG to hold me over before Octopath Traveler, and I can report that it serves that purpose perfectly well!

    Basically, you command a group of colorful characters in an effort to save the world. If you've played Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy IX, you'll feel right at home. It hits all of the sweet spots that AAA RPGs tend to    I grabbed Earthlock because I wanted an old-school turn-based RPG to hold me over before Octopath Traveler, and I can report that it serves that purpose perfectly well!

    Basically, you command a group of colorful characters in an effort to save the world. If you've played Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy IX, you'll feel right at home. It hits all of the sweet spots that AAA RPGs tend to ignore nowadays, like true turn-based combat, static character classes, and a single linear story. Explore a dungeon, fight monsters, loot chests, hope you make it to the next save point. All good stuff.

    Unfortunately, the pacing docks it several points for me. Battles are slow (you can speed them up, but you have to toggle it on every battle). Natural progression will lead you to bosses you have no hope of beating, forcing you to grind. Instead of MP there are "amri points," which require you to skip a turn to recharge. The battle menu is confusing at first and annoying for the rest of the time, occasionally leading to missed button presses--I don't think Square has a copyright on the Fight Magic Item menu, do they? The confluence of all these factors make the game susceptible to the major complaint I have with games these days: It drags, and I'm ready for it to end so I can move on to something else.

    All in all, its good if you can get it on sale. Unless Octopath is out when you read this, then just get Octopath.    … Expand
  2. CraigEchols
    Apr 11, 2020
    6
    I got this game when it was on a big sale and I'm glad I did. Obviously an ode to the turn-based RPGs of old, this game can be difficult for those who aren't used to really paying attention to the intricacies of an overall RPG battle. The stance system is innovative albeit a bit cumbersome and annoying sometimes, but in that it is what makes it important. Think twice about taking on bigI got this game when it was on a big sale and I'm glad I did. Obviously an ode to the turn-based RPGs of old, this game can be difficult for those who aren't used to really paying attention to the intricacies of an overall RPG battle. The stance system is innovative albeit a bit cumbersome and annoying sometimes, but in that it is what makes it important. Think twice about taking on big team battles because enemies are very capable of bringing down someone if not everyone in your team. And the bosses cannot be beat simply by spamming the attack command.

    Earthlock may take some getting used to, but a colorful and jeery cast, pretty visuals, and a relaxing soundtrack (I love the title song Festival of Magic and learned it on the piano because of this game) make the game an original and rewarding experience.

    Addendum: So after reaching the second half of the game, i was unfortunately bogged down by an annoying difficulty spike. Normally, i don't mind mind those, however, it is executed poorly in this game. There is a difference in a game being difficult and a game requiring you to over-level your characters with tedious grinding. The former describes the first half of the game, the latter describes the second half. Not only do enemies out number you, but it essentially turns into survival mode of avoiding battles and finding worthwhile areas to grind endlessly in artificially extending the life of the game. That is no fun. Therefore, I am dropping my initial score down by two points because there is no need for that. Its a shame because I was really enjoying this game till that happened.    … Expand
  3. lehmanma
    Jun 3, 2020
    5
    It’s a fun(ish) kind of throwaway rpg. The combat is ok. The battle system is pretty shallow. My biggest gripe is that the characters are uninteresting and lack style. To me, rpgs are about the story; without it, they falter. But the game is enjoyable as a time killer. So there’s that.
  4. CalPaulE
    Aug 31, 2019
    6
    An otherwise very fun RPG is somewhat ruined by a huge difficulty curve at the end, including a borderline unbeatable final boss, and a limit on leveling at 20 with no further progression allowed.
  5. Flammie
    Jan 26, 2021
    7
    Earthlock is a classical JRPG with a decent battle system and cast of characters. The plot is interesting enough to carry through the game, though a lot of side quest content is very basic fetch quests, and repeated ones for no real reason than to extend the time waste. One of the biggest problems is that while the characters have a bit of personality, this is not developed efficientlyEarthlock is a classical JRPG with a decent battle system and cast of characters. The plot is interesting enough to carry through the game, though a lot of side quest content is very basic fetch quests, and repeated ones for no real reason than to extend the time waste. One of the biggest problems is that while the characters have a bit of personality, this is not developed efficiently enough in the game plot throughout so the plot is just slightly above average; one of the typical problems of indie games is that you never see expressions of the characters, so they end up seeming plain and motionless. The difficulty kind of spikes in the boss battles and few points here and there, but e.g. all boss battles are doable by learning some special tactic. Dungeon and map design is good, only few of the dungeons towards end game feel stretched for no reason, but ok. Much plus points for Norwegian translation, I wish more companies would do this more often, I love learning languages and Norwegian happens to be on my todo list.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Cubed3
    Jun 19, 2018
    50
    Those looking for a turned-based RPG, inspired by the golden oldies, are advised to look exactly where Earthlock took its inspiration from, as it's not very good at what it does. Some neat ideas have been included, but these can't make amends for a lack of an engaging plot, or fun battles.
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  2. CGMagazine
    May 30, 2018
    65
    Earthlock is a good game, locked behind a lack of polish.
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  3. Hobby Consolas
    May 28, 2018
    76
    An indie RPG that follows all the imaginable clichés from the 90's J-RPG (except random encounters). The result isn't bad, but some areas have plenty of room to improve (characters and plot won't hook you up completely). But, if you love the genre, you will be able to explore its world filled with tasks for 25+ hours (enjoyable in portable mode).
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