I Am Setsuna

 Switch
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 149 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 149
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 149
  3. Negative: 21 out of 149
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. aquarichy
    Oct 7, 2017
    6
    This game was boring. Each region follows the same formula, battles are formulaic, dungeons are formulaic. The story is very linear. The music is very repetitive. The story is bland relying on shallow tropes. The dialogue is shallow, crass, and repetitive. At 13, I'd still be insulted. I'm glad it was short.

    Visually, it was alright. It reminds me of Final Fantasy VII a bit.    This game was boring. Each region follows the same formula, battles are formulaic, dungeons are formulaic. The story is very linear. The music is very repetitive. The story is bland relying on shallow tropes. The dialogue is shallow, crass, and repetitive. At 13, I'd still be insulted. I'm glad it was short.

    Visually, it was alright. It reminds me of Final Fantasy VII a bit.

    The battle system is more complex than the game warrants. I didn't have to pay much attention to which talismans or spritnite I was equipping, except in a couple cases. I didn't worry about flux or economics at all (e.g. what items I should buy, what equipment.)

    Overall, the game just shuttles you along and you tap A and Y a lot. I think it seems like a good foundation for a better game. It's like they did a prototype, and instead of doing the added work of making it interesting, they just polished and shipped it.

    A very polished prototype of a standard RPG.    … Expand
  2. artificeprime
    May 14, 2018
    6
    I am Setsuna isn't a bad game, it tells a pretty good story and it does most things satisfactory but it is far inferior to the masterpiece games that it tries to live up to. It is probably most obvious that it is attempting to emulate Chrono Trigger, FFVII and FFX and there is nothing wrong with that since I consider those to be some of the best RPGs of all time. However, the problem isI am Setsuna isn't a bad game, it tells a pretty good story and it does most things satisfactory but it is far inferior to the masterpiece games that it tries to live up to. It is probably most obvious that it is attempting to emulate Chrono Trigger, FFVII and FFX and there is nothing wrong with that since I consider those to be some of the best RPGs of all time. However, the problem is that it takes only the surface level of what made those games great and misses out on the detail and richness that they offered in terms of storytelling, world building, character development, and gameplay variety. It seems like it was made to show that quality old school RPGs can now be made quicker with small teams, that is a mission I believe in but I think it fails to deliver an experience equal to old school greats. It is a very basic RPG that offers a good story but not a great one.

    Gameplay 5/10 - Most of your time is spent moving through a barren snowy landscape and battling monsters. The combat is decent but the monsters you encounter are almost all the same. There is a decent amount of magic abilities but most of them are unnecessary against anything besides bosses. You can very easily win almost every battle in two or three moves by using the same combo attack. You are also locked to just 3 team members in combat with no way to switch out members. That might have made sense back in the 90s but I really don't see why they couldn't have given the option to cycle team members in combat. FFX did it over 15 years ago and it worked great. There is also very little need to use most of your party. Half of the team members felt unnecessary in combat and provided very little in terms of unique benefits. Boss battles were the one area where combat was actually quite good but there weren't that many boss battles compared to similar games. There are a few puzzle sections in the game but they are very basic and repetitive.

    Story/Progression 7/10 - The story starts out quite interesting with a lot of mystery and intriguing questions being asked about both the world and the characters. It progresses at a good pace and offers meaningful answers to many questions. The problem is that the big questions never really get the deep and complex answers that other Square RPGs were known for. Most of the reveals, while acceptable, just weren't very complex or deep. The story of what happened to the Lost Lands wasn't nearly as layered as the ending of Chrono Trigger or FFX. Those games did a much better job of giving weight to their conclusions and having evidence of what was going on planted in unique ways throughout the whole journey. I am Setsuna attempts to do the same but just never gets very deep. The ending is also a bit too ambiguous. Overall though it is still a good story and I wasn't bored by it.

    World 5/10 - The world had a lot of potential but the problem is every part of it is pretty much the same. It is just a snowy wasteland and they never even use that to an interesting affect. The towns look fine but they all start to look very similar after the first few. I really don't see why they couldn't have had more variety, especially with modern technology at their disposal. The idea of the Last Lands was really interesting but the locations themselves are uninspired.

    Characters 7/10 - The cast is quite diverse and each character has a meaningful story. Unfortunately the weakest link is probably the lead that you play as. I don't mind the silent protagonist, I think it has been very well used in many games in the past but here it just seemed to fall flat except for the beginning and somewhat the end. The other problem with the characters is that most of them don't develop beyond the surface level. Setsuna herself is very similar to Yuna from FFX or Colette from Tales of Symphonia but those characters got way more development and had way more emotional complexity. Setsuna basically stays the same through the whole journey.

    Visual Design 4/10 - Visually the game looks decent except there is almost no variety. Most locations looks very similar and there are very few unique monsters. The designs of the characters are appealing but the variety is so limited that it becomes boring very fast. One of the things that made Chrono Trigger so great was the huge variety of locations and monsters. There are only a few visually unique moments in I am Setsuna. It is below average.

    Sound Design 4/10 - The music is appropriate and decent enough but it is just bland and repetitive there is almost no variety. The songs are fine but none are special. Square is known for amazing soundtracks surely they could have gotten more than this.

    Length/Amount of Content 7/10 - The story is roughly 25-30 hrs. It has a good amount of plot points and a reasonable number of bosses and locations. Compared to similar RPGs it is on the short side and it has a fair amount of repetitive battles but it offers a fair amount of content for its price.    … Expand
  3. Zastrow
    Mar 18, 2018
    7
    I want to like this game more. I appreciate that they're trying to pay homage to old classics like Chrono Trigger, but the writing just isn't here. The characters are forgettable and while the story has a fine premise, there is little meat on the bone. It's too bad because with just some better editing and reworking of the writing it could have been a memorable game,
  4. PimN
    Feb 28, 2018
    6
    I Am Setsuna is an homage to classic JRPGs, and that's both positive and negative. Positive for people that want a nostalgic trip back to those days, but negative for anyone else. The game does little to bring new things to the table to attract anyone other than die-hard JRPG fans.

    The story is not very interesting, and while that might not be the focus of this game, it would have    I Am Setsuna is an homage to classic JRPGs, and that's both positive and negative. Positive for people that want a nostalgic trip back to those days, but negative for anyone else. The game does little to bring new things to the table to attract anyone other than die-hard JRPG fans.

    The story is not very interesting, and while that might not be the focus of this game, it would have helped me get through the game if it were a better one. Despite these issues, I Am Setsuna on Switch is a good port and a great fit for the system. Combat is solid and satisfying and the art-style/character design is very good.

    However, I'd only recommend this to people who really like classic JRPGs. Otherwise, you might be in for a disappointment.    … Expand
  5. MrKiwaVGC
    Nov 23, 2017
    6
    I like this game, but I have to tell the truth with my score, to simplify, this games is boring. Is like story of FF 10, feels like that and no new battle mechanics either, the same turn battle game like ever. The music, the better aspect of the game, is just OK, and the characters are all meh.

    But just because the story feels like FF10, the boring characters and "just OK" music with a    I like this game, but I have to tell the truth with my score, to simplify, this games is boring. Is like story of FF 10, feels like that and no new battle mechanics either, the same turn battle game like ever. The music, the better aspect of the game, is just OK, and the characters are all meh.

    But just because the story feels like FF10, the boring characters and "just OK" music with a well carried story makes a game that you may like.

    6/10

    If The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Bravely Deafault, Xenoblade Chronicles, Final Fantasy 4 o Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater are all 9 or 10 of 10. This game with 6/10... I thinks is right.    … Expand
  6. b00lpr0p
    Jan 18, 2019
    7
    I had some fun playing it, and I liked the snowy atmosphere, and the soundtrack, but close to the end it became to be a little boring. I guess that's the reason I never finished it, I stopped just before the final battle...
  7. AllySky
    Apr 8, 2019
    5
    A beautiful role playing game with a fantastic story, this is not a game you'll want to miss out on.
  8. Zequila
    Dec 22, 2019
    5
    I'm a jrpg fan, but this is one of the worst game i've ever played....boring, tedious and very not interesting
  9. Mr_Hadouken
    Jul 28, 2023
    6
    I was hyped for this game. Sadly was disappointed when i played it. Story was decent at most. Gameplay was ok. Not much to discover in the world map.

Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Best Switch Game of 2017
51
#51 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
38
#38 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Cubed3
    Jun 18, 2018
    80
    There are better JRPGs that could be played portably on the GBA, DS, and Vita, but I Am Setsuna is the best JRPG that can currently be played on Nintendo Switch. The game isn't without its faults, though - namely the repetitive nature of environments, enemies, and bland NPCs. However, it has a powerful narrative that is driven by its backdrop and score; elements that should be greatly appreciated by all fans of the genre.
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 24, 2017
    75
    I Am Setsuna is plagued by a lack of ambition when it comes to several aspects of its narrative, but as a whole it's a perfect pick-up-and-play JRPG. [Issue #27 – May/June 2017, p. 22]
  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Apr 19, 2017
    70
    The Switch version of this nice old school JRPG runs at 30fps. Despise that, this is the best version of the game. You can play it at home or wherever you like, along with an interesting FREE DLC.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »