Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk

Nippon Ichi continues to be one of the more experimental developers within traditional JRPG genres. Disgaea has always offered a fundamentally different approach to tactics JRPGs, and the two Witch and the Hundred Knight titles did interesting things with the action JRPG. Being different means they're not for everyone, but Labyrinth of Refrain is perhaps the developer's most mature, nuanced, and interesting effort yet.

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is the dungeon crawler I've been waiting for. The way you build up characters and use them in battle is so incredibly well put together. Everything you do to prepare feels important, and readies you for what comes next. Naturally there are a few things to be said about the story's setup and the not-so-massive enemy count, but this can be forgiven in the grand scheme of things. The game knows what it wants to be, and I gladly spent well close to 100 hours seeing it all through. If you are looking for a game that will keep you going, Labyrinth of Refrain has your back.

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is an essential purchase for any DRPG fans on the Switch. It manages to keep things fresh throughout with great dungeons, an interesting story, and addictive customisation.

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk features engaging and complex gameplay systems, as well as a combat that is fast and compelling and more signs of quality in a production of this level. While those who are not into JRPGs will find it difficult to appreciate this game, those more versed in the genre will see here a quality and good performing game.

The first-person dungeon-crawling RPG genre has produced its fair share of obtuse and needlessly difficult titles over the years, but Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk remedies this by offering an easy-to-master battle system, silly characters and the ability to modify the difficulty of its dungeons. While its cutscenes are a little too self-indulgent in length, the voiceover work is surprisingly decent and although some story moments take the occasional questionable turn, Nippon Ichi has conjured an intriguing world to inhabit. The design of the dungeons can be a little repetitive, but Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is still a great way for newcomers to try out this age-old genre.

Sadly, Labyrinth of Refrain is a game far too convoluted with illusionary depth to be considered wholly enjoyable. With a dispensable story, poor mid-game communication (that often feels like a deliberate attempt to waste player time) and a hefty number of interfaces requiring a fair amount of cleaning up, Nippon Ichi’s attempt to alternate from their usual Disgaea forte, though intriguing in a few areas, ends up being frustrating and cumbersome to the point of cancelling out the enjoyment it initially creates.