Earthlock: Festival of Magic

 Xbox One
Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. High-Def Digest
    Sep 9, 2016
    70
    This homage to the seminal days of RPGs is quite successful at what it set out to do. The strong points include character advancement, the village, and enemy variety, while I was let down by a slow plot and inconvenient save system. The Xbox One isn't exactly a haven for this genre, but in nostalgia value alone it's a welcome treat.
  2. GameGrin
    Oct 24, 2016
    65
    Earthlock: Festival of Magic shows that the JRPGs aren’t games of a bygone era. It’s got it’s issues, but it’s still a fun game if you’re a fan of the genre. Hopefully, the developers will have the funds and resources in the future to deliver a more fleshed out experience, but for now, this game is just fine.
  3. Multiplayer.it
    Sep 12, 2016
    65
    Quotation forthcoming.

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2016
27
#27 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2016

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 47 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 47
  3. Negative: 9 out of 47
  1. blankwave
    Sep 3, 2016
    9
    After playing I Am Setsuna I was pretty sure I was set for the year on RPG's but along came this awesome gem of a game. The growing/craftingAfter playing I Am Setsuna I was pretty sure I was set for the year on RPG's but along came this awesome gem of a game. The growing/crafting system is pretty great and I really like the way your team members team up as pairs adding passive bonuses in combat. I want to remain as spoiler free as possible so I won't comment on the story so far but I dig it. I'm giving it a weak 9 right now as I have a ways to go in the game but the signs so far are strong, especially for it being a $29.99 game (but FREE in sept for Xbox Gold members). UPDATE: Another 10 hours in and this game has really blossomed. To anyone who has only tried the first few hours, pick it up again and you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised. There are some minor issues where the game has frozen or gets tearing, but nothing game breaking. There is one song that gets old fast which was a bummer since the area it played in was one of the longest areas I've been in so far.… Full Review »
  2. SNESStarter
    Sep 2, 2016
    0
    This RPG is fantastic. Unlike the competitors, Microsoft's Games with Gold promotion releases incredible games monthly and this is noThis RPG is fantastic. Unlike the competitors, Microsoft's Games with Gold promotion releases incredible games monthly and this is no exception. Earthlock reminds me so much of what the Tales series was like before it went into the gutter. The turn-based combat is done perfectly and the party members have unique designs. The biggest joy though comes from the soundtrack, which is great.… Full Review »
  3. nibetac
    Sep 5, 2016
    5
    While not a terrible game, Earthlock has some minor issues that stack up to major annoyances. In the game, your magic or skill abilities useWhile not a terrible game, Earthlock has some minor issues that stack up to major annoyances. In the game, your magic or skill abilities use up yellow "Amri" squares and you must regenerate those squares over time by spending turns using basic attacks. This prevents you from, say, spamming an ability that hits all enemies on the screen repeatedly and forces you to vary up your attacks; all in all a sensible move from the developers.

    However, NONE of the enemies in the game have to follow these rules. This is not an annoyance when fighting your basic grunts, but when you're fighting an enemy who uses "Cloak" on every turn and becomes invulnerable while safely attacking you, it's a problem. Similarly, when fighting enemies who can confuse, slow or poison your party, they tend to spam that ability every turn which makes a battle that should only last a few minutes take upwards of 10 minutes to complete.

    Or how about that boss a few hours into the game that can wipe your party with a few uses of an ability that hits your entire party for 200-300 damage? Oh, you didn't know? You're supposed to grind out 2 or 3 levels before facing him to even stand a chance. RPGs that force grinding to progress the main story should have went the way of the dinosaur after the first few Final Fantasy's and Dragon Warriors. But Earthlock brings back that terrible design decision in all its glory.

    Couple that with a glitchy UI that prevents enemies from showing up in your Bestiary, a crafting system that forces you to babysit plants to get ammo and skills, to an overly-completed party bond system and you have a bunch of good ideas that don't stack up to much fun when combined. At least none of the characters are voiced though. I can only imagine what hideous voice they would assign to a character like Gnart...    … Full Review »
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