I was extremely close to giving this a perfect 10, even though not for one moment did I think this game is not without its flaws. Right from the beginning, a recurring theme in the progression is a repetition of the events that have already occurred through the conversations and discussions between the main characters. As a result, the story seems drawn out. You might notice very early that a lot happens in the manga-like animated panels where the characters talk to each other - exposition, character development and the like, but even so, it might seem there are a bit too many of them happening back to back. Even though you have the option to skip watching and watching them later in camp, you might be inclined to watch them when the notification to view pops up and wind up feeling detached from the actual gameplay watching skits one after the other. Maybe you will find the combat not to your taste or, as the general opinion suggests, the story to be too long. Each of these opinions warrant careful consideration of the facts and more often than not some reasons will be justified. Clocking in at over 60 hours, the story might seem a bit too long. The RPG mechanics aren't deep enough to take attention away from the combat, which itself isn't that challenging to keep you invested in getting better all the time.
And yet, it feels like a 10 through and through because the good it does, it does better than anything the JRPG genre has been able to put out till now.
It took me a while to figure out the central theme of the story. It started out as a story of revolution and outlaws, who rise through the ranks to overthrow the great oppressor. It went to a study of human nature and its flaws, went full sci-fi and finally ended with a story of friendship. But the real theme is healing. It is extremely difficult to put words to the overall feeling of a 60-hour game without spoiling anything, so I am aware I will be spoiling some basic plot lines. But I'm sure you've already heard about some of them already and I won't reveal anything major either. But after certain developments in the story, it is no longer about fighting the black with the white. It becomes finding out the root of the problems we face every day and how it is not selective about race, culture or even time. The real evil is in the hearts of humans and the evils it is capable of. But the game doesn't dive deep into introspection directly. It gives you enough time to believe there is a real villain who can be fought with arms and weapons, and in the process introduces 6 of the most memorable characters you can hope to play with, play as, and play alongside. The 6 characters that make up your party are much much more than a group of main characters and sidekicks - its a group of 6 main characters. 6 faces with 6 hearts and 6 minds who think differently, play differently, and behave differently in different situations but are reliable on every level. While the story revolves around Alphen and Shionne, Rinwell, Law, Dohalim and Kisara often feel like the central voice of their own story, their own issues and their own story arcs. This is where the game shines - revealing the central conflict of a character, his/her motivation to overcome the challenge and how he/she can learn from everyone around them, from their failures, their fears, their losses, and empower the self. Everyone in the group has flaws,binds that prevent them from reaching their true potential. The answer doesn't like at the end of a boss fight, it lies around them. Talking with friends, encountering situations, and finding the truth behind how the world works reveal all the clues and provides all the help needed to overcome the inner self and become someone, something more. The main story suddenly feels like the backdrop against which 6 characters are growing up and finding out about themselves and overcoming what holds them back. This flawless switch between the central issue plaguing the world and plaguing the hearts of the 6 trying to save it gives the game its best moments.
From the outside, its the best anime-like presentation ever. The character design is flawless, the environments are simple and yet detailed. The English voice acting was certainly captivating and the sound design was quirky, funny and epic in moments. The overall aesthetics are easy-going, approachable and very captivating. The levels don't feel old or restrictive. Its open world in the sense that each area is restricted by small boundaries but the regions are connected as a whole. This makes each area very different from the next in the types of enemies it has, the resources to be found the overall feel of the natural systems with all the major biomes of the world well represented in the game. The enemies are almost always some evil creature in the wild and occasionally zealots and crazy authoritarians (no spoilers, remember) and the moral ambiguity lies only in the narration, not in the gameplay. The standard watered-down action RPG mechanics are at play here, with choices almost non-existent except in the case of taking up side quests. Dialogues play out as intended and the story doesn't have branching lines. You can customise the outfit and hairstyle of each of the 6 main characters and upgrade their armour, and weapons alongside equipping them with one enhancement with varying numbers and potency of perks. The materials needed to craft each weapon and enhancement along with experience needed to level up can be found in the wild and by beating enemies. Separate skill points are awarded upon winning battles which are required to buy skills from a very unique skill tree where every 4 skills of a group will reward you with a separate permanent stat boost. No respecs here though. The combat is where the main attention of the gameplay lies, with a button for basic attacks and 3 for "artes" which are special moves that require charges to be spent on performing which get replenished with time. Each character has a boost attack, which has a unique effect and when performed against the proper type of enemy, or proper situation will put the enemy in a defenceless state called "boost break". There are combo attacks which link 2 characters together and have area-of-effect damage which can be performed when sufficient boost gauge has been built up. It's all a bit too much to take it at one go, so the game introduces each new feature after sufficient time spent in combat. Even new moves are unlocked when one move has been performed a sufficient number of times. All in all, the combat is almost always rewarding you with some new mechanic or a new move, or new efficiency even after the 30-hour mark. This keeps the flow of gameplay very smooth and you are never burdened with remembering new mechanics while forgetting the old. There are no major difficulty spikes and it feels that the game is guiding you in the background with a gentle slope of increasing difficulty in both enemy types, enemy attacks and combat mechanics you have to master. Personally, I never got tired of the combat even after playing the game for almost 80 hours because each character plays entirely differently while the team combat stays the same. You can consider it to be 6 different beat-em-ups under one large beat-em-up umbrella which you play all at the same time. Higher difficulties provide more enemy health which you can use to your advantage and dish out some ridiculously cool-looking combos and stupid levels of hits to feel strong after every encounter.
Although I have not played plenty of JRPGs I have played enough to know the frustrations of chance encounters. They are virtually not present here, you can run past enemies out in the field when exploring and replay large cutscenes when camping. This self-realization shows how this game aims to appeal to not just the JRPG crowd and the otaku populace but new RPG lovers who want to pick up a game with a great story and engaging combat without having to deal with the quirks of a niche genre. A minor qualm I did have was that while the game explores heavy ideas and deep issues, the musical tone is very light-hearted and often feels tone-deaf. Some heavier, sombre melodies in the right moments would have brought out the emotional angle further and really put the mark on the maturity of the concept and execution. But it is easy to understand that the developers did not want to single out an age demography for this game and wanted everyone to explore the intricacies of the story on various levels and find their own hook to sink into and spend time in the world so richly made. The best way to last the entire story without feeling overburdened by the constantly evolving narration is to take each chapter as an arc and play accordingly without tackling the entire game-on and getting frustrated at the never-approaching conclusion to the latest development.
It is a game meant to be relished, played at a gentle pace while discovering new lands, new characters and new levels to the personalities of the main 6 characters who stick with you long after the game is over on the virtues of their character development. You really feel for them and want to see the end of their journey both as a group and as individuals just to see that 60-plus hours going by watching something grow in front of you. The game purposefully keeps side activities, collectables and long-winded side quests to a minimum to focus on the story and even though there are plenty of items to collect they are beautifully intertwined with the story to give you an added motivation of going after them to uncover new stories about the characters and at times they even help with the gameplay. The game is not without its flaws as I have said but it knows what it is and focuses on its virtues hard enough to make you ignore the vices. For an anime lover, this is a treat not to be missed and the incredible production and presentation more than make up for its long running time. Like 2 big seasons of your favourite anime which end with certainty, leaving behind a sweet taste in your mouth and pleasant memories of times spent with your friends.