Beyond Charming, a Story with Soul
This game scratches an itch in the vein of 2D characters in 3D environments in a style of highly strategic RPGs with very narrow character parameters. All the colorful characters of dragons, unicorns, gryphons, mice, and so forth are a welcome charm to interact with, though nobody will tell me where the dreaded IT department is yet. I do feel it's a bit more difficult to hit these action commands or timed hits or what have you than other games in this particular subgenre, but so far I don't feel too constrained to hold onto my precious MP or SP that I don't get to have fun trying other actions in battle besides the basic attack. Money's tight, so I just hope there's a way to make some cash in this game, because there are tons of things to spend it on, what with the refreshing customization of Flynt's outfits and office. A minotaur took back my sun gem, the dingus.
The premise is sound and solid, with the opportunity for things to really go off the rails, which I'm looking forward to. This could really hold up as a whole franchise, and while I'm only two chapters deep thus far, the variety in environments has been thrilling, taking you from the gentrifying enchanted forest of the Three Little Pigs to the maddening Lovecraftian Shadow Over Innsbeak--and the jazzy soundtrack manages to fit these environments to a T both in and out of battle. All of the characters have such strong, well-defined voices, too, even the less predominant NPCs from your cubicle-shackled coworkers to the happy-go-lucky inhabitants of Happy Howl Hollow. I've been playing almost non-stop since I got this game, because I just can't wait to see what happens next, and they stick to their premise, demonstrating the ability to pull from a wealth of source material and to enrich it with character and life.
And the story. This story is amazing. The most moving story in a video game in years. I don't want to give spoilers, but it works on so many levels, and is relatable to so many more people than the usual fare that people laud these days where the stories end up just regaling us with what feels like somebody's personal diaries. This is a story about stories, where they come from, where they're going, and what they're made of. All the imagery, all the significance, is played subtly with the keenness of a genius, wrapped in humble wit and timeless charm. It's a travesty that this game isn't being talked about more than it is, because you will want to experience this one for yourself. This is a journey you should take for yourself.
Only major issue I ran into was I had to use an external program to get my Pro Controller to be recognized by this game. It really is a solid controller that deserves to be treated as standard, even if it is a little uncommon and a bit pricey and has the retro original layout for face buttons.
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