This game is almost certainly not for everyone. Some would be turned away by the finicky platforming segments, where one failed jump forces lengthy backtracking. Others might be overwhelmed by the sheer number of, well, numbers in combat or underwhelmed by the main plot. So why is this still a five star game in my book? If the idea of mixing the sense of exploration from an open world game with the mechanics of a traditional JRPG sounds enticing, and if you are willing to look past the flaws and quirks this game has, then you are looking at the promise of an unforgettable adventure here. The world is absolutely massive, and all of can be traversed with the right application of your platforming tools. I got a lot of enjoyment from just traveling through each region, filling out the map, and seeing what lay around every corner. The extra traversal mechanics the game throws at you (the "Metroidvania-style progression" the description references) might seem underwhelming initially, but if you are willing to experiment, you'll find each traversal mechanic unlocks a fair bit of the world. Combat encounters follow in the style of old party-based JRPGs (think older final fantasy entries). The game gives a dizzying amount of combat info (moreso than most JRPGs I've played), and you can customize party members with different class's stats, skills, and passive buffs (and there are a lot of classes to choose). I did not need to optimize my party much or agonize over exact numbers beyond damage until the late game, but good team composition and experimentation are definitely rewarded. You will find that some regions' enemies wipe the floor with your current party, but I could always find a region at an appropriate power level once I explored for long enough. So if you like the idea of a go-anywhere JRPG with deep customization, and you are willing to put up with some weird gameplay quirks, then give this a try. For that person, I cannot recommend this game enough.
