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Sephirothic Stories hasn’t been my most enjoyable RPG experience. The plot, core mechanics, and dialogue don’t compare to the big-name peers. However, its price point is low, and this will appeal to new genre gamers. If you are a hardcore RPG fan, you may be disappointed. Yet, if you want a short and relatively easy game, this could appeal.
This fantasy RPG was developed by EXE-CREATE and published by KEMCO. Moreover, it is a single-player turn-based endeavour with some exploration elements. The core action revolves around dungeon exploring and sub-quests. However, there is a strong central plot and plenty of characters to interact with. This should have been great, but the dialogue is unnecessarily padded out, and there is sadly no depth.
Sephirothic Stories tells a tale of murk.
Humanity is losing its way, and the Sephiroth tree is fighting a losing battle. Monsters rule the roost, and overcoming their horrendous ways is easier said than done. However, a small village and a band of heroes plan to turn the tide in their favour. The unlikely team of warriors must learn to trust one another if they wish to thwart the demonic powers that threaten their existence.
The story is a textbook old-school RPG. The characters are a blend of gritty and determined warriors and nervous and unwilling fighters. This combination shouldn’t work, but it does. The underdog has a strange power that allows him to sense upcoming danger. Furthermore, his faithful lizard friend is always by his side. This odd comedy duo bounce off of one another as they befriend other party members and complete each task at hand.
So much dialogue!
The simplicity of the core mechanics is something I’m willing to overlook. The turn-based combat is refined, and once you own every powerful weapon, you mow through your victims like a hot knife through butter. If you then use the overpowered fusion attack, nothing stands in your way. This wasn’t bad, but it prevented a key mechanic from excelling. No matter the difficulty setting, you will destroy everything in your path.
My main issue, however, was the annoying levels of dialogue. Sephirothic Stories explains every minor detail to the nth degree! They have to move a box, well we better have a conflab. Oh, there is a river; however, will we cross it? I know, let’s stop and talk about it for 5 minutes. The never-ending debate of nonsense was unnecessary, frustrating, and poorly executed. So much so that I skipped every dialogue scene by hammering the A button with utmost disdain.
Sephirothic Stories is the definition of retro.
I love a pixelated experience. The old-school vibes are great, and it reminds me of my gaming roots. Thankfully, Sephirothic Stories delivers this nostalgic gameplay in spades. The sharp colours, pixelated characters, and simple animation were a joy to witness. Furthermore, the turn-based combat is easy, the setup is great, and I love the fighting cutscenes and movement of the weapons.
The audio is a mixed bag of enjoyable overworld sounds and crazy combat noise. The latter is unnecessarily loud and obnoxiously repetitive. Every battle has this angry and aggressive tune that doesn’t go away. It was a mistake and something that quickly became a distraction.
Simple controls.
The developer has done a great job of introducing every mechanic early on. The game is easy to play as a consequence, and newbie gamers will enjoy the simple approach. The control layout is intuitive, and this is one of the shining lights of this otherwise frustrating experience.
Replay value isn’t at the fore. The main story lasts around 8 to 10 hours, and there are some side quests. However, these minor tasks are repetitive and exploring each dungeon again is tedious. As such, only completionists will endure the torture.
Sephirothic Stories is okay for the price.
I wasn’t blown away by Sephirothic Stories. The gameplay isn’t fantastic, and several issues prevent it from excelling. However, it isn’t the worst game I’ve played, and the simple mechanics and easy-to-follow story are good for the price. Accordingly, though it isn’t brilliant, it is good enough and I recommend buying it here! Can you destroy the murk and save the day? Gather your team, explore the dungeons, and thwart the enemy.
