EARTHLOCK

Disclosure, I played this game on Steam before official release so I am unsure of the changes if any have been made. Earthlock is a game that brings to mind some of the older sytle of RPG games, it's a colorful, turn-based game focused on a team of plucky young folk out to save the world. Really it's a pattern you've seen before but for good reason, the pattern works and Earthlock does a decent job of using them with a few exceptions. The story is basic and I do mean basic, there are hints of a larger story and the wider world but only hints and that can get frustrating for Story Junkies like myself. It's not bad I just felt like there was much that was meant to be included to make the world and story feel more fleshed out that were removed for time or budget constraints. The combat is decent, there are elemental affinities and special moves, even a few added benefits through "bonds" you build with team members, there is one aspect thats related to combat that really made the game drag on for me and that is the ammunition. The Main Character uses a gun which fires seeds, to get the seeds you have to grow them in a special area. The area is seperate from the rest of the game world and you leave the main map in order to stop what you're doing to go there grab some seeds, replant a few things and go back to it. it felt like an interruption to me with how frequently I had to visit the place and the upgrades lead me to believe the game was going to be quite a bit longer than it was, which leads me to my final complaint. It is a short game, I mean shorter than you think. You'll be rolling right along and then bam end, ok not quite that abrupt but it feel like it was dropped halfway to thier goal, the world never gets fleshed out and the characters feel hollow. Now that all being said it is by no means a bad game just one that I felt could have used a bit more of, well everything

I had a really fun weekend with this game. Bought it on another account last year. It's bright and colorful and gave me the sense of adventure and wonder I was looking for at the time. Art direction is top notch for an indie. I'm not that interested in complex dramatic stories or whiny anime dialogue so the minimal plot and text dialogue was perfect for me. Other reviewers say it's simplicity was a weakness, but I see it as a strength and a throwback to old rpgs where we filled in the blanks with our imaginations and just enjoyed a fairy tale without getting constantly beaten over the head with exposition. That's not to say there weren't some areas of the game that felt unfinished, or lacking, but to me it wasn't the characters or story, and it didn't detract from the experience too much anyway. It's the kind of game you would rent from blockbuster, have a nice weekend with, and then move on with your life, and it stands out as one of the better gaming experiences I had last year. I also had lots of fun with the customization options, variety of characters, and the tag team battle tactics. The difficulty felt very well balanced too. I hope these guys got a bigger budget to fully flesh out their sequel.

Beautiful graphics alone cant keep this boat afloat. Unbalanced, grindy combat with difficulty spikes at every new area. Economy is a joke and getting even basic potions to keep you going is a slog. Grind for crafting materials to create a new piece of equipment only gives a slight bonus in damage while sacrificing as much in other parameters. Basic and bland story. Characters introduced and thrown into your party like a hitchhiker. Barely one sentence of text and off you go. Not worth 5 bucks, not worth your time.

What is the soul of a JRPG? The gameplay? The world-building? The characters? Whatever it is, Earthlock ain't got it. As I understand it this is the improved re-release, I did not play the original so I cannot compare the two. What I can say is they would have had to rewrite the entire script in order to fix the fundamental problem with Earthlock: The writing is beyond bland. It's not offensively terrible like Trails of Cold Steel, but any talking will put you to sleep and there is a lot of it. It doesn't help that cutscenes are static, characters don't emote, not even little 2D portraits that show a close-up of their face to underline their reactions. Also no voice acting or even Zelda style grunts to break up the monotony of clicking through line after line. But even if the presentation was better, it won't mend that not a single one of these characters has any bite to their personality. They're barely animated hand puppets, existing only as a vehicle to move the bare bones plot along. It's a true shame because the rest of Earthlock is not a complete clustermuck. The art style is cute and colorful, graphics while low on poly do look pleasing. Music is nice though barely noticeable. Combat is functional while I hesitate to call it "fun" it is engaging enough, like a somewhat primitive version of Final Fantasy X's CTB battle system. You can even speed up battles to minimize grinding time. Not that you will need to grind much, difficulty is extremely low. Overall I felt very reminded of I Am Setsuna, another nostalgia-fueled JRPG attempt that will make you fall asleep on your controller. It looks pretty, it's made competently enough, but it has no soul. No identity, no originality. Nothing to tickle any emotion besides mild complacency.