While a solid enough throwback, for all it’s ambitions, Tokyo RPG Factory’s debut title – I Am Setsuna – fell a bit short of the lofty target set by its predecessor, Chrono Trigger. With some feeling burnt by early preorders, the Square Enix subsidiary studio are playing it a little safer this time, and giving people a chance to poke around their next RPG, the similarly themed Lost Sphear, for free.
Available on Steam now, the Lost Sphear demo promises a solid hour of JRPG nostalgia. Want to take it for a spin?
The tight, focused yarns of JRPGs are a world away from the sprawling freeform adventures we’re used to in western RPGs, but we’re spoilt for choice on both sides now.
Our boy Ben took an extended peek at the full game a while back, breaking down its familiar blend of gameplay elements, and came away from the experience bubbling with effusive praise. While I Am Setsuna’s downbeat storytelling and limited visual palette held it back, it would seem that they’re on to a good thing with Lost Sphear.
Personally, I can’t help but look at the game and lament the lack of Akira Toriyama character designs, but that’s just personal preference, and one well served by the recent glut of surprisingly good Dragon Quest spinoffs in recent years.
You can grab the Lost Sphear demo here on Steam, and if it tickles your fancy, wishlist the full game, which is due to launch on January 23rd, with an RRP of £35/$50.
Have you lot tried the demo? How do you feel it stacks up against the likes of Chrono Trigger? Are we looking at a modern classic here, or just another imitator, hoping to reclaim past glories? Sound off in the comments below.