That is, with none hint of exaggeration, concerning the eleventy millionth KEMCO recreation that I’ve been lucky sufficient to evaluate over the previous couple of years.
I’m positive it’s not one thing that crosses your thoughts everytime you learn a evaluate, however very often the beginning, the introduction to the sport evaluate, is the toughest half to jot down. Will we try to fill it with jokes, will we go all severe, or within the case of this opening paragraph, will we twitter on within the hope that you simply gained’t shut the web page in disgust?
Properly, hopefully you’re nonetheless with me, as the topic of this evaluate is one more retro styled JRPG from KEMCO, this time referred to as Grace of Letoile. Is there something new right here, or ought to I refer you to any of the opposite KEMCO critiques I’ve written? Properly, the one method to discover out is to learn on…
Story is our first port of name, and right here the video games from KEMCO are historically fairly sturdy. And so it proves with Grace of Letoile, as we’re thrust right into a world the place want fulfilment is ready to justify nearly any deed.
At first, six automata referred to as Letoiles have been constructed, and the concept of their existence is to discover a companion, a Maschelle. From there, they struggle to the loss of life till there is just one left. Simply so as to add a little bit spice, the Letoiles have the flexibility to manage time, and might go ahead, again, and even create “loop worlds”. We play as Vedley, a younger man who loses his mother and father after wandering off to discover a demon. He’s saved, however his mother and father die, and since then he had dreamed of with the ability to return in time and proper his mistake. An odd man tells him the place to discover a Letoile, and the remainder of the story kicks off from there. It’s surprisingly mature too, exhibiting nearly the course of grief in somebody’s life as Vedley involves phrases together with his loss by way of forging new friendships.
Set-up is all good, however the presentation is a little more problematic, as there’s actually nothing right here that we haven’t seen dozens of instances earlier than. Sure, Grace of Letoile is one other retro styled JRPG, with anime model characters, an overworld map and dungeons to search out, and extra of the tropes that we have now turn out to be extremely conversant in over the course of KEMCO’s recreation design profession. Even the battle display screen may be very conventional, with our crew on the left and the enemies on the proper. The cutscenes are textual content solely, introduced with an image of the speaker, and even the creatures we struggle are the identical throughout the sport, simply with completely different color palettes utilized.
So what concerning the sound? There may be some, with some good tunes and the same old battle sounds all current and proper. I assume what I’m making an attempt to say is that in case you have performed a KEMCO recreation earlier than, you’ll be proper at dwelling right here. Nothing to shock you!
However allow us to see if the builders have managed to shoehorn something new into the precise gameplay, lets? Properly, the information here’s a little higher, as there are a few new mechanics to familiarize yourself with, so maintain tight.
The primary mechanic is a big clock face within the backside left of the display screen, referred to as the Chronos Gauge. By utilizing expertise that match the numbers on the gauge (consider it as a clock, and it turns into simpler to visualise) the extent of the Chronos Gauge rises. It could actually get to a most of 200%, and as soon as it’s charged, the heroes in our get together achieve entry to highly effective new assaults. As soon as they’re used, the cost is depleted and have to be constructed up once more. Saving the makes use of of those assaults till a boss is discovered is an excellent tactic, and it will allow you to defeat the enemies with ease. Wanting on the expertise you need to use and seeing what quantity the Chronos Gauge desires, altering your assaults accordingly, quickly turns into second nature.
This gauge ties into one other new mechanic – the ability plate that every character has. You see, with a purpose to get new talents to make use of in battle, ability gems must be situated, both in chests or purchased from outlets. These gems are then slotted into the ability plate, and it will let new assaults and spells be discovered. Having a number of copies of the identical gem makes the assault or spell stronger, however this limits the pliability in combating. Since there are creatures on the planet who resist one or different of the weather you need to use, having choices is at all times good. Every slot on the ability plate has a quantity, and these correspond to the numbers on the Chronos Gauge, the plates rotated to alter the numbers. It’s a fairly cool system, all issues thought of.
One unhealthy factor right here although – you can’t totally unlock the ability plate with out spending LTP (Letoile Factors, earned by profitable fights) within the in-game store to purchase unlock keys. The store additionally has objects that you should purchase to unlock entry to a few dungeons, as for those who don’t have them, you’ll by no means discover them. I don’t like being locked out of content material if I’m trustworthy, and whereas these aren’t microtransactions within the conventional sense, they definitely have that really feel to them.
Different points? Properly, the sheer quantity of random encounters in Grace of Letoile is suffocating, and there’s no method to flip them down like there was in earlier video games. I used to be wandering round Zarmok Fort, late within the recreation, and as it’s a little bit of a maze, I ended up having struggle after struggle earlier than I discovered the place I used to be meant to be. This will get outdated, in a short time, and the velocity of the fights can also be a difficulty – even with the motion velocity turned up, it nonetheless takes an extended whereas to finish each encounter. I’ve taken to organising the auto assaults and simply letting the CPU struggle, solely stepping in when the get together is getting battered. It’s not probably the most involving fight system, I’ve to say.
All in all, Grace of Letoile may be very a lot one other KEMCO RPG. There isn’t something ground-breaking right here, however the story is healthier than most. It’s only a disgrace that issues are hidden away, there are too many random encounters and the gradual fight implies that the thrill of the narrative is considerably diluted. When you’re conversant in what KEMCO ship, Grace of Letoile shouldn’t be one of many higher examples of the breed, I’m afraid.
