This game is so good and so bad at the same time that it is frustratingly interesting.
The good points are well-mentioned in the reviews already, but the bad points are not well conveyed.
My main grapple with the game is the quality of translation. By reading the dialogues closely, you will start to realise a few oddities.
A single term can be referred by a a few different names. Character sometimes speaks with wrong or missing pronouns. Sentences do not always flow coherently and sometimes seem to be out of context. Subject in the dialogue often has ambiguity in terms of who or what the characters are talking about.
The dialogues are often borderline gibberish that is both legible and illegible at the same time. It is almost as if the translator are given no context on their scripts, and they have no coordination with each other. It is a messy translation that is somehow organised together. The prime example of this problem is when the characters are talking about Leo's disease in the beginning of DLC. Another example will be the mage character, which talks about armour and barrier, in the synthesize shop. Both dialogue are confusing piles of mess.
Why does this matter then? Poor translation impacts not just our understanding of the game, but it also hinders the emotional moment that the game is trying to deliver which this game has plenty of. It is a shame that we the overseas players got an inferior version of the game. This game could have been a 神ゲー(godlike amazing game) if not for this issue.
The game system itself also has a few oddities. Some are just annoying and some are dangerous.
It is mostly with the flow of the game, and the ability to backtrack.
Here are a few examples:
1. You cannot escape from gallery room. You have to press D(fast travel), to the map. Normally there is an exit point in such a room for player to immediately realise how to get out of the place.
2. Badly explained stats system.
To see your stats, you have to enter equipment, to see your entire stats is just bad design.
Support equipment(ASI) does not explain itself well. Some affect the party while some only affect individuals. Such as ASI Poison A and C. Do you know that their effects applies to the whole party? Oh do you also know you can press < and > to get more information about the equipment?
Same goes for some of the passive skills. The masters skill actually affects the whole party, and some do have compounded effect when both the Cell and Alcy learns the same skill, such as the Fire Master.
3. Stats are not well explained. What does luck, Magic defense(M.Strength) aka magic armour, and M.ATK, all these do?
I have deciphered a few. Luck affects crit hit rate. M.ATK is actually Spatial influence. However, magic armour is still a mystery to me.
4. Mixed uses of symbols and Terminology. The "luck" mentioned in the Aurumbloom, is not the luck in our stats, but rather it affect rare item drop rate from mobs. Magic defense having actually 4 names to it. Alcy Wall applies to only the caster, but is it affect the whole party is not clear. The Counter ASI seems to be buffing the Alcy wall, but the skill description is not directly referring to it.
This number 4 point reflects my issue with the translation quality.
5. The game still have a few softlocks, especially if you fail some battle or do things out of intended order.
6. Occasionally the game flow is abrupt, such as the gathering of supporter, during the election at the finale of the base game. The 4 places mentioned by Colette are not actually the places to trigger the events. With two spots hidden inside building, you are expected to run around randomly to find them. Ever after all these, the games doesn't automatically proceed, you have to go the center of the street to trigger the final fight. Finishing the gathering of supporter and the trigger of final fight should have been separated to better the flow of the game.
In summary, the game has a very wonderful message. It also have a grand scale of content and emotional content. The fights at severe mode is very fun, and the battle system are a refreshing take on the 4 elements. The game even have some 4th wall breaking element at the very end, it is good fun. It reminds me of game like SHRIFT, and DDLC. Tseng is also very interesting character, which I find myself often agree with him.
However, the problem with its varying quality issue of translation makes it a game that is very hard to be recommanded to others, especially player who are relatively new to HRPG genre. Still a 5/5 game tho
