Players Like...

❤ Gameplay Overview

The game eschews a traditional linear story progression in favor of allowing players to freely explore the vast world of Mardias and take on quests and storylines at their own pace. Players can choose from one of eight different protagonist characters, each with their own unique backstories and starting point, and then forge their own path through the open world.

❤ Free Scenario System

At the core of the design lies the "free scenario system", which grants players tremendous freedom to determine the course of their adventure. Rather than funneling players through a predefined narrative, the game presents a sprawling open world for players to freely explore. Players can stumble upon and take on various quests and storylines in whichever order they choose, with the narrative unfolding organically based on the player's actions and choices.

❤ Character Progression

Character progression eschews traditional leveling in favor of a more organic system. Characters gain stat increases randomly after battles, with certain actions and equipment choices influencing the likelihood of gaining increases in particular stats. This encourages players to carefully consider how they build and equip their party, rather than simply grinding levels.

❤ Combat System

The turn-based combat features a unique "Glimmer" and "Combo" system. Certain attacks can trigger "Glimmers" which grant additional actions, while successfully chaining multiple attacks together into "Combos" can deal massive damage. Mastering these systems and building a synergistic party is key to overcoming the game's challenging encounters.

❤ Difficulty and Punishing Nature

The game is notorious for its punishing difficulty. Enemies scale dynamically with the player's progress, punishing those who attempt to grind their way through. This encourages players to carefully consider their approach and build their party in a strategic manner, rather than relying on simple level-grinding.

❤ Exploration and Questing

With the lack of a predefined narrative, a significant portion of the appeal lies in the joy of exploration. Players must actively seek out quests and storylines by talking to NPCs, uncovering hidden locations, and piecing together clues. This sense of discovery and the thrill of stumbling upon new content is a major draw.

❤ Customization and Replayability

The game's highly open-ended nature and diverse cast of playable characters lend themselves to tremendous replayability. Players can choose different protagonists, make different choices, and uncover new content on each playthrough, leading to vastly different experiences. The ability to carry over progress and resources in New Game+ further encourages multiple playthroughs.