Ghosts of nights hunched in front of a television, slowly spiraling up the Tower of Babil; squinting at blurry Chocograph pieces; running FATEs in hopes of an Atma drop. We live in these games for a spell, in a liminal universe—ones constructed for profit by Square-Enix, of course—but also co-constructed by ourselves. Little wonder that Curtain Call feels a bit like home.
The game upholds the standard set by previous entries, my quibbles aside, and those who’ve been waiting for a series-long narrative payoff will certainly find it here, whether or not it completely sticks the landing. But if you’re new to the series, I’d urge you to start with either The Curious Village or The Last Specter; my erstwhile disappointment with this title was earned by Level-5 for setting such high standards for what could have been a pump-and-dump post-Brain Age budget title. Would that the failings of most videogames require such disclaimer and context.