13 Sentinels Aegis Rim Reviews
If you’re willing to overlook its shortcomings, then 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim is definitely for you. There is definitely some questionable taste in gameplay and visual representation that I feel holds the game back, but it’s not a bad game in general. Atlus has always been great at storytelling. If you’re interested in their works, then I’d recommend you try out Persona 5 Royal and Catherine Full Body right after this one.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim tells an ambitious and compelling story that takes an anaconda's worth of twists and turns, but it's careful to never overwhelm you to the point of exhaustion, while remaining grounded enough in its characters and concept to deliver everything with a bang. While the other half of the experience is pretty unremarkable in comparison, it doesn't prevent 13 Sentinels from standing high as an example of video game and science fiction storytelling.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is certainly not a game for everyone. If you love story-heavy experiences and relish details that others may find dull then you'll wholeheartedly embrace it. At the same time, those looking for rewarding strategy combat will likely be disappointed.
Despite its subpar Destruction mode, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a delight. The story will captivate the minds of those interested in pulpy sci-fi adventures, and the gorgeous art style and compelling script are enough to warrant putting up with some tedious RTS battle sequences. On the whole, this is a title easy to recommend for those who enjoy sci-fi and visual novels, as the strengths of 13 Sentinels more than makeup for its weaknesses.
Not at all what you'd expect from the makers of Dragon's Crown, but as well as the expectedly beautiful artwork this has some of the most engaging high school melodrama this side of Persona.
The story is great, and the strategy gameplay is both satisfying and enjoyable
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an emotional rollercoaster packed in a visual novel style gameplay that is excellent from start to finish. The lackluster battle system lets it down and at times, gets in the way of a game that would be better without it.
For the most part, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an amazing looking game that tells a rather interesting story. It follows an interesting arc that unfortunately will lead to a rather easy to figure out a conclusion. Gameplay relies largely on point to click elements and a rather fundamental strategy RPG, which might be a dealbreaker for some, but it is worth it if you like anime/manga series like this. It might not be perfect but the fundamental elements are there to make it interesting enough to, if nothing else, give it a serious look.
With an incredible presentation, flashy combat, memorable characters, and depth and nuance in its complicated time-travelling kaiju-fighting narrative, 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim is a must-play for most PS4 owners with at least a tolerance for anime melodrama.
You haven’t experienced a story of this magnitude and quality not just in a video game, but in the sci-fi genre as a whole. 13 Sentinels, and Vanillaware as a whole, are video game cultural treasures, no buts about it.
The focus of 13 Sentinels is the anime-like narrative. Exciting, multi-layered and longlasting, 13 Sentinels manages to enrich the genre of visual novels. Anyone who is in the mood for an end-of-time Japanophile story about gigantic 'Mechs, teenage drama and crazy scifi plots will find what they are looking for in 13 Sentinals Aegis Rim.
Review in German | Read full review
Amazing story with RTS sections segments tacked on holding the product down a little.
Vanillaware's latest is a true masterclass in galaxy-brain sci-fi storytelling that will keep you up well past your bedtime. 13 Sentinels thumbs its nose at your expectations about familiar sci-fi tropes to take you somewhere completely unexpected.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an odd hybrid, but it knows exactly what it wants to be and pursues that goal with confidence and style.
13 Sentinels Aegis Rim combines a truly amazing narrative, unique esthetics, and an addictive battle system to produce a one-of-a-kind experience that JRPG and visual novels fans alike should definitely enjoy.
This game will give you a thrilling 35 hours of playtime divided between a great Science Fiction story packed with many electrifying plot points and a fun tactical combat system. If this is the kind of game that is right up your alley, you definitely wouldn't want to miss out.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
A beautiful and ambitious rich experience, one that could carry a wole anime franchise on its own. The story is not without its fault, but few games even attempt what this game has managed to achieve.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
While the RTS sections might drag things down a little, 13 Sentinels is still a fantastic story driven game that offers up a unique experience. It’s not quite the game that I thought it would be, though in some ways that didn’t turn out to be a bad thing. The future is looking bright for Vanillaware, and I hope that their next game goes all-in on the adventure elements, without anything else getting in the way.
It's great to have a new Vanillaware title on PS4. The bleak future presented with a writhing tangling plot makes for an excellent setting, showing that the team isn't just a one-trick pony. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is hampered by a slightly tedious battle system but, luckily, the adventure and story scenes are excellent and easily elevate this to greatness. An excellent, unique, niche title that is absolutely recommended to fans of Vanillaware and those who like things to be a certain flavour of Japanese.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is absolutely a must-play for fans of story-driven adventure games. This one especially has some legs to it; getting immersed in the mystery is easy to do thanks to the writing, and beautiful art and animation.