Citizens of Earth Reviews
Overall, Citizens of Earth is a game that has solid underpinnings, though it could also use some extra polish. Folks who prefer more modern titles with all the 3D fixin's will likely pass on this. If you like games that don't take themselves too seriously and also have an old-school flair, however, this'll be worth checking out, especially given it's affordable price.
Citizens of Earth is available on PC, PS4, PS Vita, WiiU, and 3DS. There's even a discount if you buy it during the first week of release on any platform.
Throughout my playthrough of Citizens of Earth, I was continually enthralled by all the ideas that went into creating the title. I fell in love with the characters, dialogue, and world. The battle system, meanwhile, captivated me, as it was so perfectly orchestrated. In theory, Citizens of Earth should have been an amazing game, and to a certain extent the game accomplished everything it set out to complete. Unfortunately, however, a few technical errors, along with a few design errors, turned what could have been an amazing experience into one that did not live up to its full potential.
Citizens of Earth is an enjoyable charming retro-inspired RPG with clear inspiration from the SNES classic EarthBound. There are occasional pacing issues, as certain areas seem to be padded with additional areas and enemies. The writing hits the mark throughout, making jokes about the political system and the occasional pop culture reference.
Wrapping American cultural stereotypes and the feckless disposition of politicians around an effigy of Earthbound is an electrifying thesis, but not one that Citizens of Earth quite sees to its potential or conclusion. The ingenuity of its character-based progression systems is stacked against tedious battle mechanics, suspect level design, and demoralizing performance crashes. Citizens of Earth is ultimately a victory, but not without a few conspicuous bruises.
Good for the casual gamer. Hell for the collectionists.
Citizens of Earth is a good premise marred by poor game design. I appreciate the old-school charm and contemporary satire, but the many of the game's mechanics are just too frustrating to overlook.
If Earthbound is a Japanese interpretation of Americana as seen through a filter of sitcoms, b-movies and news reels, then Citizens of Earth offers a Canadian take on the country we see through The Daily Show and the front page of Reddit. But where Shigesato Itoi displays deep fondness for his source material, Eden Industries is clearly more attached to the games that inspired them than they are to their game's setting.
This is a game which clearly values quantity over quality and is worse off for it, leaving you with the lasting impression that this was a team over zealously trying to make up for a failed crowd funding project. There may well be a half-decent game lurking beneath the facade of tired jokes and nods to RPG tropes and stereotypes, which Citizens of Earth then insists of portraying anyway, however it's far too caught up in its own bravado to realise it.
Citizens of Earth isn't always right on point. The humor is spotty and predictable, but the combat system has enough depth to be engaging.
I have to say, I really enjoyed Citizens of Earth. While I wouldn't call it a must own title, I would say it's a game worth playing, if only to see what can be done to revive this old and beloved genre. I'd say it's probably even a bit better on mobile platforms, as it's the type of game where you can have a million quests to do which you slowly wrap up over the course of a bus ride. If you liked old JRPGs and want to see what might be in store for the genre's future, give Citizens of Earth a try.
The result is a largely enjoyable but far too shallow experience. With plenty of laughs a minute, a fun battle system, and oodles of old-school charm, Citizens of Earth will delight you for a while - and then simply tire you out. There are too many frustrating hours spent wandering around, too many little bits and pieces that haven't been sorted out properly. With no further depth to it than pure satire, it can be difficult to force yourself through these awkward sections and seek what lies on the other side of them. A little refinement could have gone a long way for Citizens of Earth, but without that extra touch, it's not so much EarthBound as it is grounded.
Citizens of Earth is a fun, if flawed, sojourn into the glory days of 16 bit JRPGs.
In summation, Citizens of Earth is a pretty enjoyable game, but it's far too short for me to be able to call it a classic.
Eden Industries leaned on excessive fights the way movie writers too often lean on their own tired tropes, and the result leaves us waiting on the punchlines for too long.
Citizens of Earth was an ambitious RPG that set out to bring back the classic RPG styles of Earthbound and the like, but the standards of that genre really fail to take their place among RPG's today. There's fun to be had, to a point, and it's worth checking out if you're a fan of those oldschool games.
As an adventure that does just about everything right in the fun and technical sense, CoE's most valuable triumphs are its sense of humour and accessibility; whether you're politically knowledgeable or oblivious, and if you have a near-romantic relationship with turn-based RPGs, you will risk yawning through a filibuster if it means becoming the Vice President of this world.
'Citizens of Earth' is a strange, unique combination of the Western RPG and old-school JRPG. Between its recruitment mechanics, solid combat, script, and exploration, it is an extremely fun and nostalgic title. It has some irritating flaws and a mild assortment of bugs, but not enough to spoil its charm. I recommend this for any RPG fan, especially devotees of 90s JRPGs who'd like a walk down memory lane.
Citizens of Earth is a wonderful RPG that plays around with convention and brings something new to the table. It's familiar and accessible enough for longtime or new RPG fans, and is an engrossing experience for all.
Overall, Citizens of Earth has a good balance of humor, old-school RPG, and solid turn-based mechanics. I originally started my review with a PC copy of the game, but I had to switch to the PlayStation 4 because my copy crashed numerous times during the auto-saving. I can assure you that the checkpoints are numerous and generous, so none of my progress was lost between crashes. A few updates have been patched in since I received my PC code, so hopefully the game is no longer plagued with that one problem. It's definitely a worthwhile trip to the realm of retro RPGs, no matter if you go PC or console.