Mato Anomalies Reviews
Mato Anomalies mixes mystery, turn-based battles, and card-building all into one game with a great look and fun characters. If you like futuristic neo-noir games with a JRPG feel, this title is going to be one you will want to look into, even with a lack of distinct enemies.
Mato Anomalies had picked the right kind of experience to ape. The Persona series is consistently the most intelligent and thought-provoking in the JRPG genre. The developers have also done a decent effort to understand the thematic basis of those games, and at least attempt their own spin on it. Unfortunately, whether for a lack of resources or an inability to bring the creative elements together cohesively enough, Mato Anomalies’ greatest achievement is simply demonstrating just how hard it really is to make a game like Persona 3, 4 and 5.
While Mato Anomalies doesn’t execute any of its pieces exceptionally well, I appreciate the fact that there’s variety available, and the ability to quickly skip to the next thing if you desire. There are interesting ideas here, and I’d be interested to see how the team does with their next game, but this feels mildly undercooked.
This is a game that is very dense, with a time-consuming interface and a story that tries way too hard to be something grand, throwing strained dialogue and empty contrivances together to the point where most of the meaning is lost.
Mato Anomalies features different genres and does not always succeed in making them a worthwhile addition. First of all, it is a good visual novel, with a story that is a bit confusing at times, but interesting enough to intrigue you and make you want to delve deeper into its diverse cast of characters.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It gets points for some slick sensibilities in presentation and attitude, though some aspects are weaker than others
Mato Anomalies has great strengths in its story and gameplay, introducing homegrown elements that achieve interesting nuances and sensations within the conventions of the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mato Anomalies biggest problem is not in its attempt to be a simplified Persona "clone" Persona, but in its performance problems — which, although not harmful to the gameplay itself, manage to test patience from time to time — and the excessive use of italics in texts. Even without much to offer for the genre, it is a charming and stylish RPG with a plot capable of instigating the player's curiosity from start to finish.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Mato Anomalies is not a bad game, but the impression is that everything in it could be significantly improved. Combat works, but lacks variety and some system that differentiates it from other examples of the genre. The story is interesting and manages to entertain, but it lacks some singular idea that makes it unique. The presentation manages to carry the title, but could have received a more thoughtful finish to make everything even more captivating.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Strong storytelling does little to make up for the poor gameplay mechanics that drag Mato Anomalies’ potential down.
Mato Anomalies is relatively short, looks good but not amazing, and loads like I just caught it sneaking in after curfew and asked what it was doing. The voice work is okay but not fantastic, combat is good, card game is awful. It’s just a bit of everything but not enough of something, if that makes sense.
I was starting to get bored and frustrated around the 8-hour mark on Mato Anomalies, thanks to the poor rewards and Gear System. Making the team share a health bar seemed like a good idea. However, it does more bad than good, with enemies barraging with attacks.
Mato Anomalies is an intriguing RPG that has some cool ideas and an engrossing narrative, but some of its basic gameplay mechanics fall short of the mark. Nothing is outright bad at all, but with combat being a little basic and the dungeon design a little boring, RPG enthusiasts are unlikely to be blown away by the experience. It’s a shame too because I loved the narrative and the dual-protagonist approach is cleverly implemented, whilst the world itself feels great to explore. It just doesn’t offer enough to make up for the fact that the other elements of the game could get repetitive fast.
With art to die for but pacing that will kill you, Mato Anomalies is a fun time hampered by its own ambition. The city of Mato is worth a short trek, but maybe not as deep a dive as it invites.
Mato Anomalies has solid RPG fundamentals that can create an enjoyable experience in the beginning. Combat is fun to engage with, the world looks interesting, and the story has an intense start. Unfortunately, the game drags itself down with a narrative that never figures out what it wants to be, throwing in multiple themes which make little sense collectively. Combat requires increasingly large amounts of time investment, which can make you sick of the grind. It's hard to find yourself continuing to the end, and the game doesn't make much sense even if you do finish it. If you are looking for an RPG that requires grinding and you don't mind the repetition, you might enjoy Mato Anomalies. For those looking for a strong narrative that leaves you impressed, look elsewhere.
Despite the disappointing performance issues, Arrowiz should be extremely proud of what they’ve achieved with Mato Anomalies. They’ve taken inspiration from a beloved series while, admirably, still managing to create a JRPG that feels like nothing else out there at the moment. With its novel card battler mechanics, the snappy and accessible combat system, and the refreshingly straightforward take on character and party progression, Mato Anomalies is an easy recommendation for both fans of the genre who want something a little different, and those who are on the lookout for a more newcomer friendly entry point to the genre. Here’s hoping Mato Anomalies gets the attention it deserves because I, for one, would relish the opportunity to step back onto the streets of Mato with Doe and his crew all over again in a sequel.
Mato Anomalies can be described as a game with a lack of focus. While the ideas for an excellent game are there, and the art style is superb, it is unfortunately submerged beneath the cavalcade of unfinished ideas and a confusing plot. Mato Anomalies does not know where its focus lies, and because of this, every aspect of the game suffers.
Mato Anomalies is not an inherently bad game, it just feels like the repetition of menial tasks slows any momentum the ambitious RPG has going for itself. As it wraps up its 30 hour runtime with a strong twist & solid epilogue boss fight, Mato Anomalies benefits from its smaller scope as it doesn’t overstay its welcome in its eight chapters.
If there’s one reason to pick up this game, it’d have to be the turn-based JRPG combat. The story is good in Mato Anomalies—don’t get me wrong—but the simple, yet highly complex battle system is where it’s at.
Mato Anomalies brings us a well-measured mix of genres, without much fanfare, but showing correctness in all the aspects it shows, resulting in a very enjoyable game as long as we like visual novels and Japanese-style role-playing games. It won't change our lives but it will give us a good handful of hours of entertainment.
Review in Spanish | Read full review