Wander Stars Reviews
All in all, Wander Stars is a good time for RPG fans and anyone nostalgic for older battle anime. I had fun with it and you probably will, too.
For players who grew up loving '90s anime or those fascinated by experimental mechanics in RPGs, Wander Stars is worth experiencing. It may not fully deliver on the limitless potential of words, but when it hits, it feels as satisfying as the perfect sentence – or punch - landing exactly where it should.
Wander Stars is a truly creative turn-based title with a whole lot of heart.
Wander Stars is an incredibly cute love letter to the classic anime series. It takes the extreme style of Dragon Ball’s bombastic combat and playfully turns it into a turn-based RPG, fully embracing the camp hyper-stylised nature of its inspirations. It also tells an unexpectedly emotional tale with diversity in its cast of characters. A delightful treat for the Cheez TV kids (and the furries).
Wander Stars is a quirky RPG that uses vocabulary to fight. It's old school anime art style and soundtrack will transport you back to the 90's and will live up to the expectations of those who grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons.
Wander Stars does enough to earn a thumbs up. The combat system is great, easy to grasp, but with surprising depth. And the story bowls along at a good pace, keeping you playing.
Gorgeous turn-based anime-inspired RPG in which words power your attacks
Wander Stars delivers fun, word-powered RPG action in a stunning anime world
At the end of an episode, you can spend Honor, effectively experience points, to permanently raise certain stats or limits, like the number of attack words you can bring into battle. A star ranking system encourages return trips to each episode, but I found that once was enough for me. Some stuttering, some janky animations, and even a softlock put a damper on my time with it, but Wander Stars is a relatively fun romp while it lasts, particularly if you're in it more for the RPG mechanics over the plot.
I love the combat, aesthetics, and banter between characters. I had an extremely rough time in the boss fights due to technical qualms. I tried pushing forward, but losing at an unplayable mess of a boss fight takes you back to the start of the chapter to do everything all over again—a loss of progress. After dealing with this, I gave up and am waiting for fixes. I suggest playing Wander Stars on Steam, because there is something so special here with this RPG teasing well-known anime tropes with a dark-skinned girl of colour lead–a rarity in the shounen genre. But for me, the unplayable mess it became has driven me away from the game’s Nintendo Switch version.
Wander Stars is a turn-based RPG that heavily pays homage to 80s/90s shonen anime, featuring a simple and charming story presented in an episodic format. Its combat is innovative and fun, based on strategic word combinations to perform attacks. Although the game is charismatic and the management of your word arsenal adds depth, the repetitiveness of the gameplay loop (walking and battling) can drag on during long sessions.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Wander Stars is a unique RPG title that allows players to craft their own attacks by mixing and matching words, creating an engaging and enjoyable battle experience with a nostalgic ‘90s anime vibe. With its anime episode-style storytelling and creative combat system, the game truly shines. It’s missing those vocal scream attacks that would make it a fulfilling anime experience.
Wander Stars is a great reminder that episodic RPGs are a fantastic, if rare, thing. At no point does the game outstay its welcome across its ten episodes, and the writing and characters do a wonderful job of bringing players back. The battle system is interesting, though it ultimately plays a bit too safe, which is a shame given how playful the idea of using one’s words is.
Wander Stars is interesting and tells a Dragon Ball type of tale, especially considering its novel combat system that uses words to construct every action.
Wander Stars is a little surprise. I really liked the idea of "do-it-yourself" moves, as well as the desire to draw inspiration from classic '90s shonen games for the graphics. Sure, the story is intentionally more linear and action-oriented than deep exploration, and the lack of voice acting can be felt. The true heart of the experience remains the innovative, turn-based, word-based combat system. The mechanic of combining words to build and launch custom attacks is a brilliant idea. Likewise, the fact that you gain honor by not knocking out your opponent fits well with the universe and philosophy behind Wander Stars.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Wander Stars could be just another good Shounen anime. An anime with all the typical plots, memories of the protagonists' past, epic battles, and filler episodes.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, Wanderstars makes using the word homage less scary because it knows what lessons to learn from the past. It recognizes what’s good about its inspirations and what to leave behind, while ensuring its unique personality shines throughout its entire runtime. At every step in the journey, I was excited to see what mess Ringo and Wolfe would find themselves in; I knew that, regardless of what was waiting for them, an adventure worthy of the works that inspired it was about to unfold.
Wander Stars mixes old-school anime humor, turn-based combat, and roguelite elements into an entertaining JRPG. The story isn’t groundbreaking, but the creative combat and tactical choices keep you engaged.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Wander Stars delivers inventive word-driven combat, heartfelt anime storytelling, and stylish presentation. Limited exploration and difficulty spikes aside, it shines as one of the most unique RPG experiences this year.