Stella Glow Reviews
Ultimately, I would say that Stella Glow is a great game if you're dying for a new strategy game to play through, but if you're on the fence about it, you'll likely not be missing much if you pass on it.
As we come to the end of the year, I figured there'd be an Atlus-published strategy RPG on my game of the year list; I just never imagined there'd be two. But Stella Glow made beautiful music with my heart, and you definitely need to pick it up and get that soundtrack CD. Good night, Imageepoch – sadly, there will be no encores.
2015 has been a great year for strategy RPGs. 'Stella Glow' stands along the likes of 'Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker' and 'Disgaea 5' to give SRPG fans and new genre players alike plenty of high quality titles to work through. 'Stella Glow' may have a couple of odd design quirks that may bring it down a bit, but Imageepoch's final title provides a great experience for all but the pickiest of RPG fans.
All in all, Stella Glow is a strong story that puts a clever twist on the tactical RPG format. The pacing could be better; watching the same battle animations can get annoying, but they can be skipped or disabled entirely. There's a lot of text to get through, but much of it is voiced, and the characters are fun and engaging, as well as attractively designed. Hours can tick by with only a handful of actual battles, which might be too slow for those looking for action or a more casual adventure experience, but anyone who wants to dive in will find a lot of quality content. It's not likely to reach Final Fantasy or Xenoblade levels of RPG acclaim, but it does its own thing well, brings originality to the mix, and is sure to catch many an RPG fan's eye.
Succinctly summarizing Stella Glow has proven surprisingly difficult. In many ways it feels like your average JRPG strategy game, and in some places it even stumbles over itself with attempts at being cute or sexy. However, there are also enough strong points that really shine through and make the game stand out from the crowd, even if its best features are reminiscent of ideas from more noteworthy titles.
Stella Glow is influenced by traditional tactics games through and through, but Imageepoch's distinctive contributions to the genre and glossy finish prove that it's stellar on its own terms. It's as if the company wrapped up its love for the industry in its masterwork and issued an open challenge to top it.
It’s a shame that Stella Glow will be imageepoch’s last game, but what a game to finish on. Based on the initial trailer and screenshots, I was expecting some great SRPG elements and an engaging story from Stella Glow and I can safely say it delivers on all that and more. Combining a brilliant soundtrack and fantastic visuals each map continues to impress upon each visit and with multiple ending the replay value is high. Strategy RPG fans this title is not one to miss and it’s easy to grasp for newcomers to the genre so definitely give it a try if you’re on the fence.
It is an excellent game all around, and an amazing surprise coming from a developer with a history a middling games and a turbulent ending. You would be missing out if you don't it a shot.