Stella Glow Reviews

Stella Glow is ranked in the 71st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
6 / 10
Mar 21, 2016

It's a shame that the developer of Stella Glow had to close on such a middling tactical RPG, and don't have a chance to really put much out there that can shine. This sort of game could tick the right boxes if you're looking for another strategy game to pass the time until Fire Emblem Fates comes out in Europe. Though if you're rather picky about these sorts of games, then it's probably best to wait for something better to come along.

Read full review

Nov 13, 2015

As Imageepoch's swan song, it may not be a slam dunk, but it's clear that Stella Glow was crafted with care from people who know the genre, even if at times you just have to stare at whatever just happened in disbelief and say, "Okay, whatever, game."

Read full review

David Lovato
Top Critic
7 / 10
Nov 13, 2015

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.

Read full review

7 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2015

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.

Read full review

RPG Site
Top Critic
7 / 10
Nov 13, 2015

This narrative isn't the most enticing, but it's a serviceable story that will keep players intrigued from beginning to end.

Read full review

7 / 10
Mar 20, 2016

All this cannot save it from being covered head to toe in the usual JRPG clichés, with flat uninteresting characters and very a predictable plot. Had these structural issues been addressed, Stella Glow could be a landmark in the 3DS catalogue. Instead, it's held down to being just a good game which doesn't fulfill its true potential.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2015

In many ways, Stella Glow is a by-the-numbers strategy RPG, but it does have a partially interesting cast, some unique storylines, and a working combat system. Imageepoch has had some ups and downs in their lengthy career, but thankfully they can at least end on somewhat of a high note.

Read full review

7.4 / 10.0
Mar 4, 2016

Unoriginal yet competent, Stella Glow is your typical japanese SRPG with added fashion-witches.

Review in Italian | Read full review

75%
Nov 13, 2015

Stella Glow may fail the Bechdel Test with flying colors, but its battles provide hours of fun.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2015

Stella Glow is a good strategy game for the 3DS that I can easily recommend for those whose enjoy the genre or are fans of the game's developer. However, it is far from a perfect experience. The frequent use of cliches, the lack of speed, and few difficulty options alongside other flaws keep Imageepoch's latest work from being a memorable experience.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2015

Stella Glow does a lot of things well, but it also has annoyances that hold it back from being an easy recommendation on the 3DS to any SRPG fan.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 15, 2016

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.

Read full review

Nov 13, 2015

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.

Read full review

GamingBolt
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2015

Even on a system with as many great RPGs as the 3DS, Stella Glow stands out as one of the very best titles on offer.

Read full review

4 / 5.0
Nov 13, 2015

Stella Glow is a solid, old-school SRPG experience that will delight those who enjoy Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, or any of the other turn-based strategy games of the Japanese flavor that have come along in the last few decades.

Read full review

4 / 5.0
Dec 15, 2015

Overall, Stella Glow represents a polished rendition of the classic strategy JRPG that fans of the genre can appreciate. It doesn't introduce any groundbreaking mechanics but the mechanics it does have are mostly implemented well and make the game enjoyable. Despite a few issues with character imbalances and tuning sequences that aren't quite dialed down, Stella Glow does a good job overall of providing a modern rendition of the classic JRPG playstyle and should entertain old-school fans.

Read full review

Nov 13, 2015

A great year for strategy role-playing games continues with Stella Glow, wherein a surprisingly dark story and entertaining battle mechanics combine to keep players hooked.

Read full review

ZTGD
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2015

While the story is a bit too predictable for my tastes, everything from the visuals to the combat felt very polished from beginning to end. It's quite unfortunate that this is likely the last game Imageepoch will release, but perhaps they will rest well knowing that they went out on a high note.

Read full review

80 / 100
Nov 12, 2015

Stella Glow isn't reinventing the wheel here, but to its benefit it's not trying to. It's trying to be a fun, engaging, and relatively brief tactical J-RPG that signs the end of Imageepoch's tenor with a franchise they started. The story is anime-solid. The combat and social mini-games are enjoyable, and what few irritants the game does have are easily bested by any invested role-playing gamer. Stella Glow has a talent for keeping you engaged all the way through, which is a rare trait for the increasingly niche world of Japanese Role Playing games.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Feb 18, 2016

Even with those complaints though, Stella Glow is an awesome game if you like JRPGs. It has almost everything one could ask for: a lovable cast of characters, solid voice acting and music, a moving story, sharp anime stylings and most importantly, deep, satisfying game-play. As a new IP, I honestly thought Stella Glow would leave me wanting and with a list of improvements to be made in the sequel. Instead it left me surprised with how good it was, elated, and very hopeful for a Stella Glow 2.

Read full review