I Am Setsuna Reviews
Not just a loving tribute to the JRPGs of the 90s, I Am Setsuna tells a memorable tale, with a few bright design jewels of its own.
I Am Setsuna may be Tokyo RPG Factory's first game as a development studio, but its finesse and reverence of past JRPG hits makes it an absolute joy to experience.
A beautiful JRPG that captures the spirit of the genre's early hits while playing things a tad too safely.
A lack of balance robs the combat of much of its fun and renders many of the more interesting gameplay systems moot, but it didn’t dampen the emotional impact of I Am Setsuna’s heartfelt message for me. Few story-driven RPGs are so thematically focused or so gleefully disinterested with being “entertaining” or “fun.” To say it attempts to stand on the backs of giants is disingenuous really. I Am Setsuna isn’t a “Chrono Trigger-like;” it’s just a game that might easily have existed in the same time, if a creator with different storytelling sensibilities had been around. Its strength comes not from the ways in which it emulates the conventions of the classics, but the ways in which it defies them.
I Am Setsuna aims to invoke the spirit of classic 16-Bit JRPGs like Chrono Trigger, but its obtuse combat and monotonous pacing keep it from reaching those lofty heights.
It may be bland, but the experience doesn’t make any unforgiveable missteps. The combat has occasional moments of brilliance that recall the glory days of ‘90s RPGs
I Am Setsuna is an unapologetic homage to beloved Japanese RPGs that plays well but takes few risks. Tokyo RPG Factory has accomplished their implied mission statement: to make Japanese RPGs the way many of us remember them back in the day. As a result, I Am Setsuna walks in the footsteps of giants, and is thus dwarfed by the memories of games that inspired it.
I Am Setsuna is a somber yet joyful nostalgia trip
Oddball design decisions aside, I Am Setsuna is a lovely little tale and a game that’s well worth your time. At ~20 hours, it never feels dull or grindy, and in fact it felt like a perfect length for what the game wants to achieve.
I Am Setsuna seems like the perfect game for those missing the Golden Age of Japanese RPGs, but unfortunately it has been painted with a shallow brush.
Those golden-era JRPGs are beloved because they were packed with memorable locations, characters, and combat. I Am Setsuna unfortunately falls short on all three counts, and instead delivers an average and forgettable adventure, albeit one with wonderful music.
As an ode to the RPGs of the past, I Am Setsuna succeeds in recreating the sort of adventure you experienced on older Nintendo hardware. Its combat system is the main supplier of this nostalgia, with the deep active time battle system, the number of weapons and moves you can perform, and the time management aspect.But those not looking to take a trip down memory lane may be left wanting more, though in pure gameplay hours this offers a reasonable return on investment. The no-thrills plotline and gameplay outside of combat could have been fleshed out, leaving this one short of its full potential. I Am Setsuna could be the perfect complement to your Nintendo Switch, but if you're not foaming at the mouth with nostalgia it's certainly an optional purchase.
To many this would seem like filler to bolster a meagre launch lineup, but I am Setsuna is a game that is worthy of your time and a heritage that deserves your respect.
Neither original nor groundbreaking, but if you’re one of those people who want a 90s style JRPG on home systems, then I Am Setsuna is the game for you.
I Am Setsuna is a game from a different era in the best kind of way. For better or for worse, it borrows many of its mechanics from some of gaming’s classics. While its graphics are outdated and its story gives only the illusion of choice, the rest of the game is good enough to make up for it: the characters are likable, the story is engaging, and the gameplay is fun. RPG fans will find a lot to enjoy here, especially those who love games like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger.
It's all wrapped up in familiar dressing to get you hooked, but once you get to the substance it's clear I Am Setsuna needed a bit more time in the oven, or perhaps a master class of what made the games that inspired it memorable in the first place. If you're aching for a familiar and exciting JRPG, there's better to be found out there. While this is a serviceable option, there are plenty other more memorable ones out there.
This nostalgic RPG suffers from an unispired storyline, and poor technical aspects, such as frame rate drops. It´s too easy (even when battling final bosses) and the only Switch exclusive feature is online pvp mode.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
From a presentational and mechanical standpoint, I Am Setsuna manages to lay the foundations for an incredibly solid role-playing game. Unfortunately, this experience is often marred by a wholly predictable story, forgettable characters, and dungeons that feel completely uninspired.
The cool combat mechanics, its common ground with the likes of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI and the intriguing story of I am Setsuna will please fans of old school JRPGs, but it's far from perfect: it's quite linear and monotonous
Review in Italian | Read full review