EARTHLOCK Reviews
From the animation to the structure of the combat and progression, most aspects of Earthlock can be traced back to an earlier game that just did it better. Without its own original or unique hook, Earthlock just feels bland and dated. For a independent developer to be able to carve out a piece of the RPG market dominated by big players like Atlus and Square Enix you need to bring something new and unique to the table and unfortunately this is something that Earthlock doesn't accomplish.
Earthlock is a colorful and fun homage to the JRPG of ages past, refining the formula by adding many of the gameplay mechanics of this decade. The team at Snowcastle Games have improved on their original release, giving us a meaty adventure that is fun from start to finish and which you should definitely check out on Nintendo Switch.
Earthlock is a beautiful and exciting RPG, being one of the best this decade. It combines aspects that make a game great, like a very well-written story, a beautifully composed soundtrack, and characters that stand out. However, the gameplay is sort of lacking, with most of it being battles. The game also loses its lustre fairly quickly after starting, as nothing really interesting happens until later.
Earthlock: Festival of Magic shows that the JRPGs aren’t games of a bygone era. It’s got it’s issues, but it’s still a fun game if you’re a fan of the genre. Hopefully, the developers will have the funds and resources in the future to deliver a more fleshed out experience, but for now, this game is just fine.
Ultimately, what makes Earthlock so essential is just how earnest it is in its love for classic JRPGs. It’s worth sitting through its more cumbersome features in order to appreciate the hard work that a team of people who clearly love the genre have sweated over to refine the game to the point where it’s not only a homage to the greats of old, but it adds just a little to what makes the genre so wonderful.
This homage to the seminal days of RPGs is quite successful at what it set out to do. The strong points include character advancement, the village, and enemy variety, while I was let down by a slow plot and inconvenient save system. The Xbox One isn't exactly a haven for this genre, but in nostalgia value alone it's a welcome treat.
Whilst the art style here verges on the cartoonish, the gorgeous sense of colour and texture really brings the world alive
Earthlock: Festival of Magic is a solid attempt at making retro RPGs fun again.
All in all, I’m glad I finally got the opportunity to take this game off my wishlist. I did enjoy my time with EARTHLOCK, and felt I got a really solid little RPG for $29.90. Though there are some quirks that prevented this from a perfect score, there’s a lot more to enjoy, from the crafting to the combat to the characters. While I do wish the plot was a bit more elegantly crafted, since it mostly felt like a haphazard rollercoaster ride, what’s here is a worthy effort. If you are nostalgic for the RPGs of yore and want to play one on the go, you need to pick up EARTHLOCK on your Switch.
Earthlock’s heavy influence of classic ‘90s RPGs, old-school battle mechanics, and enjoyable character growth system, along with an intriguing world, is enough to bring in and entertain RPG fans, even if the battles are tough. Snowcastle has done an excellent job revamping the world of Umbra and Nintendo Switch players should make sure not to miss out.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but seeing the art style and testing Earhlock’s Talent system or its farming feature is still worth a try, especially if all you need for week’s getaway is a simple game and visually stunning graphics.
After reading some of the reviews for the original release, I was a bit wary stepping into Earthlock. That said, it appears that the majority of issues that many critics complained about were fixed with this release, turning it into a fun little adventure.
Earthlock: Festival of Magic was an enthralling concept that failed to materialize into one of the better roleplaying games this generation. The potential was certainly there, but the lack of an interesting story, characters that do not feel memorable, and strange difficulty spikes that require a lot of grinding hold the game back to a certain degree. The combat and battle system offers a lot of enjoyment though, and is where the game really shines. Still, even with the complaints, fans of the genre are going to find something to love in Earthlock.
More than anything, it is a joy to exist in Earthlock’s painterly world. This throwback to PlayStation-era JRPGs ranks among the best role-playing experiences that there is to be had on the Nintendo Switch so far.
Earthlock does, for the most part, succeed in going beyond its nostalgically-inspired roots.
It's narrative, presentation and soundtrack make this title worthwhile
Earthlock can be summed up as the JRPG to get for anyone needing to get their fill of a classic formula while being fresh at the same time. Everything about the game is pretty well-done and if one didn't know an indie developer was behind its creation, one might think that it came from a widely popular studio instead. Occasionally the writing comes off flat and more could be done to be emotionally attached to some of the characters, but the gameplay, visuals and music are great! It can be a grind, but it also won't leave your mind. Bring on the remaining games in this trilogy.
It’s a good game and I did enjoy playing it but there isn’t as much depth as I would like in the story. It sounded promising and has a fairly interesting backstory but with ok dialogue and simple storyline, it didn’t blow me away. The gameplay itself was everything I wanted of the game though quite repetitive and simple but with unique features that were exciting to play around with. As a big fan of JRPG’s I am impressed with Snowcastle Games and looking forward to the next chapter in the story.
Earthlock is a fantastic adventure and a very polished RPG. Fans of the genre will fall in love with the game. It draws on a lot of good RPG elements and it really feels like Snowcastle are fans of the genre themselves.
Earthlock: Festival of Magic plays like an old-school RPG but with a modern (and pretty) lick of paint, though that’s for better and worse: fans of RPGs from the PlayStation One era are going to love it, but those who’re used to a bit more depth might expect more from the genre. Personally, I was a fan of the game and whilst it did have a few shortcomings here and there, my experience was a positive one. Earthlock: Festival of Magic might not necessarily be the best RPG you’re going to play, but it doesn’t mean it’s not a thoroughly enjoyable one that fans of the genre will definitely want to check out.