EARTHLOCK Reviews

EARTHLOCK is ranked in the 30th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Renan Fontes
Top Critic
7 / 10
Aug 6, 2018

Earthlock isn't going to go down as an essential JRPG, especially on the PlayStation 4 where RPGs aren't exactly uncommon, but it will go down as a charming, respectable title that pays tribute to the PSone era of the genre without forgetting to carve an identity of its own.

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4 / 5.0
Jun 29, 2018

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.

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Ofisil
Top Critic
5 / 10
Jun 18, 2018

Those looking for a turned-based RPG, inspired by the golden oldies, are advised to look exactly where Earthlock took its inspiration from, as it's not very good at what it does. Some neat ideas have been included, but these can't make amends for a lack of an engaging plot, or fun battles.

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7.3 / 10.0
May 31, 2018

It's narrative, presentation and soundtrack make this title worthwhile

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6.5 / 10.0
May 30, 2018

Earthlock is a good game, locked behind a lack of polish

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8.4 / 10.0
May 28, 2018

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.

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76 / 100
May 28, 2018

An indie RPG that follows all the imaginable clichés from the 90's J-RPG (except random encounters). The result isn't bad, but some areas have plenty of room to improve (characters and plot won't hook you up completely). But, if you love the genre, you will be able to explore its world filled with tasks for 25+ hours (enjoyable in portable mode).

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9.5 / 10.0
May 22, 2018

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.

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8 / 10
May 18, 2018

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.

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May 15, 2018

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.

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7.5 / 10.0
May 13, 2018

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.

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7 / 10
May 12, 2018

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.

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Goomba Stomp
Mitch Stewart
8 / 10.0
May 8, 2018

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.

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7 / 10.0
May 7, 2018

Fun and interesting, Earthlock offers an intense RPG experience with very classic elements and a good playability, but also a little repetitive.

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7 / 10.0
May 4, 2018

The nostalgia is nice, but I'm also reminded of advancements that the genre has made over the past twenty-plus years. With brisker combat and some much-needed voice work, this could be great, but Earthlock is still good as-is for genre fans.

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 28, 2018

If there's one word to describe Earthlock, it'd have to be "charming". The characters are likeable, the world is well designed and there are plenty of interesting things to do or discover.

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8.5 / 10.0
Apr 23, 2018

The care and attention to detail by Snowcastle Games shows in Earthlock. It's a lovingly crafted world and one that I can't wait to see from.

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9.3 / 10.0
Apr 17, 2018

Earthlock is by far a much better game now that it has been upgraded and revamped, giving us an excellent homage to the classic JRPG of the previous century we can play at home or on the go with ease. [OpenCritic note: Tracey separately reviewed the PS4 (9.5) and Switch (9) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]

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6 / 10.0
Apr 13, 2018

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.

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85%
Apr 11, 2018

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.

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