Lost Sphear Reviews
Take a step back though, and it’s easy to come to appreciate the long strides forward that Lost Sphear has made toward compared to the previous game. There are far more daring ideas here in comparison, resulting in a game that has plenty of comprehensive systems at play to delve into, even if the story that it looks to impart isn’t as meaningful. Those looking for a classic role-playing game to sink some time into on Nintendo won’t go far wrong in considering it, but remember that it isn’t without its flaws.
Generally, Lost Sphear is exactly what it looks like. A modern game based on good old titles which present nothing new. However, as it benefits from good gameplay and heavy content – 24-hour story gameplay –, Lost Sphear can be an appropriate experience for all fans of role-playing games.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Lost Sphere plays with a lot of tropes of a beloved genre, but doesn't quite make the most of them. The story feels uninspired and it is backed by characters who that are not worth getting invested in. The redeeming factor of the game is a fleshed out combat system that has a ton of options and combinations, making it adapt easily to any playstyle.
Together with the lack of voice acting and other minor flaws, it’s hard to justify the game’s rather high price tag, as its production values just don’t seem to be in line with titles at this price point. There is some fun to be had here if you are fond of classic JRPGs – and I would recommend it for such people – but I would wait for a good sale before considering this one.
When you dig below the surface its messy game mechanics and uninteresting characters fail to live up to expectations. Despite the issues, it’s not a terrible game, but it is missing the charm that made the classic games it is trying to emulate so great.
Lost Sphear is a great deal for fans of old school J-RPGs. Despite its sometimes boring dungeons it has a good story and an interesting combat system.
Review in German | Read full review
Lost Sphear fails to live up to the classic feeling while playing it. They improved some elements but it isn't the game that I expected.
Review in German | Read full review
For those that really enjoyed a return to the SNES era of RPGs with I Am Setsuna, Lost Sphear will be right up your alley. There aren’t too many things that feel incredibly innovative, but the sense of nostalgia and solid game mechanics make Lost Sphear at least worth checking out once it gets a price drop.
Lost Sphear can be enjoyable but struggles with its own pace and game development
It starts to feel similarly passive-aggressive in the way it does things, too, including a fake ending that plays out countless hours of busywork prior to the real ending. That means we’re dealing with pacing issues in a game that, like its predecessor, still agonizes fruitlessly over how it can best pay homage to Chrono Trigger’s legacy while blatantly ignoring the things that were actually good about that game.
Lost Sphear wants to harken back to the great classic JRPGs of yesteryear such as Chrono Trigger and early Final Fantasy games. However, it falters way too much in its execution by providing characters that severely suffer from being tropes and provide eye-rolling dialogue. While the combat is quite enjoyable and the story picks up steam at around the midway point, it is way too slow on the uptake and delivers an experience that can just be classified as serviceable.
An average RPG missing a sense of exploration and flexibility to make it memorable. The battle system is a particular highlight, however, and there's definitely some good groundwork if there's to be another game in the series.
Lost Sphear tries to recapture the 90s JRPG magic but in the process loses its own identity. Tokyo RPG Factory tried to squash every JRPG trope into this game, and as a result, the characters and the plot suffered. A massive step backwards for Tokyo RPG Factory.
Playing Lost Sphear was like re-visiting the classic RPGs of yesteryear that hooked me in with their enjoyable combat mechanics, impressive world design, and incredibly evil (though somewhat predictable) villains. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and whilst I’ll certainly admit that it had a few flaws, I was completely absorbed by it throughout the entirety of my twenty hour-plus adventure. Believe me, if you’re an RPG fan you need to buy it. It acts as the perfect reminder that RPGs don’t need to have super fancy visuals, overly intricate combat mechanics, or a convoluted plotline to grip players in – they’ve just got to have heart, and that’s something Lost Sphear has in abundance. Here’s to the next fascinating adventure that Tokyo RPG Factory send us on…
Heavily influenced by a lost era of JRPGs, Lost Sphear however has its own charm and personality, fixing many of Tokyo RPG Factory's first faults. It's a good little JRPG that will charm those that miss the traditional gameplay mechanics.
So here I am, gushing over a nostalgia filled love letter to classic JRPG’s when all you really wanted to know was: Is it any good? Well that depends on you as a person really, Lost Sphear is one of those game’s I have found really difficult to score. For old school fans of the genre I would say that Lost Sphear is an absolute must play however as a game on it’s own merits it relies a little too heavily on nostalgia to really come out on it’s own.
Backed up by modern technology, Lost Sphear offers a thoroughly engaging take on the classic RPG formula.
While it, without a doubt, improves on almost every aspect of its predecessor, it also manages to do a “two steps forward; one step back” shuffle. That particular jig is what makes it difficult to suggest, especially for the asking price ($50USD as of this review). Despite the hefty story and gear progression issues, I think this game would definitely be worth a purchase on a sale. It may even be worth the dive for some at full price, but you should be aware of its shortcomings before making that decision. Ultimately, it is hard to recommend Lost Sphear when there are games like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 near the same price point that arguably offer a much more riveting experience.
While the flaws in the game may seem as if I do not recommend the game, there is something intangible about it that keeps you coming back