Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk Reviews
Labyrinth of Refrain is an enjoyable dungeon crawler, though it can be grindy and combat can feel automated when all your gears are in place.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is a refreshing addition to the DRPG genre that is a must play for fans of Etrian Odyssey and those who enjoy NIS' visual style.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk satisfies that itch for an Etrian-styled RPG on the Nintendo Switch that has yet to come, but with all things that come from Nippon Ichi's RPG powerhouse, it's a study of excess for better or worse.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is an altogether fun but often repetitive dungeon crawler let down by its weak cast and uninteresting storyline. Moments spent in the labyrinth dungeons, though initially confusing, are bright spots in an otherwise uninspiring game, giving the opportunity for exploration and presenting an intriguing battle system which allows for plenty of customisation and experimentation.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk lands on the Nintendo Switch helped by a series of good gameplay mechanics and a combat system that is fast and welcome to handle by the players. While not everyone will be on board with Labyrinth of Refrain and its peculiar humour, the game will easily and deservedly win over the preferences of JRPG fans.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The design of the dungeons can be a little repetitive, but Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is still a great way for newcomers to try out this age-old genre.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is definitely not a fairy tale, but if you're okay with playing something with a darker, more mature tone then it's worth giving this a go. Exploring every inch of the labyrinth is addictive, and its unique battle system and an in-depth character creation system will keep you busy for quite a while.
While breaking all of the typical conventions of the genre, Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk somehow manages to stay true to the spirit of a JRPG. Although it's held back by repetitive combat and some disturbing cutscenes, the game has a lot to offer for hard-core fans of turn-based, dungeon exploration games, especially those with a darker sense of humor.
NIS's take on a DRPG manages to surprise, offering a near-masterpiece for the genre - for those that can handle its mature subject matter.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk isn't perfect but it manages to stand out in its own way. With Baba Yaga/Dronya and Luca being a charming couple, it helps the story from dragging, ultimately leading down an interesting path.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is a great time and provides a few twists for players who want something new from their dungeon-crawling adventures.
If you're looking for a quality turn-based JRPG that plays well on your TV and on the go, Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is it. Just make sure you keep it away from the kids.
There are nice ideas and a plentiful amount of passion put into replicating the look and feel of classic first-person, dungeon-crawling in Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk. If one were to approach this with the intent of short, couple-hour bursts with little aim other than the acquiring of more loot or leveling up one's disposable units, the game services those eager on that aspect of dungeon-crawling.
Kudos to Nippon Ichi Software for finding a way to slay the six-headed hydra and make dungeon crawlers great again.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk brings us a great DRPG after a long time, a descent DRPG that gives significant importance to its story and characters. Being difficult, a long enough gameplay and a anime type comedy is all you need to meet with this genre.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Although Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk presents itself well enough, it ultimately falls short due to the incredible lack of pacing, a roller coaster of a difficulty curve, and generally not that engaging gameplay. Combat is mindlessly repetitive, exploration tedious, and progression is severely stunted. This is the culmination of too many moving parts that are for show, but don't achieve any real goal.
I fell in love with the game as I played it. It speaks to my sensibilities as a gamer in terms of the dungeon crawling and exploring every nook and cranny. The battle system is different and fun, and I enjoyed the story the game gave me as well.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk uses its many mechanics to create an excelent DRPG. The mechanics make exploring the labyrinth fun and the combat has an element of constant danger that prevents it from becoming tedious. The story and its little tragic tales are great in captivating the players and push them to explore beyond the necessary. Overall, this is one of the best DRPGs in recent years.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Nippon Ichi continues to be one of the more experimental developers within traditional JRPG genres. Disgaea has always offered a fundamentally different approach to tactics JRPGs, and the two Witch and the Hundred Knight titles did interesting things with the action JRPG. Being different means they're not for everyone, but Labyrinth of Refrain is perhaps the developer's most mature, nuanced, and interesting effort yet.
Naturally there are a few things to be said about the story's setup and the not-so-massive enemy count, but this can be forgiven in the grand scheme of things. The game knows what it wants to be, and I gladly spent well close to 100 hours seeing it all through. If you are looking for a game that will keep you going, Labyrinth of Refrain has your back.