Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk Reviews
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.
Overall, Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk offers up quite a bit to keep you coming back for more while appealing to fans of the dungeon crawler.
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.
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.
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 like if Disgaea was a first-person dungeon-crawler RPG, albeit with an entirely different cast. The character and enemy designs are good and the humor is still intact. Above all, the battle system is fun to play. Exploring the different labyrinths can be feel a bit repetitive at the start, but it helps you earn the experience and learn the mechanics. The game continues to open up and flows much better as you learn more abilities and are able to craft more Puppet Soldiers to your party. As far as dungeon crawlers are concerned, Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk pretty much nails it.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is a fun, rich, challenging, and deep dungeon crawling RPG experience. There are a ton of mysteries and anyone who loves to explore and find every nook and cranny of the environment will find many things to enjoy. I do recommend the TV experience over the handheld way to play, however both will give you an immersive and satisfying gaming experience. Do yourself a favor Nippon Ichi fans and pick this one up.
Ultimately speaking, my feelings for Coven can’t really be summed up by a simple like or love. It’s something more akin to respect. Despite everything being needlessly complex, it’s done in a way to make the game much more enjoyable rather than bogging it down.While I don’t necessarily like all of the decisions made in the game, if NIS decides to make another I’ll be one of the first to pick it up.
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.
Kudos to Nippon Ichi Software for finding a way to slay the six-headed hydra and make dungeon crawlers great again.
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 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.
While it satisfies all of the hallmark aspects of the first-person dungeon crawler- the feeling of accomplishment that accompanies a large mapping session, the loot-gathering nature of repeated cyclical visits, and turn-based combat with its own unique flair, this first attempt has both the good and bad elements of the subgenre. Its wacky narrative and the impact it has on the design of the labyrinths is certainly unique, but the game never rises above its contemporaries, rather offering an experience just as full-featured and lengthy. For a full-retail title, there is plenty to see and do in Labyrinth of Refrain, but it still comes with a strong warning: if other first-person dungeon crawlers aren’t your thing, this game won’t do much to change your mind. Like Disgaea, it serves as its own unique entry into its subgenre, doing so with competence, flair, and even a few unexpected delights. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is well-worth a look.