For many of us, the nostalgia for some of the classic JRPGs is strong. Titles released on the SNES are often thought of as the golden era of the genre.
Times change and over the last 20 years the titans of the genre have developed into massive open world games; with graphics to match. For those looking for a bit of the old school, Tokyo RPG factory is here with their second release. That game is Lost Sphear.
I fell in love with the studios first offering (I am Setsuna) as it blended perfectly that desire for the days gone by but still provide some of the advancements that modern games provide.
It’s the same again here for Lost Sphear. It’s managed this all while sporting an up to date visual style that is appealing and is reminiscent of the games it aims to emulate.
At the heart of any good JRPG is an engaging story and Lost Sphear is no exception. Starting small and slowly escalating, it is up to the protagonist (Kanata) to bring back the people and places that have mysteriously disappeared by discovering their memories.
It traverses a whole gamut of emotions that kept me engaged with what was developing during my time with the game.
Compared to I am Setsuna, which had a unique wintery aesthetic; I was thrilled to see a more varied world map to explore in Lost Sphear. Once the game opens and allows you to fully stretch your wings, it has a scale that feels like you really are jet-setting all over a whole world.
I could go where I wanted and do what I wanted, which can be something that other games would not be so comfortable in doing so.
While exploring the world I was always encountering new enemies to battle and test the combat styles of all my party members. Each character in the party has their own advantages and disadvantages, with some just being better than other thanks to their skills.
Once I found the team that suited my playstyle I found the combat to be entertaining and challenging in equal measures.
For newer players to the genre, it may be difficult to truly get a grasp on how all the mechanics for the battle system work. While the game aims to teach each idea to players, I feel like it still takes at least a basic understanding of the games that Lost Sphear is paying homage for it to click in a reasonable time.
Maybe if the game went deep on just a couple of mechanics rather than having as many as it tries to meld together it would be easier for all players to get as much enjoyment out of it.
This is where I find myself at a crossroads with my opinion of the game. It’s great and has a lot of things that I’m looking for to cure an itch that isn’t often scratched but I can’t imagine someone who doesn’t have that same feeling finding what’s here appealing.
Is what I consider a gorgeous modernisation of the visuals and gameplay of that classic formula going to gain the interest of a new player? I don’t think so, and that’s a shame.
There’s a market for Lost Sphear and maybe that’s enough for Square Enix. It caters to those who remember the classics. I would love to see games like this be more accessible to newcomers that might not know the true potential that games like this can have.