13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Reviews

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim on Switch receives a small downgrade in resolution and effects, but is largely the same as its PS4 counterpart. The story is still incredible, and well worth experiencing multiple times.

Have you ever petted a chinchilla? For the love of God, don’t walk away from this analogy and stick with me. So there’s a chinchilla, this fluffy looking mouse creature that apparently can live to be twenty or more. It’s a doofy looking thing, very cute, but hey, it’s a mouse. You hear that it’s soft, but so what? So many things are soft. Then you finally get a chance to sit down with one, have it docile on your lap, and you pet that chinchilla. Holy crap, it’s so soft. It transce...

There’s plenty more for me to tell you about this game, like how it stacks twists atop each other like a tower of turtles, without ever collapsing under all that narrative weight. Though reading more would spoil the fun – and trust me, you’ll be doing plenty of reading once you boot the game up anyway. I’ve written so much about why this game means the world to me. Now I leave y’all to decide whether or not to play it.

The fact remains, though, that 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an absolute triumph for Vanillaware. Not many games have stories as ambitious as this. Even fewer manage to bring things together without resulting in disappointment. And while the real-time battles may be the weakest element, they’re still very much engaging, and offer a nice change of pace when required. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim might just be remembered as one of the greatest games of all time, and so whether you’re into sci-fi or not, you should certainly add it to your collection.

A tale of love and war machines.

Now, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is coming to Nintendo Switch, where that platform's broader appeal and accessibility gives it a second chance to be discovered by those who might enjoy it. The game follows 13 different characters as they explore a broad array of timelines and sci-fi experiences, piloting mechs in an effort to save multiple worlds - while also being teenagers (sometimes). These interactions are portrayed through each character's eyes as the player inhabits their perspective across various stories that intertwine, and the result is a complex narrative that, while stumbling in spots, ends up shining through as an excellent and unexpected tale.

Vanillaware has handled 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim's Switch port with the utmost care and, with some of the changes, may even be better than the PS4 version. If you love RPGs, have an affinity for excellent stories, are in the mood for some good brain exercise, or just looking for a nice 30-hour experience in gaming, look no further than 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim’s combat may only be serviceable at best but incredibly handled story more than makes up for this shortcoming.

Masquerading as a simple visual novel hides one of the most groundbreaking stories 2020 has to offer. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim may not be the upcoming open-world action title we're all waiting patiently for, but it certainly deserves a spot on your list for its complex interweaving of a character-driven plot into 80s sci-fi.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an action-packed mech epic for the ages. The narrative is some of the strongest ever seen coming from Vanillaware. While there are a couple plot holes and gameplay can become repetitive in certain missions, the title is a strong and original work of art that's packed with content. There are thirteen different protagonists with their own branching stories based on player decisions. All protagonists feel like fully-formulated characters -- each also serving as a classic anime archetype. The characters are believable in this frenzied drama that takes players for a narrative ride. Emotional storytelling helps to set the tone for this sci-fi mystery and arcade-like gameplay makes for satisfyingly quick encounters. It's a title with more to discover as we go and it's a full package for any mech fan. Any fan of the genre would agree: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an instant mech classic.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a wonderful blend of some of the most classic elements in gaming and storytelling alike. Vanillaware masterfully embodies the high notes of JRPG storylines and couples it with a sci fi story that would appeal to any fan of the sci fi genre. The tactical shooter and RTS gameplay left some to be desired, however it is still an engaging combat system that does not feel totally out of place.

Vanillaware is one of those strange studios that manages to carve out its place in the gaming world at its own pace. Its games have taken 2D game art to its pinnacle, and no studio (save for maybe Arc System Works) can match Vanillaware’s mastery of sprites. After seven years without a release, the studio is back with 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. This game mixes Vanillaware’s iconic art style while breaking into new territory for the studio.

In true Neon Genesis Evangelion fashion, your pilots can't stay in their Sentinels for too long without risking serious brain damage. That means you'll need to change up your roster every fight to give some squad members a break. Each successive battle you complete without restoring health post-fight will multiply the number of meta-chips you can earn, making upgrades accessible earlier. This encourages you to get experimental with your roster choices early on, but makes the back-end of the game feel a trifle too easy once you start racking up those meta-chip bonuses. Any squad of six can easily lay waste to virtually anything in their path by the time you cruise into the third set of 10 battles.

Wow, what a ride 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is. Vanillaware — the talented Japanese developer behind impressive action games like Dragon's Crown Pro and Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir — is back, and it's trying something totally new with its latest release. 13 Sentinels is primarily a visual novel with some very light puzzle solving, topped off with addictive strategy-based battles. At its best, it's a captivating, mind-expanding experience.

Had Vanillaware crafted a title where the story and the action wove into one another flawlessly, we’d be looking at the greatest game the developer has ever made, without question. Unfortunately, that’s not what this game is, and while what is here is great, it’s crushing to see just how close 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim came to perfection.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim isn't going to blow your mind with a smart story that pushes the tired boundaries of the science fiction genre. What it does offer instead is a jawdroppingly beautiful visual novel experience, intercut with satisfyingly fun gameplay sections where you get to rip apart a bunch of monsters with huge mechs. And you know what? I'll take it.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a Japanese adventure title developed by Vanillaware and published by Atlus. It’s a weird mix of side-scrolling adventure narrative and real-time strategy, and was initially released to Japanese audiences in November of 2019. Its strange combination of genres made for low sales on opening weekend, but word-of-mouth quickly spread about the game’s quality and it ended up exceeding sales expectations. The game focuses on the story of 13 teenagers who learn that the...

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim pairs together a sci-fi anime storyline told from 13 different perspectives about giant Mech battles and time travel, with arcade strategy combat as you seek to protect your city. While convoluted at times 13 Sentinels delivers an incredible story.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an emotional rollercoaster packed in a visual novel style gameplay that is excellent from start to finish. The lackluster battle system lets it down and at times, gets in the way of a game that would be better without it.

To call time travel stories complicated is to label the ocean as damp. While this can be a cursed gift, sometimes there are real gems among the thumbtacks and red strings. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, the latest project from Vanillaware, pulls this off with easy grace. You are, almost at once, dragged into an epic tale you can barely grasp. Complex as it was, I loved this story. There’s even a proper game nestled in there, neatly divided for your convenient digestion.

While looking perhaps a bit too ambitious on the surface with two distinctly different gameplay elements, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a captivating sci-fi adventure set across multiple periods of time. There is no question that the game will have people very confused during the first few hours, but the split story really starts to come together and is well worth playing through to unravel the ongoing mysteries found throughout.

I love Vanillaware games! True story: Odin Sphere Leifthrasir was the first Platinum trophy I unlocked on PS4. You couldn’t tear me away from that game; it was all I did for days on end until I cleared it. Everything about it was magic, from the beautiful design to the engaging combat and enticing story. Here I am, four years later and head over heels for the studio’s latest endeavor. A grand sci-fi tale filled with mechs and kaiju and that same wonderful art style wrapping it all together like the world’s most comfortable blanket.

Vanillaware's latest is a twisty sci-fi melodrama, with a bland side of RTS.

In any case, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is absolutely wonderful all around. Each of the 13 protagonists gets relatively equal screen time, and they’re all brought to life by both the great English and Japanese voice tracks. You’re sure to have your favorites, but it’s incredibly satisfying to see how each of their stories intersects through time and space and coalesces into the battle for mankind against the alien invaders. This is one adventure you simply don’t want to miss.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a wonderful package that delivers on its mission statement of merging a compelling sci-fi story led by 13 protagonists with a unique take on the classic RTS formula. Despite some points of confusion early on due to time travel shenanigans in Remembrance and a sometimes hard-to-read battlefield in Destruction, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is one of 2020's must-play games and will make players want to mount up in a Sentinel of their own.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a must-play for fans of Japanese sci-fi adventures. Mixing the strengths of Vanillaware's art with time-travel adventures is a recipe for huge success. A story ambitious enough to have thirteen different protagonists seems bound for failure, yet the game manages to make each story not only incredibly impactful on its own, but adds up to a bigger, brighter and utterly unforgettable narrative. The addictive tactical gameplay that strings these story scenes together, despite a strange artstyle, is just icing on the already massive and delicious cake.

Vanillware's latest adventure is nearly upon us after what felt like a decade of development. The long-awaited 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, often delayed and only released in Japan late last year, has been on a number of most anticipated RPG lists among those in the know. While we previewed the time-travelling epic, we were limited to exploring the early prologue acts and a little beyond for each of the 13 Sentinel-piloting students. Now that the full release is upon us, I can share my complete thoughts on the rest of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.

Developer Vanillaware returns with a bang. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim brings both unique combat and storytelling to the table in one of this year's more standout RPGs.

Vanillaware has shifted from gameplay-focused experiences to a story-driven one with 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and here's my review.

As a narrative genre, sci-fi has limitless possibilities. It encompasses far-flung concepts like time travel, rampaging monsters, android assassins, and more. Even with all of that within reach, most sci-fi stories limit their scope to exploring just a few big ideas. However, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim shows no such restraint. It’s an all-inclusive, pulpy feast that draws inspiration from every corner of the sci-fi kingdom; it’s The War of the Worlds plus The Terminator plus Neon Genesis Evangelion plus several other well-known media that would spoil important plot points if I mentioned them. But here’s the most amazing part: It all works together.

Even with these issues, though, 13 Sentinels is an absolute must play, especially for those seeking a good narrative in gaming. This is the kind of story that’s going to stick in my mind for weeks to come, and easily stands up with some of the best stories I’ve experienced in any medium.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim mixes smart design with superb storytelling, then slathers the whole package in gorgeous style.

You better have to choose if it’s worth spending your spare cash, because it might not be the game for you and it might be for others.

Vanillaware games have always looked great, but 13 Sentinels is the first time the studio has put a bulk of its focus on storytelling. And it pays off. This revival of classic sci-fi ideas hits all the right notes and goes deep without overstaying its welcome, even at over 20 hours long. And while Vanillaware’s attempt at doing something different with combat by branching out into real-time tactics to portray its city-scale mechs-vs-kaiju warfare is commendable, the storytelling and rich characters undoubtedly doall the heavy lifting in making 13 Sentinels an enjoyable journey.