I Am Setsuna

I am Setsuna lends itself perfectly to on the go gaming, making the Switch the ideal console to experience this unique RPG.

Still, these drawbacks feel like nit-picking in a game that set out to revitalize the traditional JRPG and wholeheartedly succeeded. I Am Setsuna might not be the most innovative or technologically demanding game released this year - or even in the past five - but it is one of the most complete, and it offers an experience that near-perfectly blends incredible visuals, a music score that rivals so...

This is almost certainly the fanboy in me talking but I Am Setsuna deserves more. In 1995 Square brought together five top artists in the industry and gave them whatever they needed to produce the greatest game ever made. Two decades later their legacy is being used to timidly test fan nostalgia when, perhaps, another dream team left to its own devices, unfettered by the weight of a cultural and a...

New Square Enix studio Tokyo RPG Factory releases its first effort I AM SETSUNA in the west this week. Read on for Rob’s review of this throwback RPG.

Micro-rants aside, I Am Setsuna has it where it counts. Despite the cracks that give a small peak at the shortcomings of an old formula, its well-told story, fun characters, and addictive combat win the day. Much credit also goes to the absolutely gorgeous soundtrack  by Tomoki Miyoshi (I’m listening to it right now on Spotify). Done entirely in piano, it perfectly captures the tone of the story a...

Nostalgia is very likely one of the most overused sales tactics in the world. It’s employed to sell everything from movie tickets to toys and almost anything else you can think of. Not surprisingly, it’s also used to sell games and if we’re being honest we all know it doesn’t always work out. The tactic of grabbing a nostalgic license and making a garbage game is alive and well (we’re looking at y...

A lack of balance robs the combat of much of its fun and renders many of the more interesting gameplay systems moot, but it didn’t dampen the emotional impact of I Am Setsuna’s heartfelt message for me. Few story-driven RPGs are so thematically focused or so gleefully disinterested with being “entertaining” or “fun.” To say it attempts to stand on the backs of giants is disingenuous really. I Am S...

I actually quite like the adherence to nostalgia, as Square is only giving fans with they want after years of complaints that projects like Final Fantasy XIII strayed too far. But by the same token of goodwill, it plays it a little too safe in regards to its at times predictable story, and doesn’t really do anything new that moves the genre forward in any way. Still, if old school is what you want...

A beautiful JRPG that captures the spirit of the genre's early hits while playing things a tad too safely.

A well-crafted homage to Chrono Trigger, which isn’t scared to add its own ideas – ensuring this is far more than just a nostalgic novelty.

I Am Setsuna aims to invoke the spirit of classic 16-Bit JRPGs like Chrono Trigger, but its obtuse combat and monotonous pacing keep it from reaching those lofty heights.

Those golden-era JRPGs are beloved because they were packed with memorable locations, characters, and combat. I Am Setsuna unfortunately falls short on all three counts, and instead delivers an average and forgettable adventure, albeit one with wonderful music.