Alter Age is a JRPG with turn-based fight, developed by EXE Video games and printed by KEMCO. This title permits the participant to discover an unlimited world via crisp pixel artwork, enjoyable characters, and an attention-grabbing progress system. Nevertheless, this sport comes with a number of bells and whistles that will or might not be wanted.
With RPG titles, I need a sturdy story. The fight system is essential, however I would like it to assist a stable storyline. Sadly, Alter Age lacks within the story division.
You play as Arga, a younger man striving to be a Braver so he can finally face his father in battle. His father is thought to be the strongest on the planet (and the chief of the Bravers). Arga holds a grudge in opposition to him for abandoning him and his sick mom a few years in the past. Typical household points saved the characters transferring from one place to the following, however I wasn’t engaged. I misplaced curiosity within the story the extra I performed the sport. The solid repeat themselves lots, and the stakes really feel too low.
That doesn’t imply the characters themselves are unhealthy. Arga is a powerful protagonist and, in an effort to be a Braver, he must have a particular talent. As soon as woke up, Arga realizes his talent is Soul Alter, which permits him to swap between being an grownup and a preteen. It sounds ineffective, however the sport makes use of it nicely and it’s actually distinctive from another RPG I’ve performed.
Arga’s Soul Alter doesn’t simply work on him, although. It additionally works on his celebration members, Elsie and Lillieka. They’re two younger women who be part of Arga on his journey and, when Arga is an grownup, the ladies are younger. However when he turns right into a preteen, the ladies turn into adults. Relying on Arga’s age, completely different conversations and facet quests will seem with NPCs. In battle, preteens gained’t hit enemies as exhausting, however the price of their MP is diminished, to allow them to nonetheless use assist spells. By doing so, they’ll earn Courageous Hearts, which give their grownup kind a lift in assault harm. Swapping their ages in battle permits one other degree of technique in fight.
Nevertheless, given all the opposite upgrades and expertise you earn all through the gameplay, I grew to become so overpowered that I not often used the Soul Alter in battle. I solely used it within the dungeons when a puzzle known as for it.
How did my celebration get so overpowered? Let’s discuss these bells and whistles I discussed earlier.
As with most RPGs, Alter Age makes use of a leveling-up system by way of expertise factors earned in battle. Arga, Elise, and Lillieka enhance all their stats by leveling up. As well as, their respective weapons will enhance their assault and their armor will enhance their protection. There are additionally strengthening gadgets which you can give to any character at any time. This stuff will enhance their HP, MP, pace, power, and all the opposite stats. You’ll earn these power gadgets by way of chests within the dungeons, merchandise spots within the overworld, rewards from battle, and so forth.
There’s additionally a synthesize mechanic the place you possibly can merge previous weapons and armor along with the brand new, growing its degree and stats. Weapon Up stones and Armor Up stones are additionally gadgets you’ll discover all through and can be utilized to synthesize. I really like and hate this mechanic.
I prefer it since you’ll earn a lot gold in-game that there’s little must promote previous weapons and armor. Having the ability to recycle them to strengthen the characters’ present assault and protection is an excellent concept.
Then again, I don’t prefer it since you’ll turn into overpowered rapidly. Not solely does this make the sport simpler, however the outlets lose their novelty. When taking part in RPGs, I stay up for trying out the armory store in each city. There’s one thing satisfying about seeing which new and particular weapons I may give my characters. Seeing the “plus” beside sure stats makes me giddy as a result of who doesn’t need to get stronger?
Sadly, it acquired to the purpose the place I’d go into a store within the subsequent city solely to see that the following set of weapons and armor would truly lower my characters’ stats. I had a lot gold that I purchased them anyway after which synthesized them straight away, so that they didn’t go to waste, however it was nonetheless a bummer to enter a store and don’t have any motive to purchase something.
Every character solely has one sort of weapon they will use, too. Arga wields swords, Elise has a rod, and Lillieka makes use of a scythe. Their magic assaults, for my part, are the place they shine finest. Arga makes use of earth, Elise makes use of water, and Lillieka makes use of fireplace magic.
The celebration also can grasp passive abilities via the usage of phantom stars. You get phantom stars by incomes them as battle rewards or, mostly, utilizing the composter. You’ll be able to put something into the composter (besides weapons and armor) and when you attain 100 factors, it’ll spit out one phantom star.
Cooking can be within the sport. Yow will discover components within the overworld, earn them as battle rewards, and attempt to combine them collectively to make recipes. The recipes will flip into meals that act as battle gadgets, equivalent to boosting your assault energy for a sure period of time. I didn’t use the cooking mechanic. I didn’t care. I attempted it as soon as for the sake of the evaluate, however the components I threw collectively didn’t create an precise meal. It’s trial and error. I knew I’d get pissed off, so I threw no matter components I discovered into the composter for the passive abilities.
I wasn’t joking after I stated Alter Age has all of the bells and whistles, and I don’t assume this sport wanted all of that. The longer you play, the extra you’ll get used to all of it, however it’s overwhelming to start with.
Regardless of being overpowered for many of the sport, I do consider the fight system is its strongest function. Battles are turn-based, and every character’s pace stat decides the flip order. Between bodily assaults, magic assaults and assist, and the Soul Alter talent, battles can get fairly attention-grabbing. There’s a number of technique concerned, although I discovered it finest to stay to the bodily and magic assaults. It’s how I most well-liked to play, regardless that I feel the Soul Alter is fairly distinctive.
There’s a Rush Gauge that, when it reaches 100% by hitting enemies, you possibly can unleash a bunch assault. Once more, I acquired to the purpose the place I used to be so overpowered that I barely acquired to make use of it. My celebration would defeat all of the enemies earlier than the gauge reached max. Once I did get to make use of it, equivalent to in boss battles, the bosses had a lot well being that the group assault barely made a dent of their HP. That’s to not say it’s a ineffective mechanic in-battle, however it was a hit and miss for me.
If you’ll want to grind, otherwise you’re preventing weaker enemies, there’s a useful auto-battle operate which you can toggle on and off. Grinding is simple, too. The sport offers you Encounter Bells which you can activate and off within the overworld and in dungeons. One decreases the encounter fee of untamed battles and one other bell makes it so that you’ll encounter a battle each single step you’re taking. This mechanic was helpful when there was a specific boss I couldn’t get previous. Expertise factors are beneficiant, too, so grinding a few ranges doesn’t take lengthy in any respect.
The dungeons in Alter Age are bland. Every now and then, you’ll encounter a puzzle, however the characters will determine it out for you in a cutscene. Each dungeon is actually strolling round, entering into a few battles, after which making it to the following boss. The graphics are cute and the dungeons look good, however other than the surroundings and map layouts, all of the dungeons are functionally the identical.
When beginning a file, the sport helps you to select a problem degree: unparalleled, simple, regular, exhausting, or very exhausting. The one replayability you’ll get out of this title is if you would like extra of a problem. In any other case, I discovered myself going via the motions simply to get to the top. The story wasn’t partaking sufficient for me to need to relive it.
Alter Age has an excellent artwork type and the music’s a bop. I’d completely add the soundtrack onto my online game playlist. Nevertheless, the gameplay was an excessive amount of at instances. I feel the builders had been formidable with the quantity of mechanics and options which are included. But, the sport ran easily, which is actually a plus.
Total, Alter Age is value trying out for those who’re a fan of RPGs. You’ll nonetheless sink a very good quantity of hours into the sport. I’m glad I performed it, however I’m undecided I’ll play a brand new file anytime quickly.
