RPGs are considered one of my favourite genres, however they’re typically very lengthy undertakings. Whereas I typically love an extended RPG to essentially sink my enamel into, I’m additionally a working grownup who typically needs to simply take it simple and sit back with a shorter recreation that may be a bit cozier, which appears to be what Terra Memoria goes for.
Terra Memoria is an RPG that’s set in a world of magic, the place the magic crystals that function the day after day lifetime of inhabitants of this world are working scarce. Your social gathering, a bunch that finally ends up rising to 6 folks, is tasked with investigating what is occurring to trigger these crystal shortages, in addition to determine their very own private quests. In fact, being an RPG, there are a selection of facet quests as properly.
The core gameplay is flip primarily based battling, however actually emphasizes the flip primarily based nature of the system. The entire characters who battle use some type of magic, however somewhat than any type of consumable MP system every spell is forged with understanding how lengthy they will transfer once more. For instance, a weaker spell would possibly enable the character to forged one other spell in 5 turns, whereas a extra highly effective spell would possibly take as much as ten turns. This enables for a enjoyable technique, because the weaker spell would possibly enable your character to forged one other one earlier than an enemy even will get a flip, however the stronger spell is perhaps sufficient to complete off the enemy. That is additionally difficult by a component primarily based weak point system, the place chipping away at an enemy’s weaknesses can push them to the again of the queue. Three characters are battling, however three characters are help and might modify current abilities as properly, in order that provides a way of randomness to the system as properly. Whereas it may be irritating that you just don’t select which help character works with which battling character (although you possibly can veto sure mixtures you don’t like) it provides a brand new dimension to planning out fights. This can be a enjoyable, distinctive system that actually rewards technique and was enjoyable to dig into. My largest concern with this technique was, by the top of the sport, it did really feel very repetitive. All through you possibly can unlock new spells and enhance your stats, however all assaults mainly do the identical factor and the technique is basically the identical battle to battle. It’s a system I’d like to see expanded upon additional, although!
As one other side of the sport is that it’s a comfortable RPG (the builders have said they need to bridge the hole between cozy video games and JRPGs) there are different programs at play, particularly a cooking mini recreation, crafting, and city constructing parts. You’ll find and purchase elements all around the recreation map, in addition to discover recipes, and any time you discover an inn or campfire you possibly can cook dinner via these recipes. These add a cumulative bonus to the HP stat for all your social gathering, so that is one thing to hunt out, and also you cook dinner with a mini rhythm recreation. I want there was a bit extra to this technique, because it’s a enjoyable concept (and the meals artwork seems to be unimaginable), equivalent to getting a small bonus for acing the cooking minigame or having totally different recipes give totally different results, nevertheless it’s a pleasant distraction. Partway via you discover a new city you can assist construct up, which is a system I want had a bit extra to it as properly, although I didn’t spend as a lot time with that system attributable to focusing my cash on shopping for meals for cooking, which felt extra related to the fight system.
Talking of the meals artwork, the visible design for Terra Memoria is great. The characters are proven as pixel artwork sprites on a 3D background, however the whole lot pops and appears nice. The character designs look unbelievable, and the enemy sprites are very properly designed. I additionally loved the music, although it felt extra like background music than being a spotlight within the forefront, and contemplating there are a number of music primarily based story beats I want it’d had been given a bit extra focus.
The story and characters in Terra Memoria have been stable, however the worldbuilding was what actually shone. I used to be continuously inquisitive about studying extra in regards to the historical past of the world, the programs of magic, and going from metropolis to metropolis to study extra. I didn’t discover myself as drawn to the overarching story moments as I want I had been, nevertheless it was these worldbuilding parts that stored me coming again for extra. I may see this setting being the beginning of different new video games, and I’d be pleased to have that. A giant give attention to this recreation is new beginnings, and I hope to see Terra Memoria as a brand new starting in its personal proper. Whereas among the points didn’t really feel totally baked, equivalent to among the quests being fairly fundamental fetch quests, it looks like Terra Memoria is the beginning of one thing good.
Total, whereas there have been some flaws to my time in Terra Memoria, I’m glad I used to be in a position to expertise this fascinating world which was filled with nice concepts, stunning artwork, and an entertaining fight system. Some points felt not totally realized, however hopefully this implies the developer is simply getting began.