Games Happy

There was precisely one factor I might hoped to search out after I performed Kyoto Xanadu; a recreation safe in its personal id. In case you’ve performed as many Falcom video games as I’ve, throughout the broader scope of their historical past, its continued to turn into an issue that primarily every little thing their firm places out now abides by the identical framework. Certain, Ys and Trails have completely different gameplay on paper – however the broad strokes? The chapter construction, the best way sidequests are dealt with, and the way completion is doled out? If the video games aren’t copying one another’s homework, they’re rewriting what their very own sequence had already executed a decade prior. 

Again in 2015, Tokyo Xanadu launched on PlayStation Vita in Japan. Whereas it was removed from the primary Falcom recreation to undertake this development, it nonetheless stays in my thoughts because the worst offender. The general construction is textbook Trails; storybeats and character archetypes generally lifted instantly. Possibly if I did not have familiarity with the video games it was referencing I’d have favored it higher, however all I felt was a bland amalgamation of plot factors that had been executed in a much more attention-grabbing method in earlier video games. Most of all, I simply did not like Kou as a protagonist. He was boring, and what little character growth he had was thrown away within the eleventh hour by an asinine true ending that even Falcom themselves realized was a mistake.

Kyoto Xanadu manages a significantly better stability on all fronts. Initially, Rei is a markedly higher protagonist than Kou ever was. Even that feels prefer it’s downplaying issues – I might go so far as to say that Rei is without doubt one of the greatest protagonists that Falcom has ever written. The identical goes in your different occasion members; Sena, Kazuki, Fuuka and Rului are all pleasant. Their particular person character arcs – not less than, those that get resolved – are nice, and I am left excited for the way they could possibly be expanded upon sooner or later if Falcom so chooses. 

On the gameplay entrance, Kyoto Xanadu is a bit trickier to elucidate. That is, after all, downside to have. Whereas there are nonetheless parts you can level to which are harking back to different Falcom video games, Kyoto Xanadu is essentially the most refreshingly completely different Falcom challenge since The Legend of Nayuta. A lot of the recreation takes place with a VN or ADV construction; gamers have a sure variety of Motion Factors and Pal Factors to spend every day; FP permitting you to work together with completely different NPCs to develop your bonds, and replenish their Help Playing cards, whereas AP letting you discover Xanadu, work together with amenities that may enhance your “Soul Stage” or base stats.

On faculty days, Rei has to juggle his consideration as exemplified by ideas drawn from his deck of Motion Playing cards akin to how significantly he can deal with a given topic. More practical playing cards value extra Focus Factors, which suggests early on particularly you will should rigorously resolve when to make use of particular playing cards and the place. It is a neat sufficient system, and min-maxxing your particular Motion Playing cards and Help Playing cards to maximise your educational and Soul Stage stats is neat; particularly when you acquire entry to your extra occasion member’s playing cards, with their distinctive skills.

On paper, the ability tree in your three virtues tied into your Soul Stage is attention-grabbing, however I do not know if the sport does sufficient with it to maintain it partaking for the complete size of the playtime. I additionally desperately wished that the cursor may have been made to maneuver quicker; particularly afterward when your entire unlocks are on the fringes of the ability tree, shifting from one finish to a different acquired annoying quick. It simply felt like pointless busywork – going by way of the motions when the sport itself hadn’t modified a lot up to now dozen or so hours.

That is the crux of the difficulty with Kyoto Xanadu; a strong basis, however stretched out to the purpose the place that basis turns into more and more naked. Dungeon-crawling in Xanadu is attention-grabbing sufficient, nevertheless it’s solely within the latter half of the sport that the sport begins to experiment with tying a number of flooring collectively in an attention-grabbing manner. The McGuffin that forestalls you from lingering too lengthy is comprehensible, however the finish result’s that Xanadu, too, finally ends up feeling like a checkmark effectively earlier than you hit credit. Fight begins feeling far too primary 10 hours in, not to mention 30; a simplified musou-style fight system with an excellent heavier reliance on parries that fashionable Ys ever has.

The sport’s story is way the identical; begins off sturdy, nevertheless it simply feels prefer it meanders far an excessive amount of beginning across the midway level. A plot actually resolves, however very like Trails From Zero it is abundantly clear that issues aren’t actually over but. Whether or not meaning we’ll be seeing Kyoto Xana-Two in 2027, some form of DLC, or an expanded re-release that may cement the concept that it’s best to by no means purchase a Falcom recreation at launch is but to be seen. My cash could be on a sequel; they’ve talked about a want to construct Xanadu up as a sequence in preparation for Trails’ eventual conclusion, in spite of everything.

Possibly no matter comes subsequent could have me singing a special tune. Whereas I might hoped Kyoto Xanadu would instantly make me fall in love with a brand new Falcom universe, it feels prefer it was all only a costume rehearsal for the actual debut efficiency to come back. I am invested sufficient to stay round for it, however I can not assist however marvel how others will fare? We’ll merely have to attend to search out out. Kyoto Xanadu is out now on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Change, Nintendo Change 2 and PC (Steam) in Japan; a western launch has been introduced, however no launch date or writer has been confirmed as of the time of writing.