Half visible novel, half RPG, Loop8: Summer time of the Gods is an fascinating concept which sadly finally ends up caught in a little bit of a rut. All of it begins off properly sufficient, with the sport’s protagonist Nini shifting to a small city and one of many few secure havens left on Earth. Humanity has been pushed to the brink of extinction attributable to creatures from the underworld, often called the Kegai, continuously invading.
Regardless of imminent destruction looming over everybody, the ambiance is remarkably relaxed. Nini will spend his days going to class and hanging out with mates somewhat than fretting in regards to the finish of the world. However issues don’t keep peaceable for lengthy. Each 5 days or so a Kegai will handle to slide by the barrier surrounding the city and possess somebody. With Nini’s distinctive Demon Sight potential you’ll need to make your method by the underworld and face off in opposition to the demons.
You possibly can take two mates with you to assist in the combat, and that is the place hanging out will turn out to be useful. Moderately than gaining ranges by preventing, characters will get stronger as you get to know them. It will enhance their stats and unlock new skills for them to make use of through the simplistic turn-based fight.
You’ll solely be controlling Nini throughout battle; the opposite characters will determine their very own actions based mostly on their bond with you. This may make fight a bit annoying at occasions, as your allies gained’t all the time take advantage of wise of selections. And if your pals get killed, they gained’t return till your subsequent time loop. This makes it actually necessary to try to spend time with extra than simply a few your favourites — likelihood is a few of them aren’t going to outlive the summer time.
If Nini dies then the Gods will reset the world and also you’ll have to begin once more from the start of August. You gained’t be beginning utterly from scratch although, as any blessings you’ve been given by the Gods will nonetheless be lively. This provides you a little bit of a head begin in your stats and implies that you’ll be stronger each loop.
A superb time loop mechanic is meant to offer you sufficient selection in order that repetition would not set in. Sadly, that is the place Loop8 falls flat. You’ll be going over the identical conversations they usually’re simply not fascinating sufficient to make it worthwhile. It additionally doesn’t assist that there’s solely a small number of enemies, and that the underworld is generally simply the city with a unique color palette. It is laborious to not get irritated while you realise that you simply’re nonetheless not sturdy sufficient to take out the subsequent boss, and haven’t any alternative however to repeat the previous few weeks.