RPGs are one in every of my favourite genres, however they’re typically very lengthy undertakings. Whereas I typically love an extended RPG to essentially sink my tooth into, I’m additionally a working grownup who generally desires to simply take it straightforward 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 daily lifetime of inhabitants of this world are operating scarce. Your occasion, a gaggle that finally ends up rising to 6 individuals, is tasked with investigating what is going on to trigger these crystal shortages, in addition to determine their very own private quests. After all, being an RPG, there are a variety of aspect quests as effectively.
The core gameplay is flip based mostly battling, however actually emphasizes the flip based mostly nature of the system. All the characters who battle use some type of magic, however slightly than any form of consumable MP system every spell is forged with understanding how lengthy they’ll 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 could be sufficient to complete off the enemy. That is additionally sophisticated by a component based mostly weak spot 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 may modify current expertise as effectively, in order that provides a way of randomness to the system as effectively. Whereas it may be irritating that you just don’t select which help character works with which battling character (although you may veto sure mixtures you don’t like) it provides a brand new dimension to planning out fights. It is a enjoyable, distinctive system that basically rewards technique and was enjoyable to dig into. My greatest concern with this technique was, by the top of the sport, it did really feel very repetitive. All through you may unlock new spells and enhance your stats, however all assaults principally do the identical factor and the technique is essentially 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 comfy RPG (the builders have said they wish to bridge the hole between cozy video games and JRPGs) there are different techniques at play, specifically a cooking mini recreation, crafting, and city constructing parts. You will discover and purchase elements all around the recreation map, in addition to discover recipes, and any time you discover an inn or campfire you may cook dinner by these recipes. These add a cumulative bonus to the HP stat for your whole occasion, 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 thought (and the meals artwork seems to be unbelievable), resembling getting a small bonus for acing the cooking minigame or having totally different recipes give totally different results, but it surely’s a pleasant distraction. Partway by you discover a new city that you would be able to assist construct up, which is a system I want had a bit extra to it as effectively, although I didn’t spend as a lot time with that system resulting from 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 every part pops and appears nice. The character designs look implausible, and the enemy sprites are very effectively 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 based mostly 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 continually all for studying extra in regards to the historical past of the world, the techniques 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, but it surely was these worldbuilding parts that stored me coming again for extra. I might see this setting being the beginning of different new video games, and I’d be blissful to have that. A giant deal with this recreation is new beginnings, and I hope to see Terra Memoria as a brand new starting in its personal proper. Whereas a number of the facets didn’t really feel absolutely baked, resembling a number of the quests being fairly fundamental fetch quests, it seems like Terra Memoria is the beginning of one thing good.
General, 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 charming world which was filled with nice concepts, stunning artwork, and an entertaining fight system. Some facets felt not absolutely realized, however hopefully this implies the developer is simply getting began.