Topic: Lost Sphear for Nintendo Switch

@NEStalgia i had the same impression.. i mean, there are aspects about setsuna i totally love.. i love the hell out of pianos and the wintery setting in an rpg could make me want to play it once a year.. but at the end of the day it's a $20 game.

But octopath.. hell i would pay $150 for that game if i had to.

So for $50 lost sphere better be more than a 80 hour i am setsuna.

@Inertiacreep The one thing that gives me hope is that there were moments where Setsuna seemed like it could be brilliant. The dialog in some of the towns with the missing shipwright, the backstory with the burly guy that was a guardian for the last sacrifice all hinted at briliance, but the game just squandered it and either went nowhere or flatly concluded it all by exposition. If they can build on those hints of greatness, Lost Sphear could be good. But I fear the TRPGF team is more of a "gameplay systems" group that isn't good at weaving a narrative or keeping an adventure interesting and focuses just on the metrics of battle systems. Arguably that would be a better backbone for an online arpg type game.

I just finished the demo (yeah I'm behind, but I only got a Switch recently) and I was kind of disappointed. I haven't grown up playing Square Enix games but I loved the Bravely Default series, but Lost Sphear just isn't fun to me.
The controls and menus seem clunky and the while it has a decent art style it looks kind of basic. The demo was too short for me to become invested in the story but the premise is interesting. To be honest the game comes across as a mobile port.

Was I am Setsuna any better? I'm really wanting a new JRPG and I want my first on the Switch to be good. I just finished XCX so I'm a little burnt out from Monolith games but I can't wait for Octopath Traveller. Maybe the full version will be better?

@NEStalgia
I kind of get your point. Taken as a whole, Setsuna does feel like a bit more spit polish here, a bit more character developement there, and THEN it would have been a "complete" game. But like you said, Square has been pretty transparent about their mission with these games: these are smaller RPGs not meant to be compared to Final Fantasy. But here we are, still kinda-sorta comparing Setsuna and Sphear to bigger, more engrossing games, even if we're not saying those games by name. We're doing it lol Even Octopath, even though its visuals are SNES-era old school, is definitely a massive RPG that most likely will stand against some of the heavy hitters.

So, yea, that being said: this shouldn't be 50 bucks. 30, for sure. 40, MAYBE if I'm in the right mood. Yea, I'm disappointed that they're charging this much. I'll pick it up in the summer or next holiday season when it's on sale.

@JaxonH
Lost Sphear USA & PAL version also available on Playasia too.

So little weird maybe? I got my UK copy of Lost Sphear today (from Shopto) and the game is only in Japanese? The cart nor case show any sign of it being the Japanese or Asian version.

Is this their way of stopping you from playing the game before release date? Or did Square-Enix royally screw up?

Note there is no options to change language in the game.

^Anyone else know anything about this? Especially assuming more physical copies are being accessed now.

EDIT: A comment I made earlier on the subject.

"I have had the UK PAL edition of the game since the weekend. The European copy is currently only in Japanese. The cart is PAL as is the case with Pegi rating. (Shopto delivered).

There has been numerous reports of other users in Europe getting earlier copies that are also just loading up the Japanese version of the game.

Hopefully on day of release there will be a patch or update that opens up the english translation. Otherwise SE royally screwed up with its European production.

More examples: https://www.gamefaqs.com/switch/210576-lost-sphear/answers/48..."

Oh, so the rotters in Europe getting their shady early copies can't play in English? Ohhhh isn't that too bad.. i hope this is the new standard for Japanese releases.

Shady? The games dispatch to arrive for release day. At least in my case. Don't know about the stores that sell them.

I'm more than ok if this is just a way to stop playing before official launch, but if it is a screw up thats a pretty big one.

Just an update. The English translation is now patched in. A little disconcerting that it isnt on the cart itself, meaning when the servers go kaput so does your english language.

Fun game so far! Though only couple hours in.

My game has just arrived (always get everything delivered to work), just half an hour until i am on lunch and can play it!

Anyone know when this game will be playable for East coast USA really been waiting to play and still cant and its 12 pm our time? Any idea when i can actually play?

@Spoof05 Just came on nevermind literally as i posted.

So it worth getting?

@scubydo I'm working on the review now, and I'd say yes and no. I can't speak to the length of it, but I've enjoyed the story and mechanics so far, though they definitely love to lean on tired JRPG tropes. So far, I think it's a great tribute to Chrono Trigger, even if it doesn't quite match that level off quality. All that aside, though, I think $50 is way too high for this.

Played this last night and loving every minute of it.

@NEStalgia
I can't speak for Lost Sphear, but if what other reviews said are true, between this and Setsuna I think I understand how Tokyo RPG Factory approaches game development.

I believe they see developing a game the same as marking off a checklist. A list of mechanics. The problem is it feels like they care more about what's being played, rather than how it's being played. How the mechanics are tied together. Which is why I don't see any clear vision for their games outside "plays like the classics" because they don't see the classics as anything more than a list of mechanics.

I like Chrono Trigger. I like Chrono Trigger's battle system. But I don't like Chrono Trigger just because it has a fun battle system because there are other things that made Chrono Trigger great. Expressive characters despite sprite limitations, varied environments, and memorable set pieces like Zeal and Magus's castle all tie together to form a complete product.

So just taking Chrono Trigger's battle system, only a part of CT's formula for being a great game, and carelessly blending it together with other elements from RPGs, RPGs that also used said elements as part of their own formula, leaves an unfocused product with little identity.

But again, maybe I'm too harsh. I'll play Lost Sphear... probably years from now when the price drops and there's a sale.

@Seacliff That's the impression I have of TRPGF as well, almost precisely. Everything about their product feels checklist driven and focused on the mechanics as a template without charm. Though RPGs are a hard thing.

Using CT as the baseline, I, and many others, never came to terms with Chrono Cross. It felt all wrong like it missed the soul of what made CT. On its own it was a great game, but it was a DIFFERENT game, that didn't line up with what made CT what it was. The producer was defiant to the criticism claiming that anyone who didn't like it didn't understand what CT was all about. The takeaway is that in the producer's eyes, CC did retain the formula of CC's greatness, as he saw it. Fans saw something else in CT that made it the classic that it is, but that element isn't something the original producer ever actually saw in it. It was success by accident.

So in that lens, TRPGF isn't necessarily doing it differently than even the greats....maybe you just can't design that magic that makes a great RPG what it is. Meaning TRPGF has as much chance of creating one as Square did.

But my gut tells me what you describe is spot on. Especially "unfocused with little identity." And I agree, $50 is nuts for what I've seen of Sphear compared to SMT4, Bravely Default/2, FE:Awakening, Fates, etc. at launch for the same price. But it could be a hidden gem....when it's cheaper.

Yo, you guys want a turn based RPG with heart? Buy that Battle Chasers when it comes out... I only played it a couple hours but man, they put some love in that game... and its just gorgeous... and I wish I bought that game for Halloween it would have been perfect... so much that Im hoping to play it this Halloween.
I will have to throw some more time into it but my initial impression is if it was on Switch right now, I would throw it right up there with XBC2 as best RPGs on Switch. (excluding action rpgs zelda and skyrim)

I played a bit of the beginning, but I haven't been feeling up for much video games lately. Tapering down on my medication has left me feeling hollow inside, and I'm not sure when that feeling's going to go away.

I'd like to give some feedback but... just don't feel like playing anything. I'm even starting to question whether I should have taken off Friday and Monday for MH World. Because I don't think I'm going to be playing it much.