Developer(s): EastAsiaSoft
Platform(s): Playstation Network
Price: $14.99
Release Date: July 4, 2012
Roleplaying games have come very far from their tabletop
ancestors. Trigger-happy gamers have lost interest in the more tactical approach
to RPGs and we see more titles leaning towards action and faster paced
gameplay. Precise item management
and strategic planning are almost extinct, with only a few titles like Dungeon Defenders, Disgaea, and now the PSN exclusive Rainbow Moon preserving the tradition.
Rainbow Moon is an encyclopedia of old school
treasures. The game combines the
best elements of classic strategy RPG titles into a vast, 100+ hour journey,
and it’s only 15$. Don’t be fooled
by the cutesy graphics and perplexing title, Rainbow Moon is a deep, grid based
strategy game for skilled RPG buffs.
The Good
- Addictive Gameplay
- Lengthy Campaign
- Charming Visuals
- Memorable Soundtrack
- It's only 15$
The Bad
- Grinding might turn off some players
- Uninteresting story
- Uninteresting story
After a shadow-puppet style opening, you take role of
Baldren, a warrior who gets tossed through a portal by his long-time
nemesis. Waking up on the
mysterious Rainbow Moon, Baldren unwillingly opens a dimensional gate, letting
hordes of monsters overtake the peaceful planet. You meet quirky characters on your quest to save Rainbow
Moon, some of which join your party, but it’s clear that the hackneyed
narrative is an afterthought. This
isn’t a bad thing though. Rainbow
Moon shines on the battlefield.
This is a glorious throwback to games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Ogre
Tactics.
Rainbow Moon does an exemplary job of teaching you how to
play. Whether you’re a veteran
strategist or never played a game of this type, battles gradually introduce new
gameplay mechanics and ways to manage your supplies. Failing to optimize your armor and skill
points is detrimental to success. Each
minor skill boost and every item in your inventory is key to advancing. Yes, grinding is a must, but it never
feels boring or cheap. As you
traverse the colorful world, you’ll see enemies patrolling the environment,
with some encounters initiated randomly.
A fight occurs every couple of steps, but enemies get significantly tougher
in each new area.
Dying in battle puts you back in the same spot on the map
where you crossed the enemy, but with 1HP on your life bar. This allows you to either journey back
to a healer, fight easier enemies to level up, or simply try again. The encounters are exhilarating. Like a game of chess, you move on a
grid and your actions are turn based.
The frequency and distance of your moves increases by leveling up your
character. A higher level,
however, doesn’t always result in a win.
You need to upgrade your skill points and armor accordingly in order to
gain advantage in battle. Each win
rewards you with rainbow points, which can be spent to increase defense, attack
power, luck, speed, and so forth. It’s
imperative that you manage your inventory properly as you’ll run out of potions
and food in no time. That’s right,
your characters need to eat, otherwise their health degenerates when they’re
hungry. The micromanaging might
sound like a chore, but everything has a direct impact on your performance in
battle. As a result, it never
feels repetitive or pointless.
You begin the game with only one character, Baldren, but new
warriors with varied skills and weapons join you later, adding another level of
challenge to enemy encounters.
Once you have three team members, things get much trickier. If a character uses a bow and arrow,
for example, they need to be two squares away in order to strike the enemy. Others might need to be adjacent to the
opponent, unless they are using a skill that has a specific hit formation. Additionally, there’s a weapon
hierarchy that has a direct impact on your attack points. Using your sword on enemies with an axe results in less damage than when attacking someone with a bow and arrow. There’s more to the system, but you get
the gist of it.
The colorful world of Raibow Moon has a very distinct,
charming art style. It’s
reminiscent of Super Nintendo’s Dragon
Warrior and Breath of Fire games,
but with an HD facelift. The
environments are surprisingly diverse, with deep forests, vast deserts, sunny
beaches, and even snow-covered mountains.
The same can’t be said for enemy variety. Each area has its own enemy type, but it can take several hours
of grinding before you meet new foes.
Likewise, character animation could use work. The movement is choppy and attacks look like they consist of
two frames of animation. Maybe
it’s a stylistic choice, referencing the 16-bit era just like the graphics, but
it looks clumsy. Even so, the
visuals have personality and stay fresh throughout the entire adventure.
The townsfolk of Rainbow Moon don’t speak, aside from a few
mumbling words that trigger text boxes, but the music is exceptionally
captivating. I found myself
humming the theme song long after finishing the game. Each area has its own well-placed soundtrack, with battle
music undeniably characteristic of glorious SNES days.
Rainbow Moon is like a
fifteen-dollar time machine. It takes you to an age when games required critical thinking and planning, a period in gaming when patience was obligatory. This is one of the biggest surprises of the summer and, by far, one of the best games on the Playstation Network. Whether you are a die-hard fan of strategy RPGs or a newcomer to the genre, Rainbow Moon is an instant classic that shouldn’t be
missed by anyone who has the slightest interest in video games.
Review by Tin Salamunic
Review by Tin Salamunic
| Final Score | “Instant Classic” | 9.0 |
| Graphics | Incredibly charming and cute. A high definition version of old school goodness. |
8.0 |
| Gameplay | One of the most addictive strategy RPGs available. It’s incredibly deep and complex, yet never overwhelming. |
9.5 |
| Value | Over 100 hours for only 15$? I don’t think it gets better than that. |
9.5 |
| Sound | Very memorable tunes and adorable character chatter. It’s somewhat repetitive at times but it never gets annoying. |
8.0 |
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3 comments:
not a fan of the pacing of the game. i found even on easy, there is to much grinding to do. most of the bosses crush me the first couple times i fight them. eventually i got to a point early in the game where your rival is fighting you with 9-10 monsters. ive managed to kill the monsters several times but cant take the boss down. having him wipe out an entire party after he gets 2 turns in a row of 3 actions per turn (6 in a row essentually), i went out and bought other games today and wont be going back.
i loved the grinding in tactics, because you could basically sit back and cast accumulate or other self spells a million times in a battle, this game the grinding to me is boring as hell. valiant attempt at reviving the genre.
I agree that the game is tough, but it's also clear that the developer's intention was to bring back a gameplay style reminiscent of older RPGs. I still found it to be significantly easier than some of the titles it was inspired by, but I can also see how it's not for everyone. :)
This has got to be one of the most exciting games I've played in a really long time. Definitely the best thing I ever bought on the Playstation network.
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