Resonance of Fate

[BioMechanic]

Didn't see that this had its own thread; it's End of Eternity in Japan.

So anyone played/playing this? It's published by Sega, who made the brilliant decision to release it opposite FFXIII.

Very early impressions: the combat's really interesting, the clockwork world is very nicely done, the voice-acting isn't bad, and the cutscenes are refreshingly short. It's not an eye-blasting technical wonder, but the design and art style carry a lot of weight.

I'm a little overwhelmed with the complexities of the combat system at this point, but it seems like it's got some serious legs. Not sure if the game's mostly about learning the system a la GunValkyrie, but like that game, I'm quite taken with RoF's details.

The game's certainly different, especially the unique setting; in that way, RoF reminds me of Shadow Hearts. The John Woo/Max Payne-style gunfights are a deviation from the hack-n-slash JRPG norm, and there's a good bit of strategy involved with the placement of your characters and objects in the environment.

So far, I'm quite liking it. FFXIII didn't click with me at all, but this did, and quickly. Seems like Sega shot themselves in the foot again like with Valkyria Chronicles; this game seems to have gotten lost among higher-profile releases.

[Compass]

I'm sure the I've-already-forgotten-it-before-the-words-have-left-your-mouth generititle doesn't help any.

Does it have a chan track? If so I'll prolly pick it up when it's cheaper; I've heard lots of mixed things. I never played the sequels but I liked Shadow Hearts (and Koudelka especially).

[Compass]

I'm retarded and forgot this was tri-Ace. They've yet to make a decent game as far as I'm concerned. Gonna have to pass unless I find it super cheap.

[Melf]

GunValkyrie

This comparison = interest -100%.

[AaronChance]

I'm about 30 hours in now. The combat system is very complex. It took me about the first ten hours to learn it decently enough (it's not really like anything else out there), but it's still been fun and challenging since. The overall story sucks, but I've liked most of the vignettes that occupy the individual chapters. Clearing the world with the hexes is also a pretty cool system, along with customizing your guns.

So it's a difficult game, but it's not a grind. I have a few minor complaints, but I bought it full price, and don't regret it. It's going to be 60+ hours long for me anyway. Oh, it does have a Japanese voice track if you like such things.

[BioMechanic]

So um yeah, this battle system's pretty rad. And super complicated.

Machine guns cause "scratch" damage, which enemies can shrug off if it's not converted to "direct" damage by handguns; you can't defeat an enemy by scratch damage alone. It's kind of like breaking an enemy's shield w/the MG and then hurting them w/the HG. Grenades can stun, scratch and kill depending on elemental properties. (Your team also suffers scratch & direct damage).

Then there's the whole positioning aspect. You can hide behind bunkers for cover...until they're destroyed, that is. Walls, on the other hand, stay intact. Your characters can jump on top of barriers to gain an advantage. Some battle areas have interactive stuff like explosive barrels too. If you launch an enemy, you can cause extra damage by jumping above and slamming it back to the ground, collecting bonuses in the process.

Then add the Tri-Attack, where all three characters follow distinct lines in a particular pattern to cause major damage; it's basically a complex combo attack. Plus, if your action gauges (called "bezels") break during battle, enemies can collect and use the pieces to heal themselves. Oh, and charging up a weapon seems to cause extra damage...especially if you time your attacks correctly.

It's a lot to keep track of, and I don't have a firm grasp on everything yet, at about 12 hours in. The system also seems like it's got plenty of room for experimenting (I won't even get into how deep the weapon-customizing system appears to be).

But it's completely awesome. The story's lame, but the battle system is utterly addictive. When playing, I can't wait for random battles. I'm not sure if RoF has the best RPG battle system I've encountered, but it's certainly engaging. I've never played anything like it; how often can we say that these days?

[RedCoKid]

Tri-Ace built a near-perfect Matrix sim in RoF. I plunked down 100 hrs, laid waste to the bonus dungeon, and may come back for a new game+ later this year. The battles are addictive once you understand the system. The limiting factor is the bezel count. There's an inverse difficulty curve because you have to cope with 3 bezels for several of the early chapters, but once the floors open up, you can collect more, allowing you to activate resonance attacks every 2nd or 3rd turn without repercussion. From there, it's just a matter of taking down enemies one-by-one before they get a full scratch.

Aside from battles, the art direction and voices really shine. Jessica DiCicco (Leanne), known mostly for Disney cartoons, drops pitch and pulls off a spectacular performance (chapter 10 being the most memorable)... even though the cutscenes are so short and story so minimal that there is 0 context... JP track also available.

If you like to play dress up or assemble ridiculous guns with Lego bricks, you'll sink time in those side attractions as well.

Stick with it past the 10 hr mark, and you'll be rewarded. No real complaints here. I was underwhelmed by E3's offerings, so it doesn't feel too early to crown RoF my GOTY 2010. Nice job, Tri-Ace/Sega

[BioMechanic]

Around 14 hours, I experienced Battle System Epiphany. Everything clicked. I mean, it was enjoyable before, but during each battle, I couldn't shake the sensation I was doing something wrong, and winning clumsily. Not anymore. Even though the game still kicks my ass on occasion, my team is a well-oiled three-headed death machine.

It's a tough game, but I liken it to the difficulty of Demon's Souls: as long as you're careful about things and pay attention, it's more engaging and interesting than frustrating. The "retry" system is a great idea; hell, this game is full of small but extremely helpful details that make playing it a joy.

At this rate, it'll soon pass Lost Odyssey as my favorite current-gen JRPG, and it's swiftly climbing my all-time list.

The weapon customizing and clothes systems are so addicting. I love how there are only three characters and no classes to fiddle with.

[BioMechanic]

It's quite disappointing that this game is getting so little attention around here.

[Thief Silver]

I had been thinking of buying it, but with the Steam Sales it's gonna be on hold for a while for me.