Developed by Midgar Studio,Edge of Eternityis designed to be a modern throwback to classic JRPGs from the 1990s and early 2000s. The game enjoyed early access on the PC’s Steam platform and its long-awaited launch on consoles has finally arrived.
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Migar’s latest titlehas hit consoles during one of the busiest months of 2022 with AAA titles likeDying Light, Horizon Forbidden West,andElden Ringlaunching within weeks of each other. However, thanks toEdge of Eternitylaunching on Xbox Game Passthe RPG won’t go unnoticed. As a heartfelt love letter to JRPGs of the past, there’s a lot to love aboutEdge of Eternity,but as a game that’s focused on the past, it’s a title that comes with some drawbacks too.
7Loved: The Open World
Despite being a throwback to the past,Edge of Eternity’s open-world design is crafted beautifully and can hold its own with some of the best-looking RPGs of this generation and the last. There was clearly a lot of love and attention put into crafting such a beautiful landscape. Even the climate changes that occur are a sight to behold with its rain, snow, and sandstorm effects impressing immensely.
It’s a beautifully designed and vibrant world where the scenery and backdrops often look breathtaking. Its varied and alien setting is reminiscent of the design seen in theXenobladeseries. Just like that series it’s filled with treasure and secrets waiting to be discovered. Traversing the open world is a pleasure too especially when the party encounters their mount, a lovable cat-like creature called a Nekaroo. The Nekaroo isEdge of Eternity’sequivalent ofFinal Fantasy’s Chocobos. However, one should put to rest any fantasies or riding aroundlike He-Man and Battle Catas it looks like an adorable giant kitten.
6Didn’t Love: The Character Designs
As impressive asEdge of Eternity’s world is, the character models and animations work in total contrast to it. They have a flat and lifeless appearance that makes some early Xbox 360 RPGs likeInfinite Undiscoverylook cutting edge by comparison.
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The characters in the game have a doll-like appearance where it appears that only the mouth is moving. This becomes ever more jarring during the game’s many cutscenes. While the character models aren’t terrible they can’t convey the range of emotions that can be heard in the game’s voice acting.
5Loved: The Soundtrack
While exploration and the world map is the true star of show when it comes toEdge of Eternity’s best points, it has to be said that the orchestral soundtrack composed by Yasunori Mitsuda is epic on every level. It simultaneously evokes feelings of nostalgia and sounds completely original.
Mitsuda is best known for his work onChrono Trigger,Xenogears, andtheXenobladeseries. His music does an amazing job of setting the scene whether it’s through exploring the world or participating in a battle, it creates a feeling of excitement and majesty that’s reminiscent of the JRPG classics of yesterday.
4Didn’t Love: The Pacing
The beauty of an RPG especially those from Japan is that fans will often forgive their shortcomings if the story and the characters are great. Unfortunately, this is one major area whereEdge of Eternitydoes fall apart.
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While the script is not inherently bad, the game’s execution and pacing are. The drawn-out story requires some patience from its players to see it through to the end.EoEtakes a long time to get going and much of what happens between the first and the final two chapters feels like unnecessary filler. It’s understandable that the developers wanted to give fans their money’s worth, but this is one RPG where the main campaign would have benefited from being shorter if it meant that players got a tighter script.
3Loved: The Combat System
The beauty ofEdge of Eternitybeing a nod to the classics is that it uses a turn-based fighting system. Most modern JRPGs have moved on to adopt a more action-based combat system to make it more appealing for the current generation. However,Edge of Eternity’s grid-based combat system felt like a strategic breath of fresh air that requires quick thinking and decisive action.
The combat is reminiscent of the ATB turn-based systems found in theFinal Fantasyseries with Midgar Studio adding just enough of their own ideas to keep it fresh. It uses a grid-based combat system that feels like an advanced version of the combat found FromSoftware’s forgotten JRPG gemEnchanted Arms.It’s an addictive system that makes up for the lack of depth in the narrative.
2Didn’t Love: The Lack Of Character Development
In addition toEdge of Eternity’s pacing issues, there is a lack of character development as far as the story goes. The premise for likable characters is there, and is backed up by some good voice acting. Unfortunately, despite the game’s length, the characters are never fully fleshed out. Fans of JRPGs expect their characters to have clichés at the early stages of the game. This allows the characters to develop, change, and grow as the events unfold in a game’s story. This doesn’t happen inEoEas the characters aren’t given a chance to grow despite its excessive length.
The reason why JRPG fans love these games so much is often that they feel like they are part of a journey. The characters develop as they interact with each other and react to the world around them. When a player completes a JRPG after a 40-80 hour journey, there’s a sense of sadness that comes with getting attached to those characters. Unfortunately,Edge of Eternitydoesn’thit its stride in that area because the characters, while intriguing, feel undercooked. However, seeing Daryon and co make their return in a sequel to rectify this would certainly be welcomed.
1Loved: It’s Better Than The Sum Of Its Parts
Despite its flaws in character design and the poorly-paced story, there is still a lot to love inEdge of Eternity.It doesn’t quite reach the heights of its inspirations, but it’s a respectable effort that manages to be a diamond in the rough. It has a beautiful world, a stunning soundtrack, and a deep combat system that is capable of drawing its players in from the start.
This is all backed up by an amazing soundtrack that gives everything the game from exploration to fighting an epicFinal Fantasyfeel that fans will love.Edge of Eternityhas its flaws, but there’s clearly a lot of attention that went into this game, and it’s a world that needs to be expanded and revisited in a sequel. The team at Midgar Studio has a lot of talent and the right tools in place to create a modern-day classic with their next title and is a studio to watch in the future.
Edge of Eternityis available now for the PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
