I Am Setsuna - Melancholy and infinite sadness in a cold world

If you are a hardcore JRPG fan, of course you are familiar with the game mechanics and the very distinctive storyline. Although many modern JPRGs have been released to the market, most fans prefer the classic version of the game. This “thirst” was then answered by Square Enix through its latest game, I Am Setsuna. Known as one of the big names in the gaming world, it’s no wonder when they announced about the cultivation of this game, RPG genre lovers immediately gave very high expectations. Even Square Enix itself stated that I Am Setsuna will present the long-awaited classic JRPG game. But is that right?

The Gameplay
One of the strongest elements in this game is the story, which can take you into endless waves of emotions. As the title implies, I Am Setsuna tells the story of an 18-year-old girl named Setsuna, a woman who in her teenage years must accept a big responsibility in saving a world ravaged by monsters. Setsuna herself felt confused and tried to convince herself and accept fate that she was chosen as the sacrifice victim. In the midst of his turmoil, he is attacked by a hitman named Endir on the orders of a mysterious man. Instead of punishing Endir, Setsuna asked him to be a bodyguard on the way to The Last Lands, where he had to sacrifice himself.

Of course the journey is not easy, because there are many monsters of various shapes and sizes that lurk along their journey. Like most RPGs, the battles in this game are played in a turn-based system where initially only Setsuna and Endir can be used. But over time, there will be a number of other characters who will join and become your party member. That way gamers can attack one or more monsters at once in one battle, where each monster that is defeated will give a certain amount of EXP and will have an impact on increasing the level of each character.

Not only that, each character also has its own abilities that can be used in battle. In addition to adding or upgrading skills, players can also equip characters with weapons or various potions that can be found along the way, or purchased from merchants. Even though it presents a classic JPRG game style, the developer also includes a variety of modern game features in the form of Tech that mixes the skill system with the concept of crafting.

Into the Cold Wilderness
Broadly speaking, you will find a world that is displayed in good visual quality. In terms of character design, I Am Setsuna uses a chibi-style character design that makes them appear cute. This of course makes various details – especially the expressions of each character – invisible, which makes the emotions of the story less pronounced, coupled with the lack of voice dialogue like classic RPG titles. Some gamers who like the emotional presentation of faces or voice acting in a game may be a little disappointed by the absence of these features. But on the other hand, it evokes memories of the classic JPRG past which is indeed the main theme of I Am Setsuna.

In terms of the world offered, I Am Setsuna (impressed) only shows one world that is ruled by extreme winter. Yep, as far as the eye can see you can only see snow and snow, different from other RPGs which usually present several types of regions with various designs. The monotony of this type of area is followed by the shape of the buildings in the game which are almost the same, so that it might give players a sense of boredom due to finding the same atmosphere. Although it has shortcomings in terms of voice acting or monotonous regional design, all of these can be treated with the music presented. The music in I Am Setsuna is mostly presented through the melodious twang of the piano, which is enough to help “animate” the story that is trying to be conveyed in each scene.

Is it Good?
I Am Setsuna has succeeded in presenting a classic JPRG game that can make fans reminisce about a few years ago, when games like this dominated the market. Even though it appears in a monotonous world, without side missions and also voice actors, the gameplay presented by this game still feels exciting and challenging.

Overall Score: 7/10

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Tokyo RPG Factory
Genre: RPG
Release: July 2016
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita

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