As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I’ve seen the rise and fall of countless RPGs, each promising a unique adventure that would etch itself into the annals of gaming history. However, Reynatis, unfortunately, didn’t quite make the cut.
For approximately the last ten years or so, Furuya has adopted a specific approach in many of its role-playing game (RPG) projects. This strategy often includes highlighting well-known creators, positioning them prominently within their latest project, particularly for marketing purposes. Yet, despite attracting big names to endorse their games, the quality of Furuya’s RPG releases has fallen short of expectations.
In “The Caligula Effect,” Tadashi Satomi led the storyline but left players with a rather tiresome adventure. “Monark” promised input from significant Shin Megami Tensei team members, yet ended up being a repetitive and uneventful RPG. “The Alliance Alive,” which might be Furu’s finest work thus far, enlisted Yoshitaka Murayama for the story and Kyoji Koizumi to manage the systems in a SaGa-like RPG. It was … definitely average. “Trinity Trigger” also failed to impress, despite contributions from Hiroki Kikuta and Raita Kazama.
This time around, FuRyu is generating excitement about the collaboration with RPG veterans Kazushige Nojima and Yoko Shimomura, who are renowned for their work on Square Enix series such as “Final Fantasy” and “Kingdom Hearts”. Yet, despite this, FuRyu’s new project seems to fall short of expectations, appearing more like a weak imitation than a truly inspiring RPG.
Reynatis takes place in a contemporary Shibuya that deviates slightly, where certain individuals acquire magical powers following close brushes with death, these individuals are known as wizards or witches. The narrative revolves around two main characters: Marin Kirizumi, a college student who strives to become the most powerful wizard globally, and Sari Nishijima, an officer in a specialized police unit that monitors Shibuya’s magical populace. Since there is discrimination against wizards in this society, they tend to conceal their abilities by wearing hoods.
In Reynatis, developed by FuRyu, the storyline presents two main characters, Marin and Sari, initially portrayed as separate groups in different chapters during the early stages of the game. However, as the narrative progresses towards its midpoint, these groups gradually merge into a more conventional six-member team typical of Japanese RPGs. Despite this merger, it becomes increasingly apparent that Marin takes on the primary role as the central protagonist of the game.
In Reynatis, I find myself immersed in an action RPG experience, and what sets it apart is a fascinating mode-switching mechanic at the heart of its combat system. As I engage in Liberation mode, my character becomes an aggressive force, unleashing attacks and abilities that deal damage. However, each strike depletes a magic power meter visible below and to the center of the screen. To recharge this meter, I switch to Suppression mode, which allows me to dodge incoming attacks and refill my MP. Once replenished, I can return to Liberation to keep up the attack barrage.
In Suppression mode, it’s not just about moving your character out of the enemy’s way when they attack; instead, you should allow some attacks to get close before a prompt appears in the form of a QTE circle. By pressing and holding the dodge button at the right moment, you can evade the attack effectively. Additionally, maintaining an appropriate distance from the enemy during this process helps fill your MP gauge a bit. The goal is to dodge several attacks using QTE, refill your MP, return to Liberation mode for continued damage output, and then, once your magic meter is full, perform a magic burst that temporarily slows down time.
In Liberation setting, quick-time dodge prompts won’t show up like they do in Suppression setting. Additionally, remember that some attacks can’t be dodged with this method, as they’re highlighted by a purple aura. Therefore, it’s crucial to identify the kind of attacks approaching and know when to switch between modes or stay put.
Occasionally, there’s a rhythm where you alternate between dodging and attacking, which can be effective in short bursts. Yet, it doesn’t always feel smooth, and the execution isn’t always perfect. Frequently, I found myself running out of MP, leaving me to wait idly as enemies attacked, sometimes multiple times, before my gauge refilled. This process can take several seconds in normal fights, which can be dull when the enemy poses little threat. In fact, regular battles can become monotonous because you need to adapt to the enemy’s attack pattern a few times to avoid running out of MP. However, early in the game, this method of switching modes works okay, but it’s not very engaging.
As a devoted player, I often find that the monotony in combat arises from the restricted variety of attack options at my disposal. Though each character gains numerous attack skills throughout the game, it’s peculiar that I can only activate two of these simultaneously. Consequently, engaging an enemy typically boils down to repeatedly pressing the attack button, unleashing an ability, repeating this cycle until my MP depletes, and then switching to Suppression mode. Granted, there’s a bit of timing involved in switching modes and QTE dodging, but overall, combat feels like a repetitive bout of button mashing.
Boss fights are a little strange, but for the opposite reason. By the halfway point in the game, this focus on dodging in Suppression mode gets somewhat chaotic. Many bosses in the game rely on multiple parts using multiple attacks, nearly at all times. You’ll have attacks coming from all directions: lasers, shockwaves, punches, etc; most importantly, there will be attacks that you can dodge mixed in with attacks you cannot dodge, and so it becomes more and more difficult to switch modes at the right time and dodge the rights attacks (and not the wrong attacks). In some boss fights, the screen becomes a visual mess of projectiles and effects.
Ultimately, I found it inefficient to continuously dodge the majority of attacks while in Suppression Mode. In simpler terms, during boss battles, the chaos of combat can make it difficult to execute perfect dodges, despite its significance in the game’s design. Instead, I opted to dodge sufficient attacks to fill my MP meter and then unleash a magic burst for offense. This approach resulted in me taking damage that I couldn’t avoid, but I compensated by using consumable items to maintain my health. It was an effective strategy, albeit messy and somewhat frustrating. For the mode-switching mechanic to be most successful, I believe boss attack patterns should be more predictable rather than devolving into the chaos they often do.
As a gamer exploring Reynatis, I find myself spending a lot of my time outside bustling Shibuya. The majority of my journeys take me through repetitive forest zones that feel like they’re along the same path, with only a few strategic battle areas scattered here and there. Occasionally, I come across a branching path that leads to a dead end or loops back to the main path, but these are essentially linear areas. Although the fog color might shift occasionally, the layout of these zones remains consistent throughout my adventure, requiring me to traverse these paths numerous times before reaching the game’s conclusion. Visually and functionally, these areas can be a bit monotonous at times.
In this game, additional features are rather fundamental. You can find side missions from certain town residents, but most of these tasks revolve around either defeating a few common adversaries or returning to a spot to gather an essential item. There’s a mechanism that requires you to conceal yourself after street fights as wizards are looked down upon in public. This results in the need to either dash to a secret hideout, or more conveniently, teleport to another location (and back if necessary). Many aspects of the game feel either insubstantial or undeveloped, and there’s little depth to engage with.
In addition to advancing through the game, you can acquire abilities and enhancements by interacting with graffiti scattered across Shibuya. It’s as simple as clicking on it when you encounter it. If the setting of Shibuya isn’t already compelling enough, it’s evident that The World Ends With You served as a significant inspiration for FuRyu in developing this very game.
Oh, by the way, have you heard about the crossover in NEO: The World Ends With You? It’s an independent event that you can engage in around halfway through the game, lasting approximately 45 minutes. Does this sound familiar? I’m thinking of those crossover events in Final Fantasy XV with games like Terra Battle, Assassin’s Creed, and Final Fantasy XIV. It has a similar feel, as it doesn’t impact the main story but rewards you with an extra skill upon completion. Some players might not have been interested in Reynatis until they learned about this crossover, so just keep in mind that the crossover content takes less than an hour in a game that lasts around 20 hours, and it stands somewhat separate from the rest of the game.
Simply put, Reynatis appears somewhat outdated for an RPG, noticeably so in certain areas. Although some pre-rendered cutscenes display well, the in-game characters and animation seem to be a few generations behind current games. Moreover, many of the outdoor environments outside the city lack variety and appear dull and repetitive.
One way to rephrase the given text could be: “What makes Reynatis stand out is its meticulous reconstruction of the iconic district, Shibuya, complete with authentic locations and establishments. Although the character designs and animations seem reminiscent of PlayStation Vita games, the visual appeal of Shibuya is undeniable. It appears that Reynatis has put a substantial amount of work into creating a virtual version of Shibuya, and from my perspective, they’ve managed to achieve this goal successfully.
Regarding Shimomura’s soundtrack, it has a vibe that could easily fit into the world of Kingdom Hearts. My preferred piece is the one used in Shibuya, which serves as an environmental theme, featuring a steady rhythmic percussion and piano accents.
If the game feels monotonous due to repetitive combat, lacks depth in its sub-systems, and has inconsistent graphics, perhaps it is the engaging storyline, captivating writing, and well-developed characters that could make it stand out. Regrettably, Reynatis struggles to deliver even in this aspect.
In various pre-launch conversations, FuRyu mentioned that the game would center on topics like ‘conformity within society’ and the struggle to assert one’s uniqueness. These concepts, it seems, are reflected in the combat’s liberation and suppression aspects. However, upon finishing the game, I must admit, I find this connection rather elusive. The storyline presented by Reynatis, while claiming to question societal norms, appears to only scratch the surface at best. A significant part of the character development revolves around a substance called rubrum (commonly referred to as ‘the rub’), which has become a widespread addiction in Shibuya. To be honest, I find there’s more commentary about drug regulations and law enforcement than challenging societal norms, but even this aspect feels shallow.
Elsewhere pre-release, FuRyu discussed defining ‘the ultimate chūnibyō’, which is probably a better framing of the narrative that actually takes place in Reynatis. Marin spends most of the game’s runtime talking about his quest to ‘become the strongest’, and for the most part, this goal is played completely straight. He wants to be the strongest, and eventually, his allies also want him to be the strongest. Of course, a little bit of friendship magic also works its way into the narrative, but it’s hard to say it’s anything compelling. In fact, I found myself bored of the narrative through most of the way through.
As I move closer to the finale, it becomes clear that the fate of the world hangs in the balance, and guess who’s right smack in the middle of it all? Yours truly. While it may seem familiar if you’ve played your fair share of JRPGs, there’s a twist: parts of the storyline involve characters being fitted with bomb collars… for some unexpected comedic relief? It’s an unusual joke that lingers longer than I would have thought.
Similar to many other role-playing games from FuRyu, Reynatis unfortunately falls short of expectations. This company serves as a valuable lesson on why it’s important not just to idolize individual creators, but also to recognize the entire team involved in creating beloved games. As a result, we’re left with an RPG that is average at best and forgettable at worst. Despite having played most of FuRyu’s games, I’m still searching for one that I can confidently suggest to fans of the genre. Although some games have been better than others, Reynatis doesn’t stand out from mediocrity. Perhaps their next game will be more impressive.
4
The game, Reynatis, has been tested on PCs, but it can also be played on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch systems.
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2024-09-20 16:26