Clarent Saga: Chronicles
- January 23, 2023
- Faenon
Get on Steam"Clarent Saga: Chronicles" is a strategy RPG with turn-based battles and a focus on story, featuring 20 characters, 21 chapters, and deep combat mechanics. The game boasts a detailed tutorial, adjustable difficulty, and nostalgic 16-bit pixel graphics and soundtrack. The story follows a group of knights facing off against a powerful empire, using unique abilities and exploiting enemy weaknesses in battle. With a wealth of classes, skills, and equipment, players can strategize and build their characters to their liking.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features a charming retro aesthetic with lovely sprite art and fantastic music that evokes nostalgia for classic JRPGs.
- The turn-based battle system is well-tuned and introduces a unique mechanic that adds depth and strategy to combat.
- Despite being in early access, the game offers a good amount of content and customization options, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- The game currently lacks a compelling story and exploration elements, which may leave players feeling unmotivated to progress.
- Some players have reported translation issues and a lack of clear tutorials, making it difficult for newcomers to understand the game mechanics.
- The price point is considered steep for an early access title that does not yet deliver a complete experience, leading to mixed feelings about its value.
- story28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is currently incomplete and described as a "first draft," leading to mixed reviews from players. While some appreciate the potential for a compelling narrative reminiscent of classic JRPGs, many express frustration over the absence of a developed storyline and exploration elements at this stage. Overall, players recommend waiting for future updates that promise to enhance the story experience before diving in.
“I recommend this game for fans of early Final Fantasies, Octopath Traveler's battle system, simple JRPG stories like in Dragon Quest, and... reading!”
“The storyline is great and the controls are easy.”
“I imagine some type of story or a bigger sense of progression is in the works and I'm definitely excited to see it later on in the development stage.”
“As of full release, it is a complete story; however, it is also clearly a first draft.”
“Currently, the game is a bit overpriced for an early access game, especially since it doesn't have a story added yet.”
“Great combat system, but I have a few thoughts because without a story I really didn't feel motivated to complete the game at all.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a tactical break mechanic that emphasizes weakness exploitation, making combat engaging and strategic. Players find the mechanics easy to learn, supported by a helpful tutorial, and appreciate the whimsical character designs and variety of items and spells. While some feel the narrative could be stronger, the solid gameplay mechanics position it well within the traditional JRPG genre.
“It focuses around a break mechanic which is a novel way of incorporating weakness exploitation into an RPG.”
“This makes combat feel quite tactical, choosing which monster to focus on stunning as a core mechanic.”
“The gameplay mechanics are nice and easy to learn, and there is also a great tutorial that really helps out a lot, especially for players that are new to playing these types of games.”
“It's just a novel with gameplay.”
“Gameplay here is somehow catchy and got me hooked for a couple of hours!”
“But the core gameplay and the future plans for the story make it worthwhile.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their varied and well-designed monsters, featuring amazing pixel art and realistic special effects that evoke nostalgia for older titles, particularly reminiscent of classic Final Fantasy games. While the art style is generally well-received, some users noted that the color palette could be more vibrant, suggesting untapped potential. Overall, the graphics successfully deliver a retro vibe that appeals to fans of the genre.
“Amazing pixel graphics with realistic special effects; this is a reason why I liked this game.”
“This game is pretty nostalgic with its music and graphics.”
“The visuals and sounds are reminiscent of older games.”
“The graphics give the game an old school retro vibe.”
“It really reminds me of the earlier Final Fantasy games graphics-wise.”
- music10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its fantastic retro style and fitting atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players noted that it can become repetitive over time and suggested that the volume levels could be adjusted for a better experience. While the soundtrack is nostalgic and well-chosen, there are calls for more uniqueness and variety in the compositions.
“The music is fantastic.”
“The soundtrack was also chosen with great care, punctuating the battles and their unfolding well.”
“This game is pretty nostalgic with its music and graphics.”
“The music became very repetitive after some time, and I also feel it should start off at 20% instead of 40%; it really hurt my ears.”
“The soundtracks aren't very unique and are sometimes repetitive.”
“The music can be improved.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's audio effectively establishes a fantasy/adventure atmosphere with a diverse range of tracks; however, some players find it becomes repetitive and monotonous over time.
“The audio creates a fantasy/adventure atmosphere with a wide selection of tracks, immersing players in the experience.”
“The audio creates a fantasy/adventure atmosphere with a wide selection of tracks, but it does get a bit repetitive and monotonous.”
