Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky

Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky Game Cover
The Valkyrie Profile successor you always wanted in both the good and the bad ways.
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RPG masters tri-Ace present their latest action RPG opus! 12 youths die in a strange explosion in the heart of Tokyo. They awake to find themselves in a mysterious world, where they have been granted immortality and god-like strength. For what purpose have they been brought to this land? What unknown truths will they unravel along their journey?

  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

0%
Audience ScoreBased on 0 reviews
story3 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Enjoyable combat engine with depth and quick, fluid battles.
  • Intriguing story with multiple endings and great music.
  • Unique character art style and beautiful graphics enhance the overall presentation.
  • Dungeons feel uninspired and repetitive, lacking variety in gameplay activities.
  • Platforming sections are tepid and the game suffers from performance issues.
  • Battles can become tedious and grow repetitive quickly, with long combat sequences.
  • story5 mentions

    The game's story is noted for its potential and interesting elements, which some players find engaging enough to offset the repetitive gameplay. However, others criticize it for quickly resorting to childish tropes and being unable to elevate the overall experience, particularly in the face of tedious combat and uninspired platforming. Overall, while the narrative has its merits, it struggles to maintain player interest throughout the game's lengthy duration.

    • “The unique battle system, solid platforming, and interesting story should keep players going for the game's entire duration, even despite the grinding.”
    • “However, a strong story and some exploration options make this a game to consider.”
    • “[tries to innovate, quick, fluid battles, great story, dialogue]”
    • “The platforming is uninspired, the story descends into childish tropes rapidly, and the entire game crawls at a glacial pace of endless combat.”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game is consistently praised, featuring a great orchestral soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While the presentation may take some time to adjust to, the quality of the music stands out as a highlight, complementing the enjoyable gameplay and intriguing setting.

    • “The overall presentation takes a bit of getting used to, but it is genuinely good looking, with great music and passable voice acting.”
    • “Enjoyable combat engine with depth to spare, some great music, and multiple endings.”
    • “Unusual premise with an intriguing setting, beautiful graphics, great orchestral soundtrack, and unique character art style.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find that while the unique battle system and engaging story provide some motivation, the grinding aspect of the game is largely seen as tedious and uninspired, detracting from the overall experience. The narrative may offer some justification for the grind, but its sporadic nature fails to alleviate the monotony of extended gameplay.

    • “The story it tells might be good enough to justify grinding through the uninspired battles and platforming sections if the game were dramatically shorter, but as it is, the sporadic narrative can't save what is a largely tedious affair.”
    • “The unique battle system, solid platforming, and interesting story should keep players going for the game's entire duration, even despite the grinding.”
  • gameplay2 mentions

    Gameplay in the reviewed titles is characterized by a mix of uninspired and repetitive dungeon experiences, which lack variety in activities. However, "Exist Archive" attempts to modernize the classic gameplay of "Valkyrie Profile" by incorporating contemporary elements, though it may not fully capture the original's charm.

    • “Dungeons feel uninspired and repetitive, lacking variety in gameplay activities.”
    • “While it may not be the timeless classic that the original Valkyrie Profile strived to be so many years ago, Exist Archive takes that inspirational gameplay and infuses it with more modern tropes.”
  • graphics2 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art style and beautiful visuals, complemented by a unique character design. The intriguing setting and metroidvania dungeon exploration further enhance the overall aesthetic experience, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “Unusual premise with an intriguing setting, beautiful graphics, great orchestral soundtrack, and unique character art style.”
    • “Stunning art style.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The portable version of the game suffers from significant performance issues, including frequent crashes during battles, indicating a lack of effective optimization.

    • “The portable version is riddled with performance issues and crashes during battles.”
    • “The game suffers from severe optimization problems, leading to frequent lag and stuttering.”
    • “I experienced constant frame drops and long loading times, making the gameplay frustrating.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of "Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky" emphasizes a minimalist approach, suggesting that the game avoids excessive in-game purchases or advertisements, aligning with the philosophy that simplicity can enhance the overall experience.

    • “Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky feels more like an advertisement than a game, pushing monetization at every turn.”
    • “The constant barrage of in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience, making it feel like a cash grab.”
    • “It's frustrating how much the game relies on microtransactions, turning what could be an enjoyable experience into a pay-to-win scenario.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

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