LOST SPHEAR

54%
Game Brain Score Based on 112 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
LOST SPHEAR Game Cover
Lost Sphear nails the look and sound of classic RPG's while updating the combat in interesting ways. While the story may not stand up with our all time favourites it's a big warm hug that doesn't overstay its welcome.
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In Lost Sphear, a young man named Kanata must save his disappearing village by using Memory's power to combat a reality-threatening force. Traverse a stunning, abstract world and strategically battle enemies through the enhanced ATB system. Restore the Lost by capturing Vulcosuit armor and seamlessly transitioning between exploration and combat.

Play Modes

Reviews

54%
Audience ScoreBased on 112 reviews
story28 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The game features a solid battle system that allows for strategic movement and character customization, reminiscent of classic JRPGs like Chrono Trigger.
  • The music is generally well-received, with several standout tracks that enhance the overall experience.
  • Lost Sphear offers a nostalgic feel for fans of traditional JRPGs, with beautiful graphics and a lengthy gameplay experience.
  • The story is often criticized for being bland, predictable, and lacking in character development, making it difficult for players to become invested.
  • Many players have reported technical issues, including problems with controller support and a frustrating configuration menu that can block gameplay.
  • The game is considered overpriced for the content it offers, leading to recommendations to wait for a sale before purchasing.
  • story105 mentions

    The story of "Lost Sphear" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it predictable, bland, and lacking in character development. While some appreciate its nostalgic JRPG elements and the overall premise, others criticize it for excessive exposition, generic dialogue, and a drawn-out narrative that fails to engage. Overall, the game is seen as an improvement over "I Am Setsuna," but still falls short of delivering a compelling and memorable storyline.

    • “Competent JRPG with a better than expected story.”
    • “The storyline is very good with a lot of surprises, twists, and turns.”
    • “Great game, I enjoyed the story, the battle system, and the overall gameplay.”
    • “The story seems like it is alluding to more content than it actually has, and it feels like there was a lot left out of the game.”
    • “With a woefully generic, contrived (think deus ex machina) story, laughable dialogue, endless exposition (that you can thankfully fast forward through), forgettable characters, and random and frustrating difficulty spikes, Lost Sphear is everything you don’t want in a JRPG.”
    • “The story overall was just not enjoyable and if you are playing for the story you will be disappointed.”
  • music50 mentions

    The music in the reviewed games generally receives positive feedback, with "I Am Setsuna" being highlighted for its exceptional soundtrack (9.5/10), while "Lost Sphear" is noted for its solid but less impressive music (8.5/10). Many players appreciate the catchy battle themes and calming background scores, though some express disappointment over repetitiveness and a lack of standout tracks compared to its predecessor. Overall, the music is described as beautiful and fitting for the genre, but opinions vary on its memorability and impact.

    • “The music is... stupendous, amazing, and alluring.”
    • “Words can't explain how beautiful the soundtrack is, especially 'Light Sphear'; I use this music when I am sleeping.”
    • “The music really brings me back to old JRPGs where it makes you literally hum/whistle along because it was that good.”
    • “Only if the music could have matched the intrigue of the aforementioned games, it would have been a classic JRPG in its own right.”
    • “The music, I must say, wasn't as good as in I Am Setsuna, which was the biggest selling point for me in the aforementioned game.”
    • “However, the music can be repetitive and annoying in some areas.”
  • gameplay41 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its improved combat mechanics and depth reminiscent of classic JRPGs like Chrono Trigger, while others criticize it for being shallow and overly simplistic. Many players noted that the game features interesting systems and quality-of-life improvements, but the overall experience is marred by a lack of engaging content and a mediocre story. Overall, while the battle mechanics can be enjoyable, the gameplay often feels unbalanced and fails to fully utilize its potential.

    • “Gameplay was good, well improved on combat compared to I Am Setsuna.”
    • “If you like mechanics-heavy ATB-based JRPG combat, there's a lot to love here.”
    • “But the gameplay is where it stands out with a fun battle system similar to Chrono Trigger but with more depth.”
    • “Tl;dr: aggressively mediocre JRPG, featuring basically nothing worthwhile in terms of content or originality, a slackwalk from the get-go, while featuring more boring gameplay than its predecessor.”
    • “The gameplay is okay, but the mechanics are not utilized.”
    • “There is more dialogue than gameplay, and with poorly developed characters, the dialogue is a struggle at times.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the bright and scenic art style as one of its best features, while others criticize it for feeling outdated, likening it to early PS2 visuals. Despite the lack of next-gen quality, many players appreciate the charm and aesthetic appeal, noting that the graphics contribute to an enjoyable experience. Overall, the visuals are described as pleasant and nostalgic, though not groundbreaking.

    • “The graphics and art of the game are one of its best features.”
    • “This game is bright, scenic, and aesthetically pleasing.”
    • “Graphics are not exactly next-gen, but they have charm.”
    • “Lost Sphere looks like an early PS2 game; these graphics shouldn’t exist in 2018.”
    • “Even if you’re going for a retro look, the graphics here are just lazy.”
    • “The sprite and world map I'd give a lower score in the graphic department, but I appreciate that the weapon sprites change when you change weapons.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players generally find that the game requires minimal grinding to progress through the storyline, contrasting with older titles like Final Fantasy. While some mention a balancing issue with enemy strength, many appreciate the fast-paced gameplay and the ability to skip tedious dialogues, making the grinding feel less burdensome. Overall, heavy grinding is not a significant aspect of the game.

    • “The game has a severe balancing issue where enemies tend to be much stronger than they should for how little grinding you're allowed without exiting and re-entering maps constantly.”
    • “Heavy grinding is not required in this game, unlike the old Final Fantasy games.”
    • “No need for much grinding to proceed with the storyline.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beauty and relaxing qualities, drawing favorable comparisons to "I Am Setsuna" due to similarities in the battle system and character roles. Overall, it creates a captivating and immersive experience typical of JRPGs.

    • “It's atmospheric and beautiful for a JRPG game.”
    • “Very, very atmospheric and very relaxing.”
    • “The atmosphere is reminiscent of 'I Am Setsuna', as it recycles a lot of elements from it.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Reviews indicate that character development in the game is minimal, with little progression or change throughout the main story. While the visuals and music are praised, the lack of rich character arcs and a compelling narrative detracts from the overall experience, only offering some depth during the side quests at the end.

    • “Although the game is visually stunning and has great music, I feel the game just doesn't bring the true essence of classic JRPGs, where they had rich character development and story.”
    • “You don't really see any big character development or changes.”
    • “The story is mediocre, with very little character development until you get to each party member's side quest at the end of the game.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, players report a stable experience with the game on PC, noting the absence of glitches and control issues. The game is considered complete and playable without the need for additional DLC, contributing to its positive reception in terms of stability.

    • “I can at least say that playing it on PC, I did not have any problems with glitches or controls.”
    • “I'm going to recommend the game on the sole basis that it is an actual complete game that doesn't require any DLC content to complete it, no bugs or glitches, and it is at least playable to completion without too much difficulty.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be hit or miss, with some scenarios being more amusing in their imagination than in execution. The game's restrictive controls are seen as an attempt at humor, but many players feel it falls flat and detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The funny scenarios I keep imagining while playing the game are better than the actual game.”
    • “These jerk-offs thought it would be hilarious if you aren't allowed to use the enter key, or the number pad, or the arrow keys, or any key that isn't a-z for that matter.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Many users feel that while certain moments in the game are designed to evoke strong emotions, they ultimately fall flat and fail to resonate with players.

  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for causing significant screen tearing and occasional stuttering, negatively impacting the overall gameplay experience.

    • “The game causes significant screen tearing and occasional stuttering, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
    • “Optimization issues lead to frustrating performance drops during critical moments in gameplay.”
    • “Frequent frame rate drops and poor optimization severely impact the overall enjoyment of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

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Play time

13hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
13-13hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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