Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy
- March 27, 2017
- MAGES. Inc.
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy is a first-person dungeon crawler RPG set in a near future Tokyo. When monsters called Variants begin to appear in the city, a secret organization called the Xth Squad is formed to investigate. As a member of the Xth Squad, players will explore randomly generated labyrinths, battle Variants, and uncover the truth behind their appearance. The game features deep customization, challenging battles, and a unique narrative.
Reviews
- Solid character customization and crafting system that allows for unique gear and party builds.
- Engaging dungeon crawling experience with a mix of challenging combat and exploration.
- Interesting story elements and a unique sci-fi setting that differentiates it from typical fantasy RPGs.
- Clunky and confusing user interface that makes navigation and understanding game mechanics difficult.
- Uneven difficulty spikes and unbalanced classes that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Repetitive combat and environments that lack variety, making exploration feel tedious at times.
- story53 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story is a blend of typical anime high-school themes and unique horror elements, featuring students who double as members of a secret fighting team. While some players find the narrative engaging with comedic and serious moments, others criticize it for being predictable or lacking depth. Overall, the story is seen as serviceable, with varying opinions on its execution and impact on gameplay.
“The story is super fun, with lots of comedy and serious moments, as expected of an anime.”
“Amazingly, the story makes sense and is very consistent (something very rare in most games).”
“This game was pretty unique in a lot of ways, the story was fantastic with lots of interesting twists and turns, the characters were some of my favorites that I'd ever gotten to know in video games.”
“The story is awful and weirdly nationalistic, but doesn't get in the way too much, and the equipment system is clunky and makes it difficult to upgrade gear if you've boosted lower level gear, but it's fine.”
“There is a story, but it's boring, and gets in the way of actually trying to play the game.”
“I just can't bring myself to like the story or characters, and that does break the game for me.”
- gameplay31 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of solid dungeon crawling and old-school mechanics, which can be both engaging and frustrating due to poorly explained systems and a cumbersome UI. While some players appreciate the challenge and depth reminiscent of classic RPGs, others find the lack of clarity in mechanics and the grind for resources detracting from the overall experience. Despite its beautiful artwork and addictive elements, the game struggles with outdated features and a steep learning curve for newcomers.
“Solid wizardry-style gameplay, good dungeon design, encounter design, unit and class design.”
“The artwork is beautiful and the gameplay is challenging but charismatic.”
“Good music, gameplay is strangely addicting.”
“This game really feels like a bad RPG Maker style game when it comes to the gameplay and animations.”
“A lot of the issues are that many of the mechanics of the game are horribly explained or don't make sense, and the game's version of a guidebook doesn't do a very good job of explaining everything either.”
“Many mechanics that are 'old-school' for the sake of it without considering enjoyability.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the beautiful artwork and character customization options, while others criticize the outdated visuals and clunky menus for a 2017 release. The environments are described as lacking diversity and detail, often feeling featureless despite the potential for aesthetic variety. Overall, while the game offers decent visuals at 1080p and 60fps, it falls short of modern standards, leaving some players unsatisfied.
“The artwork is beautiful and the gameplay is challenging but charismatic.”
“Writing isn't bad, atmosphere and artwork is good.”
“Nice 1080p graphics & art at 60fps.”
“Graphics could have been better for a 2017 game.”
“The menus are clunky, non-intuitive, and the graphics are a bit old (although I love anime-style).”
“It wouldn’t be so bad if each of these dungeons weren’t so featureless, but while the tile-set will vary from dungeon to dungeon, the only sort of props or aesthetic features you will ever run into are walls and doors.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game; while some players find it enjoyable and manageable, others criticize the difficulty spikes and cumbersome user interface that complicate the grinding process. The auto-move feature is seen as problematic, and while the game can be fun for those who appreciate grinding, it may not appeal to everyone due to its tedious elements. Overall, it caters well to fans of dungeon crawlers but may frustrate those less inclined to grind.
“Not too hard, not too grindy; dungeons make sense; it's hard to screw up a character—perfect for a beginner's first dungeon crawler.”
“The grinding feels rewarding and balanced, allowing me to enjoy the journey without feeling overwhelmed.”
“I appreciate how the grind is integrated into the gameplay, making each level-up feel significant and satisfying.”
“Insane difficulty spikes late on; not recommended unless you really like grinding.”
“The auto-move farming feature is also bad since you cannot do battles automatically, and the confirm button is mixed with the search button. So when you're holding the confirm button while auto-moving, the auto-move will be canceled.”
“In short, it's pretty fun, but definitely has some very tedious factors that drive me crazy.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many users praising it as fantastic and enjoyable, contributing to an addictive gameplay experience. However, there are some mixed opinions, with a few users finding the music to be merely average. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere and complements its creative elements.
“As others have mentioned, the music is fantastic in the game.”
“Good music, gameplay is strangely addicting.”
“Disclosure: I bought this game in its 'digital limited edition' (note: not actually limited) that included its art book and (partial) soundtrack, while it was on sale on Steam.”
“Music - meh”
“Not only improved the virtual effects and added music and sounds, voices, but also added more fresh and creative classes and skills.”
- character development5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted as a crucial element in the wizardry series, particularly through class-changing mechanics that enhance gameplay depth. However, some users express disappointment with character development in certain Asian games, citing a lack of robust RPG systems and poor itemization, leading to a less engaging experience overall.
“Anyone who is very familiar with the wizardry series will know that up until the 8th title (and really games like this are styled after the first 5 sans the 4th), class-changing is a core mechanic of the game and adds a lot of depth to the character development.”
“Without it, both the combat and the character development become stale very quickly.”
“I am not a big fan of Asian games as they are usually lacking in the RPG systems department with very poor character development and worse itemization.”
“The character designs and art direction are just passable, and the battle system is about as senseless as anything else.”
- humor3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by characters like the African-American English teacher, who provides comic relief through cultural references, eliciting genuine laughter. However, some players feel that certain jokes, such as those related to incorrect tool tips, fall flat and lack comedic impact. Ultimately, the game offers a choice between detailed preset art and the opportunity to infuse personal creativity and humor into the experience.
“For example, you have the African-American English teacher in the school who always provides comic relief due to cultural reasons, leaving you laughing on the floor.”
“It's up to you whether you want detailed preset art or to add a bit more personal creativity and humor to your game.”
“You could make a joke that incorrect tooltips are correct for the era they wanted, but it's not funny.”
“The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making the game more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
“I expected clever writing, but the jokes are stale and lack any real wit.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for its poor performance, especially given its origins as a 2014 PS Vita title, with keyboard controls also receiving negative feedback. While some veteran players acknowledge the lack of optimization, others believe the game still has redeeming qualities.
“The performance is relatively poor considering it was ported from 2014's PS Vita, and the controls when using a keyboard are pretty bad.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally well-received, with its cute visuals and solid artwork appealing to new players. However, fans of the original titles may find it challenging to embrace the updated aesthetic. Overall, the writing complements the atmosphere effectively.
“The atmosphere and artwork are good.”
“Even though I can see new players liking the game and its atmosphere, for those who played the originals, it might be hard to accept the new look.”
“Even though I can see new players liking the game and its atmosphere (I mean, it sure looks cute and stuff), for those who played the originals, it'll be pretty hard to accept the new look.”
“The atmosphere feels shallow and lacks the depth that made the original game so immersive.”
“While the visuals are appealing, the overall atmosphere fails to capture the essence of what made the previous titles memorable.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find certain moments in the game to be deeply touching, evoking strong emotional responses.
“Some parts are incredibly touching.”
“The emotional depth of the story left me in tears.”
“I felt a strong connection to the characters and their struggles.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game runs smoothly without any significant issues, indicating a high level of stability.
“Runs great.”
“The game maintains a smooth performance without any crashes.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is, even during intense moments.”
Critic Reviews
Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy Review
NIS fans will enjoy it, as well as those into first-person dungeon crawler RPGs. An incoherent UI and story will cause issues for those without a lot of patience, but there is an interesting and funny narrative to reward those who persevere through it.
65%Old school dungeon diving in New Tokyo - Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy review
It’s been a while since I played a sci-fi RPG like this, and it reminded me of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey. I appreciated the colorful characters and unique enemies, but the level design leaves something to be desired. Worse options could be chosen these days, and while it’s not for everyone, fans of the genre looking for something new on their Vita should check it out.
75%Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy Review
"Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy is a member of the all too uncommon first-person dungeon crawler club, and while it may be very complicated, it also offers an addictive experience for on-the-go that is bound to be enjoyable for fans of the genre."
70%