REYNATIS
- September 27, 2024
- FURYU Corporation
REYNATIS is an excellent magical adventure set in the mean streets of Shibuya. With great use of its simple yet awesome gameplay mechanics, it’s definitely worth your time, but be prepared to deal with less-than-stellar design choices.
In REYNATIS, a full-blown magical RPG set in 2024 Shibuya, Tokyo, two wielders of magic, Marin Kirizumi and Sari Nishijima, clash in their fight for liberation and justice. Marin, oppressed for his magic, seeks strength to overthrow restrictions, while Sari uses her powers to uphold order and protect the city. Their conflicting ideals set the stage for a thrilling, action-packed adventure in a modern-day, magic-infused Tokyo.
Reviews
- The game features an interesting story and well-developed characters that keep players engaged.
- Combat is fast-paced and dynamic, offering a fun experience with unique mechanics for each character.
- The music, composed by Yoko Shimomura, is excellent and enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
- The graphics and animations are subpar, which may deter some players from fully enjoying the experience.
- Gameplay can become repetitive, and the combat may feel too easy, leading to a lack of challenge.
- The game is considered overpriced for its quality, with many reviewers suggesting it should be purchased on sale.
- story63 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally regarded as interesting and engaging, with well-developed characters and a plot that, while not overly complex, maintains player attention. However, some reviewers noted that the pacing can be slow, and certain character arcs feel rushed or lack depth. Overall, the narrative is appreciated for its intriguing premise and modern themes, though it may not resonate with everyone.
“Referring to the plot and characters, it must be said that both of these aspects of the game are really well done.”
“The story is intriguing, the combat is flashy, and the main characters and their designs are such a treat!”
“The more accessible part of the story provided a shockingly non-tropey and semi-realistic view on drugs, the police, and sensationalism of the public, which is refreshing.”
“The main area where the game falls short is the execution of the story.”
“The story has you fight people afflicted by rubrum; these are not interesting enemies, and in the story, there is no hope for any of these people to recover.”
“Despite the story being split from two characters' points of view, the cliché edgy shonen male main character (Marin Kirizumi) is given more of the focus over time.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Reynatis features a mix of engaging combat mechanics and unique ideas, though it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth. While some players appreciate the just guard mechanic and the storytelling through gameplay, others find it unintuitive and feel that many mechanics are underdeveloped. Overall, the combat is described as fun and fast-paced, but the level design and narrative integration leave much to be desired.
“It's gameplay has some extremely unique mechanics that I enjoyed to the fullest.”
“Combat was honestly pretty interesting!”
“Fast, tight ARPG gameplay, which while it isn't all too deep, feels great to pick up and master for the runtime of the game.”
“Combat was kind of fun, but you will hit a point in the game where you can cheese everything, and it is button-mashing gameplay until you run into one specific enemy towards the end of the game.”
“Reynatis is not too bad of a game; it has some neat ideas. However, the story often bores, the gameplay is repetitive, and the level design is often uninspired.”
“Weird that selling items was introduced late in the game, and I do feel like a lot of mechanics weren't super developed (like, the shop mechanic was used for one thing and restaurants just sold different flavors of HP heal).”
- graphics16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and not a strong point, with many reviewers noting that they may deter some players. However, the lighting and particle effects are praised, and some players appreciate the focus on story and character development over high-end visuals. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they do not significantly detract from the game's enjoyment for those who prioritize gameplay and narrative.
“The graphics are acceptable, but what really carried the look of the game was the lighting and particle effects!”
“Load times were also fast, and I suspect the graphics contribute to that, so I'm actually grateful.”
“I am seriously happy that I got the ultimate edition as I love to look at the artworks of the game; I even took a peek at the Japanese version!”
“The graphics may scare many of you away, and they are not the strong point of this game, but the characters and its plot.”
“The story seems too ambitious for its budget; character arcs and emotional scenes are rushed or lose impact due to the flat visuals, which is unfortunate because I thought the voice actors gave it their all in the performances.”
“As everyone says, the graphics are not great for this day and age.”
- music13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some praise it as excellent and mood-setting, others feel it often remains in the background and fails to enhance memorable moments. Composed by renowned artist Yoko Shimomura, the soundtrack is appreciated for its quality, though it doesn't reach the heights of her previous works, such as those in the Kingdom Hearts series. Overall, the music contributes positively to the experience but could have been more impactful in certain scenes.
“The music definitely helps set the mood; the story has intrigue to set up another game, and the characters help hold it all together.”
“Music by the legendary Yoko Shimomura, while not up to the impossible standard of the Kingdom Hearts games, still delivers and hits wonderfully.”
“The soundtrack is incredible!”
“The music definitely helps set the mood, but there wasn't any time when I felt like the music stood out or helped make a scene memorable, and that's a shame.”
“Genuinely surprised that the music was by Yoko, as it felt very much like background to everything that was going on.”
“There were some scenes where there was no music at all, and while it kind of worked, they could absolutely have put something in there to make it feel less dead.”
- character development4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted by attractive and likeable character designs, though there is a noted inconsistency between the quality of 2D portraits and 3D models. Overall, the character design is praised, particularly for fans of Yoko Shimomura's work, contributing positively to the game's engaging setting and real-time combat.
“Shibuya looks good, and the character design is attractive and overall likable.”
“Character design is super good, and if you are a fan of Yoko Shimomura's works, this one is just as good!”
“The setting is great, character design is solid, music is good, and the real-time combat is engaging.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its witty dialogue and amusing moments, particularly noted in the TWEWY crossover, which elicited genuine laughter from players. Overall, the game successfully incorporates lighthearted elements that enhance the immersive experience.
“Couldn't stop laughing.”
“Dialogues are wonderful as well, and there are definitely funny moments to lighten the mood; you just have to be immersed in the dialogue and the environment.”
“They are absolutely chill and they do have funny moments at times.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization reflects its origins on the Nintendo Switch, resulting in outdated visuals that may hinder the emotional impact of the story and character arcs. While the performance is generally better on more powerful systems, the ambitious narrative feels rushed and undercut by the flat graphics, despite strong voice acting.
“The development of this started with the Nintendo Switch version, which explains the outdated visuals, but this is a practice I’m in favor of because versions from more powerful systems are guaranteed to have better framerate and performance.”
“The story seems too ambitious for its budget; character arcs and emotional scenes are rushed or lose impact due to the flat visuals, which is unfortunate because I thought the voice actors gave it their all in the performances.”
“The development of this started with the Nintendo Switch version, which explains the outdated visuals. However, I am in favor of this practice because versions from more powerful systems are guaranteed to have better framerate and performance.”
“The story seems too ambitious for its budget; character arcs and emotional scenes are rushed or lose impact due to the flat visuals. This is unfortunate because I thought the voice actors gave it their all in the performances.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is noted to be ambitious but ultimately hindered by rushed character arcs and flat visuals, which diminish the impact of key scenes. While some players find the characters relatable and capable of evoking tears, language barriers may prevent others from fully connecting with the emotional depth, despite strong voice acting performances.
“The characters are easily relatable, and some moments are enough to bring a tear to your eye. However, I understand that some English speakers may struggle to create that emotional connection due to the language barrier in the audio, despite having English subtitles.”
“The story seems ambitious for its budget, but the character arcs and emotional scenes feel rushed or lose impact due to the flat visuals. It's unfortunate because the voice actors truly gave their all in their performances.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism, with some players perceiving it as a cash grab that prioritizes profit over quality, particularly due to misleading advertising and noticeable bugs.
“Bugs happen, but this is such a blatantly obvious issue that it honestly makes me doubt whether this was actually intended to be a good game or just a cash grab making use of the anime style to attract players.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game manageable, as side quests are not overly tedious and the gradual reduction of malice provides a satisfying sense of progress.
“Side quests aren't too tedious, and reducing malice is pretty rewarding over time.”
“The grinding feels satisfying, as each level gained brings a real sense of achievement.”
“I appreciate how the game balances grinding with engaging content, making it enjoyable to progress.”
Critic Reviews
Reynatis review
Reynatis isn't an awful game to play, but it remains a pretty average experience throughout.
50%Reynatis review --- Throwback to the PS2 era
Reynatis is close to a master at one trade, with its unique and refreshing combat system. But there’s too many other pieces that drag the overall presentation down, especially with its outdated graphics, poor Switch performance, awkward camera angles, and high price tag. However, even through all its minor to glaring flaws, and believe me there are many, it's an adventure I find myself looking fondly back on the things it does well.
65%Reynatis Review
Reynatis is an action RPG set in the vibrant ward of Shibuya, Tokyo, but it’s a very different place to the one we know. In this version, magic is real, very dangerous, and feared by the non-magical population. Magic users either hide their abilities or join a government organisation called M.E.A. to hunt down rogue witches and wizards. The story follows two sets of characters, the first led by Sari, a member of the M.E.A. trying to track down the source of an addictive drug which can turn its users into monsters; and the second led by Marin, a rogue wizard who wants to become stronger and free himself from government oppression. The chapters alternate between them until their stories eventually intertwine. There’s some really interesting world-building going on here, but unfortunately the gameplay is fairly bland. You spend your time running back and forth across Shibuya, occasionally delving into dungeons and battling anything that crosses your path. Your characters have two stances, Liberated and Suppressed. While Liberated, you can attack using your magic but can’t defend as well. Once you run out of magic you automatically switch to a Suppressed stance, where you can dodge attacks and absorb magic. You can switch between characters and, as they have different weapon types, they feel different to control. In battle you’ll be constantly changing between characters and stances in order to manage your magic levels. While the combat initially seems quite flashy and fun, it doesn’t really evolve at any point and quickly becomes dull. It doesn’t help that most of the enemies you fight are colour-swapped versions of things you’ve battled before, and the same dungeon designs are used over and over again. There are plenty of side quests, but most don’t really add anything to the story. They do have an interesting impact on Shibuya, though. Finishing them reduces the area’s ‘malice’; the lower this is the more magical graffiti, called Whizart, appears across town. Finding them gives you new combat abilities or grants you additional cash and experience. They also make the already beautiful Shibuya look even cooler, but do unfortunately disappear once you view them. The story and world-building are definitely the most interesting things about Reynatis but it’s a shame everything else feels so half-baked and repetitive. It’s hard to get invested in the characters when the dull combat makes you want to get through the adventure as quickly as possible.
50%