Trials of Kokoro

About

"Trials of Kokoro" is an RPG adventure where a young man with amnesia and combat skills seeks to recall his past. The game features 54 weapons, 150 armor types, and 92 unique skills, as well as 60 hand-crafted battles with varying strategies. Status effects, bonuses, and penalties impact gameplay, and powerful spells require time to cast, with free actions allowing time-sensitive responses. Statuses and abilities are explained through mouseovers.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 64 reviews

story48 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

Trials of Kokoro features a captivating story with well-developed characters, making it an engaging experience for players, even those who typically do not enjoy visual novels.
The combat system is highly strategic and well-balanced, offering a variety of tactical options that keep players engaged and challenged throughout the game.
The game's visuals and music are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall immersive experience and showcasing the developer's dedication to quality.

Some players found the pacing of the story to be jarring at times, with certain plot threads introduced but not fully explored.
The menu system can be cumbersome and unintuitive, making it difficult for players to navigate and manage their characters effectively.
There is a lack of achievements and trading cards, which some players feel detracts from the overall experience and replayability of the game.

story
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
56%
3%
The game's story is widely praised for its engaging narrative, well-developed characters, and immersive world-building, making it a standout feature that captivates players. While some reviewers noted a few unresolved plot threads and cliches, the overall sentiment is that the story is heartfelt and enjoyable, appealing to fans of visual novels and RPGs alike. The combination of a solid narrative with tactical combat elements creates a compelling gameplay experience that encourages replayability and exploration of its themes.
- “The story, like any good book, is engaging to the point of not wanting to put it down. I was fully immersed in what would happen next while also being hooked by the combat and RPG build crafting.”
- “An amazing game that no one should miss, especially if you like visual novels, JRPG-styled games, or just games with a profound and well-narrated story.”
- “The storyline is very engrossing and touches on many internal issues and concepts I find important to today’s collective consciousness.”
- “Overall, my only real complaint is that there are a few potential story threads that get brought up and then never expanded on (like what's up with the sol-ikati), but with the story that the game is telling, it makes sense that that stuff isn't covered.”
- “The storyline is very fulfilling, but there are definitely many loose ends ripe for a sequel (or prequel).”
- “And sometimes the story was delivered and packed into spots that seemed odd.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
50%
12%
The gameplay is praised for its depth and engaging mechanics, blending traditional RPG elements with a visual novel format. Players appreciate the polished visuals, refined UI, and the addictive gameplay loop that combines battles, character management, and story progression. Boss battles are noted for their unique mechanics and challenge, requiring a solid understanding of the game’s systems, while the pacing keeps players feeling consistently engaged.
- “The gameplay loop is addicting... you battle, manage your characters (equip gear, skills, etc.), get some fulfilling story, and repeat... it's addicting because the pacing is fast and you always feel like you're progressing... it's kind of roguelite-ish but in a visual novel.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and the characters are charming.”
- “Boss battles were fun and generally had unique mechanics to them as you would expect.”
- “Do not get fooled by the first few battles; mechanics are slowly integrated as you play, leading to a static turn-based combat system with individual initiative, stamina/mana management, as well as cooldowns and elemental resistances.”
- “The monster cast and their mechanics force you into using every skill/item available to get through, even on normal difficulty.”
- “The developer describes it as a visual novel—which it is—but I feel the nuanced tactical gameplay shouldn't be overlooked.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fantastic quality, with many tracks described as catchy and memorable. Players appreciate the diverse selection of songs that enhance the overall experience, noting that the music fits the game's atmosphere perfectly and contributes to a relaxing environment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, with some players expressing a desire to purchase it to support the composer.
- “The music is fantastic, and some songs are real earworms that will stay in your brain for a while.”
- “Honestly, a good ten minutes of my playtime was just listening to the town's music because it's so peaceful and relaxing.”
- “Lastly, I’d like to state the music and sound selection is phenomenal.”
- “Honestly, a good ten minutes of my play time was just listening to the town's music because it's so peaceful and relaxing.”
- “If there is a place to buy the soundtrack, I would do it and support the composer.”
- “Audio - master, music, environment ambience, special effects and sound effects volume sliders.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics in "Trials of Kokoro" are widely praised for their polish and beauty, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the compelling character designs and immersive visual and audio details, although some note that the limited variety in character poses can make them feel somewhat repetitive. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's quality and enjoyment.
- “And it looks much more polished; you can definitely tell that the developer put even more effort into making a quality game here: the visuals are very pleasing and work well together, the UI and other systems are more refined, and the mechanics have more depth to them.”
- “The graphical and audio details really make the story immersive.”
- “Beautiful visuals and the characters are really compelling and different from one another.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers note that while the game offers a compelling story, its replayability is limited due to the consistent use of the same team throughout, which leaves players wishing for more varied experiences. Although visual novels typically have constrained replayability, there was a missed opportunity to enhance this aspect further.
- “Also the fact that, despite the changes due to the story, you always play with the 'same' team, leaves you wondering how else this could have been boosted to actually increase replayability.”
- “I do understand that visual novels can have limited replayability and tend to focus on something else; it just felt too good of an opportunity to not exploit it.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its fun gameplay and engaging fights, complemented by touching moments that evoke strong emotions. While the overall story may be considered standard, it resonates with players on a heartfelt level.
- “The overall story is standard, but heartfelt.”
- “Game was a ton of fun, full of touching moments and fun fights.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is notably progressive, with dynamic characters and well-developed backstories, even for default enemies, which are detailed in the bestiary. Players appreciate the engaging party interactions and the sense of progress they provide, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Character development is progressive; no static characters outside default enemies, though even they have backgrounds fleshed out in the bestiary, which I found to be a neat feature and a good indicator of your progress in the game.”
- “I'm still only a few hours in but am already enjoying what I'm seeing with the character development and party interactions.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the game avoids grinding and mindless button mashing, creating a more engaging and enjoyable experience.

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Trials of Kokoro
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