Vestaria Saga
- December 27, 2019
- Vestaria Project
- 51h median play time
Get on Steam"Vestaria Saga" is a strategy RPG set in a world of international conflict between a powerful empire and a small coastal kingdom. Players control protagonist Zadrian, a young warrior, and his band of knights in their efforts to protect Meleda's princess and ensure the kingdom's future. Positioning, movement, and weaponry are crucial in tactical, grid-based battles against various enemies, in a story filled with espionage, intrigue, and deception.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the essence of classic Fire Emblem with engaging gameplay and a well-written story.
- Map design is intricate and dynamic, offering varied objectives that keep gameplay interesting.
- The character development and interactions are meaningful, making players care about the cast.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including frequent crashes and a clunky user interface.
- Players can only save every five turns, which can lead to frustrating replays due to RNG and unexpected events.
- Graphics and animations are outdated, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.
- story347 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of Vestaria Saga is a blend of classic Fire Emblem tropes and Kaga's signature style, featuring engaging character arcs and political intrigue, though it often leans on familiar clichés. While some players appreciate the depth and well-written dialogue, others find the narrative generic and the character development lacking, with many feeling that the story is overshadowed by gameplay frustrations. Overall, the narrative is seen as a strong point of the game, offering a rich experience for fans of tactical RPGs, despite its occasional shortcomings in execution.
“The story is fantastic; the characters feel super real and have so much personality, the plot is engaging, and I am curious to see where it goes.”
“Kaga continues to prove himself as one of the greatest story-writers and world-builders of this day and age.”
“The story here is every bit as brilliant as his writing in the Archanea series and Genealogy of the Holy War (okay, maybe not that brilliant, but it's real good, okay?) and the map design is as brutal yet rewarding as the likes of Thracia 776.”
“The characters don't have much personality or life, and the dialogues are very brief between missions.”
“The story is generic, following an even more generic lord, but the world-building is pretty decent even in spite of the constant text walls of lore.”
“The story is cliche and old and overused.”
- gameplay169 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, drawing heavily from classic Fire Emblem mechanics, which some players find nostalgic and engaging, while others criticize it for being clunky and riddled with bugs. Many reviewers appreciate the strategic depth and level design, noting that the gameplay can be enjoyable when it functions properly, but frustrations arise from poorly communicated mechanics and frequent crashes. Overall, while the game offers solid tactical gameplay and a compelling story, it suffers from technical issues that detract from the experience.
“Gameplay and level design is amazing if you're up to deal with RNG screwing you over every now and again, but even then you can always find tools to win.”
“The gameplay is fun and plays exactly how I expect a SRPG should; also, the level design deserves some praise because it has a nice blend of objectives and puzzles to solve as you play through each chapter.”
“But the gameplay feels like classic Fire Emblem, with proper inventory management, tons of characters, good strategic choices, and maps that have a lot of interesting secondary objectives.”
“I can also blame really clunky controls, poorly communicated mechanics, and poor implementation/coding.”
“The gameplay was amusing when it worked; however, it was not worth the hassle of all the bugs and the escape key danger.”
“The game is littered with bugs and glitches and slow, stuttering gameplay animations.”
- graphics94 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of Vestaria Saga have been widely criticized as outdated and subpar, often compared to early SNES titles and described as reminiscent of late 90s aesthetics. While some players appreciate the nostalgic art style and character designs, many find the visuals and animations lackluster, with frequent framerate issues and a clunky user interface. Despite these shortcomings, the game's strong narrative and strategic gameplay have led some to overlook the graphics, suggesting that those who prioritize gameplay over visuals may still find enjoyment in the experience.
“An amazing script, solid play-through, and a nostalgic art style.”
“Don't be fooled by the visuals, this game has top-tier map and unit design that rivals AAA SRPGs.”
“Though humble in its graphics, you will see strategy, knowledge of the genre, and heart put into every single one of the maps in this game.”
“First of all, the graphics are terrible.”
“It also runs very poorly with consistent framerate issues, which is odd considering how low fidelity the graphics are.”
“The graphics are late 90s hentai game quality.”
- music73 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as excellent and well-integrated with the story and gameplay, while others find it bland and forgettable. Several reviewers noted a lack of memorable tracks, with some even opting to listen to external playlists instead. Overall, the soundtrack is described as serviceable but inconsistent, with a few standout moments amidst a generally average experience.
“The music is really good.”
“Really strong story and gameplay integration and excellent music too.”
“This soundtrack slaps”
“Musically, the game is so forgettable I don’t remember a single track from it.”
“The music is bland, and non-existent in some cases.”
“With Vestaria Saga, there was never really a time where the music inspired some kind of 'oh damn' feeling in me where I stopped what I was doing just to listen.”
- stability18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches, bugs, and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration, particularly due to a restrictive save system. While some levels run smoothly, others are plagued by problems that can force players to restart frequently. Overall, the game's stability detracts from the enjoyment, making it a challenging experience despite its potential.
“The game is littered with bugs and glitches and slow stuttering gameplay animations.”
“Man, this game is so much fun... but it frustrates me with glitches, bugs, and saving only every five turns. You'll be reloading every 5 minutes, which is a waste of time and energy when you could just let people save every turn.”
“Cons: as I've stated before, glitches, bugs, and crashes, plus I'm not a huge fan of how the game loves to punish you with random elements, some maps even have 'invisible units' that can leave you with 1 HP.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its self-aware and relatable writing, often highlighting the absurdity of situations and characters, such as a dimwitted protagonist who is surprisingly charming. Players find the game's glitches and mechanics amusing, adding to the overall comedic experience. The dialogue is noted for being well-crafted and genuinely funny, contributing to a lighthearted atmosphere.
“Seriously, he's so dimwitted with girls and every single one loves him; it's hilarious.”
“Haha wow, this game is hilariously broken.”
“The writing, in general, is stellar, realistically hilarious, entirely aware of itself, and above all else, true to human nature.”
- character development14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and integration into gameplay, with many characters having rich backstories and engaging dialogue. However, some reviewers feel that there are missed opportunities for further development, suggesting that while the character designs are impressive, the overall aesthetic could be improved. Overall, the game successfully brings its characters to life, contributing to a compelling narrative experience.
“But gotta be honest, this game is a masterpiece, not animation-wise, but more about style, story, and character development, the process of playing through the game.”
“It's a well-done game with great dialogue and character development, witty quips, and tough levels.”
“Also great at making the characters feel alive (most of the characters have story and character development).”
“A missed opportunity for character development.”
“Character design and uniqueness expressed in gameplay.”
“Most characters have story and character development, but it feels like a missed opportunity.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. While the game features excellent maps and a variety of weapons and skills, the necessity to grind for optional objectives or to level up can feel monotonous and uninteresting. Many reviewers express a desire to avoid grinding, as it can lead to a frustrating gameplay experience.
“But gameplay-wise, this is just tedious.”
“Here, it is tedious and repetitive.”
“However, grinding random bandits map after map is not particularly interesting and is something I try to avoid in similar games since I simply don't find grinding to be interesting.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players have expressed that the emotional impact of the game is profound, with some stating it made them cry, not necessarily due to the story but because of the deep connections formed with the characters. The game is praised for its well-developed characters, each with their own significant narratives, contributing to a rich emotional experience that resonates strongly with players. Overall, the emotional depth and character arcs are highlighted as standout features that elevate the game's storytelling.
“No game has ever made me feel the way a Shouzou Kaga game has made me feel, and I am not sure if that is a good thing.”
“And each character had their own story and conversation; it made me feel that everyone in this game is important, not just some character to fill up space.”
“Beyond these simple bars that certain plots fail to clear, Vestaria Saga's story is fantastic, with good characters who go through emotionally resonant arcs.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, resembling a poorly executed GBA/handheld port to PC, which leads to inconsistent gameplay experiences. While the core gameplay can be enjoyable, performance problems such as crashes and other technical glitches detract from the overall experience. Additionally, unit performance is heavily influenced by their class and starting stats, adding another layer of complexity to the optimization concerns.
“It feels like a terribly optimized GBA/handheld port to PC - gameplay itself is fun when it's actually working, which isn't as common as it should be.”
“The performance of units is uniquely determined by their class, starting stats, and access to personal weapons.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players note that the game offers significant replayability due to numerous hidden secrets and optional tasks, encouraging exploration and rewarding those who pay attention. This aspect appeals to players looking for additional content beyond the main storyline.
“There are many hidden secrets and optional tasks scattered throughout the game, which reward attentive players and provide significant replay value.”
“The game offers a variety of paths and choices, encouraging players to explore different strategies and outcomes on subsequent playthroughs.”
“With multiple endings and diverse character interactions, each playthrough feels fresh and engaging, making you want to dive back in.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is noted for its inconsistent musical elements, which, while not necessarily poor, do not always align cohesively with the overall experience.
“The music also isn't quite uniform in its atmosphere and doesn't always fit the rest (although none of it is bad).”
