Recent reviews by Pootwaddle

Another excellent Exe Create game with a unique twist, that starts simply, and expounds by the epic conclusion, deftly drawing the threads together into a satisfying experience.

A beautiful gift from a master craftsman, whose creations shaped an industry.

Captures the feeling of those Midway arcade racers.

If that line stirs anything inside you, buy this game now!

YOUNG MAN... shaped girl?

Time to slip out my back door.
Sunrise dancing on my wall.
Heading down off beaten tracks.
Trying to get that feeling back.

I could take a walk again,
up a mountain to a stream.
Standing on the open rock,
looking out over the sea.
Funny when we move ahead,
never worry what we leave behind.
I could always find some peace,
In the back of beyond.

A kind voice from yesterday,
said give love, fill up every space.
But now I laugh at simple truths,
Sneer and frown like we all do.

When the long night awakes,
with memories, a midnight feast.
Feel the boy in me escape.
There's a field of frost beneath my feet.
Run, never tire, run boy, forever and ever.

I could take a walk again,
Up a mountain to a stream.
Standing on the open rock,
looking out over the sea.
Funny when we move ahead,
never worry what we leave behind.
Remember what a friend of mine said.
You gotta be kind.

'Take a walk' -Split Enz

A sublime experience that sets the bar to a new high.

Alvastia Chronicles could have easily been part of the Dragon series. In fact, it has more in common with Dragon Sinker than even Lapis or Prana, thanks to the greatly expanded team mechanics.

This also feels like the best showcase of what makes Exe Create Inc such a criminally underrated developer of neo-retro JRPGs. A hero's journey with endearing characters that hook you from the start, consistently entertaining dialogue, addictive fast paced action, creative character and item enhancements, and fun mini game side activities. The post-game content is larger here than in any of the Dragon games, as well.

All of these things are refined here, and implemented smoothly. Nothing even remotely approaching the clunky Job Plate system in Lapis, or the limited store and hyperactive reward system of Prana.

You can combine weapons, and transfer effects from one to another. You can enhance your warriors, use burst attacks and more, but as usual, you'll be a living cuisinart long before you've explored every option. There are even tables to set under-used fighters to, to level them outside of battle.

Gathering fighters from all over the world becomes an obsession, and sometimes requires completing sub quests, or meeting other requirements first. Some can be gained from fighting in the arena, or through the gacha store. And in another connection to Sinker, ( spoiler ) you might just meet the Legendary Warriors.

If I count this as an actual sequel to the Dragon series, I would say play Dragon Sinker first, then Alvastia Chronicles, then Dragon Lapis, and skip Dragon Prana. Prana, for whatever reason, is bland and lacks the charm of Exe Create Inc's previous titles.

Alvastia Chronicles takes the formula that made the first two Dragon games so special, and polishes it to near perfection.

With Dragon Sinker, I was immediately pulled in by the charming characters, and creative, addictive game modes. I binge-played it. Loved every second from beginning to end. I'll still be returning for the after game content, but it was such a pleasure, that I had to see what the other two titles in the series had to offer.

Dragon Lapis was again, love at first sight. Bigger and more of everything. The delightful dialogue was more prolific, the world was bigger, as were the heroes, and eventually riding a dragon across the skies was a magnificent addition. Gone was team building, but I didn't mind as the job plates made for intricate character customization. The handling of those job plates however, is one of the game's low points. As is an overly long final dungeon. Still, an addicting and enthralling game experience, that I was compelled to finish in anticipation of the third game in the series. And again, I look forward to delving into Lapis' after game content.

Dragon Prana hasn't hooked me from the start, as the first two titles had. It's clear that it's attempting a 16 bit entry, as the other two could be considered 8 bit. There's a lot more story building, maybe too much. And I don't feel drawn to the main character or his companions. Game systems and reward systems are needlessly expounded upon. Maps seem rather small and simplistic in comparison to the earlier titles. The charm and whimsical dialogue is in short order here. It's a technically solid entry, but a disappointing sequel to a series that started off as something so special.

Excellent sequel! Expanded and improved in nearly every way over Dragon Sinker. This series has won my heart, and deserves attention from any classic JRPG fan.

This might actually be a more enjoyable experience, than the bulk of the games it lovingly emulates.