Video Game Review - Edge of Eternity

Rob reviews Edge of Eternity on Xbox Series X...

When it comes to RPG's gamers are spoilt for choice. Regardless of how you play, and on what console, you're guaranteed to have an abundance of role-playing games to choose from. Naturally, with such a wealth of titles, some will be good, others will be bad, and the odd few get swept underneath the carpet. One such title aiming to be a cut above the rest is Edge of Eternity. 

Developed by Midgar Studios, who are themselves a self confessed team of JRPG fans, Edge of Eternity is as much its own game as it is a homage to those past RPG greats. After a successful crowdfunding campaign and subsequent release on PC, Midgar Studios have brought their title to both Xbox and PlayStation consoles. 

The story of Edge of Eternity is your typical JRPG tale of a world at war. A somewhat original story that's taken inspiration from the likes of Xenoblade Chronicles and Final Fantasy. Edge of Eternity takes parts of each of these titles and mixes them into a vast spanning single-player story that rivals any MMORPG. 

The central narrative focuses on the world Heryon that's currently being invaded by a vastly superior alien race known as the Archlites. Not content with just getting their robotic hands dirty, the Archives has also unleashed a bio-weapon onto Heyron that's called the Corrosion. As the Corrosion slowly works its way through the Human population, your character - Daryon - decides to turn his back on the war in search of a cure. Aided by his priestess sister, and a mirage of party members, Daryon soon finds himself up against an unstoppable foe, as well as dealing with his companions own secrets. 

Where the story isn't massively unique it does well infusing the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Throughout the narrative, there are plenty of twists and turns. Some of which are predictable, yet it all comes together in a fairly entertaining way. Considering Edge of Eternity has been inspired by some pretty heavyweight predecessors, it does enough to set itself apart from them. Well in story and tone at least. 

In reality, Edge of Eternity is a low-budget indie title. From what started as a crowdfunded title, developer Midgar Studio, have put a lot of work into creating a title that feels like a much bigger AAA title. Whist, it does lack some polish, the world of Heyron is a vast living world that asks you to explore every corner of its many environments. Each location has a unique feel to it and there's a great contrast between torn up battlefields and quaint seaside towns. Even with Heyron being destroyed by war - it's a very beautiful planet. 

When it comes to exploring, the experience is a bit lacking. Much like Xenoblade Chronicles, there are plenty of vast open expanses, yet unlike Xenoblade Chronicles, they're pretty bare. There are however plenty of enemies to fight, which can be seen via the overworld, and each location is littered with crafting materials and other goodies. Much like any other JRPG, crafting items can become a chore as you'll have to constantly grind materials. 

Where for some players it can be fun just roaming the landscape collecting "mats" to create that weapon or this piece of armour. If you're like me you'll do a bit of crafting to then rely solely on quest rewards. Thankfully if you do ignore the tacked on crafting mechanics, these quest rewards are significant in keeping you competitive in combat. 

For the majority of the game, you'll control both Daryon and Selene as other party members come and go. Team management is fairly straightforward and works just like any other JRPG. Where things get more awkward is when you decide to switch weapons. As each weapon has its skillset, switching means you will briefly lose your learnt skills and magic. As you gain proficiency with this new item, these skills do gradually unlock which is shown via the weapons on the level bar. Away from this, you'll also be able to enhance your characters further by equipping crystals. These crystals offer unique bonuses and abilities to your party which can offer a very in-depth experience. 

Combat plays out via a traditional turn-based system that's been fused with grid-based movement. This means that your party positioning plays a big part in how the battle plays out. During combat you'll be constantly worrying about if a character is going to be effective, or will you have to sacrifice a turn to simply move the said character into range. While this way isn't necessarily bad, it does slow things down quite a lot when fighting generic enemies. 

This all changes when you encounter a boss character as everything turns into a very tense game of cat & mouse. The beauty of boss battles is that the momentum can change at any moment. You could be attacking to then having to back peddle to avoid a critical attack. It's during these fights where the slow pace works, and you'll certainly be thankful for it - even if at times it could be a little faster. 

The game's presentation is average at best. Whereas the vast plains of Heyron are pretty impressive, its character models show the game a smaller budget. Each character also runs at a peculiar angle too. With each looking like an Olympic sprinter trying to edge in front of their opponent. On the other hand, the game's voice acting is pretty well done, with each actor playing their part well. The game's soundtrack is also brilliant with composer Yasunori Mitsuda, producing some classically inspired JRPG tones. 

All in all, Edge of Eternity is a welcomed addition to the crowded (J)RPG market. While it does have a few setbacks, it's clear that Midgar Studios has a passion for the subject which has translated well into the game's design. I'm not a massive JRPG fan, however, I enjoyed my hours exploring the game's world, and am fully invested within its narrative. If you're a fan of the genre then don't miss out on this one! 

Rating 7/10 

Edge of Eternity is out now and can be purchased via the Microsoft Store by clicking here. 

A review code was kindly provided for this review. 

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