What Is Edge of Eternity?
Edge of Eternity is a turn-based Action-Adventure RPG created by Midgar Studio and published by Dear Villagers, Maple Whispering, and Plug-In Digital. Right now, five chapters were released in Early Access last September 2020. However, when the game released on June 8 for PC, all chapters were available in full. Meanwhile, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5 players need to wait until later this year to get their hands on this game. Check it out on Steam to play it today!
Edge of Eternity Preview
Gameplay, Combat, and Controls
Gameplay-wise, Edge of Eternity is a turn-based RPG. There’s the usual ATB Gauge that shows how long before characters can act. This time, however, the camera takes center stage. Players can switch between an overhead, and a more dynamic camera mode depending on their preference. Through this, they can personalize their gameplay and combat, allowing them to either be IN the action or commanding the party with attacks and skills. The combat system that’s in the game lends it a strategic bent, allowing players to see the whole battlefield. This also allows them to be objective in their decisions on what to do when attacking. Weaknesses can be exploited faster because the enemies have them shown in the tactical view, et cetera. In general, Edge of Eternity’s gameplay is one that players have seen on other RPGs. You kill enemies, get experience and resources, and do the things you usually do in RPGs. There seems to be a pretty extensive crafting system in the game that is something worth keeping an eye on. Other than this, there isn’t much to show for itself. The grid system looks OK, reminding us of Wild Arms 4. Other than that, it looks like a typical JRPG that came out from back in the day. However, the game does have a long story arc that can and has sucked people in, we’ll talk more about this later in the article. However, the game’s overall aesthetic and tone helps in keeping the player hooked on the game and its story. Also, you can tame a giant cat and ride it around. That alone is enough to bring a smile to someone’s face.
Sound Design
Sound design-wise, the game has a few good beats to keep players going. This is helped by the fact that the soundtrack is made by Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Xenoblade Chronicles fame. The mere fact that they were able to get him into the project was already something to be commended. However, there are some aspects of the game’s soundtrack that might make people think that it’s too generic. There are not that many beats in the fight OST that will get a player’s blood pumping, which is sad for gamers who play with their ears as much as their controllers.
Graphics and Level Design
Edge of Eternity looks great in the graphics department. The game has a polished art style that shows the JRPG inspiration the developers have. Wide plains, mysterious forests, and more are vibrantly colored and have a distinct look to them. Meanwhile, Edge of Eternity looks to follow a semi-open world format for its level design. There seem to be areas in the game that have dungeons that players can go to. The game looks gorgeous with a lot of levels worthy of screenshots and fanart projects. The game’s main characters also look great and have a bit of an anime aesthetic. We’ll talk more about the characters and their stories later, but the game’s overall art direction and aesthetic are masterfully done.
Story
Edge of Eternity’s story begins on Heryon, a world of fantasy that was invaded by the Archelites for the last 30 years. The Archelites are incredibly advanced technologically, and it’s only through the magic that Heryon held out for so long. However, the Archelites used the Corrosion, a disease that turns people into monsters that attack others on sight, to turn the tides of the war. These monsters are known as the Corroded, and there’s been no cure for the disease. Fortunately, the Heryons somehow found a way to keep it at bay. We now move towards our characters. First is Daryon, a soldier of Heryon. He was always in the front of the battle against the Archelites but was eventually disillusioned with the war in general. One day, he gained a letter from his sister Selene, who is a priestess in the Sanctorium. She told him that their mother, who both loved dearly, contracted the Corrosion and is now dying. A stubborn one, Selene refused to believe there’s no cure and asked her brother to help her find it. Daryon, being a dutiful and loving son, fakes his death by planting his dog tags on an unmarked corpse and leaves the military. He joins his sister in finding a cure for the Corrosion and save their mother. This is usually enough to keep players hooked on the game. However, the interactions with other characters, the stories players will find, and the game’s overall look will be enough to keep players invested.
Should People Buy and Try Edge Of Eternity?
If you’re one of the people who wanted a new JRPG-like game to sink their teeth into, then yes. Edge of Eternity is a game that can hook you in with its story and presentation. The gameplay might be on the minimalist side, and some people would say that the gameplay is uninspired. But we’re not here for that: we’re here for the stories, the struggles, and the triumphs of the characters. Some would say that it’s not enough for an enjoyable game, but there’s still a place for Turn-Based RPGs in the gaming scene.
How Does Edge of Eternity Fare to Similar Games?
Now that we’ve talked about Edge of Eternity, let’s talk about other games in the RPG genre. We’ll start with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, then follow it up with Octopath Traveller and the Tales series.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
We can’t bring the Remake of Final Fantasy 7 to justice with just mere words. For one, the Remake is drastically different in terms of gameplay and even story when compared to the original game. There’s a lot of additional content and curious things to explore that Square Enix decided to split the game into multiple sections. The game that we got last year was but a mere taste of what’s to come on the Remake. Cloud and party have a long way to go before they’ll reach the end of their journey now. One of the more interesting things about the Remake is the implications of it even happening. Aerith, who was supposed to die, didn’t die; Barrett ALMOST died but was saved by the Whispers; invisible phantoms that ensure Fate goes its rightful course. Given the fact that Aerith hasn’t died yet, we can assume that Fate has now gone off the rails. In addition to some incredible spoiler territory, new timelines seem to have emerged. For now, we’ll have to wait and see where this leads in the future. But given that FF7 Remake was directed by Tetsuya Nomura, fans can already guess where this is going.
Octopath Traveller
Next up on the list is Octopath Traveller, one of the more surprising releases in the past 3 years. No one expected the game to be great, but it is, and thank God for it. This game is the first entry on the HD-2D series and was made by the same people who made the Bravely Default series. Their mastery of stories and character development is made readily apparent from the design of the eight main characters alone. Each of the characters has its unique Talents and Path Actions that can influence how NPCs talk to you. One would interrogate them, another would ask nicely. One would guide NPCs to their destination, another would straight-up lead monsters to them. This is their version of a Paragon/Noble and Renegade actions similar to what’s in Mass Effect. This time, however, Reputations are on the line, as overusing Renegade actions can damage Reputation while using Noble actions bolster them. Proper use of these actions can and will lead the party to victory. The individual stories that these characters have also led to one final encounter that rackets up the stakes. Trust the developers who made the Bravely Default franchise to have something additional to the game.
Tales Series
The Tales Series is a set of JRPGs that each has its own connected story and worlds. However, the ones that we need to talk about are Tales of Berseria and Tales of Zestira as they’re the most recent releases. Well, that won’t be the case when Arise comes out in September. In the Berseria and Zestira—heck, on all of the Tales games—the Linear Motion Battle System is the one that takes the show. It allows players to battle on a linear field to chain up combos as if they’re in a fighting game. Combine that with some cool characters and a lot of hilarious skits, and you have a great JRPG that players all over enjoy. Overall, the Tales series rivals the Final Fantasy series in terms of how prevalent it is in the gaming landscape, and it’s well worth it.
