I Am Setsuna Reviews
It could have – and should have – been far better than it is. Held back by a lack of ambition and never daring to crawl from the shadow of better games, I Am Setsuna stops itself being something special.
Those golden-era JRPGs are beloved because they were packed with memorable locations, characters, and combat. I Am Setsuna unfortunately falls short on all three counts, and instead delivers an average and forgettable adventure, albeit one with wonderful music.
I Am Setsuna may be Tokyo RPG Factory's first game as a development studio, but its finesse and reverence of past JRPG hits makes it an absolute joy to experience.
I Am Setsuna is a carefully crafted JRPG that will appeal to the nostalgia of fans, but also intrigue JRPG newcomers. A beautifully emotional story underlines a solid battle system that is equal parts familiar as it is unique. Some lenient money and ability hand-outs make the game easier while an empty overworld can make the walks a bit dull. The 15-20 hour average completion time might be shorter than what many JRPG fans would expect, but it is also a good entry point for newcomers without being a daunting 100+ hour experience. It is safe to say that I am Setsuna is a worthwhile journey.
I Am Setsuna desperately tries to pull us back in time, but just feels old and worn out, no matter how good the fresh new lick of paint looks.
Deep down, the only crime that I Am Setsuna commits is that it can’t quite match the high standards of the masterpieces it was created to pay homage to.
I AM Setsuna is a fine short little experience that brings back nostalgic feelings for the 16-bit era of role playing games, but doesn't do much to explore the twenty years of depth since then.
I Am Setsuna capably fulfils its role as an echo of past Japanese adventures, but in doing so, it seems unwilling to take risks and forge its own legacy. Its story is predictable and its battle system struggles to define itself, but its traditional charm and fantastic atmosphere do more than enough to ensure that this an inviting and thoroughly pleasant journey. It may not measure up to the genre's best, but Tokyo RPG Factory's first outing is a warm and well crafted reminder that the classic formula still works.
An homage to the amazing JRPGs of the 90s, I Am Setsuna is a love letter to your childhood written with passion and penned with respect by equally passionate developers.
I Am Setsuna brings to light all the memorable aspects of what made classic games classics. With the good outweighing the bad, I Am Setsuna embodies old concepts and creates a challenge worth undertaking, even if the pilgrimage to the end is as difficult for the player as it is for Setsuna.
I Am Setsuna for Nintendo Switch is disappointing with its uninspired story, a useless choice system and a primitive gameplay. Beautiful snow effects and lovingly drawn landscapes with atmospheric music, despite the duplication, feels great. But even that, most likely, will not be enough to get you through the game until the final credits.
Review in Russian | Read full review
I Am Setsuna is a nostalgic JRPG: it takes Chrono Trigger's gameplay and put it into a fascinating setting. The adventure is brief but enthralling, and the game represents a great debut for the Tokyo RPG Factory, a little Team Square-Enix assembled to create old school game experiences.
Review in Italian | Read full review
I Am Setsuna is a mixture of beautiful, heartfelt, and depressing moments, one whose depth is unfortunately overshadowed by its over-abundant moments of shallowness. The worth in Setsuna may end up being not in what it did on its own, but the groundwork it provides for future projects.
It doesn't quite recapture the magic of Chrono Trigger, but I Am Setsuna has enough interesting mechanics to stand on its own without the crutch of nostalgia.
I Am Setsuna is the polar opposite of a subversive work it. It’s earnest and conventional but also alert to the vast scope of human fallibility and treachery.
In spite of its myriad frustrations, I Am Setsuna is far from a characterless husk, but its mechanical regurgitation of shallow tropes and the over-complication of a ready-made battle system manages to cast a dim light on its reserved tone and glacial atmosphere. Designed to be a reverential ode to cherished RPG classics, I Am Setsuna is a functional footnote rather than a sweeping fresh stanza.
Old school JRPG throwback I Am Setsuna tells an interesting story with a fittingly sombre tone, but features none of the combat oomph of its predecessors.
I Am Setsuna is an unabashed love letter to fans of classic JRPGs, featuring solid, turn-based combat and a beautiful snowy world that looks like a moving painting. It’s a tad on the short side for an RPG and the journey can feel rushed, especially with the lack of extra content. Overall, it feels like it's at the cusp of JRPG greatness but just needs that little extra something to reach its full potential. Still, if you’re looking for an old school-style JRPG fix, I Am Setsuna will hit the spot.
If you are looking for a classic JRPG experience, you will love I Am Setsuna. If you are looking for the second coming of Chrono Trigger, however, you will be disappointed.
While not as challenging as some of the JRPGs of the past (no Emerald Weapon here, sorry), I Am Setsuna makes it clear that someone is listening to all of those grumbly veteran gamers who miss the adventures that made them fans for life. They long for a story to care about, and that's what this game provides.