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Best Hybrid RPG |
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Final Fantasy games are renowned for their memorable soundtracks, so it’s no surprise the series has spawned a successful rhythm game spin-off series that stretches back to the 3DS. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is the first to be released on home consoles and does a fantastic job translating to a non-handheld format. It not only feels like a true celebration of the iconic music of the franchise, but it is also just a terrifically fun rhythm game that provides many hours of enjoyment with different modes and difficulty settings for players of all skill sets.
Final Bar Line also has DLC that adds tracks from other Square Enix’s games, including music from Mana, SaGa, The World Ends with You, and Live A Live, allowing players to play “Megalomania” to their hearts’ content. The game has enough replay value to make it worth coming back to, especially when wanting to play something that doesn’t require too much brain power while also listening to some of the most memorable soundtracks in video game history.
It’s hard to resist the urge to describe World of Horror‘s composite parts in an attempt to get across just how weird the game is. Pulling inspiration from board games, ’80s Apple II-era adventure games, horror manga, and turn-of-the-century pulp horror, it’s a wonder how all of these threads come together to make a compelling experience. Yet they do, balancing increasingly strict resource management and attritional turn-based combat with just enough of an RPG slant to give the player some semblance of personal decision-making. Add in minor choose-your-own-adventure elements and a modular storytelling approach, and even someone without an RPG background will find a great game here.
by Ryan McCarthy and Zack Webster
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