A very fun little JRPG

- Liked the different areas and the overall visuals of the game
- Don't need to grind a lot to be able to progress though the story
- Lore / Dialogue was also fine, with tiny bits of humor incorporated into it

I don’t know if words can properly express how deeply I enjoyed this game, but I will try.

Ara Fell is a stunningly beautiful homage to the 16-bit era of RPGs that shaped my childhood. The game was a complete joy from start to finish. The storytelling was artful and compelling. The dialogue was witty and fluid, making me smile, chuckle, and even tear up at times. It was never forced or snarky. The game creators really built a visual spectacle that was fun to explore. Despite being an adult with little to no free time, I really enjoyed taking my time with this one. I could choose to move the story line at will, while simultaneously taking a break from it to spend 20 minutes going off the beaten path to adventure and level up.

No part of this game was a “grind”. The battles were fast paced, with lots of monster variety. On harder difficulties, battle strategy was a necessity, while also not bogging down the battle pace at all. The system of development for weapons, armor, and abilities was refreshing and simple. There was a tremendous amount of latitude in the customization of your characters, from stat builds, to ability improvements, to armor augments, to class decisions. It was stylistically unique, but never complicated, allowing the opportunity to play through several times just to test out different character builds.

The music fit the scenes very well. Relaxing tones set to a visually striking world design. None of the music got repetitive or boring. The “high pulse” moments all had fitting soundtracks to match the mood. From the moment you turn the game on, the opening soundtrack immediately pulls you into the world (immediately following the damn stegosaurus roar at the intro 😉. Might want to turn your speakers down a tad when starting the game!)

I really enjoyed completing all the little side quests. They were manageable, and didn’t require 100’s of hours of monotonous game play. Additionally, ending the game with a fully playable epilogue was an ingenious stroke of game design! My compliments to the designer who implemented that, it made the whole experience end on a note that could never be easily forgotten. My next move will be to hunt down the sequel, these folks at Stegosoft Games deserve every penny I can throw at them. I highly recommend this game. 11/10.

Bon RPG au tour par tour à l'ancienne. Le début est un peu fastidieux, mais on se prend au jeu quand l'équipe est au complet.