13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - Vanillaware's Latest Finally Being Released in the West

[Ebonsword]

This game seems like it's taken forever to come out, but I guess it was just released in Japan in November.

https://www.siliconera.com/13-sentinels-aegis-rim-english-release-date-is-september-8-2020/

It seems to be a weird mix of 2D story/exploration and 3D real-time strategy. The RTS sections seem kind of bland looking, which is not what you'd expect from a Vanillaware game, but maybe there's more to them than there appears to be in the gameplay footage I've seen.

 

[Shinji]

It's difficult to tell what's happening on screen during combat segments, so it's hard to tell if it's good or not.
Visuals are stunning though, like all Vanillaware games.

When I first saw the trailer back when it was first announced I thought it was some sort of adventure game, like this one



Oh well, life goes on.

 

[karoliner]

It's a visual novel not an action game like their previous games.

 

[spekkio]

Or maybe:

"It's a real-time tactical game, like one of their previous games"?

 

[CyberModuled]

Nah, they confirmed late last year before release that it's turn based combat along with the VN stuff.



All for Vanillaware doing something new since they've been mostly doing action games for a while but fuck me if it looks extremely basic even when compared to a game as old as Front Mission 3 for mecha turn based. The VN stuff really has to pick up the pace to make the rest of the game interesting.

 

[TigerKnee]

From Japanese impressions, the gameplay isn't supposed to be the draw of this, but the writing is - this game got nominated for some kind of Sci-Fi award in Japan and they generally never nominate videogames.

Which is a bit weird considering what Vanillaware is known for but I guess they really want to break out of being typecast.

 

[Ayreos]

Have to say, looks intriguing and appealing. But i can't trust the Japanese to do anything actually deep, so i won't let myself be hyped. There is just a fundamental conceptual flaw with teenagers piloting giant machines too.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

From the stuff I've seen of the combat section it looks a whole lot like some kind of Tower Defense game.

The RTS Tower Defense whatever it is sections are pretty nice looking when things get going. When some of the big things are going on, there's a really nice almost kind of Geometry Wars thing going on with how it looks. While you don't see your mech or the enemy all the time, it will show them during specific moments and attacks.

 

[Empary]

HIGHSCHOOL KIDS?

 

[Ialda]

Latest trailer try to build up the war drama :

 

[Ialda]

Anybody playing it ?

Currently wrapping up play at 95% on narrative side. It's really good, less Akiba & modern weeboshit that what I feared, and more like a compilation/love-letter to every SF tropes I can think of : from time-traveling androids and gigantic tripod war machines to cloning, mind virus, synthetic personnalities, men in black working for shadowy conspiracies, AI pop idols, space colonies and nanomachine apocalypses.

Strategic gameplay feels good too. Not enough itano circus, thought.

 

[Ebonsword]

I've been thinking about picking it up, but $60 seems like a lot of cash for what's basically a visual novel.

 

[Abu Antar]

I'll get it down the line.

 

[Thac0]

Picked this up today after my second favorite blobber youtuber called this her GotY.

IDK what I am in for except unconventional gameplay and a good story, but it is quite heavily reduced now after having been added to the PSN sale a few days ago.

 

[Deflowerer]

Picked this up today after my second favorite blobber youtuber called this her GotY.

Zuvi, right? Lol.

 

[Kaivokz]

Picked this up today after my second favorite blobber youtuber called this her GotY.

IDK what I am in for except unconventional gameplay and a good story, but it is quite heavily reduced now after having been added to the PSN sale a few days ago.

What is a blobber youtuber (a youtuber who focuses on blobbers?) and who are your favorite ones?

My fiancé played this and it was one of her favorite games of 2020. She calls me “hemborger” now. I wasn’t a big fan of the VN portion art (the battles looked cool). I didn’t see enough of the story to comment on it, but I am curious.

 

[Thac0]

Picked this up today after my second favorite blobber youtuber called this her GotY.

IDK what I am in for except unconventional gameplay and a good story, but it is quite heavily reduced now after having been added to the PSN sale a few days ago.

What is a blobber youtuber (a youtuber who focuses on blobbers?) and who are your favorite ones?

My fiancé played this and it was one of her favorite games of 2020. She calls me “hemborger” now. I wasn’t a big fan of the VN portion art (the battles looked cool). I didn’t see enough of the story to comment on it, but I am curious.

Deflowerer was right, it is actually Zuvi. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZPtYtuwQCpqQr-2tCF89gg Came upon her channel by chance a few months ago, mostly content about every single blobber that still releases in Japan.
Dorarnae has a blobber channel aswell, in https://www.youtube.com/c/Drpg4ever/videos, where he just uploads gameplay of all sorts of blobbers.

Didn't want to call Zuvi my favourite since I am not subbed for long yet, but generally I prefer review content to gameplay.
Those are all Blobber (or DRPG) channels I follow. I know there are a few western tubers in that vein, but I never looked into them.

About 13 Sentinels:
Luckily the game is not 90% VN, 10% combat but more like 75% 25% for people that read fast and do not wait for full voicelines. Combat is in fact fun, but the presentation is a little flat. The game takes very long to get rolling, so I still do not know if the story is as good as promised or not.

 

[Ialda]

Also of note, the game is currently discounted (-50%) on PSN till 01/20.

Luckily the game is not 90% VN, 10% combat but more like 75% 25% for people that read fast and do not wait for full voicelines. Combat is in fact fun, but the presentation is a little flat. The game takes very long to get rolling, so I still do not know if the story is as good as promised or not.

I liked the story, but as I know my classics

Spoiler

(most notably 11nin iru, Please Save My Earth or Megazone 23)

, 13S story didn't really come as a surprise. How the story is presented is the really interesting gimmick though.
Also, it feels good to have a SF story in 2020 that doesn't reek of US leftist propaganda.

 

[e-mailio estevez]

This game is so fucking sick. I have literally been unable to put it down. The story is really so masterfully done, I love the fact that there are even 'Mystery Points' you can spend on the compendium to try to piece the plot together. I and my roommate have been absolutely spell-bound by this game. Don't even want to post about it or read about it until I'm done (i'm about 75% done with both modes)

So far my favorite campaign is the jogger girl, although she's a lot more charming with japanese VO. Second place would be Ei-SAN.

One thing I'll say is this is the first game in a long time that made me wish for some QTEs. The plot keeps Remembrance from being boring but I wouldn't mind having some button to press other than triangle and x

It honestly reminds me of my first time watching the Matrix. Reveal upon reveal upon reveal, an experience I'll never be able to relive again.

 

[Jermu]

Just finished this and it might be the best jrpg I have played in the last few years. Might have best story from all jrpgs I have ever played. I liked this game more than Yakuza 7 or Cold Steel 4 which I was not prepared for.

Combat is the weakest part of the game it was just too easy even on the hardest difficulty. None of my units died even once But combat is not the main focus of this game anyway.

Highly recommend this for everyone

 

[Great Deceiver]

Game's 50% off on PSN right now, around 30 USD (still expensive in my region). Worth it? Do these things go on sale often?

 

[Abu Antar]

Game's 50% off on PSN right now, around 30 USD (still expensive in my region). Worth it? Do these things go on sale often?

It's good, but it has also been on sale a few times. Do you like the art? Are you a fan of the studio? Do you mind playing visual novels? If your response to all three questions is YES, then grab it.

 

[e-mailio estevez]

I completed it and really enjoyed it for the duration, for what it's worth. It was one of those games that kills your motivation to play anything else once it's over and done with. The twists keep happening until the very end.

Only gripe was that the RTwP missions were pretty easy, even on the hardest difficulty. I still found them fun regardless and the mechs have some satisfying skills. Covering half the stage with a missile rain or firing off those railguns that cover the distance of the map were a great time.

I have a real burning desire to play some more Sci-Fi RPGs with some satisfying pew pew and beams thanks to 13 Sentinels but I'm really at a loss at the moment.

 

[Great Deceiver]

Bought it, I'm a fan of Vanillaware even though I'm not big on VNs or teenage protagonists.

What I've played so far is good, though, despite these caveats. Good writing and good pacing. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[cruel]

Finished the game yesterday, took 43 hours. Very good game, nicely written characters, good story, good writing. Map visibility during battles could be done better though. Overall 8.5/10, if somebody likes sci-fi / visual novels / tower defense, must play.

Only one complaint - after all this praise for the story of the game (like second coming of Jesus almost), I was expecting something that will blow me completely from my feet, but... It didn't happen. The story was good, but nothing that I will remember for years and think about. Still, very unique game and worth playing - just don't expect second Planescape: Torment here.