A Promising JRPG with Some Flaws
Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten is an eastern-inspired JRPG that serves as a prequel to the wider Utawarerumono series. While it stands on its own with a contained story, it’s a great entry point for newcomers to the series.
The Story and Gameplay
The game features a strong novel-like storytelling experience, combined with classic turn-based gameplay. Players follow Oshtor, a resident of a peaceful village, on his journey to uncover the secrets of his family. The story is the highlight, offering a mix of heartbreak, humor, and silliness. Outside of the story, the gameplay feels like a standard JRPG, with exploration of new areas, towns, and interactions with NPCs.
The game boasts impressive graphics, with some areas appearing more polished than others. The character models fit well into the game’s eastern setting. Exploration between areas is relatively simple, featuring mechanics like climbing and dropping down from higher areas.
Combat Mechanics
Combat plays a significant role in Monochrome Mobius, employing a turn-based JRPG system. Enemies can be seen on the map, and battles occur after interaction. The unique twist is the Action Ring in the top left of the battle screen. This ring determines the speed and order of attacks, with character icons placed on the rings. While the concept is interesting, the system can be challenging to grasp, and the explanation of the mechanics is lacking. However, the battle system is forgiving and easy, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
User Interface and Progression
The user interface is clean and simple, complementing the game’s overall aesthetic. The progression system is straightforward, offering bonus attributes upon leveling up. Players can allocate points to boost main stats and find items and equipment throughout the journey. Monochrome Mobius also features well-written side quests that provide further world-building and character development.
Music and Sound
The music and sound design in Monochrome Mobius are overall good, contributing to the immersive experience. However, the game does have some issues, including invisible walls and pacing problems in the story with unnecessary padding. These are common problems in the Utawarerumono series, but they do not detract significantly from the solid JRPG experience.
A PlayStation 5 Review Code was provided by NIS America