Here's the first game I bought this year and so far the most expensive game I've bought for the 3DS.
The whole holiday season I refrained from just simply picking out random games off the shelves of Data Blitz. I did buy Super Mario Maker and Xenoblade Chronicles X, but those are not what you'd call random games. They've been hyped up far too much months before their scheduled release dates and both are easy GOTYs for the Wii U. The 3DS on the other hand didn't have much to provide by the end of 2015. It started the year strong with Monster Hunter 4 and Majora's Mask 3D but for the rest of the year it was easy to look past the 3DS aisle.
Last time I blogged about wanting a game but buying a completely different one was the time I spent 30 minutes deciding whether or not I want Persona Q. The games in line back then were Fantasy Life and Fire Emblem Awakening. I promised myself (well, sort of) the next game that I'd add to my 3DS library wouldn't be out of hype or impulse and that I'd research more before mindlessly picking up a new game. Then came Yo-Kai Watch...I did not end well for me. No, sir. It really didn't. Since then I've been cautious of the games developed and published by Level-5, which brings us to two weeks ago. It was the last weekend before the 2nd semester. I really wanted a new game to play as hell inevitably rains down on me during the coming semester. Back then I had one game in mind: Fire Emblem Awakening. It's perfect, I thought. Fire Emblem Fates is due for release early this year, so I figured I might as well play and finish Awakening before Fates is released. Unfortunately, I think I've ignored Awakening far too long as Data Blitz didn't have it in stock. I didn't ask but I think it's likely that Awakening will be a hard find this year.
Of course I had a back up plan. Originally if Awakening wasn't in stock I'd go for Fantasy Life, but yeah it's by Level-5 so I went tsundere on it and ignored it for a while leading me to choosing between Legend of Legacy and Stella Glow. Both games in stock were the hyper expensive launch editions with all the other goodies inside. Still, I was having a strong craving for JRPGs at the time so it had to be one of the two. A friend of mine said that he got hooked with Stella Glow within the first three hours of his gameplay. That was a point for Stella Glow. Legend of Legacy, on the other hand, gets a point for the freedom it gives to the player. After all the best RPGs are those that progress the story depending on the actions of the player, and not the other way around. The review scores, though close, showed that critics were more receptive of Stella Glow, so Stella Glow leads 2-1. The launch edition content shouldn't be a deciding factor but I feel that the steep price should at least be justified by the add-ons. To me Legend of Legacy is more noteworthy as it has a 10-track soundtrack probably oozing with epic music that compliments the art style, and a 40-page art book. Stella Glow...well, we'll get to that later.
Ultimately the deciding factor was the type of JRPG. Stella Glow is a tactical JRPG not unlike Fire Emblem. Legend of Legacy on the other hand is more like Bravely Default. And since I wanted Fire Emblem in the first place of course I'd buy the game closest to it. So I bought Stella Glow. Thus the title.
It's an awfully long intro.
Anyway, Stella Glow Launch Edition. Is it worth the PhP 2295 price tag?
Right off the bat? No.
3DS games here in the Philippines usually range from PhP 1200 to PhP 1895. If a game is more expensive than that then it's usually bundled with other items as with the case with launch editions, pre-order editions etc. The items bundled with special edition releases range from figurines, to special DLCs, art books, soundtracks, a friggin' fan (looking at you Monster Hunter), and actually it can be any item as long as it's justifiable and contains themes that point to the game. Stella Glow doesn't stray from that. It's launch edition is priced at PhP 2395 (less 100 if payed in cash). And the contents?
Of course we have the game cartridge - let's say it's Php 1895. The 500 left covers the items included in the launch edition which are:
- a Bubu key chain (Bubu is sort of the animal mascot of the game)
- a 5-track album
- a fabric poster
Sure if you take into account the exclusivity of this items to the launch edition you'd think okay it's worth the extra 500, but not really. First of all there's no art book. That's right. NO. ART BOOK. In this console generation where everything is demanded to be digital, physical copies of game manuals are incredibly rare. But usually JRPGs make an exception because aside from being an informative guide for the various mechanics of the game, it can double as an ar tbook, albeit small. Rune Factory 4 has a game manual that doubles as an art book gloriously displaying the game's bachelors and bachelorettes one small rectangular piece of paper glossy paper at a time. Even Code of Princess has a thick manual. But Stella Glow? no. It has a fabric poster.
And where am I supposed to hang this handkerchief-poster hybrid? Do I pin it on a wall and plant myself on the chopping board chest of Hilda after eating lunch? I don't think so (even though I might just do it for the heck of it).
The 5-track album is good. It's not a 10-track album like Legend of Legacy's but I'd really expect more from a game which adamantly features "Song" and "Music" as their main concept for their world's magic. And then there's the key chain the called Bubu flexicharm...nah I like the key chain. Bubu is cute anyway. I would've settled for a Popo key chain but, Bubu is good. I'm good.
So now about the game.
Stella Glow is good. It's not a JRPG instant classic, but it's an enjoyable game that features excellent tactical role playing combat. The game is, however, story driven so it's the complete opposite of what I said makes a good RPG. It's a mix of a straightforward visual novel storytelling and tactical RPG mechanics.
I've only played eight hours of the game, hopefully there's more to it than what I've been playing so far.
The game discourages level grinding because it's leveling system only works best when fighting enemies with the same or higher level. Fighting monsters way below a character's level only grants minimal experience points filling a fixed 100 mark.
The characters are bit cliched. For the most part it's that one all around nice guy protagonist destined for greatness surrounded by an increasingly powerful harem. Then there's the rough knight, the womanizer knight, the Knight-knight, the mischievous little kid that doesn't want to be called a kid, and so on.
Anyway this isn't exactly a review so I'll stop here. Once I finish Stella Glow, and I hope it won't be any time soon, I'll cook up a review for it.
For now, though, do I recommend Stella Glow?
Yes. But pick up the regular release. Launch edition is not worth the price tag unless you get it for a discounted price.
The whole holiday season I refrained from just simply picking out random games off the shelves of Data Blitz. I did buy Super Mario Maker and Xenoblade Chronicles X, but those are not what you'd call random games. They've been hyped up far too much months before their scheduled release dates and both are easy GOTYs for the Wii U. The 3DS on the other hand didn't have much to provide by the end of 2015. It started the year strong with Monster Hunter 4 and Majora's Mask 3D but for the rest of the year it was easy to look past the 3DS aisle.
 |
| yeah, I kinda have a white board now. Things have changed |
Of course I had a back up plan. Originally if Awakening wasn't in stock I'd go for Fantasy Life, but yeah it's by Level-5 so I went tsundere on it and ignored it for a while leading me to choosing between Legend of Legacy and Stella Glow. Both games in stock were the hyper expensive launch editions with all the other goodies inside. Still, I was having a strong craving for JRPGs at the time so it had to be one of the two. A friend of mine said that he got hooked with Stella Glow within the first three hours of his gameplay. That was a point for Stella Glow. Legend of Legacy, on the other hand, gets a point for the freedom it gives to the player. After all the best RPGs are those that progress the story depending on the actions of the player, and not the other way around. The review scores, though close, showed that critics were more receptive of Stella Glow, so Stella Glow leads 2-1. The launch edition content shouldn't be a deciding factor but I feel that the steep price should at least be justified by the add-ons. To me Legend of Legacy is more noteworthy as it has a 10-track soundtrack probably oozing with epic music that compliments the art style, and a 40-page art book. Stella Glow...well, we'll get to that later.
Ultimately the deciding factor was the type of JRPG. Stella Glow is a tactical JRPG not unlike Fire Emblem. Legend of Legacy on the other hand is more like Bravely Default. And since I wanted Fire Emblem in the first place of course I'd buy the game closest to it. So I bought Stella Glow. Thus the title.
It's an awfully long intro.
Anyway, Stella Glow Launch Edition. Is it worth the PhP 2295 price tag?
Right off the bat? No.
3DS games here in the Philippines usually range from PhP 1200 to PhP 1895. If a game is more expensive than that then it's usually bundled with other items as with the case with launch editions, pre-order editions etc. The items bundled with special edition releases range from figurines, to special DLCs, art books, soundtracks, a friggin' fan (looking at you Monster Hunter), and actually it can be any item as long as it's justifiable and contains themes that point to the game. Stella Glow doesn't stray from that. It's launch edition is priced at PhP 2395 (less 100 if payed in cash). And the contents?
Of course we have the game cartridge - let's say it's Php 1895. The 500 left covers the items included in the launch edition which are:
- a Bubu key chain (Bubu is sort of the animal mascot of the game)
- a 5-track album
- a fabric poster
 |
| this snapshot is actually present in the game. glorious 2D waifus in magnificent white dresses |
And where am I supposed to hang this handkerchief-poster hybrid? Do I pin it on a wall and plant myself on the chopping board chest of Hilda after eating lunch? I don't think so (even though I might just do it for the heck of it).
The 5-track album is good. It's not a 10-track album like Legend of Legacy's but I'd really expect more from a game which adamantly features "Song" and "Music" as their main concept for their world's magic. And then there's the key chain the called Bubu flexicharm...nah I like the key chain. Bubu is cute anyway. I would've settled for a Popo key chain but, Bubu is good. I'm good.
So now about the game.
Stella Glow is good. It's not a JRPG instant classic, but it's an enjoyable game that features excellent tactical role playing combat. The game is, however, story driven so it's the complete opposite of what I said makes a good RPG. It's a mix of a straightforward visual novel storytelling and tactical RPG mechanics.
I've only played eight hours of the game, hopefully there's more to it than what I've been playing so far.
The game discourages level grinding because it's leveling system only works best when fighting enemies with the same or higher level. Fighting monsters way below a character's level only grants minimal experience points filling a fixed 100 mark.
The characters are bit cliched. For the most part it's that one all around nice guy protagonist destined for greatness surrounded by an increasingly powerful harem. Then there's the rough knight, the womanizer knight, the Knight-knight, the mischievous little kid that doesn't want to be called a kid, and so on.
Anyway this isn't exactly a review so I'll stop here. Once I finish Stella Glow, and I hope it won't be any time soon, I'll cook up a review for it.
For now, though, do I recommend Stella Glow?
Yes. But pick up the regular release. Launch edition is not worth the price tag unless you get it for a discounted price.
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