It can be a little difficult to pin down your thoughts on something that’s quite out-there. I got pretty obsessed with strange stuff when I was younger, unblinkingly, deciding it was good on the basis that it was trying to be different. Now, though, that’s not really enough. I ought to pin something down, especially if I’m reviewing it. So, when it comes to 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, do I like just because it’s trying, just because it’s so bold? Or is it actually good at achieving what it sets out to do? Well, maybe, let’s find out.
But first, the easy stuff. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a light adventure game, acting more like a visual novel, with a real-time strategy mech fighting minigame bolted on. The former involves thirteen characters, all at Sakura High School. In the prologue, you witness a handful of them and their stories. You find out who they are, and also get a sense of the strange things that are afoot.
The latter, the RTS combat, also involves these thirteen characters. You have a chance to get to grips with the way it works in the prologue, before being let loose with the full game. This prologue lasts around three hours and introduces you to every element you need to know about 13 Sentinels. But it doesn’t prepare you for just how much stuff there actually is.
