Eternal Radiance is okay. That’s my general consensus after spending hours romping through heaps of visual novel cutscenes and RPG combat. As a fan of both genres, I was pretty excited to dive in. It delivered on both counts and isn’t by any means a bad game, but I feel it lacked a certain pizazz, and unfortunately never quite succeeded in fully pulling me in.
The plot is simple, revolving around a squire named Celeste setting out to prove herself as a worthy knight and member of the Ashen Order. She makes mistakes as she endeavours to do what is right, seeks out ways to help those around her, and generally comes across as kind-hearted and noble, despite being a little forgetful and air-headed at times. Her design is adorable and fits perfectly with the classic anime style, as do the other characters she encounters. However, despite some decent character depth and the occasional heartfelt moment, there are few members of the cast that truly stand out.
Beginning the game, you’re met with around 40 minutes to an hour of visual novel content, acting as an introduction to the story and several of the characters you will be seeing throughout your adventures. The narrative here is nothing groundbreaking, retreading steps that most RPG and anime fans are familiar with in some context or another. Evil artefacts, corrupted monsters, political unrest – the norm. But it does a good job of setting the scene and introducing you to the world of Eternal Radiance, as well as helping you grasp the motivations and personalities of the characters – if not a little long-winded.
Source: https://www.pockettactics.com/eternal-radiance/review
