Soma Union

Storyline: A charming little story; it doesn't really tread on that much new ground, and the recurring false dichotomy between 'destiny' and 'freedom' kinda bugged me, but I liked the characters, and the twists were fun, even if most of them weren't that original.

Gameplay (exploration): The exploration is charming and fun; every area has its own unique exploration and puzzle mechanics to break things up, all of which are enjoyable!

Gameplay (combat): A cut above normal JRPG combat, although towards the end of the game it does run into some issues with HP/MP values for both the party and the enemies getting a bit too high.

If you want to play a game with a unique gameplay style that also has a gripping story, endearing characters, great pixel visuals AND a banger soundtrack, look no farther than Soma Union.

-The graphics are old school and they work, but the art style makes you feel this game has a VERY young target audience, one which could maybe pick up the undertones of the narrative but not at high level of awareness.