DON'T GIVE UP: A Cynical Tale

Also I like the focus on story over gameplay, yet the combat system still manages to be fun without being bogged down in gear and stat optimisation.

Furthermore, the game compresses more story and nuance in 8-10 hours than most JRPGs manage in over quadruple the time.

The system is interesting and I personally think that it was a good call for the dev to, at least so far, leave out random encounters as this system is much better suited for occasional use as opposed to the standard jrpg tactics, especially when grinding or being over / underleveled is involved.

Musically, DON'T GIVE UP is outstanding; the soundtrack is evocative, complex and enjoyable, though again, there's one particular song which... frankly feels ripped straight out of Undertale, copying the instruments and texturing, and only barely tweaking the melody.

Not a bad thing, but a bit jarring at first, especially since the dialogue portrait's art style is infinitely more interesting and engaging and feels less like an awkward attempt to emulate the graphical style of say the MOTHER series, though it is nice to see the inspiration.