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More of the same - in the best way.

The game that rekindled my fire for strategy RPGs is back, and this time on the PlayStation 4.  It may look the same on the surface, but the deeper you go the more in depth this game goes.  The story, as in the other games of the series almost an after sight, and certainly not the main portion of the game, the game focuses on the craziness that comes out of Japan.   

The combat in this installment is again, more of the same, you have the basic set of weapons (sword, axe, staff, gun, bow, staff, fist, and monster weapons) you have your story heroes, your generic characters that you can create, monsters, and your basic SRPG tile-based turn-basted battles.  Geo panels, field effecting (positive and negative) panels are back, plaguing some levels, also creating the ability to quickly level.   

The weakest point of this game, as with previous installments, is the sound and music.  The overworld music when you’re just walking around your base is truly atrocious, and the voice actors in this are some of the worst in the series.  Thankfully, you can change the background music (BGM) of the overworld, and I did, but the voice actors are there to stay, unless you go to the Japanese voice actors, but those are not much better.  It is something you just come to live with, but it is the weakest point of this otherwise great game. 

If you are looking for a jumping on point to Japanese RPGs, Strategy RPGs, or isgaea in general, there are worse installments than this one. Also, given how this is the first on the current generation of consoles it is a sure fit.  Currently, the previous installments are not available for the PS4, but remakes have been made for the PS Vita. 

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SCORE: 4/5

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