Initial release date: February 22, 2024
Genres: Role-playing video game, Indie game, Adventure game
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Developer:Â Thousand Games
Engine:Â Unity
Publishers: Thousand Games, Kemco
Series:Â Thousand Games’ Quester
The world has fallen into despair, devoid of life as we know it; degraded by monsters and devoid of color and joy. Experience Metro Quester: Osaka, a unique dRPG created by Thousand Games and released by KEMCO. Metro Quester: Osaka is an expansion of the original Quester, transporting the player back to the 1980s for a nostalgic and hard adventure.
This game does not have a standard martyr or reveal the “big bad” premise. Only a few humanity had managed to survive in a chaotic planet. Your crew must persevere in their difficult circumstances and establish safe base camps, giving Metro Quester: Osaka its distinct character.
Another Armageddon.
The year is 20XX, and the setting is the old Osaka, commonly known as the “city of water.” Earth has entered Armageddon, with a slew of deadly viruses, heightened natural calamities, and an onslaught of air and water pollution. Strange monsters sprang from the earth like shadows come to life, angry and vicious. The world no longer supports human civilization. However, this does not rule out the possibility of people still being present.
Metro Quester: Osaka is a dungeon crawling RPG with RNG features. The game starts with a five-person party already set up. These humans overcame the darkness, whether via luck, talent, or raw power. The goal is to survive. Players must keep enough food, resources, weapons, and other important stuff hidden in safes, bushes, or within monsters themselves.
The story is not presented to you in its entirety. Players are given an introduction to the universe into which they are placed, but there is little information about the individuals themselves. Find out more by exploring the map’s hidden USB ports, which provide additional information about the previous Osaka and how the world came to be.
No crawl is too little for a dungeon crawl!
Like the start of humanity, your party must set out, gather materials, camp out at bases, and try again the next day. There is just so much you can accomplish in one adventure.
The air in the dungeons is quite filthy. To navigate the map, you must utilize purifying fuel. Fuel is depleted by moving single places, fleeing from adversaries, and using it as a weapon. When the purifying fuel runs out, the component is forced back to base, and the day is over. This can be a little frustrating until you find more bases. These safe spaces are located around Osaka, and you can start your quest at any of them.
Food is also a significant consideration. To avoid starvation, your party must consume a specific amount of food over the course of 10 days. Gathering food isn’t difficult, unless players are completely vanquished by adversaries (in which case they lose half their stock) or have terrible time management skills. Unfortunately, as the number of party members grows, so does the demand for food.
Unlike the original Quester, players can now cross water! Players must discover docks to board and disembark a canoe. Players will face a variety of deadly marine monsters.
Dungeons and Dangers
There are a whopping 32 different personalities to meet, divided into eight classes. For example, the detonator class is balanced offensively and defensively, and it can use blunt-force weapons effectively. The professor class is similar to a wizard, using explosives, purifying fuel, and batteries as special weapons. Mobile police are the game’s tanks, more difficult to defeat and capable of performing a variety of “hate-raising” maneuvers.
One significant aspect is “hate,” in which enemies attack specific party members who are judged the most formidable enemy. Using hate-raising moves is an effective strategy for diverting some of the tougher monsters’ attention away from other crucial combatants.
Honestly, the bouts are quite difficult. Even in the beginning, even the “blue enemies” regarded the easiest, there is a specific leveling curve. I was beaten so brutally practically every time. The party players start at varied levels (which I chose as the recommended default), ranging from 5 to 10. It’s challenging to get everyone on the same page. Metro Quester: Osaka is a terrific place to challenge yourself, but it’s not for the faint of heart.
It’s also necessary to carefully balance your party and level up at the base camp. Players can also employ a variety of materials and alter weaponry to achieve stronger results. This mechanic can be perplexing, but the game includes an in-game instruction, and you have plenty of time to fiddle and explore.
Pedal to the Metal
Metro Quester: Osaka has an intriguing appearance. The only actual colors in the game come from the characters and enemies. The maps are typical green against black, with overworld creatures ranging in color from blue to red. Kazushi Hagiwara, the well-known manga artist behind Bastard!!, created the artwork. series. Hironori Kato (who worked on the tabletop RPGs Dark Souls and Elden Ring) designed a significant portion of the game. This team combined to create an engagingly mordant look.
The music resembles classic 80s soundtracks: lively, exploratory chiptune. I wouldn’t say it complements the plot’s premise, but the tunes do get gamers excited for another round of exploring (until it becomes, you know, redundant).
Final reflections
Metro Quester: Osaka can last over 20 hours, depending on how successfully you fight these challenging foes. For me, the speed and attitude toward the game change frequently. The beginning was an uphill battle fraught with slowdowns, deaths, and a lack of knowledge. The middle of the game was fairly good. I felt so free and powerful as I accumulated additional characters and resources, unlocked doors, and defeated larger creatures. Things slowed down again at the conclusion. This is a disadvantage of any dRPG, actually. After you’ve discovered the most of the dungeons, the crawling becomes tedious. At least there’s a monster encyclopedia to look at.
Overall, Metro Quester: Osaka is a solid addition to the 80s-inspired dRPG genre, and it will undoubtedly appeal to players seeking a unique challenge. The art style is quite unique, which is understandable given Kazushi’s talent, and the fight to survive gives this game a certain oomph. There is also a new game + mode for those looking for a more difficult journey with the opportunity to carry over previously collected goods.
Review Overview
Gameplay: 74%
Controls: 76%
Aesthetics: 81%
Content: 72%
Accessibility: 80%
Value: 75%
Overall: 76%
GOOD
Summary: “Metro Quester Osaka” is a fascinating but slightly predictable exploration of the busy Japanese city. The gameplay centers on exploration and puzzle solving, although the limited variety of tasks might make it feel repetitive at times. The controls are simple and intuitive, ensuring a smooth ride through Osaka’s intricate streets. Visually, the game stands out with its realistic cityscape and attention to detail. However, players looking for a complex and growing tale may be disappointed with the content. Overall, it offers a decent experience for anyone wishing to immerse themselves in a virtual version of Osaka, but it lacks the substance to make it memorable.