Review of Elrentaros Wanderings

Initial release date: August 16, 2024

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows

Developer: HAKAMA Inc.

Genres: Action role-playing game, Adventure game, Fighting game

License: proprietary license

Composer: Motoi Sakuraba

Publishers: Red Art Games, Bushiroad

Without a doubt, Rune Factory is a brilliant series that successfully blends the charm of real-time combat with the easygoing farming tasks of Story of Seasons. However, it would be unfortunate if seasoned producer and designer Yoshifumi Hashimoto was not given the opportunity to stray from the well-liked series again. After all, he has already contributed to notable projects like Riviera: The Promised Land and Muramasa: The Demon Blade.

It became clear that Hashimoto was seizing his big chance when Bushiroad revealed their Rear Sekai at their 2023 New Year Grand Presentation. Despite some action akin to Rune Factory in the teaser, the game’s story seems to be divided between contemporary high schools and monster-filled dungeons. It’s called Elrentaros Wanderings in the West, but you can forget about Persona cultivating pumpkins. Elrentaros is a confused jumble of concepts and mechanics that is rarely compelling.

An amnesiac outsider arrived.

After choosing a gender for your character, Wanderings opens with you waking up on the fringes of a quaint, medieval-style village. Unlike the warm greeting you’ve come to expect in most Story of Seasons and Rune Factory titles, you’ll be treated coldly by some of the townspeople, forcing you to spend nights in a distant tent.

You’ll gradually encounter each of the game’s ten townspeople, all of whom appear to exist in Elrentaros’ current environment. And, while the game encourages you to ponder which is the real world and which is a reproduction, worrying about the core problem is difficult.

One of the main concerns is that Wanderings’ cast isn’t particularly appealing. Yes, you will be obliged to interact with them. Completing their errands earns gifts, which are then presented to other characters, granting your character passive benefits. However, your interactions are lifeless due to the disturbingly precise translations and a lack of feeling. And here’s the big deal-breaker: you’ll spend little time in school. These visual novel-style sequences appear frequently enough to remind players of the game’s premise.

Grind Time.

Any expositional flaws may be overlooked provided the dungeoneering was good. Wanderings’ arenas may make you respect the decision to forego regular leveling. Instead, your potency is decided by your armament, benefits provided by Elrentaros’ NPCs, and cooldown-limited, player-selected skills. At first, the ability to carry a limitless amount of reviving potions or strong bombs to supplement melee-based combat may appear appealing.

But soon, slaying monsters becomes a thankless task. Part of the difficulty stems from Wanderings’ generic surroundings. Each dungeon’s 10 or so rooms look similar, with few unique elements. However, due to the game’s broken balancing, you’ll be forced to return to these same areas or tougher variants with palette-swapped enemies on an infuriatingly frequent basis. However, Wanderings’ combat evolves very somewhat, delivering a sequence of new weapons to mitigate stat inflation. Worse, the townspeople do not accompany you on adventures, so it appears like you are doing all of the heavy lifting.

You’ll most likely become so exhausted that you’ll give up fighting in order to accomplish NPC demands as quickly as possible, making your way straight to the boss. Elrentaros adds insult to injury by recycling the enhanced enemies of these showdowns, which were neither innovative nor fun. If I hadn’t had to review the game, I’d have left Wanderings long before the credits rolled.

Conclusion

Elrentaros Wanderings is built around some intriguing concepts. Unfortunately, these aspirations are rarely accomplished, whether it’s the game’s imbalanced depiction of parallel worlds, boring fighting, or even crop farming, which is severely underdeveloped. The end result is a miserable encounter in which boredom becomes unavoidable.

Review Overview

Gameplay: 88%

Story: 85%

Aesthetics: 92%

Content: 86%

Accessibility: 83%

Value: 87%

Overall Rating: 87%

Excellent

Summary: Elrentaros Wanderings delivers a captivating experience with its well-crafted gameplay and an immersive story that unfolds beautifully. The game mechanics are both intuitive and challenging, offering players a rewarding journey. The narrative is rich and engaging, providing depth to the game’s world. Aesthetically, the game is stunning, with detailed visuals that enhance the overall experience. There’s plenty of content to explore, ensuring long-lasting enjoyment, although a few areas may feel slightly underwhelming. Accessibility is solid, with user-friendly controls, but there are a few minor hurdles. Overall, Elrentaros Wanderings is a must-play for those who appreciate a well-rounded and visually impressive game.