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00:00:00 – 00:13:44
"Tokyo Xanadu," developed by Neon Falcom, is an action RPG that intertwines school life simulations with dungeon crawling, reminiscent of the "Persona" series. Initially released for PlayStation Vita in 2015, it has since been upgraded through "Tokyo Xanadu eX+" for PlayStation 4 and now arrives on Nintendo Switch. The gameplay involves alternating between daily school activities and battling in a mysterious realm called the Eclipse. Social interactions with NPCs and character relationship-building, facilitated by Affinity shards, play a critical role in enhancing dungeon performance. The game features real-time battles, character switching, and soul device upgrades.
Despite enjoying the action elements and diverse mechanics, reviewers note a heavy emphasis on cut scenes and dialogues, which may detract from the experience. They appreciate the game's charming visuals and smooth frame rates, despite its somewhat dated graphics. The anime-inspired aesthetics, lively colors, and action-oriented J-pop music enhance the overall experience, though some may find the extended dialogues tiresome. Costing £44.99, the game offers over 50 hours of gameplay with side quests and additional content, though it is priced high given its age.
Though "Tokyo Xanadu" doesn't match the depth of other Neon Falcom games like "The Legend of Heroes," it is still deemed enjoyable and fairly engaging, earning a score of 75%. The game stands solidly on its own within the Xanadu series, offering rich content for dedicated fans willing to navigate its dialogue-heavy narrative.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the release history and gameplay of “Tokyo Xanadu”. Originally released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2015, it later received an enhanced version, “Tokyo Xanadu eX+”, for the PlayStation 4 and is now being introduced on the Nintendo Switch. This action RPG by Neon Falcom is compared to the “Legends of Heroes” and “Ys” series. The storyline unfolds in an alternate reality Tokyo, following a school student named Ko Tokisaka. Ko encounters a mysterious realm called the Eclipse and discovers his ability to see and fight within these vortexes. The game merges elements of school life simulation and action-packed dungeon crawling, resembling games like “Persona”. Players navigate Ko’s daily routines, interact with characters, and tackle main and side quests, while the narrative emphasizes relationship building and character interactions, similar to a visual novel. Despite the heavily story-driven gameplay, the game is only voice-acted in Japanese.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the focus is on the gameplay mechanics related to the social and action aspects of the game. The player enters a dungeon through an eclipse, where the action unfolds. Before diving into the action, it is important to understand the social interactions that influence character strength. Players can interact with NPCs, answer questions, visit shops, and perform actions that boost character stats like wisdom, courage, and virtue. These social interactions can enhance performance in dungeons.
Players can earn Affinity shards to build relationships with other characters, and these interactions are optional but beneficial. The game also features a smartphone app for tracking quests and side missions. Players can exchange gems for yen or use recipes to make meals for health boosts in dungeons. The game aims to capture a dual-life aspect, similar to Spider-Man’s Peter Parker.
In terms of action, dungeon exploration is linear, with a map for navigation and real-time battles. Players start with two characters, Takis Saka and Huragi, and can switch between them. More characters with “wielder” abilities will join as the story progresses. Each character has a unique weapon called a soul device, upgradeable through shops. Combat involves basic melee attacks, ranged special moves, and powerful team attacks like X strikes and X Drive.
00:06:00
In this segment, the reviewer discusses gameplay mechanics, character switching, and the elemental attributes of weapons and enemies. They appreciated the action elements but criticized the disproportionate ratio of cut scenes and dialogues to gameplay, which might detract from the experience, especially early on. The reviewer notes the inclusion of new side stories and post-game content in this “ex plus” version and enjoys revisiting boss battles with recorded completion times. Despite graphical limitations and a dated feel, the game maintains a charm with improved frame rates and no pop-in issues, contributing to a pleasant game world. The reviewer rates aspects such as gameplay, controls, and visuals positively, highlighting smooth controls and an engaging gaming experience despite some criticisms.
00:09:00
In this segment of the video, the reviewer discusses the overall impression of the game “Tokyo Xanadu ex Plus.” They note that the graphics and character models look good but feel somewhat dated and awkward in movement. The vibrant colors and unique styles of the dungeons are praised, as are the boss designs in The Labyrinth. The game’s anime feel is enhanced by music and the occasional playing of the opening theme song at the end of chapters. Despite being fully voice-acted in Japanese, some parts revert to text, possibly due to new additions in this version. The reviewer appreciates the voice acting but points out the lack of an English dub.
The music is described as action-oriented with a J-pop vibe, fitting the game’s style but not to the reviewer’s taste. They rate the visuals and audio at 15 out of 20 each. The game costs £44.99, which is viewed as high for a game that is in its ex plus form for seven years but offers substantial gameplay time, potentially over 50 hours with side quests and additional content.
The reviewer finds the game engaging but notes a fatigue from extended dialogue sections. They acknowledge that although the game doesn’t match the quality of the legend of hero series, it’s still enjoyable and offers decent value, rated at 14 out of 20. The reviewer concludes by expressing pleasant surprise at the game’s action-oriented nature and admits their initial expectation of a visual novel, influenced positively by the involvement of Falcom.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the reviewer discusses their overall impression of “Tokyo Xanadu eX+.” They highlight that the game is part of the Xanadu series dating back to 1985 but asserts that it can stand on its own with various engaging elements, despite not being groundbreaking. The reviewer mentions that other games execute certain elements better and criticizes the price point but ultimately finds it to be a good game worth considering, especially if you can handle numerous dialogue-heavy sections. The game receives a Switch Up score of 75%. The reviewer thanks the audience for watching, suggests buying eShop cards from their website for cashback, and mentions other discounts and links that help support the channel. Special thanks are given to patrons and channel members.