One of the most pleasing sensations in the world is that feeling of building something wonderful and functional, be it writing a review or cooking a fantastic dish. In the case of Akuma Rise, it is about building a strong, synergistic JRPG party for a turn-based romp. While many turn-based JRPGs offer plenty of character customisation, few of them put out content that pushes those builds as hard as this title does. Even fewer do so without artificially limiting certain strategies. This is where the true strength of Akuma Rise rests.
As a KEMCO RPG, Akuma Rise will feel very familiar to long-term fans of the publisher’s titles. It is built on a very similar engine, with a UI and general combat mechanics similar to those of other KEMCO titles. Same stats, similar abilities, but as always with some clever little twists. This time, it is through a system that lets players equip and level up gemstones that contain their combat abilities.
On paper, this is a system that will make for some very different and interesting builds. While this is true in the early game, the reality in the late game is different. To get straight to the point, there are only 36 different sets of abilities spread among six elements. Late-game ability stones contain two each, with room for three on each character. Each party member has an element they favour. The result? The choice is merely an illusion. The choice is clear as to which three stones to put on each party member, and no one ever feels like they lack an ability, because they don’t. They have every single ability of their element.
What this system does well, though, is encourage and reward exploration of the world. These stones can be found earlier than they can be bought by exploring the world and beating slightly more powerful overworld enemies. In some cases, they can only be found by exploration. It is always pleasing when JRPGs reward players with unique, new combat-based rewards for exploring the overworld, as it makes the world more enjoyable.
What doesn’t feel as fresh and rewarding is the Flamestone system. This is the same system that appears in all KEMCO titles and seems to be a feature mainly for the smartphone market. Thankfully, the console version does not seem to use these as microtransactions to get people to pay extra. People who have played these games before know the drill; every X battles, some Firestones are handed out that can be used in the store.
In Akuma Rise, these are not nearly as annoying as in other titles. Not because it isn’t a system players are forced to interact with, but rather because it is meant to be used. This might sound odd, but this means the system does not break the delicate balance of the game. On paper, this feels more akin to a skillpoint system for the most part, or a bonus shop where players can get important and helpful boons. It just feels a bit icky that this system looks and acts so much like a freemium currency. The fact that the game also has a Flamestone-fueled gacha to get the best armour and boon gemstones just adds to the ickiness, even if these are technically not needed and the Flamestones are better used elsewhere.
This gets straight into Akuma Rise‘s greatest strength: its combat system. It is very rare to see a JRPG that pushes the player to the level cap and beyond to beat all of the game’s content comfortably. However, Akuma Rise does so wonderfully. Not by limiting the player or what interactions they can perform against bosses, but by making enemies capable opponents. Also, in contrast to most games on the market, players are actually allowed to inflict status alignments on bosses. This is a welcome change from the usual formula, as it means more abilities are useful all the way up to the endgame. The fun part, and what makes Akuma Rise‘s combat stand out, is that despite the party having in total around 100 abilities to use, none of them feel redundant. During the playthrough, all of them had useful applications and contributed to winning end-game encounters.
It’s mind-blowing, but also a bit sad that this is such a big deal. After all, this is exactly how combat in a turn-based RPG should feel. It makes each boss battle engaging, with the rougher battles always on the edge between victory and defeat in the best way.
If Akuma Rise were judged just by its combat system, it would be easy to put it in the upper echelon of the genre. Sadly, there are other aspects of the game. The most annoying flaw of the title is how much it lags and experiences brief freezes. While the Nintendo Switch is by no means the most powerful system in existence, there is still no excuse for a title that looks like it’s from the PS1 era. It would make sense if it only occurred during the heavier combat animations while running at x3 speed. However, it makes one question how little time was spent optimising when the overworld freezes. The result is that the game feels cheap and sloppy.
Another massive issue is the story. For the most part, it feels nonexistent, and when it does come up, it is just filled with twists that make no sense. It feels more like an afterthought than anything else. Then there are the characters. At first, they all seem fine. It is easy to really start liking the three princesses and the pink bunny buddy who follows the player. However, the KEMCO curse soon kicks in. It doesn’t take too long until the women in the party are reduced to little more than love interests for the main character.
Don’t get this wrong: romance in video games can enrich a story. However, romance isn’t about every woman fawning over the main character. Romance is about an emotional buildup that shows why and how people love each other. Done well, romance options give players more reasons to care about characters. When done this way, it takes away from what makes people care in the first place.
The most blatant example is the vampire queen Carmilla. When the player first meets her, she is not at all wooed by the protagonist; her main concern is her nation and becoming a fair, gentle ruler. However, after a while, it feels as if a switch flips. Suddenly, her dialogue praises the protagonist and expresses jealousy toward the other girls. Once again, the result is that the game feels cheap, this time because of blatant pandering.
Akuma Rise gets painfully close to being a wonderful title. It gets the hardest part right: the combat. However, to truly stand out as a great JRPG, it needs more polishing in other areas. For fans of KEMCO RPGs, Akuma Rise is among the better entries. The combat system is great, and the player actually gets to make use of it. Still, if performance and story matched its combat, it would rank among the best retro-styled JRPGs on the market. If only.
