4/5 ★ – zeffykins's review of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.

*Minimal spoilers of the first few hours of the game* Play Time - 55:18 Total Score - 8/10 Story - 9/10 Gameplay - 6.5/10 Music/Sound - 8/10 Pros: + Fantastic character-driven story framed by an engaging sci-fi setting + Gorgeous visuals, possibly surpassing all Vanillaware’s earlier works + Visual Novel section of the game shines through, with each of the 13 stories presenting unique viewpoints on the overarching plot + Music is unreasonably great for a small indie company. They really didn’t have to go this hard. + Mystery Files and Timelines section serve as a handy tool to review the story and connect the dots as you play through the game, as well as interesting worldbuilding bits and details + VA in both English in Japanese are great, and can be switched at any point on the fly Cons: - The “Combat” section of the game is undeniably its weakest link. Not bad, but not particularly fun either. - For those hungry for branching paths and multiple endings, sorry to disappoint, there’s only one ending and all the plot threads are neatly closed. - Though the perspectives of the 13 storylines are unique, the core gameplay of each are pretty much identical. Some variation would’ve strengthened the game a bit. A sprawling, ambitious project by Vanillaware of "impossibly good-looking video game food" fame. With a sci-fi plot so intricately woven and meticulously planned out, it's a wonder, maybe even a miracle, that the little indie company known primarily for their gorgeous visuals and side-scrolling action combat were able to craft such an engaging and emotional tale. Drawing inspiration from and paying homage to what feels like nearly ever sci-fi monolith out there, it’s a definite must play for fans of the genre and still a riveting adventure for those who might be fresh onto the scene. The game revolves around 13 high schoolers thrust into combat wielding giant mecha “Sentinels” against monstrous kaiju threatening to destroy their home. The bulk of the game’s narrative is experienced through the “Remembrance “ mode, a visual novel style adventure through the eyes of our heroes depicting the events that lead up to the final battle, which is experienced in “Destruction” mode, an RTS style tower defense game. Both modes are vital to uncover the whole story, with each locking you after reaching certain points in the narrative and forcing you to progress in the other. “Remembrance” is where the game’s brilliance shines. Though the gameplay doesn’t stray far from its core, each route has a distinct feel to them: one has a character constantly on the run from mysterious men in black, while another has a hero desperately trying to escape a time loop. One has a pilot playing detective to uncover the truth about a kidnapping, while another has you standing around eating snacks and gossiping with your friends. Each story is so memorable and character driven that it’s difficult not to find a favorite(s) among the stellar ensemble cast. Most importantly, all the scenarios contribute toward the looming mystery of the overarching plot. And what a plot it is, with twists and turns, foreshadowing and red herrings galore. Thankfully, the third “Analysis” mode nicely outlines all the event progress you’ve made to piece together the plot on your own and revisit scenes at your leisure. And the “Mystery Files” section gifts you with unlockable lore details and worldbuilding, which I always appreciate. Admittedly, if you’re savvy to sci-fi, you can see a lot of the plot coming from a mile away, but I felt it didn’t detract at all from the whirl of ride I experienced. Also, I loved that the scenario lockouts are designed to be open enough that each person’s experience through the game can be different, as certain key clues and plot points are revealed to you in a different order depending on how you choose to play. However, for better or worse, all roads converge to one final, conclusive ending, with all plot points neatly tied up. While I wish there were more variation in the gameplay across the characters, the entire experience was an enjoyable one. “Destruction” on the other hand, was not so enjoyable. It wasn’t particularly offensive, but the combat lost its gas fairly quickly, as I was found wishing for a quick clear so I can get back to scrounging for pennies to buy Yakisoba Pan. Thankfully, the battles are short and sweet and fairly easy (Sentry Gun & Interceptors OP), and I found myself wasting more time fumbling around the set-up screen and allocating Sentinel upgrades. Vanillaware had experience with “Tower Defense RTS” gameplay with GrimGrimoire and they made do with what they can here in 13 Sentinels, but I find myself wishing for actual animated mecha action instead of a collection of dots on a battlegrid. The saving grace for this mode were more interactions between our heroes and more plot for the plot machine. All in all this was definitely a treat to play, one of those gaming experiences where my farewell to the world and its characters is bittersweet. Whether you’re a fan of intricate visual novel storylines or interested in sci-fi movies, shows, and books in general, it’s definitely worth a try. And yes, there’s certainly Vanillaware food for you to salivate over.