'Edge of Eternity' could beat Final Fantasy at its own game one day, with just 9 devs

Edge of Eternity Source: Windows Cardinal

I'k a huge fan of Final Fantasy. That is, upwardly until effectually Final Fantasy X, at least. In attempts to augment the aging franchise'due south appeal, Square Enix has increasingly tried to bring more than activeness-oriented combat to the historically plow-based tactical RPG series, with mixed results.

Final Fantasy Fifteen was in development for the best part of a decade, and, at to the lowest degree at launch, featured a pretty atrocious gainsay system that didn't know what it wanted to be. FFXV had a lot of bug, feeling like the big-upkeep homework assignment of a team that was familiar with Final Fantasy only didn't know what it truly felt like at its core.

Even in its infancy, Border of Eternity feels like a game by Final Fantasy fans, for Final Fantasy fans. Despite a lot of "indie" jankiness, this 9-strong team already captures the essence of Final Fantasy in a style Square Enix no longer seems to be able to do.

Oozing with indie passion

Edge of Eternity Source: Windows Central

Edge of Eternity makes no effort to hide its inspirations. Dubbed "Midgar Studio," in homage to a metropolis from Concluding Fantasy 7, the ix-strong squad has been hard at work for years building Border of Eternity, after an initial round of crowd-funding.

The game is available on Steam in Early Access, launching chapter-by-chapter every bit the studio iterates and polishes up its core systems.

Edge of Eternity is prepare in the earth of Heryon, besieged by a mysterious alien threat called the Archelites. The interstellar invaders unleashed a mysterious biological weapon, called The Corrosion, which infects and gradually decays its victims, driving them mad.

Edge of Eternity Source: Windows Central

I haven't played too far through the game yet, considering I want to save myself for the total-blown experience when the squad launches the game in a complete state, just from the kickoff, I've been impressed with the endeavor put forward. The game revolves effectually a young soldier called Daryon, who sidesteps the typical heart-searching-teenage-protagonist trope that typifies the genre. This chap has a sense of humor aslope his more than dutiful, stoic tendencies, which is refreshing.

In the opening moments of the game, Edge of Eternity does an excellent job of introducing you to its systems, which will be familiar for JRPG players, with a few twists. The battles take place on hex-grids and character positioning and movement factors in heavily to combat. Casters are typically best off standing in the back since their spells have to be incanted before being unleashed. Melee characters are all-time positioned in front end of them, to prevent casters from being interrupted or attacked. Forcing enemies to step around your melee line besides creates the opportunity for back-attacks, which score critical hits.

Even at this early stage, the battle organisation feels like the product of a veteran studio rather than a small indie team. It is honestly far more satisfying than basically anything Final Fantasy has cobbled together this side of the FFX games.

I'm already intrigued by the surprisingly night story proposed by Border of Eternity. Who are the mysterious invaders? What do they want? What night sacrificial rituals is the mysterious Reynan conducting to fight them back? Who are the existent enemies here? Edge of Eternity has already impressed me with its globe-building, genuinely great music, and infectious battle system. Still, admittedly, I had to spend a off-white scrap of time adjusting my expectations to the game's scope.

Rough edges abound

Edge of Eternity Source: Windows Central

Although forgivable in its deep early access menses, Border of Eternity is a rough game, given the scale of the team's ambitions that'due south probably to be expected. I encountered a relatively large range of bugs every bit I played, although nothing was particularly game-breaking. Virtually of them pertained to animations, where mobs would become stuck in a frozen land during battles, or character's capes would clip through their models and likewise get stuck.

Border of Eternity has high-quality music and gorgeous ecology detail, and surprisingly splendid user interfacing too, simply the animations, in general, leave a lot to exist desired.

Edge of Eternity Source: Windows Key

Still, as someone filled with nostalgia for games similar Concluding Fantasy 7, which, let'south be honest, had pretty crude animations as well, it hasn't stopped me from getting immediately immersed in the game. As I said, it took a fleck of adjusting on my part, but I'grand excited to play more than.

Edge of Eternity could be big someday

Edge Of Eternity Cat Source: Midgar Studio

Despite a limited upkeep and a very, very small team, Edge of Eternity already feels similar it could get something special. It reminds me of a minor game from 2007, built by an independent studio inspired to build a game based on an established franchise. That game was The Witcher i, which was janky equally hell. The Witcher 3, however, is arguably one of the best games ever fabricated.

Border of Eternity speaks to the desires of millions of jaded ex-Final Fantasy fans who wish Square Enix would return to simpler times instead of trying to turn the franchise into something it decidedly isn't. I'one thousand excited to see how far Midgar Studio can push button it.

Final Fantastic

Border of Eternity

On the border of greatness

Edge of Eternity has a lot of rough edges, but this passion project could plow into something truly cracking.

An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

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An cyberspace connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

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