I Am Setsuna is a 3D JRPG from developer Tokyo RPG Factory and publisher Square Enix. The game is considered to be a love letter to the classic JRPG developed Square called “Chrono Trigger” which debuted in 1995 on the Super Famicom in Japan, and the Super Nintendo everywhere else.
The game starts you off as a hunter named Endir, the mute protagonist, who meets up with a young woman name Setsuna, who is chosen to be a sacrifice in order to quell the increase in monsters in the games world. Throughout the game, Endir and Setsuna meet up with other characters, each with their own backgrounds, accompany them on their journey.
Gameplay wise, if you’ve ever played a JRPG from the 90’s, then you’ll fit right at home. The game uses a turn-based combat style reminiscent of the older Final Fantasy games released on the Super Nintendo and PlayStation 1, particularly the Active Time Battle system or ATB for short. There is a gauge next to your character’s name, and as that fills up, the character will be available to initiate an action, be it using an item for support like replenishing health and/or magic, to doing an offensive or defensive action.
In addition, characters can perform special techniques that can lead to enemies taking massive amounts of damage, or a huge support boost for your party. The combat goes even further with the Dual Attack, which has two characters combine moves or even a Tri Attack for all three characters in the party perform at one time. These techniques however must be unlocked via purchase at a merchant, after collecting various items in the games world. Stocking up your inventory isn’t difficult, but will require backtracking to pick up some of the rarer items.
Visually the game has a high resolution late 90’s look to it. You won’t be getting AAA title quality graphics, but what you do get is beautiful backgrounds full of vibrant colours, only let down by the fact the world takes place primarily where it’s constantly snowing, so there’s only really that identity to the environments; snowy villages, snowy forests, snowed in caves and so on.
The soundtrack is something to be desired. The tracks are mostly played on a piano, and as a result has this school play vibe to it, like watching a child theatre performance; not to say that in a mean spirited way but when you hear it, it does feel like something that should be heard in a school play.
Personally, I had a lot of fun playing this as I grew up with the genre and style, so this felt right up my alley. My one gripe I had with the game, which shouldn’t detour you from trying it, is the length; while you may be getting 30+ hours with all the grinding and farming for items, it felt short compared to other JRPG titles I’ve played in the past. In the end however, it’s really little more than a love letter to Chrono Trigger from the developers, and so it tries to be only that and nothing else.
