a90skid.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Nintendo
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
  • Reviews
  • Opinion
A 90s Kid
  • Home
  • News
    • Nintendo
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
  • Reviews
  • Opinion
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

For the latest video game news, reviews and more subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

  • Nintendo
  • Review

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE: First Impressions

  • June 26, 2016
  • Matthew Hayes

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a one-of-a-kind JRPG that shouldn’t be overlooked.

TMS Menu Screen

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a game that sounds almost too good to be true. For JRPG fans, it has almost everything you could possibly want. I mean listen to all of the elements going into this RPG gumbo: Atlus style, glitz, and glamour; bright, colorful, sleek visuals that look like something straight out of an anime; dungeon-crawling, combat mechanics, and progression hooks from past Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games; featured characters, sights, and sounds from the Fire Emblem universe… Need I go on? Nintendo and Atlus make a fantastic team, and both are praised for their attention to detail. The result of their collaboration is a must-own title for the Wii U, and one of the most polished JRPGs I’ve played in years.

I’m about ten hours in to Tokyo Mirage Sessions (TMS) and I’m really happy to report that, so far, it’s blown away my expectations. The story is posed in a way that allows you to really focus on the characters and their relationships to one another. Like in Persona games, the main conflict and journey-at-hand have literal as well as metaphorical interpretations. In TMS, everything revolves around a narrative commentary on Japan’s idol culture, which is perfectly applicable to the Western entertainment industry as well. The main character, Itsuki, is sucked into a world of high-level, high-stakes showbiz as he aids his childhood friend and potential love interest Tsubasa in her ascent up the rungs of super-stardom.

Shibuya

All the while, of course, a darker and more sinister twist forces our heroes and heroines into an alternate reality to battle the forces of darkness that would steal the very essence of talent and life from top performers and the people of Tokyo. While in this alternate dimension you do battle along side “Mirages,” which are the equivalents to demons or personas in a Shin Megami Tensei or Persona game, respectively. Fans of the Fire Emblem franchise will very likely recognize each Mirage and get a kick out of partnering with them in combat.

Combat is hugely satisfying, and moves along at a brisk pace. The elemental weakness system from past Atlus games is here, but whenever you hit an enemy’s weakness in TMS you trigger what is known as a “Session Attack.” How Session Attacks play out depends on what skills are assigned to each character.Session attack Let’s say, for instance, that we have a party composed of heroes A, B, and C. Hero A casts a lightning spell (zio) and directs it at an enemy who is weak to lightning. In past Atlus games, hitting that weakness would simply allow Hero A to strike again, but in TMS heroes B and C may both follow up with their own unique attacks instead (follow-up attacks happen automatically). This feels much more satisfying than previous systems, as it keeps the whole party engaged over the course of battle. Triggering successful Session Attacks also yields bonus items, additional yen, and fills up a special meter needed for performing ultimate abilities (called Performances).

Of course all of the grinding and progression hooks are so masterfully tuned. In combat you’re awarded with special materials that can be combined to form new weapons and new passive skills. Every few battles it seems like there’s another weapon to forge, or new skill to unlock that will make a member of your party stronger. There are also side stories for you to take part in. These allow you to take some time off of the main story arc and spend more intimate time with various members of your party. I’ve completed two side stories so far, both of which unlocked special skills and yielded enough experience to level up a few characters. They also gave me a deeper glimpse into the personalities of two of my favorite characters in the game; I think I even sense some interesting romance brewing.

So what’s the bottom line? So far, all I can tell you is my ten hours with Tokyo Mirage Sessions has flown by. Every time I save the game and see the play clock I can’t believe how fast time disappears while playing – it’s that good. For fans of Persona, or any Atlus game – hell, for fans of JRPGs in general, Tokyo Mirage Sessions is a game that musn’t be overlooked. The world is vibrant, and an absolute pleasure to explore. The characters are all lovable (even in Japanese), and combat is challenging, strategic, and extravagantly flashy. If you have 100 hours to spare, give it a go. Here’s a video of me playing through the first hour or so of the game, which I almost hesitate to show because combat and free-roaming become so much more rewarding after the initial dungeon; however, this should give you a taste of the game’s style:

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnsfM2Mt3-k[/embedyt]
Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • Nintendo
  • Tokyo Mirage Sessions
  • Wii U
Matthew Hayes
Matthew Hayes

Matthew loves colorful, grindy, Japanese RPGs and esoteric philosophy - if you want to buy him something for his birthday and need inspiration, that's all you need to know. He is a full-time writer, lover of dogs, and book hoarder. While typically quiet and kind, Matthew does get aggressively competitive in online multiplayer games (sometimes he cusses). Favorite games include: Persona 4 Golden, Final Fantasy VII / Tactics Advance, Dark Souls, Rainbow Six Siege, Soul Calibur 4, Jet Grind Radio, and SaGa Frontier. For corrections, tips, or leads, you can reach out to Matthew at hayesface7@gmail.com.

You May Also Like
Two handmade dolls from It Takes Two
View Post
  • 5 min
  • PC
  • PlayStation
  • Review
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X

It Takes Two Review – Harmonious Collaboration

  • Matthew Owen
  • April 14, 2021
Gold Hotel Room Luigi's Mansion 3
View Post
  • 5 min
  • Nintendo
  • Opinion

The Switch Pro Games We Can’t Wait to Play in 4K

  • Matthew Owen
  • April 10, 2021
Little Nightmares 2 Hunter Shack
View Post
  • 4 min
  • Nintendo
  • PC
  • PlayStation 4
  • Review
  • Xbox One

Little Nightmares 2 Review – Tiny Terror

  • Matthew Owen
  • March 5, 2021
Hitman 3 Title Screen
View Post
  • 5 min
  • PC
  • PlayStation 4
  • PlayStation 5
  • Review
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X

Hitman 3 Review – The Thrill of the Hunt

  • Matthew Owen
  • February 21, 2021
February NIntendo Direct
View Post
  • 7 min
  • News
  • Nintendo

Everything Nintendo Announced During the February Direct

  • Matthew Owen
  • February 18, 2021
Gate to Niwa Resort in The Medium
View Post
  • 6 min
  • PC
  • Review
  • Xbox Series X

The Medium Review – Resort of the Dead

  • Matthew Owen
  • February 15, 2021
Scott Pilgrim vs the World Seven Evil Exes
View Post
  • 4 min
  • Nintendo
  • PlayStation 4
  • Review
  • Xbox One

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game – Complete Edition Review

  • Matthew Owen
  • January 22, 2021
Overlooking Night City
View Post
  • 9 min
  • PC
  • PlayStation 5
  • Review
  • Xbox Series X

Cyberpunk 2077 Review – Neon Nights and Buggy Fights

  • Matthew Owen
  • January 3, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

TRENDING
  • Yakuza Like a Dragon Man in a Diaper
    The Funniest, Horniest, and Best Substories in Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  • Gold Hotel Room Luigi's Mansion 3
    The Switch Pro Games We Can’t Wait to Play in 4K
  • Hitman 3 Title Screen
    Hitman 3 Review – The Thrill of the Hunt
  • Little Nightmares 2 Hunter Shack
    Little Nightmares 2 Review – Tiny Terror
  • Two handmade dolls from It Takes Two
    It Takes Two Review – Harmonious Collaboration
Instagram
#outriders #outridersgame #gaming 5 0
Don’t get COCKY or #demonsouls will destroy you 4 1
My first portable #mariokart where does it rank? 5 0
#metalgearsolid #mgs #hideokojima 4 0
Find the crpg for you in our newest YouTube video #crpg #divinityoriginalsin2 #baldursgate3 5 0
Get everything you need to know about the latest #nintendodirect on our YouTube. Including synced voice to my lips! 7 0
Celebrating the best game music of the decade in less than an hour on YouTube Facebook twitch dlive but not Instagram. 8 0
#gaming #gamingdaily #gamingmemes #morrowind #skyrim 6 0
#skyrim #morrowind #gaming #gamingmemes 8 0
#morrowind #skyrim #elderscrolls 8 2
#finalfantasy #nobuouematsu 7 0
#hyperlightdrifter streaming now. :) 7 0
Follow
Author
Matthew Hayes
Matthew Hayes
Matthew loves colorful, grindy, Japanese RPGs and esoteric philosophy - if you want to buy…
View Posts

a90skid.com

20 User(s) Online Join Server

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

#outriders #outridersgame #gaming 5 0
Don’t get COCKY or #demonsouls will destroy you 4 1
My first portable #mariokart where does it rank? 5 0
#metalgearsolid #mgs #hideokojima 4 0
Find the crpg for you in our newest YouTube video #crpg #divinityoriginalsin2 #baldursgate3 5 0
Get everything you need to know about the latest #nintendodirect on our YouTube. Including synced voice to my lips! 7 0
A90KID.COM

VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY & ENTERTAINMENT

A 90s Kid is an active website and media channel, dedicated to providing you information and entertainment related to the video games industry

Navigation
  • Home
  • News
    • Nintendo
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
  • Reviews
  • Opinion
Recent Articles
  • It Takes Two Review – Harmonious Collaboration April 14, 2021
  • The Switch Pro Games We Can’t Wait to Play in 4K April 10, 2021
  • The Funniest, Horniest, and Best Substories in Yakuza: Like a Dragon March 23, 2021
  • Everything Announced on the Square Enix Presents Spring 2021 Livestream March 19, 2021
  • Little Nightmares 2 Review – Tiny Terror March 5, 2021
A 90s Kid
© 2021

Input your search keywords and press Enter.