Ikenfell

Nowadays we have the best-looking video games ever made, and the graphics are evolving nicely into becoming almost too life-like. But this constant evolution can be a bit tiresome, and that's why there are so many retro-style games released each year. Ikenfell is one of those games that's made to resemble the visuals of old Super Nintendo games. In a visual style similar to EarthBound, Ikenfell is an adventure full of magic. But what's the game about, and is it any good? Well, that's what we'll talk about now.

The plot thickens

For the first moments of your adventure things do seem pretty simple, maybe a little too simple. We play the role of Maritte, an "ordinary" girl, that is to say, that she's incapable of using magic. She's on her way to enter the magic school Ikenfell, where her sister Safina is one of the most talented and skilled witches.

What seemed to be a simple trip quickly took an unexpected turn as we approached the wizardry school Ikenfell. The attack from guardians awaken Maritte 's powerful fire abilities, but we also come to understand that something bad is going on in the school. The new magic flux has also affected a lot of people, even taking the magic away from some of them. Now we have to search for Safina for some answers, but she seems to be missing, and this is where the real adventure begins.

Too slow?

Ikenfell is after all an RPG in a classic style, so it's only natural that it's a tad slow. However, not only are the combat mechanics slowish, but also the general pacing of the game. The real story takes a while to even appear in the game, and when it does it goes really slow. You have to really be interested in the game to enjoy it, it's hard to be really casual about it and like it.

However, one of the strongest points Ikenfell has going for it is the fighting mechanics. It has a fully-fledged combat system, similar to that of classic Final Fantasy games combined with a little bit of the Persona series. Each character has its unique attacks and they even have defense mode and special abilities. Once you master how to balance your party and the strategy needed for each type of enemy, it's an excellent combat system.

Retro Art

Ikenfell is one of those games you learn to enjoy, but after that process is actually a pretty solid title. The visuals are really spot on to retro games, making it feel like an old game, yet the mechanics are very up-to-date to current gaming. The story is great, and it lasts for about 24 hours so it's not really short.

Pros

• Great combat system
• Nice visuals
• Solid story
• Overall good gameplay

Cons

• Bad pacing
• Not very original