An Unusual Cadence

Full Disclosure: Most of my time spent playing this game predates its availability on Steam, when it was available elsewhere. I did receive the Steam version for free but that has no bearing on my review of the game. This review is spoiler-free. Summary An Unusual Cadence is a clever homage to the great JRPG classics, while mixing in the quality-of-life improvements that have been introduced over the years. Those familiar with the genre will have no problem stepping in, and for the newcomers the game takes care to provide in game guidance around getting started as well as tutorials for actions and abilities necessary to work through the game. Story An Unusual Cadence offers a fun storyline from a unique perspective. While the antagonist’s plot is nothing new from an RPG trope standpoint, adding the spin of a world where bards not only matter but are pivotal is a refreshing take. The concept of music is woven in throughout the game, influencing locations, items, and even the villains. The cast of characters is large, but the game takes the time to make almost all of them matter to the story, as well as give you a chance to experience their strengths and weaknesses in dunge…

There are two things I absolutely hate about turn-based JRPGs. One is when the developers include action sequences, like pressing buttons at the right time to deal more damage, and the other is when they decide the enemies need to scale with your level. It ruins the whole... I want to buy this nice but expensive weapon / I need more experience to beat the enemy. In this game, it's the enemies scaling up with your level. But there's something else too. The enemies flash a short burst of color to indicate what kind of attack they're going to use next. It's a nice idea in theory. But since it has an ATB (Automatic Battle Tap), it's practically useless because the inputs for your party members are made long before the enemy's. Many years ago, when I started playing computer games (and before that, console games) – and yes, my first RPG was Larn – I probably would have overlooked it. But now... I'm sorry, but I just can't continue playing this game, and I certainly can't recommend it.