[English] AbsentedAge 2: Ghostbound

[後半に日本語レビューあり] [h1] Addictive roguelite x SRPG sequel with seamless connection between action and strategy [/h1] A sequel that further refines the two-layer structure that was the hallmark of the previous game: ARPG exploration that seamlessly transitions into grid-based SRPG battles upon contact. In the field, you maneuver with a variety of actions determined by spirit stones, and once in battle, high-strategy combat unfolds, making use of counters, just guards, and positioning. In combat, two types of summoning expand tactical options: Assist Summon to call allies and Change Summon to temporarily switch characters and alter the situation, functioning as means to turn the tide when at a disadvantage. Equipment is lost upon defeat, but mastery levels continue to accumulate, so reobtaining them results in further strengthening—creating a “positive loss” feeling. Customization is extensive, including new outfits, weapon variants, and spirit stones that influence builds. The adaptive BGM by the in-game “Tea Ceremony Band Club” connects exploration, combat, and menu operations without interruption, enhancing immersion. The story, as the “Ghostbound” chapter, shifts the stage from th…

[h1] Information / Review English [/h1] [English] AbsentedAge 2: Ghostbound falls into the strategy/action role-playing game genre, developed by terunon's Lab. [h1] Gameplay / Story [/h1] Are we dead or alive? That's the question we ask ourselves when we open our eyes. We have no memory of what was and what happened to us. The world we knew no longer exists, and we are trapped in a parallel world called the "Forbidden Domain." Our goal is to collect fragments of memory in order to access and regain our memories. This way, we discover what our function was in real life and what our calling was. Visually, the game is kept simple, with simple pixel art environments and straightforward character sprites that reflect its RPG Maker roots. Despite these limitations, the graphics manage to convey a subtle charm, especially in more surreal or emotionally intense scenes. The sound design is minimalist, with subtle background music that sometimes enhances the mood and sometimes fades into the background. The lack of elaborate effects or animations brings dialogue and pacing to the fore, making the quality of the text crucial to the gaming experience. [h1] Pros [/h1] + Deep story + Vario…

Absented Age 2 Ghostbound is undeniably an absolute masterpiece in my eyes, and in my opinion, it’s one of the greatest games I’ve played. It’s personally my top favorite game right now, and will likely stay that way for a long time. I was hoping to write this review sooner within the first month it came out (Aug 4th, 2025), but I got caught up in life, and didn’t want to write something without beating the game first (funny too, I was so close to the end when life caught up to me, could’ve beaten it (;-▵-)). If you haven’t played the first game, I would stop here and look into playing that one, Absented Age: Squarebound International. I left a big review on that one too and while I won’t do any big spoilers for AA2, there might be things in AA1 that I tread over for comparison sake. I’m attempting to explain things to expect that can help people understand what they’re getting into, or what’s new that makes it more expansive on the first game. That way people can understand a bit more what’s going on and why it’s so good before making a purchase…. Okay, so if you don’t know, Absented Age is a top down roguelike game with smooth action rpg movement outside of combat that tran…

[h1]Absented Aged Like Wine[/h1] Review for the previous game: https://steamcommunity.com/id/bugfragged/recommended/1615930?snr=1_5_9__402 [h2]Story[/h2] This game is a continuation of [i]Absented Age: Squarebound[/i], where Karen must gather her Heart Fragments in order to restore her memories and identity, even though she is uncertain that she can truly match up to her old self. The game also gives character arcs to Karen's friends and even enemies, who share her struggle to fit into a conformist society where everyone is expected to act a certain way, and where clout determine's society's definition of right and wrong. It should also be noted that while Karen and Hayato are shown to be taking music more seriously than Rumi, there is some additional nuance added to this conflict. [spoiler]Karen ended up destroying her immune system due to neglecting her health at the expense of music practice while Rumi is dealing with trauma from an abusive "victory at all costs" club advisor from her previous school. Finally, the main villain is a dark reflection of both Karen and Rumi, since she was once a victim of an unreasonable society that refused to listen to her, while also usi…

I'd been waiting for this to come out in English and I'm really happy it has. At its core this is a Shiren-style dungeon crawler, but with a lot of techniques that involve movement - rushing in to attack something, stunning it, then backflipping back out of range and charging a big fireball is the most basic ass combo in the game and it still feels great because the effects are good and everything halts as over the top towers of flame erupt across the map. But then the boss might jump out of the combat arena and start pelting it with missiles, which you have to dodge in real-time while you figure out how to blast it out of the sky, hit it while it's recovering, or how best to use debris around the battlefield to try to interrupt and damage it. The rest of the time it's a visual novel about a girl who wakes up as a ghost with no idea what happened to her or why, trying to remember who she even is and why she might have ended up in this situation. Anyway it's great, translation's very good, the first game is also on Steam.

Since my translations were almost exactly spot on, I will paste the original review here with some new details. Extremely good game. Story: Picks up after the previous one and dives into the theme of existence. The previous game was more about imitation vs reality, and while this one is the same in that matter. It also goes into the meaning to exist in short. Each of the character stories were very well made. Such as Hayato's use of drugs, Akane's desire for things to return to the way it was. As well as Karen's desire to pass on her dream. This game hits like a train around every end. It is very emotionally heavy like the first game, and will pull away the strings every step of the way. And the twist near the end, it will make sense when you connect the dots. Though, when you find out about Karen, it will be quite the experience. Since there is also another heavy hitting scene, that really develops their character. As to not spoil further here is some of the stories. Suzu: A person unable to face society as herself due to pressure, she carries two sides to her. Akane: A more carefree all or nothing person, that wants things to go back to the way it was. However, despit…