The classic RPGs of our youth are ones that always stick with us. For me, it was the ones on SNES and the Turbo Grafx CD, which leads me to Cosmic Star Heroine. Equally inspired by the games on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive/Mega CD and Turbo Grafx CD, Cosmic Star Heroine is a throwback style RPG that counts just as many cues from modern games as well.
The game has a somewhat simple plot that is predictable at times, but raises the bar with its gameplay. Combat here stands out thanks to a truly innovative battle system that builds on Zeboyd’s previous games such as Cthulhu Saves The World. The battles become intense with each turn as the enemies become more powerful, but the need to be strategic goes further than that. Some abilities can only be used once before needing to be recharged, and therefore you must plan out how to attack in order to progress.
Cosmic Star Heroine shines as a sci fi RPG with heavy cyberpunk elements, but the story serves more to fit the gameplay than anything else. This is a good thing in my opinion since keeping the story simple isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. It works in Cosmic Star Heroine’s favor because the game is a retro inspired one, there is less emphasis on narrative, and instead on exploring the gameplay of the classics and what new ideas can be done with modern twists.
The throwbacks to the classic RPGs on the Sega CD and Turbo Grafx CD can be seen in the animated cutscenes rendered in the same style as the RPGs on those systems. I definitely saw the influence of some of my favourite classics like Lunar: The Silver Star, as well as SNES gems like Chrono Trigger and I like what Zeboyd did with the ideas from those games.
Cosmic Star Heroine will not break any new ground with its story, but it has fun gameplay, great visuals and awesome music. It is simply a fun RPG that plays well, and I had a blast with it on the Switch. If you are looking for a new RPG after Octopath, then this is the game for you!
Disclaimer: A review key was provided