I love classic style turn based RPGs. There is something about them that just takes me back to an older era and lets me enjoy myself without worrying about all new combat mechanics ( for the most part), and one company that makes this style of game still is KEMCO. I noted in my review of their game Revenant Saga that KEMCO had begun to move out of their paint by numbers approach to making RPGs. While the games they made are great, they had a problem of being formulaic and not deviating much. They were fun to play and lose yourself in for hours but eventually they all became the same. Revenant Saga brought some refreshing change and now Antiquia Lost pushes them further in that new direction.
Antiquia Lost follows a bit of the typical KEMCO formula but plays with it so much, that it becomes new. The game eschews the 3D battle screens KEMCO has been using lately, in favor of a classic 16 bit style battle screen. Its a nice touch and helps the general feeling of the game :making . I must also note that the visuals are surprisingly excellent on Switch, with the art looking sharper than in previous games. I must say though, that I am not happy about the miscrotransactions being in the console versions, as it feels like a step back from KEMCO’s work with consoles. Still they can be ignored, but locking some staples behind a paywall doesn’t feel right.
Antiquia Lost introduces new play mechanics as well, but keeps them grounded in their previous games and they don’t feel overwhelming. I do like that the way the characters interact is different, and using a different character is much more involved this time. The story of the game also immediately deviates from KEMCO’s normal pattern and I must commend them for that. Right away we are given an experience that uses what KEMCO utilized before, but doesn’t stay firmly in the past. Instead, Antiquia Lost takes what was done and uses those ideas to chart a new path, and it is a most excellent journey. It doesn’t overwhelm you and it is familiar enough while still being a fresh experience. Even with the flaw of microtransactions, I recommend it.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided by KEMCO