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Games : Recommended
Ranking:
Release Date: January 20th, 2015 Movie Release Year: 2015

Citizens of Earth

Overview -

After Canadian microstudio Eden Industries failed to secure Kickstarter funding in 2013 for their old-school RPG 'Citizens of Earth', Atlus swooped in to save the day. Described as a cross between cult SNES favorite 'Earthbound' and the long-running 'Pokémon' series, 'Citizens of Earth' is a 2D comedy roleplaying game with a large cast of collectible party members.

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
VIDEO
AUDIO
Tech Specs & Release Details
Release Date:
January 20th, 2015

Video Review

Ranking:

The game makes use of a bubbly, colorful theme to render its characters and environments. 2D has come a long way since its humble beginnings, and even a low-maintenance title like 'Citizens' looks pretty good. The color palette is broad, character models are smooth, and there are even some more advanced effects like dynamic lighting and blooms. Still, the pixels start to chop up a bit during close-up scenes, like combat.

Audio Review

Ranking:

Some conversations are fully voiced, while others are reduced to short exclamations to punctuate the on-screen text. The voice acting in general is average to slightly above average, but some of the performers have a kind of raw feel, like they’re trying just a bit too hard at being campy. Sometimes I can't quite tell if they're bad or just trying to sound appropriately cartoonish. The music is perky when outside and can become quite sinister when in a dungeon, but the game’s capacity for extended excursions in each area means that the score can become repetitive.

Final Thoughts

'Citizens of Earth' is a strange, unique combination of the Western RPG and old-school JRPG. Between its recruitment mechanics, solid combat, script, and exploration, it is an extremely fun and nostalgic title. It has some irritating flaws and a mild assortment of bugs, but not enough to spoil its charm. I recommend this for any RPG fan, especially devotees of 90s JRPGs who’d like a walk down memory lane.