The Spirit Engine (1)
I’ve finished TSE2 (twice), and it is really fantastic. It’s the best RPG I’ve played since Persona 3 – and in some ways (notably pace) it is much better than it. More verbose review here.
More to the point of this post – I’ve been inspired to give TSE1 another go, and with the aid of a brief set of tips (namely; use a specific set of characters, and be bullish on Hand of the Gods, Sharpshoot, and Party Heal) it was a breeze so I was able to enjoy the plot while taking things easy.
TSE1 may not have TSE2’s polish, but is still a game well worth playing. It is in some ways a little less formulaic, and the varied settings feel more natural in comparison to TSE2. Like its sequel, it has its fair share of entertaining people – Rick Brutal is a character who’s in particular quite enjoyable. Naturally, it has great music.
Combat is much less refined (in terms of both interface and feel), but the core sense of strategy is still there. Had I the patience to go through “naturally”, I might have enjoyed the balance more – as is, it was still enjoyable.
In general? I’d recommend TSE2 over this one – but that isn’t to say the original is not worth playing. It’s short, well-written, and still has great music.
Both games can be found at www.thespiritengine.com.