The item crafting system here isn’t as deep as something you’d find in the Atelier games, but knowing the ins and outs of it will greatly help you in combat. Items are created by four girl teams, and the effects these items will have can greatly vary depending on which skills the girls have. If you put together a team with skills that boost healing items, they will not only give you more HP, but will add other great effects like regen and more. This applies to the attack items as well. You can spend Talent Points with each girl to upgrade their current crafting skills or teach them new ones.
I actually had a lot of fun doing all this crafting and hanging out with all the girls, learning all about them. Some of the dialogue choices during the dates are hilarious, and you will earn different fragments and Talent Points depending on which one you choose. Fragments are crystallized emotions and can be equipped like accessories for a wide range of buffs and effects. You will start out with only a few slots to equip these, but more can be earned by spending Talent Points.
Lastly, let’s talk about the combat in Blue Reflection: Second Light. I am a big turn-based guy, but I love the more active combat system found in the Atelier Ryza games as well. This combat system combines both of these things to make something that is a lot of fun. When combat begins, your characters will begin to charge Ether. When you perform actions, be they support moves or attacks, the Ether will be depleted. The speed of the Ether charging will increase as the battle goes on and when it reaches a certain point, the girls will shift gears. This will not only give them access to new moves, but their Ether Limit will increase as well, allowing for more moves to be performed at one time. This is very important since your damage multiplier increases as your combo on enemies increases. When you reach third gear, the girls will transform into their Reflector forms. This will give you access to even more powerful moves and abilities. The transformation scenes are much shorter this time around, but if you would rather have a smoother flow of combat, they can be turned off entirely.
Sometimes during combat, if an enemy has been knocked down, they will create a barrier. If you break this barrier, you can enter one on one combat with them. These are real time fights where you will have to use attacks, blocks and support skills in time with the enemy attacks. You can deal your foes a ton of damage this way and get an awesome looking finisher if you end them in this manner. However, be aware that certain bosses will start these encounters with you when they reach a certain level of HP. If they start the attack, they will have an advantage, so you will have to plan your next move accordingly.
I have to say, Blue Reflection: Second Light not only meets my expectations, but exceeds them. I spent right around 40 hours with this one and fell in love with all the characters. The stories told here are not only very emotional, but relatable to all of us on a certain level, and that’s something I find very rare in gaming. The graphics and sound design just really drove home how emotional and wonderful this story is. I had a great time with the crafting system, obtaining new items and building facilities to unlock more events with the girls. Gust should really look hard at the combat system they used here. It takes everything I loved about Ryza’s combat and makes it better. Anyone that loved the anime or the previous game should snag this up as soon as possible at the $59.99 price tag. There is a lot here you’re gonna love. If you have never played or experienced anything from this amazing franchise, there is no better time to start than right now. There is nothing else quite like it.
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Game was provided by the publisher for review.
