![]() Not that grinding is a problem anyway as there are a limited number of battles in each area, though you can always trigger more from the main menu. You can’t simply press “fight” every turn, so mindless grinding isn’t an option. By limiting the number of times you can use an ability before resting, each battle feels much more like a puzzle to be solved with the selection of actions you have left. This system was one of the best parts of Cosmic Star Heroine, and it works just as well here. You can only use each one once before taking a turn to rest and reset your abilities. In battle, you have a choice of eight actions ranging from physical attacks and magic to status effect and healing spells. For example, Cthulhu can still use his abilities to make enemies go insane, slightly boosting their damage output while significantly increasing the damage they receive from the Dark Lord himself. It’s a shame there aren’t enough days within a single playthrough to see all of the content in town, but I’m hopeful that could change in future updates.įor the turn-based battles, CSC uses a modified version of the Cosmic Star Heroine system, with some of the Cthulhu Saves the World’s mechanics thrown in. For example, there’s Cthulhu’s day as a Mall Santa, which goes about as well as you would expect. The lack of animation in these sections is conspicuous at first but soon comes to feel more like a Christmas storybook, with each tableau telling a story. This story content is delivered through a series of sprite-based tableaus of Cthulhu trying traditional Christmas activities, only to fail in hilarious and insanity-inducing ways. (Using the original Cthulhu sprite from CSTW as the cursor is a nice touch.)īetween each section taking on a member of the League of Christmas Evil, you spend a few days building up your relationships (or R’lyehtionships, as Cthulhu insists on calling them) with your party members and other townsfolk. Instead, there is a single town that you can explore through a map. For example, there is no overworld or traditionally explorable towns. A dark and foreboding version “Carol of the Bells” is particularly effective at ringing in the Christmas spirit while also cultivating a creepy atmosphere.ĬSC was developed in just under a year, so there are a few places where Zeboyd obviously had to scale back their ambitions and utilize some time-saving measures. Original tunes play alongside a variety of Christmas classics remixed with a sinister edge. While the animation isn’t quite as smooth or extensive, it’s still wonderful to look at if you love pixel art. Taking inspiration from Chrono Trigger, CSC is on par with some of the best pixel graphics on the SNES. It’s simply a damn funny game, with some insightful metacommentary on video games and the holiday season.Īs CSC is an intentional throwback to classic SNES JRPGs in terms of presentation, you might like it if you have “beautiful pixel graphics” on your Christmas wish list. The writing in here is jam-packed with jokes and puns, lampooning both pop culture and JRPG conventions. While CSC is technically a prequel to Zeboyd’s previous game Cthulhu Saves the World, you don’t need to play that installment to enjoy the heck out of this one (although it certainly doesn’t hurt). And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Remember, it’s a stocking stuffer! As someone who regularly plays through massive, time-consuming games, I welcomed having something that I could devour in my free moments this holiday season. On normal difficulty, it likely won’t take you more than seven to eight hours, beginning to end. The first thing you need to know is that this isn’t a 100-hour JRPG. Gathering a party of JRPG archetypes (with a few Christmas twists), he sets out to beat up Christmas baddies, like the Krampus and Jack Frost, and save the holiday season (and then destroy the world)! After meeting up with Santa’s granddaughter Crystal, he discovers that the only way he can get his powers back is by saving Santa from the League of Christmas Evil. Finding a present from Santa Claus on his desk one morning, Cthulhu loses his powers the second he opens it. In Cthulhu Saves Christmas, you play as the titular Lovecraftian monstrosity, a tentacle-faced Old One who wishes to destroy the world. The bottom line is that I love stocking stuffers, and Zeboyd Games certainly gave JRPG fans a fantastic one this Christmas! You might get some cute toys, a ton of candy, or in my case, a giant orange at the very bottom of the sock. Stockings are usually packed with little things that elevate the excitement of the morning. Generally, stocking stuffers aren’t “big ticket” items. As a child, one of my favorite parts about Christmas was coming down the stairs first thing in the morning to see an overstuffed stocking full of presents hanging from the mantle.
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