Wander Stars (TBD)

Unleash custom attacks by combining words in this Super! Anime! Turn-Based! RPG! Collect all 200 words, earn Pep Ups from honorable victories and become a Kiai master. Befriend your rivals, uncover dark mysteries, and seek out the pieces of the Wanderstar map in a wild race across the universe.

As a game journalist, my duty is to objectively cover the latest in the gaming industry, and today, we shift our focus to the game Wander Stars, developed by Paper Castle Games.

Wander Stars is a Super Anime Turn-Based RPG that offers something unique and refreshing for both RPG enthusiasts and fans of the anime genre. Players join the journey of Ringo, a young martial artist searching for her brother, and Wolfe, a wanderer escaping his past. The pair unite in an attempt to find the segments of the infamous Wanderstar Map, all while learning to get along in a sci-fi universe inspired by 90’s anime such as Dragon Ball Z, Cowboy Bebop, and Sailor Moon.

The game is divided into ten episodes, each lasting between 60-90 minutes. It features a unique blend of elements found in classic turn-based JRPGs and deckbuilders, with a bit of anime spectacle thrown into the mix. Players create customized attacks by combining different words together, akin to a deep linguistic tactical maneuvering one might liken to a verbal game of chess. This linguistically driven combat system offers over 200 words to collect and use during combat, allowing players to create a near infinite array of unique attack combinations.

The key to Wander Stars’ combat lies in its dynamic nature. Action, Modifier, and Elemental words form the basis of your attacks, but all words carry cooldown periods and different enemies may be weak or strong against specific words or elements. The enemy strengths and weaknesses are not revealed until the battle begins, emphasizing the need for flexibility and strategy in your word selection.

Aside from combat, the game also emphasizes the value of honor. Defeating opponents with honor not only earns you their respect but also valuable Pep-Ups that can offer bonuses in combat. Travel across various galactic vistas, befriend and defeat foes, and unravel mysteries about your protagonists while enjoying the series’ distinctly anime-inspired vibe.

Wander Stars also shows its influences from classic anime series in its story. Its tale is a mix of friendship, redemption, mystery, and exploration intertwined with a cast of colourful characters, each with their own backgrounds and personal issues.

The game also comes with its share of replayability due to its ever-changing maps filled with randomized events, enemies, and treasures, making Wander Stars an exciting and dynamic experience each time.

In conclusion, Wander Stars offers a captivating blend of turn-based RPG mechanics with a highly stylized, text-based combat system set in an anime-inspired universe filled with mystery and a story-rich adventure. Whether or not this combination of unique mechanics and nostalgic influences work in harmony will be left to the gamers to judge on its release.