Developer: Gust
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platforms: PS4, PC, Vita(Japan only)
Release Date: September 26th(NA), September 29th(EU)
Media: Launch Trailer
Blue Reflection is lacking in a few areas, but it still has enough going for it to offer an overall enjoyable experience that fans of the magical girl sub genre will enjoy.
A limp, repetitive gameplay loop and uncomfortable characterization rob Blue Reflection of the magic it tries so desperately to create.
Gust’s attempt at creating a brand new world with Blue Reflection shows. The development team brought innovation to the table demonstrating they can step outside their comfort zone. However, production value and time may have hurt the project as the game suffers from random graphical stutters, a lack of rich animation, and a failure to utilize the entire cast of characters. Nonetheless, the party customization, character interactions, art style, and overall design is admirable and keeps things entertaining.
Nothing here will anger or upset you, but nothing will amaze or move you either. It's a steady, repetitive line to the end without any sort of escalation, but not everything need to be full of crazy turns and ups and downs.
The story at the heart of it all is one of the most moving and heartfelt tales I’ve ever seen in a game, and that’s a huge achievement. The best part is that Mel Kishida is just getting started—if this is his directorial debut, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store.
Blue Reflection tells an accurate story of a high school girl who is coming to terms with becoming a magical girl. The game is graphically one of the best looking games from Gust that I have played and I applaud them for trying something new. There’s a lot to see in Blue Reflection if players put the time into the story, but if you’re looking level grinding and item collecting, this isn’t going to be the game for you.
Blue Reflection is a hidden gem that any anime and JRPG fan will not want to miss this year.
Blue Reflection is Gust’s best new IP and one that would’ve been a better game had Koei Tecmo put some actual effort into localization wise.
Blue Refletion provides a unique twist on the JRPG format. Having the protagonist reflect on her own feelings of loss while trying to gain insight into other characters’s feelings in order to acquire their friendship is an interesting idea. The problem is the game doesn’t delve deep enough into this territory, and while this is a great design concept, it could be so much better if they took the idea further and added more depth to the characters. The mix of the real world with the Common is a good blend of environments and the gameplay in both is enjoyable but the time we spend in the Common exploring and fighting demons feels disproportionately short compared to the massive usage of cutscenes.
Gust's new turn-based RPG presents good ideas as a more accessible combat system than the Atelier saga or the possibility of choosing which song to listen to. However, the division by zones, not have English voices or the little challenge presented in fighting makes Blue Reflection undeserving of more praise.
Blue Reflection is just a repetitive and simple RPG full of colors and nice music. It's view of relationships is utilitarian and flat. Just another piece of fandom for the magical girl fans.
PlayStation LifeStyle - 6.0 / 10
It’s really rather unfortunate just how much is missing from Blue Reflection. The bones of a good story and combat are there, with likable enough characters, but that’s it. The lack of options in both the school life and the Common are just deflating. The game feels like a Persona starter kit to a certain extent; it just needs more polish and more to do.
Playstation Universe - 5.5 / 10
Blue Reflection tries to take the social aspects of Persona and make them more streamlined and simplified but fails to make them interesting in any way. The combat and beautiful locations and character models add some light to the title, it’s not enough to make it stand out or memorable in any way.
Blue Reflection has a lot of interesting ideas, from its plot to the core gameplay, so it’s unfortunate that these ideas are left to fester in a pool of mediocrity and drowned in an adventure that feels boring and stale before it’s even really begun. The opening scenes show a lot of promise, but none of it is built upon as the game develops. Blue Reflection feels like a tutorial for JRPG beginners - one that even the most inexperienced player would get bored with.
Blue Reflection is a good start for something even greater. It manages to perfectly capture the atmosphere of classic magical girl anime series, and does so with some of the prettiest visuals I’ve seen in a Japanese PS4 game. Unfortunately, it fails at making a truly engaging JRPG to go with it. The lack of a focus on combat is interesting, but it ends up making combat feel more like an afterthought than it ought to be. I hope Gust is willing to put out a sequel, because with some of these issues tackled, this could end up being my new favorite JRPG series.
As a brand new IP, Blue Reflection does its job well and may serve as a good foundation for a sequel, with an enjoyable (albeit not all that original) story, good character development, a unique leveling system, and a stylish presentation. Sadly, most of the game's features resemble too much those found in the latest Persona games and, as such, the game doesn't feel very unique, while the low difficulty level prevents the RPG mechanics from reaching their full potential.
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