RPGs have always been my favorite genre of video games. Most of my fondest gaming memories revolve around me putting countless hours into an RPG; getting to know their characters, discovering their worlds, and hearing their stories. I admit, most RPGs follow the same pattern. A cliche story. A feminine looking male lead character. A world in danger that only you can save. It’s not exactly quantum science, but I still love it. I love games but I really love a good story, and that is what RPGs aim to deliver. A memorable story with a little interaction.
But enough RPG fanboyism. On to the topic of this article. Infinite Undiscovery.
Infinite Undiscovery (IU from here on because it’s alot of letters) is the latest RPG from the Japanese developer Tri-Ace, who is also responsible for Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile. Since the PS1, they have been one of my favorite developers, and are most well known for delivering RPGs with very unique battle systems. IU is sort of an exception to this rule, as its battle system closely resembles that of Final Fantasy 12 but with much less AI customization and a bit more player control. The game houses a sizable cast of characters, with Capell being the lead man. Capell’s situation is a unique one, as he is basically a normal dude who just so happens to look EXACTLY like the legendary hero, Sigmund. One mix-up leads to another and eventually Capell is thrust into the typical scenario of “must save world or everyone dies”. The story, while interesting at some points, is one predictable cliche after the other, and really brings nothing new to the table. I’m not saying that it’s bad… it’s just not that interesting.
The game starts off slowly and takes a bit to get the ball rolling. Actually, that’s an understatement. The game starts off in exactly the way an RPG should not start off. Most of the introductory cutscenes are not voiced. There are odd speech sequences with no music or ambient noises. It’s dark and you have no idea where to go. You’re immediately forced to use the battle system to its full potential after only a brief tutorial. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and by 2-3 hours in, you’ll be happily grouped up with some powerful allies, in the light where you can see, and having a genuinely enjoyable time playing the game.
The cast of characters is fairly robust, with somewhere around 15-20 playable characters, and a number of other characters used for item creation and story purposes. Most of them are unique and pretty cool, and you’ll probably find yourself in the situation of liking more characters than you are able to use. This is a GOOD thing, because if you are a completionist (like me) you’re going to be spending a LONG LONG LONG time playing this game. The voice work is, for the most part, adequate, though Capell is a bit soft-spoken and potentially creepy. After a friend told me that he sounded like a child molester, I could never really think of him as anything else. After hearing his voice, the description just … sticks.
On your first playthrough, expect to put in about 30 to 40 hours completing the main quest and an additional 30 to 40 hours completing the post-game dungeon, the Seraphic Gate. After completing the game once, you unlock Hard Difficulty. Play through it all again, and you’ll unlock Infinity Difficulty. And the first 5 minutes of Infinity Difficulty will very likely break your soul. The tutorial battle against 2 guards is one of the most horrifyingly difficult encounters in an RPG in the history of life. Honestly, it is that hard.
6/10
