Seven Knights - Time Wanderer (Nintendo Switch) Review

The JRPG genre is in somewhat of a lull lately; the genre has some big titles coming in the next year, but recently there have not been any huge releases so it is a perfect time for a game like Seven Knights - Time Wanderer to come out. Starting with an interesting premise of a girl who falls into a dimension she must escape from by helping other characters, it creates a decent enough setup to get into things.

Complexity is not one of the high points of the game, because fundamentally it was based on a simple phone game. Characters have two attacks for the whole game, map exploration is uncomplicated, and other than some basic new items or stat boosts there is nothing else in the game to customize. This is unfortunate as it leads very rapidly to a type of burn out, as there isn't that much to do. At the main hub between levels, players simply buy some new gear, slap a few inconsequential points into stat bonuses and call it good.

The levels are a little more fun, if ultimately basic. Players set about exploring a level that has pre-set, but hidden, routes. So as they move forward the paths are slowly revealed, which might be anything from fights to treasures or minor side quests. Though simple, there was an element of satisfaction tracking down the last treasures or bonuses that the map gratefully lists. Players navigate around until the next plot point or story element.

Story-wise, it starts fairly strong but then proceeds to move at an average pace. At the beginning we are treated to a slightly-animated video of a family that has magical power, and a girl who is transported to a time-dimension where she is altered to an older form and has to go questing. The start was decent, but they really did not do too much with the premise. Why was she aged? It is a rare concept in stories but never touched on. Likewise, there could have been some serious loneliness or depression overtones, but the plot devolves into 'power of friendship' type things pretty rapidly, regrettably.

Battles see players with up to 5 characters on their side, fighting the enemy. The game is fundamentally turn-based, but if a player does not get their command in within the time limit they are skipped. It gives a sense of urgency, but it would have been cooler if there was more done with it. Characters have two attacks (excluding a triggered special) that they are stuck with all game. These might be a heal, maybe a single target attack, or a buff. Enemies are one of four elements; so, depending on the characters element they might do extra damage.

Unfortunately, there was a huge wasted potential of any type of upgrading or skill changes for characters. A character's use is defined solely by their two moves. If their moves are not good, the character is not good. For example, there is a girl with a group heal; it's awesome, so for that reason she has to stay in. Other characters have a minor buff and a single-target attack; pretty forgettable, so they are likely gone. Excluding a specific element of an enemy, every battle plays the same, with typically the characters with the best AoEs unloading them over and over.

Seven Knights - Time Wanderer is a fun JRPG distraction to play in short bursts. It never reaches any dizzying heights, whether that is a stunning story or a fun gameplay, but for what it is, it is sufficient. The map exploration is actually one of the more fun aspects trying to track everything down, but the battle system starts to bog down with its repetition. The quality of the voice acting really stood out; in general there is nothing especially problematic, but likewise the lack of depth in combat stops it from being especially great.