Cricket: Jae's Really Peculiar Game

Cricket: Jae's Really Peculiar Game is not your typical JRPG. It is a perilous and heartwarming enterprise where makeshift friendships turn into indestructible alliances. There is a great time to be had in this rich and peculiar world and the graphics and audio design sell this kooky vibe exceptionally well. The game is fun to play but becomes a chore faster than you would want it due to flat environments and a easy streamlined combat system that gets annoying with the constant onslaught of respawning enemies. The dialogue and overall comedy enriches the diversion and produces a delightful time that you won't forget. Munch down on a Dwix Bar and make your way across this animated world to wish for your greatest desire.

Cricket: Jae's Really Peculiar Game was one of the most pleasant surprises I had this year. Creative, with brilliant writing, visually beautiful and made with a lot of love, it is a must-have title for fans of the subgenre and an example of how to do something inspired, but conquering its own identity.

Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game has a lot of style and a lot of heart, and the people who grew up on both Earthbound and Super Mario RPG are going to find something here that scratches a hard-to-reach itch. But like its predecessors, it’s going to be a little sturdier of an opponent than you think, and mastery of combat and awareness of its quirks is going to be key as to whether or not this game is going to be for you in the long term.

The tonality and presentation of some subjects – abandonment, insecurity, bullying and anxiety – are not doled out in a balanced manner and hurt the vibe of the game. The constant presence of hurt and self-loathing really make it difficult to enjoy the game outside of combat. While the subject matter may be important, I don’t feel it was delivered in the right way.