Quartet

Quartet is Something Classic's proof that they've grown up and become more confident with age, and that there's room for continued growth to match their ambition.

An ambitious indie game that exceeds its lofty promises.

Quartet is a phenomenal example of staying true to classic roots while also modernizing other aspects. There is a joy in spending time with all eight characters, and each is well fleshed out and memorable.

A delightful homage to old-school 16-bit JRPGs and newer entries in the genre

Quartet is delightful, with wonderfully designed characters, superb graphics and audio, and retro stylings reminiscent of the glory days of the '90s. Fans of turn-based, top-down JRPGs should definitely check out Quartet.

Quartet is a superb JRPG that takes the best of its influences and adds a welcome suite of quality-of-life improvements, from a built-in turbo mode to the removal of random battles. The story builds up well, the characters are engaging, and the regular drip of weapons and abilities keeps things interesting throughout. Quartet is an easy recommendation for JRPG fans in general and would also make for a good introduction to the genre for newcomers.

Still, Quartet features a fantastic story, interesting characters, and a fast and fun battle system. It is a journey that fans of the genre should absolutely check out. While it can be a bit linear at times, my only complaints are very minor in the context of everything it does right. Quartet may have influences from the past, but it feels like a modern RPG in the ways that matter.

More than a homage, Quartet builds upon what its predecessors planted to flourish into its own. Sure of itself in every aspect, building your party all the way to eight characters while unraveling the grander narrative in the background, it is impossible to put down this game. With a console announcement in the works, I just hope it reaches more audiences that can see what turn-based greatness looks like.

Despite its slow start, Quartet is a JRPG with strong gameplay concepts and a mature narrative. It'll appeal to genre afficionados, but is a hard sell if you don't like old-school vibes or lack the time to slog through the early game. To my mind, the game's undeniable strengths struggle to lift Quartet from a tedious early game. Once aloft, Quartet is elegant and enticing—the kind of flawed jewel which may well attain "niche classic" status in 10-20 years.

Quartet is a love letter to classic turn-based JRPGs, but also a demonstration of how the genre can still evolve without betraying its roots.