Deck 13 has consistently delivered compelling titles and standout RPGs over the past several years, including one of my favorites: Chained Echoes. Looking ahead to 2027, the publisher is preparing an impressive lineup of upcoming RPGs. We recently had the pleasure of going hands-on with an early build of one of these promising titles: Full Circle.
A Captivating Post-Apocalyptic Setup
Full Circle is an upcoming JRPG set within a striking post-apocalyptic world. Humanity has been forced to retreat into sky cities while the surface of the planet has been overrun by menacing monsters and machines. Rather than focusing on the city-dwellers, the narrative follows a group of survivors eking out an existence on the planet’s dangerous surface.
While the early preview build kept major plot details under wraps, the foundational premise is undeniably intriguing. Furthermore, the initial cast of characters we encountered showcased enough distinct personalities to leave a lasting impression.
A Nostalgic Yet Modernized Audio-Visual Experience
The game wears its inspirations proudly on its sleeve, serving as a clear homage to the classic JRPGs of the PlayStation 1 era. This reverence is evident across the storytelling, character design, and gameplay mechanics, all of which benefit from thoughtful modern updates.
Even in this slice of the game, the soundtrack proves to be a major highlight. The battle themes instantly evoke a sense of nostalgia, transporting me straight back to the golden era of genre-defining classics like Final Fantasy VII, Star Ocean: The Second Story, and the Suikoden series.
Aesthetically, Full Circle adopts the gorgeous 2.5D visual style, seamlessly blending charming 2D pixel-art sprites and characters with fully rendered 3D environments and modern lighting techniques. The game’s art direction truly shines in its depiction of a fallen world. The evocative combination of overgrown streets and buildings interwoven with a distinct fantasy atmosphere hits all the right notes, keeping me visually hooked from start to finish.
Engaging and Interactive Turn-Based Combat
Combat in Full Circle utilizes a traditional turn-based foundation, but injects energy into the system through real-time precision mechanics. When executing attacks or skills, players have the opportunity to maximize damage or bolster their defense by timing button presses correctly. In the preview build, this manifested as shapes, such as squares or circles, moving toward alignment, requiring the player to strike the input at the exact moment of intersection. While familiar to fans of the genre, the mechanic is executed well, keeping encounters active, engaging, and dynamic.
Additionally, players can experiment with powerful character combos. Initially, unlocking these requires executing individual skills in a specific sequence, encouraging rewarding experimentation. Once a combination is successfully discovered, subsequent uses become streamlined, requiring only the activation of the combo itself. It’s another clever gameplay loop that adds depth and excitement to the combat encounters.
Conclusion
Based on our time with the early build, Full Circle successfully strikes a balance between nostalgic reverence and modern design. Boasting stunning 2.5D graphics, an engaging and interactive combat system, memorable characters, and an exceptional soundtrack, the game has all the ingredients it needs. If the full release maintains this high standard and delivers a sweeping, evolved narrative, Full Circle is well on its way to becoming a standout favorite when it launches in 2027.
Leave a Reply