Stay A Stay is a curious expertise. It initially launched again in 1994 solely in Japan and the Tremendous Famicom, but has picked up a cult following within the subsequent years because of its premise and the myriad concepts it delivered to the desk. Now, within the yr 2022 Sq. Enix has introduced its creation to the worldwide lots within the HD-2D engine no much less. The query is: does it maintain the take a look at of time?
In essence, Stay a Stay is a group of mini-stories that span throughout a variety of time durations and areas. You begin the sport with the selection of enterprise a number of chapters, any of which you can begin, put down, and returned to together with your progress saved. It’s a really useful function. These chapters span from pre-history all the way in which to the distant future – our private favorite.
Every interval comes with its personal story and slight modifications to the gameplay construction, thanks to every character’s particular potential. Within the close to future, for instance, your character can learn minds, which impacts each the gameplay and story.
Chapters range when it comes to linearity too. Some focus purely on story, funnelling you down a linear path, whereas others are extra open. These chapters encourage exploration and, as is typical of a JRPG of this technology: grinding. The pacing isn’t at all times good, nevertheless it does all result in a satisfying conclusion within the later chapters.
One factor that does keep constant, although, is the fight, with every chapter utilizing the identical turn-based grid system. There are just a few variations although – significantly within the levelling system. Some chapters you’re blessed with all the talents you’ll ever want, whereas in others you begin from the underside and work up from nothing. Within the case of the Imperial China chapter, it’s a little bit of each.
If there may be one half Stay A Stay completely nails on all counts it’s the presentation and music. The sound design throughout the board is stupendous, and I typically discovered myself buzzing tunes and melodies hours after we’ve put the sport down. It additionally does a terrific job of grounding you into every chapter’s theme. The HD-2D visuals are improbable, too with every world filled with character and visible aptitude – it’s a selected deal with for those who personal the OLED.
Nonetheless, it’s not all excellent news, and whereas the sport’s innovation nonetheless shines in 2022, there’s a little bit of creakiness inherent with a recreation that’s practically 30 years outdated. You may die and lose a great deal of progress to an inconsistent checkpoint system. Within the worst circumstances, you must sit via the cutscene earlier than a boss battle with no method of skipping it. Over, and over once more.
General although, we really feel Stay A Stay delivers. Bringing again such an outdated recreation isn’t straightforward and making one with so many concepts really feel related in 2022 is a troublesome feat. However Stay A Stay does a great job of modernising this misplaced recreation and ensuring a complete new viewers can expertise it. In case you love JRPGS or HD-2D Stay A Stay may have one thing for you, or if you’re on the lookout for one thing completely different with a singular story you’ll be glad right here. At instances it may be irritating in its older recreation design and infrequently a little bit straightforward however on the finish of the day it by no means stops being attention-grabbing.
