For fans of classic JRPGs, one of our most anticipated this year is Tears of Avia, from developer CooCooSqueaky. This week, we got our first look at the combat, skill system, and cast that we’ll be adventuring with later this summer on Xbox One and PC via Steam.
In a newly released gameplay trailer, glimpses of the characters of Tears of Avia were shown along with their attributes, roles, and special abilities.
The characters shown were Reina, a ranger; Momoko, a priest; Iris, a mage; Kai, a warrior; and Raul, a brawler. Character screens showed off the individual character details and stats, which included everything one might expect from a standard JRPG experience, including HP and SP, attribute stats, class skills, and weapon skills.
All of the characters’ stats can be upgraded and new abilities can be learned thanks to the game’s progression system, including branching skill trees that allow for honing in on a specific specialty, or a more balanced approach. And, of course, items and weapons picked up along the journey will add to each character’s statline, which seems to be a pretty in-depth, yet accessible system to newer players to the genre, especially considering the ability to compare item stat impacts between party members.
In our preview of the game earlier this year, it was mentioned that the game resembles that of a “PSP tactical RPG title from 2007.” However, it does so in a way that looks and feels great for long-time fans of the genre, while still feeling like a modernized SRPG title in 2020.
That familiarity will hopefully lend to the game’s success with ther veteran tactical strategy and JRPG crowds, while also appealing to newcomers to either genre.
Speaking as someone who is new to both, after reading Bella’s PAX 2020 preview and based on the gameplay seen so far, you can count me in as highly intrigued to see what else the world of Estera has to offer when Tears of Avia launches later this summer.
Source: PQube Press Release
