Bloomtown Spoiler-free Review: Persona 5 Meets Earthbound! (Switch) | Backlog Battle

[@JohnD131]

I don't know if it's just me or being older, but the inability to manually save makes me anxious.

[@BacklogBattle]

I'm 45 and I can absolutely relate. That said, this is why I'm playing it on the Switch - it's easy to just put it on Standby whenever and I can just pick it back up if I need to. And if not, there's usually an Auto Save area nearby. Every safe room with a phone Auto Saves in dungeons, for instance.

[@pla6ue]

AGREED. 41 here btw

[@rammur]

im in my 40s i cant relate i came from a time when we didnt have saves or it costed a quarter to continue after all lives where gone and nintendo we were lucky if we had 2-3 save slots

[@BacklogBattle]

@rammur it's like you didn't play any games between the 80s and now

[@rammur]

@@BacklogBattle im just bein dumb i know what ya all talking about

[@ok_listen]

The pixel art here is SOLID! ❤️❤️

[@rosu-kun]

Alex, it looks like there’s so much to praise about the game, and I appreciate your in-depth coverage so much, but most of all I value the way you set expectations for potentially divisive elements too (no manual saving, limited description of roles, etc.). I’m really excited as well that you played it on Switch! Typically these indie games are reviewed on Steam and springing for the Switch version feels like a roll of the dice (“Terra Memoria” is a recent one that I just can’t enjoy on Switch because it plays very poorly, but all initial reviews were of the Steam/PC code).

[@BacklogBattle]

I have Terra Memoria on the Switch and I'm with you. I don't normally mind performance snafus, but that was one game that I wished played better on that platform.

[@rosu-kun]

@@BacklogBattleI’m glad that it’s not just me! I feel like I keep very fair expectations of the Switch given its age - “The Plucky Squire,” by contrast, is perfectly playable while certainly not being “perfect” in respect to performance on the platform - but unfortunately sometimes the gameplay experience really hindered (the aforementioned “Terra Memoria”). I’m glad that is NOT the case here, and on the basis of your review, I’ll be purchasing “Bloomtown” tomorrow and digging in ASAP. You’re the best, Alex!

[@dethtrain]

This review got me excited. Glad to see its on steam. Gonna pick this up and try it

[@ChicCanyon]

It has a corgi as a party member. I'll buy it twice

[@bbarling]

Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to playing this on Switch tomorrow. Looks like it's made for handheld gaming.

[@BacklogBattle]

It definitely felt like it was! Was really fun to play it on the Switch!

[@enriqueeduardovazquezdomin511]

Great review. I still want to play it as much as months ago when i first saw it on Twitter. Thanks!

[@missitheachievementhuntres560]

Lovely review. Yes please for a guide ^^

[@LastMinuteGuess]

Been very excited for this game for a while. Thanks for the review! I will be sure to pick it up now.

[@corey2232]

Wow, this looks super cool! I'll definitely check this out

[@Shiftshapercat]

Does the dog tell me to go the F to sleep?

[@BacklogBattle]

Nope

[@dill_himself]

I’m all in for this game. I’ve been following bloomtown since its announcement. Buying at soon as it hits the eshop

[@weusedtobeangels]

This might be a contender for my personal best indie JRPG of all time along with Cassette Beasts. This looks peak!

[@BacklogBattle]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@666brodski]

Im just doing my Persona 3 Reloaded gameplay and then I find out about this game.....this is a puuuure gem! Will be getting it on switch thou cuz I wanna lay down and play in my bed.

[@agromchung]

Can't believe Swole Doge is a party member 😂

[@EliasR24]

Great review! Would love a combat guide

[@DEST-PMA]

One of the best games I played all year. Great game

[@smgofdvld]

Hopefully this gets a disk or cartridge release it looks like one of those games you want to have 😅

[@Pike27]

Pretty good video, thank you for your work! This game does look interesting, I might give it a shot one day.

[@JackSmog]

Time moves forward? Does this mean there are (time) triggered events? Do I have to rush to figure out what I should be min-maxing before some time limit triggers some big event that I might be wholly unprepared for?

[@BacklogBattle]

It mostly just controls when shops are open or not. There are no timed quests.

[@JackSmog]

@@BacklogBattle Awesome! Thanks for the info.

[@PersonWhoIsTired]

Loved the review. But no manual saves, no tutorials for the combat, hard to capture monsters and bugs does deter me from getting it. I was excited with how wonderful the game looks, but I have no patience with variables which will hinder my experience.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@PersonWhoIsTired to be clear, there ARE tutorials for combat. But they don’t talk about the other aspects unique to it, like the Roles.

[@PersonWhoIsTired]

​@@BacklogBattlethat is more sad when the special traits of its combat are not explained well. Thank you for the clarification on the general tutorials.

[@acdnan]

I might by this down the line for my steam deck

[@mosthated8848]

I have been playing this for like 5 hours straight.

[@7766i]

Please make a video guide about the turn based mechanics I’m confused :(

[@TheCodeda]

Yes a guide would be amazing! I plan on getting the game and get frustrated when I'm a bit lost or something is a bit different than what I'm expecting.

[@RazorBladezX]

What a fantastic setting.

[@maartjevanbennekom3265]

Thanks for the review! Would you say this is anything like Sea of stars? It was one of my favourite gaming experiences ever, and I am looking for something to fill the void.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@maartjevanbennekom3265 I personally like it better than Sea of Stars, even with its rough spots!

[@Doyleman777]

Hey Alex, guys here. Ever play final fantasy tactics? That’s the last time I remember a spell missing. It’s not common at all and frustrating to have happen in a resource managed action like spells

[@BacklogBattle]

@@Doyleman777 yes: more than 2 decades ago

[@Doyleman777]

@@BacklogBattleoof! I enjoy a playthrough about once a year. Either way that’s the only other game I can think of with missing spells.

[@inuart19]

we can no change party members? i thought we could use demons/summons like shin megami tensei

[@BacklogBattle]

You can use demons/summons. You need to capture them first and then equip them

[@Hawxses]

thx for this review i just learned about this game and i wanted smthn like it for a minute

[@BacklogBattle]

You're welcome!

[@cyruspark6472]

A guide would be awesome, and you should be kind and make one.

[@BacklogBattle]

What if I’m not kind and I make one?

[@FriendsAndGamingYT]

Odd that theres no manual save, i feel most rpgs do, or at least the ones ive played do. But this does look pretty interesting, espically the combat. i dont think i've fully grasped it for m this video, but i defo think id need to play it too fully understand!

[@andrewsies9065]

Definitely picking up. About how long was your playthrough?

[@BacklogBattle]

About 25 hours. But I might’ve left the Switch on for a bit lol!

[@HybridAngelZero]

Hilariously, I actually just finished watching Gravity Falls for the first a few days ago. And honestly, I dig the vibes and gameplay on display here, though the inability to manually save makes my inner 90s kid really skiddish xD Hopefully it can get a few QoL updates, I would love to check this one out!

[@JuvPrimervago]

All Rpgs now a days need to have that auto off. Thats a huge plus for me.

[@BacklogBattle]

Auto advance text you mean?

[@NivraNabru]

thanks! any chance for a physical copy?

[@BacklogBattle]

No word on physical

[@AWDTH1111]

Emily and Chester??? Both linkin Park singers? Can’t make this stuff up lol

[@BacklogBattle]

That's some huge coincidences right there LOL

[@Qubicle.]

the color palette reminds me more of ffta2 or chained echoes rather than stardew valley.

[@tanboisenpoi2542]

What is the name if the song?

[@BacklogBattle]

Which one? (There were three)

[@brattyx0836]

do you think this game will have more than one ending or is it more linear?

[@BacklogBattle]

It didn't feel like I could have a fail state when I played it? I can't really say. I got a good ending imo.

[@joearnold6881]

I should go back to persona 5

[@hodenbacke55555]

How is the difficulty. I hope it’s not too easy

[@BacklogBattle]

I talk about it in the video

[@stephanechoquette6938]

Got some eastward vibe

[@sinjinalexander2758]

I like the game and there's a lot of good but the writing is a big pain point for me. If people appreciate good writing, this game feels like it was written in another language and then stuck in Google translate sometimes. It also likes to just throw things together (story and gameplay) with little to no explanation. There's a lot of good here, but I say wait to see if fixes for the writing are on the way as that's really my only issue with the game

[@sombrego2260]

I'm not sure I can get into the battles with the so frustrating misses all the time. It drove me insane in the demo it's just not fun I don't get why it's included. That plus so many spells not dealing any damage by default the demo felt really rough to play. I'll wait for more reviews because despite all the nice qualities it feels like this game could disappoint me so much.

[@BacklogBattle]

Emily gets an Agility Up earlier on that helps!

[@brandonsclips7741]

I'm honestly more interested in the game because of the time period. The 60s is an interesting time period for a game, and I'm honestly just glad it's not the 80s. I despise the 80s. The time period, the nostalgia for it. Can't stand it. The sprite work is also fantastic. The systems, despite their issues, grab my attention. I'll check it out.

[@BacklogBattle]

I think the era it's set in is fine and fits the game's vibes well. I do like that from time to time they comment on things like the songs of the era.

[@aldenmonzon8594]

I'm betting the load times on the Switch is horrible. It always happen with new releases - Souldiers, Blodstained: RON, Eiyuden Chronicle, etc.

[@BacklogBattle]

It depends on where you're going: Going into shop/house interiors have zero loading time. Going into the Wilderness is 3 seconds. Going into the part of town with the library is about 20 seconds. Going from Bloomtown to the first dungeon is 8 seconds. Either way, not as bad as the games you mentioned.

[@aldenmonzon8594]

@@BacklogBattle How about load times going into and out of battles?

[@BacklogBattle]

@@aldenmonzon8594 no load times

[@potatoeOnRooftop]

Played the demo and was very captivated. But the blatant persona rips down to the music where just too much for me. I dont know why since im loving persona so much but it immediately turned me off the game. Its too similiar, it feels wrong. Love the stranger things vibe tho. Wish everyone a lot of fun with the game!

[@BacklogBattle]

Think of it as a cover album. An homage. Nothing wrong with that!