Trials of Kokoro review

Kokoro is the Japanese word for “heart”, and this game has it.

Franchises like Utawarerumono, Tears to Tiara, and of course, Disgaea have married the expressive storytelling of a visual novel to turn-based combat. The results have largely been rewarding, with pulpy dialog providing plenty of motivation when fights inevitably break out.

The sophomore effort from developer TD Games, Trials of Kokoro doesn’t have the budget of the aforementioned adventures. But that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Delving into the game reveals picturesque backdrops and magnificent character portraits as well as a delightfully melodic soundtrack. While the approach to storytelling could use some sharpening, the puzzle-like intricacy of Kokoro’s battles will be appreciated by stat-obsessed audiences.

Long Live the Archetypes!

Trials begins as the adorable ‘catgirl but refuses to identify as a catgirl’ Rhea wanders the Hinodean wilds, looking for medicinal herbs. During her search, she notices a man lying on the ground. Once awakened, the armored warrior only remembers his name, Aedric. Save for his ability to forcefully wield a weapon and several scars on his face, his background is obscured by the fog of amnesia. Yet, Aedric’s inclination to protect Rhea helps to forge a quick bond between the two.

And yes, Trials of Kokoro doesn’t shy away from fantasy tropes. Additional characters and NPCs might recall the plethora of personalities role-playing fans have mingled with over the years. Kokoro is more referential than original- but that’s OK. Watching a party form from a group of divergent individuals can be enduringly entertaining.

Don’t Call Rhea a “Child”

Early on, Rhea’s defensiveness about her age clashes with the arrogant tone of Athena, a well-seasoned traveling healer. Although the characters share a common goal of helping an ailing boy, there’s lingering resentment. Although Kokoro’s exposition delves into the sentiments that triggered the standoff, the pacing can be a bit sluggish. It’s tough for a role-playing game to deliver organic conversations that inform about a character’s personality and history. Trials of Kokoro mostly gets it right but can occasionally get mired in the mundane. It’s never an outright deal-breaker and ultimately, an exploration of concepts like acceptance and compassion make any faults forgivable.

When you’re not conversing, Kokoro pushes your party through a succession of battles. The game’s structure favors linearity- so you’ll spend plenty of time preparing your team before each scripted fight. Sure, it’s a bit odd that autonomy is exclusively devoted to administrative duties. Here, Kokoro extends quite a bit of freedom- from using Power Points (no, not the presentation tool) to helping each character acquire new skills, equipping stat-boosting items, and determining what kind of miscellanea should be in your inventory. The result is often a tough test of your managerial prowess- where even a single oversight can bring on a bitter defeat.

Highly Desired: RPG Battling Experience

Kokoro’s pre-planned battles provide plenty of brain teasers. Your single row of characters will take on two ranks of creatures- many of whom can spawn subordinates. There is a multitude of variables in play, beyond eight different unorthodox stats (willpower, faith, talent, etc), buffs, and debuffs, there are statuses and aggro generation to worry about. Undoubtedly, there’s a lot of math going on behind the scenes.

As such, you’ll have to approach most battles methodically. Occasionally, your fellow adventures might be incapacitated, and you’ll have to determine if you want to help them or try to downscale the amount of incoming damage. Spells can be burdened by cast times, occasionally leaving your magic users in a perilous situation. In your favor are elements like Free Actions, which don’t consume a turn as well as visual indicators of creature weakness, which are displayed when discovered.

Kokoro’s rich party management and multiple difficulty settings allow for equifinality. But as you increase the level of challenge, you’ll have to uncover a more specific method of exterminating each group of monsters. Yes, you might discover the ultimate method of defeating and boss halfway through the battle, requiring the occasional rematch. But the upside is that beyond this nuisance, Kokoro has no grinding. Instead, the specifics of each battle are predetermined and there’s no ability to revisit previous fights for extra experience.

The Cutest Sol-Ikati

Although the linear approach to combat might be contentious, there will be little argument over Trials of Kokoro’s artistry. Character portraits don’t exhibit too many facial expressions, but each lead shows some basic emotions, while sprites shrink and grow when expressing emotion. Monsters are mostly limited to single 2D drawings, but there are attractively drawn and the designs habitually flaunt creativity. Backdrops are just as eye-pleasing, with villages, forests, and interiors all exhibiting a pleasing amount of detail. Particle effects and sunrays help each venue feel alive, but hopefully, TD Games can mask the latter effect during scene transitions.

A notable improvement both visually and mechanically from their first effort, TD Games’ Trials of Kokoro is an enjoyable experience. If the game’s deviations from role-playing convention don’t appeal, its alluring aesthetics and distinctive approach to combat might. Typically, turn-based battles against subordinates can grow tedious. But Kokoro demands mastery of your inventory and abilities to succeed. If you value that approach and appreciate visual novel storytelling, Kokoro is worth a look.

Trials of Kokoro was played on PC with
review code provided by the publisher.