A Fresh Take on JRPGs – VARIOUS DAYLIFE Review

I think it’s safe to say there are entirely too many JRPGs in the overall marketplace, and while some are obviously better than others nearly all of them follow a very similar pattern in terms of gameplay and overall game design. Various Daylife follows in *some* of the same footsteps that other JRPGs do (jobs, turn-based combat, plenty of dialogue, etc) but it offers some new and invigorating elements to an overcrowded space. The art style is crisp and polished, the side-scrolling movement is a nice change, the simplicity of fulfilling job orders is pleasant, and the excitement of going on expeditions made even more so by making them have a special place in the grand scheme of the game. What I mean by this point about expeditions is that most games seem centered around combat encounters, but with Various Daylife it simply serves as *part* of the overall experience, never quite feeling like you’re there to simply hack & slash. Rather, Various Daylife reminds players that they are there to build a life, which means working, making relationships, and fighting on occasion (we are trying to tame a wild continent, after all!) I think the game feels balanced and does a good job at breathing life into the genre by offering a unique hybrid between an idler and, say, Final Fantasy IX. Cheers!
Review by RyanVento on VARIOUS DAYLIFE.