For fans of classic JRPGs, Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space is notable for featuring an engaging story created by prominent storyteller Masato Kato and composer Yasunori Mitsuda, who are also known for playing significant roles in the development of Chrono Trigger. The game returns to the roots of the genre with a strong focus on single-player gameplay and 2D sprites. Wright Flyer Studios also brings a compelling narrative that allows the game to establish itself as a unique identity in the JRPG category.
▍Nostalgic Turn-Based Combat
Taking inspiration from Chrono Trigger and other JRPGs of the 90s and early 2000s, Another Eden pits a party of six against enemies, ranging from dangerous wildlife to mechanical monstrosities, with the first four members acting as the Frontline while the last two members are held in Reserves.
The gameplay is rather simple yet strategic in-depth, as players can attack or use their skills to provide buffs, heal party members, or damage enemies in order to win battles. Each attack or skill has a certain element or type associated with it, and enemies can resist or take more damage from these attributes. Building your team becomes crucial in taking on the various enemies!
Switching between Frontline and Reserve members during difficult fights is the key to survival, as Reserve members regenerate HP and MP over time. Swapping a character from the Reserves to the Frontline activates the oncoming Frontline character’s Valor Chant, which is a special buff or debuff that lasts for 1 turn, and is unique to each character.
One of the game’s core mechanics is Another Force, unlocked after completing Chapter 10 of the main story. By filling the gauge using attacks or damaging skills, the player can activate Another Force by tapping the gauge to cause enemies to stop moving while the mechanic is active, and reduces MP costs to 0. Players are given several moments to spam skills in order to recover from a bad situation or to beat down a foe before it strikes, so Another Force is extremely valuable for new players and veterans of the JRPG genre.
▍An Epic Story at Your Own Pace
Another Eden’s story is told through the eyes of Aldo, a youth from Baruoki village whose life is turned upside down when the Beast King kidnaps his sister Feinne for his own agenda. In an attempt to rescue her, the protagonist is pulled into a crack between time and space and ends up in the futuristic world of Elzion. Joined by characters from different time periods, Aldo embarks o journeys between the three time periods in order to save Feinne from the Beast King’s nefarious plans.
Unlike most mobile games, players can progress at their own pace in Another Eden, as there are no competitive modes in the game and all of the collaborative events can be accessed at any time. Players with busy schedules won’t need to worry about falling behind, as they can come back to the game at any time without missing any content. On the other hand, the main story does not require Stamina to progress, so hardcore players can play Another Eden without feeling restricted.
▍Journey into the Past, Present, and Future!
Each time period is unique in appearance, allowing players to dive into different worlds instantly. From a vibrant marsh to a prehistoric town, each locale is accompanied by beautiful music that perfectly sets the tone. Players travel the world by moving between different 2D planes, which helps bring each area to life with its different layers.
Traveling between the different time periods in Another Eden is easy thanks to the Spacetime Rift, where anyone familiar with Chrono Trigger will feel right at home. Alternatively, players can use the Map button to quickly travel around to locations they’ve previously visited.
Another Eden rewards exploration, as there are chests located in almost every area containing loot for the player to collect. Items of interest are also shown using green sparkles, which reward valuable materials used to obtain equipment or upgrade characters. Players can even interact with certain objects in the background, further encouraging you to explore the world on your own, instead of just turning on the Auto Mode!
However, the world isn’t simply a walk in the park; players need to be aware of Horrors, which are extremely powerful monsters in each area. These enemies act as a challenge for players, testing their strategy and preparation.
Fitting for the game’s name, players can also find cats across time and space. You can invite any cat you find to join you on your journey, and there is a cat catalog that keeps track of your findings.
Players can also unlock fishing in Another Eden, a simple minigame to collect fish, though you can’t feed cats with the fish you catch. Instead, this minigame plays another part in the player’s adventure as there are special enemies that can only be found by this system.
▍Collect a Variety of Free and Premium Characters
Like most gacha games, Another Eden has many different characters you can add to your team. With different backgrounds, skill sets, and looks, players might be tempted to go with what’s meta in order to succeed. However, Another Eden provides many free characters that are excellent in their own right. Some of these characters come with their own episode, letting players get to learn more about them. Though each of these Characters starts off at 2-star, they can end up becoming much stronger as the player progresses through their respective episode.
Unfortunately, gacha currency is quite slow to obtain, as only scarce Chronostones are given daily for logging in, rewarded for watching ads or completing achievements. This feels inadequate when multi-roll costs 1,000 Chronostones and ★5 Characters comprise 2% of the entire gacha pool. This makes free characters very valuable for what they can provide players. This drawback is circumvented with paid banners, which guarantee a 5★ Character with a 10-Roll.
▍Another Eden is a JRPG that Transcends Space and Time
Another Eden stands out for being an old-school, single-player JRPG in a mobile market, though the game isn’t for everyone. Players who are looking for more modern graphics, a casual game, or cooperative gameplay won’t find this title interesting. At its core, Another Eden focuses on delivering a memorable tale, and the game’s features work to support that idea. Story lovers will have a wonderful experience with the title, and will enjoy all the features offered. The game is also available on Steam, for players who prefer to play on PC.
