Features

Another top drawer Strategy RPG from Japan touches down on the 3DS but for fans of the genre, this one is particularly poignant - Stella Glow is the swan song of developer Imageepoch, a much loved veteran of the scene who went belly up earlier this year despite producing such classics as the Luminos Arc series.

While its legion of fans will mourn the dev's passing, they can take solace in Stella Glow, a game that acts as a fitting final chapter in Imageepoch's illustrious history. All the staples of a good JRPG are present and correct including the story itself - a young lad, Alto, suffering from amnesia, is adopted by a woman and her daughter, Risette, They live in a world where music has been banished by the Gods who became enraged at the enduring success of Olly Murs' pop career, sorry, humankind's arrogance.

One day, Alto and Risette come across Hilda, a witch playing a melody that she's created to destroy the world - as you do - so off our brave duo go to create a band of merry witches strong enough to smite the dastardly spell caster. That's the cute setup for the gameplay that focuses primarily on the combat. Fans will love the old school Final Fantasy Tactics-like battles which see you taking out foe on one of 50 different map types. Each are made up of a grid where you must coordinate your team in turn-based action, defeating the enemy with directional attacks, special moves and more.

This age-old approach remains as beguiling as ever, offering up reams of strategic options for armchair generals to sink hour upon hour into. Adding more depth to the proceedings is Free Time, allotted to players so they can buy or upgrade items and deepen their relationships with their comrades, unlocking special events and new powers in the process.

And you'll need plenty of your own free time to do so - as is typical in the SRPG genre, the game's running time is truly epic. Imagine close to 40-50 hours of story and side quests and you'll be near the mark. And for fans of Imageepoch, each and every one of those hours will be an obsessive delight, Stella Glow a worthy tribute to such a great developer. RIP Imageepoch and thanks for the memories.