Game Review: 13 Sentinels - Aegis Rim

It was this 2022 that I first played 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Despite the long hours that I allot to finish the game, having the game idle for a long time because I'm doing work + chores, and the struggle of asking my partner if I can use the TV and delay his Peaky Blinders marathon, it was worth it! Today, I would like to share my review of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a sci-fi adventure with visual novel elements and real-time strategy/tower defense game and more. The storytelling isn't linear and it might cause confusion to players as time-traveling is one of the vital elements of the game. Fear not as there are game sections where you can rewind the scenes and get to know all the characters and elements that appeared in the game.

Gameplay

The game's story is told in flashback scenes that all tie into the current conflict, which is divided into 6 prologue battles plus 30 area battles and the final battle. It revolves around 13 characters and their branching storylines as they each try to save their timelines and save humanity from extinction at the hands of kaiju or Deimos.

You will be able to play some characters and the combat prologues. Doing so will help you unlock the remaining playable characters one by one.  You can go at your own pace when it comes to the plot and the fights but be it known that some of the stories will require you to do combats so you could unlock and proceed to their next chapters. 

As mentioned above, there are 13 protagonists in this game. Their stories are told in a non-linear manner but eventually, they will become interconnected and the story will make sense. For me with a bad memory in general, I find it hard to grasp the story first since you need to jump to different timelines, remember the names and all plus there will be side characters that actually act as the most important element of the story. The game provides a section where you can replay the scenes and another one in which you can get more details about the characters (this section needs memory points in order to be able to unlock all the terms that are in the game. You need to do battles to gain memory points).

The way scenes are played in the story is almost the same as in visual novels, but additionally, the 2D-drawn characters can roam around and look for clues and then interact with other characters and their surroundings. There are no bad endings for this game. A flow chart is provided per character so you could see the chapter that you finish.

You need to clear battles to proceed to the story. Your task is to protect the Aegis terminal and eliminate different kaiju. The 13 protagonists are playable but you can only choose a maximum of 6 members per round. For my combat gameplay, Renya Goutou and Shu Amiguchi are my favorite characters. Protagonists have different Sentinel abilities. Some are good for close-range combat, long-range combat, and so on.

Music, Sound, and Graphics

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim will never disappoint in terms of music and sound effects. Let's also add the jam-packed English and Japanese voice actors that are present in this game. You will be prompted to choose which voice language you would like and I have to go to the Japanese voice of course <3

I would love to experience riding a Sentinel XD

The artwork is beautifully made and a big clap to Vanillaware for it. Combat graphics are amazing as well. It is nice to see each character change their facial expressions in real-time and it adds to the experience. And as someone who loves games and Anime with mecha elements in it, game developers did a good job.

More Personal Thoughts

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim might really be confusing to play at first since jumping to different years and the combats might be complicated and yes, I felt that too. But as I play more and get to know each amazing character, I guess I was able to grasp the jumping timelines eventually. The battle will not force you to play at a difficult level just in case you aim to get a platinum trophy. Playing it casual, normal, and difficult is totally up to you.

Food is life and best enjoyed with sweet people <3

I just can't get over the characters. Each of them has its own story that will unfold and as you go through it, you can feel their emotions and determination. High school drama/romance or should I say romance in general is a vital factor in the story as well.

After completing the game, I am stunned by a realization that occurred inside my head. This game tackles a quite sensitive topic about the possible modernization in the future. There are lots of scientific topics that are being discussed in this game and to be honest it is amazing to see if this-or-that and the what-ifs will succeed.

I would like to share my favorite characters! I like Kei, Goutou and Miura plus Natsuno and Yuki. Playing Shinonome and Otaga's route is challenging for me. I am also surprised at Hijiyama's route because I really didn't expect the romance. Ei and Gouto's route is the best read for me.

Overall Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

How I wish there would be more amazing games like this! 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim contains all the elements that I love to see in one game - visual novel, mecha, sci-fi with a good amount of romance. I have found the GOTY (Game of the Year) candidate for me for my 2022 completed games! <3

Would I recommend buying this game? A BIG YES!

Disclaimer: Thank you SEGA for gifting me a digital copy of the game! Despite being gifted, rest assured that my thoughts above are according to my personal experience.