A charming JRPG that blends 1960s Americana with a dark, supernatural mystery. While its engaging story and art style shine, underdeveloped combat and progression mechanics hold it back from greatness. A fun, worthwhile adventure, especially on sale.
Set in 1960s Americana, Bloomtown: A Different Story presents a JRPG where a summer vacation becomes a supernatural investigation. The story follows siblings Emily and Chester, who, while staying with their grandfather, discover their town is plagued by demons abducting children. To fight back, they make a pact with Lucifer for power, embarking on an adventure that is a unique blend of cozy slice-of-life and dark mystery. The narrative structure draws parallels to series like Persona and Stranger Things, creating a familiar yet distinct atmosphere.
The gameplay experience is split between daily life in the town and delving into otherworldly dungeons. Exploring Bloomtown involves working jobs, crafting, fishing, and strengthening bonds with friends like Ramona, Hugo, and Ruth. These activities build social stats and unlock combat perks for the party. A day and night cycle adds structure to the world, but the lack of any hard time limits ensures a relaxed and approachable pace, allowing players to engage with the world without pressure.
Combat is a turn-based affair that emphasizes elemental weaknesses and status-effect combos. However, the system is somewhat hindered by frequent attack misses and an underdeveloped demon fusion mechanic that remains inaccessible for much of the journey. Progression can also feel unbalanced, as players can grind for money to purchase endgame-level equipment very early on, trivializing the difficulty curve. Despite these mechanical shortcomings, the game’s appealing pixel art, engaging side quests, and surprisingly mature themes make for a memorable, if not perfectly polished, experience.
