It’s a small gripe in the larger scheme, especially when considering how many times the A.I. cured me and pulled monsters off my back. Summon Night definitely has one of the most unique party systems around. At times, you can’t even be sure that they want to help. You have to earn their trust by fighting together and chatting between battles. Quite frequently, dialogue options appear that can have serious impacts upon their opinions of you. In your ragtag posse of heroes, what inspires one person to stand at your side may send another off to fight alone.

There are RPGs with better storylines, dialogue, and pacing, but few involve the player in such a personal way. Although some traditionalists will inevitably scoff at the lack of complete party-control, I thoroughly enjoyed the focus on strategic, fast-paced combat over micromanaging. And it only gets better as more skills open and the danger rises. Summon Night: Twin Age doesn’t start off with a bang, but once the long fuse burns through, you’ll be glad that you stayed for the show.

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