void tRrLM(); //Void Terrarium (REVIEW)

Taking on a sombre tone in regards to humanity, and the potentially destructive capabilities of AI NISA's latest JRPG attempts to bring to life the light of hope amid a dismal, and bleak situation brought on by an extinction level event. Through 'Void Terrarium', and it's robot protagonist Robbie the player is taken on a caring and humbling journey to save, and keep alive the last living human. In a world formerly devastated by a deadly fungal infection with the remaining underground human population ultimately destroyed by an AI meant to protect it we find Robbie the robot working hard to keep his precious human child alive. Robbie is sent on many a quests throughout the tunneled, and intersecting colonies of the collapsing human world to scavenge for food, and supplies meant to help in the various tasks related to saving the child, and maintaining her safety as well as her wellbeing. With the guidance of the AI that brought about humanity's end this is made possible.

Gameplay within Void Terrarium takes place from two different points of view that incorporate both storytelling, and JRPG gameplay elements. In the side scrolling view you will be controlling Robbie as he carries on conversations with the AI computer regarding the backstory of the world, and the tasks he will be undertaking. It is here that Robbie will also be tending to the human child who is nestled safely within a glass lab container not far from the AI computer. This entails using items, ingredients, and organic foods that Robbie finds on outings. Some of which he'll store in a storage safe located in close proximity. The AI will instruct Robbie on what items it needs for the current task, and will have him journey off screen into a top-down turn based maze where looting, and staying alive long enough to return with said loot is imperative for the child's survival.

In the top-down of the colony system that Robbie will be traversing on a regular basis you'll find that he has some base functions with which he can fight off combat robots or creatures as well as use items, or single use weapons. Each action taking up a turn, and allowing advancing enemies to get closer. As Robbie moves along so do the combat robots in each area. Step for step. Once face to face with the enemy Robbie will have to win via attack, and sustained health. This is done with a basic punch (X), and one of four special attacks tied to (L1) plus the four face buttons of the PS4 controller. As you fight, and win Robbie will level up prompting you to choose one of two upgrades per level. Upgrades can include passive skills or can enhance RPG attributes making it possible for Robbie to survive longer as he goes about gathering things. These upgrades seem to only be active during an outing into the colonies, and also seem to be random in nature.

Along with the HP bar that indicates Robbie's life is a bar that indicates how much energy he has left to use on his skills. Using skills uses EN, and Robbie only has a certain stock of EN for each outing. EN, like HP can be restored with a specific single use item. Namely the battery. It should also be noted that EN will deplete more rapidly when using the standby function (X + O) which uses EN to replenish HP. While you aren't heavily penalized for losing all your HP or EN while you are on a mission the game will take away any collected items you've gathered along the way, and convert them to resources. This will happen whether you make it to the final portal on the final layer or exhaust your EN meter completely. Resources gained can be used in crafting blueprints along with the required key items. Do note that your inventory space is limited in each wasteland outing, but that you can swap or throw away items to pick up for another item.

When it comes to blueprints crafting them is also a huge component in gameplay in that it allows you to craft the things that will be required to keep the human child alive, and well. By gathering the required items, and making it through each series of mazes via a menu selected wasteland location you will return to the terrarium where your gathered loot will be held in storage. The storage doubles as a means to keep organic foods from going rotten quickly, and a means to house any key items needed for item crafting. Food that spoils in the storage will be transferred to your materials stock. You'll also get materials when you fail a mission if you have items on hand when you kick the can. The items basically get recycled for use in the crafting menu.

When it comes to the loop of things Void Terrarium is a mixture of storytelling, and short lived turn based combat or roguelike looting sessions. With certain elements being randomly generated. In the end it is more about the story, and less about the RPG elements though. Though the RPG elements are involved on a technical level it all basically boils down to your movement choices, and actions taken while out in the wastelands. Managing carefully what you do in each turn based outing is how you will go about collecting what needs to be collected so you can discover more about the underlying story, and the trio of main characters involved. To further help with context the game does have an archive menu which houses a description of the items, skills, creatures/characters, blueprints, and even tips among other things. In a way it helps to flesh out the world you've become a part of as Robbie.

The Verdict ...

NISA, and their developers do what they do best with Void Terrarium. They gift the player an interactive story that houses morals. Something that makes you think. The action side of gameplay does feel kind of minimal, and not as important as the evolving story though. To an extent that can be forgiven. That being said I do feel they could have done better with the combat. It's not the best I've seen come from NISA, to be honest. I'm not saying it's the worst, but it makes things seem like menial work. Like running back and forth errands. It doesn't feel rewarding as I feel it should be. As far as the story building, and the interactions with the main characters in the side view goes it is an interesting engagement. You'll end up liking, and sympathizing with the characters involved as the story progresses. The game itself looks pretty cool, and has an art style different from traditional NISA games. All in all, with all things accounted for, I'd say Void Terrarium is good for a playthrough, but only if you don't have your hopes set on prioritized JRPG combat. It's more about the story at hand.