Description
I Am Setsuna is a 2016 role-playing video game (RPG) developed by Tokyo RPG Factory and published by parent company Square Enix for PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and Microsoft Windows. A version for Nintendo Switch was released in 2017 as a console launch title. The storyline, set in a snow-bound world plagued by monsters, follows silent protagonist Endir as he becomes the guardian of Setsuna, a young woman journeying to the Last Lands to act as a sacrifice for pacifying the monsters. The gameplay, which is designed to emulate RPGs from the genre's "golden age" in the 1990s, uses an Active Time Battle system blended with unique mechanics.
The debut project of Tokyo RPG Factory, I Am Setsuna began production in 2014 with a short production schedule. In keeping with the studio's goal, the team took mechanical inspiration from Chrono Trigger (1995). Using the visual theme of snow, the narrative was written to explore the theme of sadness. The music, composed by Tomoki Miyoshi, was performed almost exclusively on piano by Randy Kerber. It released to strong sales, eventually allowing the developer to make a profit, and was positively received by critics. Praise went to its atmosphere, soundtrack and gameplay, though several faulted the lack of aesthetic variety and low difficulty.
