Epic Battle Fantasy 5 Review

Go Outside!

Turn off your console and explore the outside world in Epic Battle Fantasy 5. Developed by Matt Roszak, Epic Battle Fantasy 5 is a soft reboot of the RPG series. Take control of Matt, a hardcore gamer who experiences a power outage that forces him to stop playing his game and go outside and have an adventure of his own. Since Matt nearly never leaves his house, he constantly makes video game references in a comedic fourth-wall-breaking way. The game as a whole is a parody of the RPG genre, emphasizing its over-the-top tropes. 

The player and Matt are immediately introduced to a vibrant, colorful, and highly detailed world. The game features various environments, including forests, mountains, beaches, and deserts, each with unique characteristics and design. Each location in the game has its unique theme that suits its environment. From the peaceful and calming melodies of the forest areas to the tense and energetic tracks during the battles, the music perfectly complements the game’s visuals and story. 

During exploration, Matt can interact with non-playable characters and find treasure chests that contain valuable items such as weapons and armor. The game has a vast world to explore, and players can revisit areas multiple times to uncover hidden secrets and new challenges. The world is also filled to the brim with numerous pop culture references from video games and other media. The player will find themselves admiring the beautiful art style and trying to find as many references as possible.

A Lively Party

Matt encounters multiple characters who can join the party as he traverses the world. These party members are colorful and memorable characters with unique personalities, skills, and abilities. The first of these members is a limbless cat dressed in knight armor known as NoLegs. NoLegs cannot speak but remains very expressive. Another character Matt runs into is Natalie, a mage who uses magic spells and is an essential team member, providing support and healing during battles. All the characters have a light and fun chemistry with each other in and outside battle.

The battles in Epic Battle Fantasy 5 are turn-based and feature a wide range of enemies, each with unique abilities and weaknesses. The player controls up to three characters, each with a distinctive set of skills and equipment. During battles, players can use a variety of attacks, including standard attacks, magic spells, and special moves that inflict massive damage on enemies. Some skills can be used at every turn. However, the more powerful skills have a set cool-down time. Depending on the skills’ power, some cool-downs range from one turn to ten. The game’s battle system is simple but offers plenty of depth and strategy, especially during boss battles. Players must choose their attacks carefully and use their characters’ unique skills to overcome challenging foes.

Capture ‘Em!

 Additionally, the game features a wide range of enemies, each with a peculiar design and behavior. The enemy animations are also impressive, with some creatures moving in fluid motions while others have jerky, unpredictable movements. During the battle, the party can capture almost every enemy in the game. Once the enemy has low HP or debuffs, the player can catch it in a crate box. After the enemy has been captured, the player can summon it during battle for various uses such as damage, effects, and applying state changes. To summon a monster, the party has to use some of their Summon Points, so choosing a suitable time is crucial.

Skillful Points

Another critical aspect of Epic Battle Fantasy 5 is the crafting and leveling up system. Matt and the party will collect multiple materials throughout their journey. These materials can be obtained in the game’s overworld or by defeating enemies in battle. Materials can be used to craft new weapons or armor that can be equipped to different party members. On top of that, weapons, armor, and other items can be leveled up using the materials collected. 

Skills can also be leveled up by spending AP. Matt and the party gain AP each time they gain a level. Leveling up each character’s skills can lead to increased damage, longer buffs, and debuffs or gain new effects for the skill. Keeping track of the parties’ gear and skills will be a significant factor for Matt and the group to defeat powerful bosses.