I've read about this game. I've listened to the music. When I purchased the game, I thought I knew what to expect as I played it.
Suffice to say, I didn't.
This game is very different from the other games I've played in the past. The setting lures you into this sense of false security, with it's bright pastel colors and quirky moments and characters that make you crack a big smile on your face. Then... you realize something is horribly wrong.
The emotion battle triangle is an interesting mechanic, and if you do a little reading and glance at the real world dialogue of your friends, it is a very clever metaphor. That, and it also adds an interesting layer to an otherwise bland battle system.
The art is simply beautiful and moving. The designs of the environments and characters are memorable. I doubt I'll be forgetting Hero, Kel, or Aubrey. I really appreciated the art shift in the cutscenes. The music is simply amazing. There are rarely tracks in game that I would say I dislike (and even so, I would consider them weak, not bad), and there are a lot of tracks that are actually bangers.
The story is amazing. I won't say much, but once you get through the fluff, what's underneath is an endearing tale of trauma, change, regret, guilt, overcoming/giving up, and friendship. One of the endings had me sobbing at the beauty, the catharsis provided. The devs did an astounding job at creating such a story.
My only gripe is really the gameplay. It can get bland and boring, and I found myself actively avoiding enemies. The good thing is that grinding isn't really necessary, as I didn't have much difficulty with bosses (and your levels will mean nothing after a certain point in the game.)
Overall, a masterclass story with complex themes covered by endearing fluff with an interesting but ultimately bland and repetitive combat system.
(Also whoever said King Crawler was easy I hate your guts)