Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a charming, side-scrolling RPG

digitaltrends.com:

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a bit of an odd release. It’s a prewar prequel to developer Rabbit & Bear’s other upcoming game, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, which had an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign. It was so successful, in fact, that the developer created Rising with some of the money raised.

It might not be the Suikoden spiritual successor fans were waiting for, but it’s not a throwaway bonus crowdfunding reward either. Seamless, satisfying combat and steady story pacing easily usher newcomers in and immerse them in its world. At least, that’s what I experienced when I played 30 minutes of the game at PAX East 2022.

Many characters from Hundred Heroes overlap with Rising, but the protagonists differ. Adventurer CJ is on the way to the town of New Neveah to fulfill a rite of passage as a Scavenger (aka treasure hunter). Unfortunately, CJ learns that all adventurers in town need a permit from the mayor to mine for treasure and also need to pay significant taxes on whatever they find. The “rapacious” Mayor Isha offers her an alternative payment: Complete enough chores for villagers to earn the license. From here, the story unfolds as CJ meets new friends and embarks on a quest beyond what she originally imagined.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a side-scrolling action RPG, so those used to multidirectional movement might need time to adjust. It isn’t a platformer, but some of the gameplay resembles one. CJ will often need to hop ledge to ledge and strike flying foes at the right time to avoid damage. Aside from that, those familiar with RPGs should recognize many of the mechanics like health, character stats, and others.

CJ wields an ax and high attack stat that can smash through enemies, and a special