Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a prequel to the recently released Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. While that game is a JRPG, this one is a simple Metroidvania. While I enjoyed the game and really liked the music and visuals, the combat was a bit thin, the story an afterthought, and the sidequests eventually became a little monotonous.

The game features several areas that you revisit over and over. These follow familiar themes - forest, ice, lava, dungeon/ruins, caves. These are fine, if a little safe. The areas are pretty small, and linear, and you revisit them over and over as you complete sidequests for the town's residents. At first, I really liked these sidequests. They gave me a reason to explore each area, and completing them all kept my character's levels in line with where the should be. But eventually the "go to X, mine Y, retrieve Z" format wore thin.

The combat was fun but simplistic. The 3 playable characters fulfilled 3 archetypes - speedy melee, big, slow heavy melee, and ranged mage. These combat types played off each other pretty well, and the link attack feature was a nice touch. The mage character felt a little undercooked, and I found myself just sticking with the main character in most situations unless the game required a specific character. I liked the combat, but with only one attack button and upgrades doled out very slowly, I never felt it reached its full potential.

All told, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a solid 12 hour experience that doesn't overstay its welcome. By the end of the game it starts to get a bit rote, but if you focus on the main story and don't push to complete every single sidequest you'll have a good time. Great for younger players or if you need a break from more involved games. Nothing here will challenge or surprise you if you're a Metroidvania veteran, but nothing will offend you either.