The art direction of this game is sensational!
the music is peak and varied, gameplay gives a bit of a challenge for a turn based veteran like me, and there’s still plenty of humour and light-hearted moments in a game full of melancholy, sadness, and struggles.
I can understand it’s not for everyone though, the parry system is quite a bit tricky to get a good timing.


I was hearing people talking about innovative brand new mechanics with the QTE parry system. I was so excited because how could it be new? What could they possibly have done? And its basically Mario RPG super hard mode.
Yeah, my wife has historically loathed JRPGs in part because the turn-based combat was too dull. She tried Expedition 33, fell in love immediately, and tried to show me the combat system like, “Look! It’s so new and innovative! This is how all those old games should’ve been!”
…So I’m putting Barkley Shut Up & Jam Gaiden on her computer next time she leaves it unattended.