With the recent announcements of a number of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X launch titles, the official Western release of ATLUS and Vanillaware’s exciting cross-genre adventure 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim unfortunately flew under the radar. However, the highly acclaimed title, which came out in Japan in November 2019, is now available in the West for the PlayStation 4 as of today, September 22.
13 Sentinels tells the story of thirteen students living in an alternate version of 1980s Japan (although it also features a number of flashbacks and flash-forwards to World War II and the distant future respectively). Each of the protagonists is tasked with piloting an enormous mechanized robot (“mecha”) called a “Sentinel” and engaging in battle against giant Kaiju monsters threatening the safety of Japan. Each of the thirteen characters is given point-of-view segments throughout the game, making Aegis Rim a unique playable experience when compared to other games which limit players to a single protagonist.
In contrast to Vanillaware’s previous fantasy adventure games, including Odin Sphere and Dragon’s Crown, 13 Sentinels features a combination of side-scrolling action segments and real-time strategy battles against giant enemies. The two-dimensional sections, referred to as “Remembrance,” focus on exploring and developing the unique narratives of each of the thirteen characters. The real-time strategy battles, collectively referred to as “Destruction,” the Sentinels must defend key points against waves and waves of Kaiju enemies.
The game, which received significant praise from Japanese fans and critics alike, features a large amount of voice acted segments, primarily during the “Remembrance” parts of the game. Western customers are given the choice between Japanese and English audio tracks, with the latter being added to the game as part of a free day 1 update patch.
Which of the thirteen characters’ stories are you most excited to discover in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim? Let us know!
