I have been putting off writing this review for nearly a year because Rakuen left me absolutely speechless, in the best way possible; I simply didn’t know how to put into words just how amazing this game is in a way that did it justice, so this is my best attempt.

This game knows just how to tug at all the right heartstrings. Each of the character arcs is beautifully crafted and the world that the devs have built is both stunning and captivating. Rakuen uses the lens of childhood wonderment and curiosity to explore many grown-up themes. This unique point of view makes these tough topics more approachable & accessible in a tasteful way that all ages are sure to enjoy.

Rakuen may have been released nearly 4 years ago, but it is arguably even more pertinent to the world today than it was upon release. The story hinges on an eccentric, fantastical duality of parallel worlds, akin to the whimsical manner that Miyazaki films often do. By the same token, Rakuen both capitalizes on and redelivers the nostalgia of many retro JRPGs. The game utilizes conventions pulled from these games from our childhoods in a way that I believe it would feel seamless for anyone to pick up. Additionally, Rakuen introduces some one-of-a-kind mechanics of its own, such as talking to mom. Unlike many JRPGs, however, there is no combat in the game; Personally, this is one of the aspects I love most about this game, especially since Rakuen is such a well-written story that this decision truly allows for the narrative to take the front seat and drive the game forward.

While it often seems to me as though the engine can be quite limiting for many devs and their visions, Rakuen utilized these at-times-restricting parameters in a way that is creatively advantageous and blows the platform out of the water. With almost entirely custom assets, the portrait art & pixel sprites are beautifully executed—both cohesive in style and aesthetically exquisite. As I mentioned, the character arcs are insanely well-crafted. The plot includes excellent uses of foreshadowing without sacrificing unexpected plot twists. The sound design and musical composition are at the level of masterpieces: a true display of artistry and talent. Both carry the story forward, and particularly the composition parallels how the storyline and characters build on one another in a very clever manner.

• I spent 14 hours straight playing this game because I became so enveloped in the world of Rakuen that I simply could not bring myself to put it down
  
• I played using a Bluetooth DualShock controller, which integrated seamlessly and was a breeze to set up using the built-in controller set-up that is included in Steam
  
• There were one or two times in the main area of the Leeble Forest where the game was a little laggy, which I believe was caused by the sunbeams & lighting effects overlays, but it was not enough to detract from my experience and this seems to be more of a personal symptom of my machine specs than the game itself, but I thought it might be worth noting
  
• As this game is very simple yet incredibly effective, I’m certain this game could run on virtually any hardware

Words cannot describe how much love I hold for this game. I am constantly wishing that I could play it again for the first time. You will just have to play it to discover how beautiful this game is for yourself.