|
|
|
RELAYER
review | PLAYSTATION 5
|
Publisher: Clouded Leopard Entertainment.
Developer: Kadokawa Games. Released: March 2022. Genre: Strategy RPG. Other versions: PS4; PC. Posted 8th August 2025. By Shane Battams © 2025 |
|
Role-playing and mecha have often made for a suitable pairing. From the tactical nature of Front Mission to the crossover battles of Super Robot Wars, there’s been a fair number of examples, though many have unfortunately remained confined to Japan. Relayer proves a tantalising prospect then: a ninth-gen take on strategy RPGs with mecha, and having Kadokawa Games of God Wars fame at the helm (another SRPG throwback) certainly makes sense. For those wanting a warts-and-all trip to the past, Relayer might prove surprisingly enjoyable, especially if you were weaned on mecha SRPGs.
Players primarily follow the exploits of Terra, a young lady whose life is turned upside down when a cataclysm known as a Gravity Loss event sees her sister taken away and her memories lost. Aimlessly exploring the galaxy, Terra is caught in another destructive occurrence but, much to her shock, the Relayers causing said incident are accompanied by the sister she thought long dead. Saved only by a pilot known as Himiko, Terra learns of her role as one of the Starchildren: powerful beings who pilot mechs and carry out the will of the stars. Along with others such as Sun and Mercury, Terra joins the Asterism ship and begins her quest to prevent the Relayer threat and discover the cause of her sister’s turn to evil.
A fully fleshed-out space opera, Relayer will likely please those whose curiosity is piqued by the mech strategy concept
A dense yet well-written thread follows, seeing you overloaded with lore and detail about the world and the characters who inhabit it. Characters are likeable and, despite accounting for a dozen crew members and often changing perspective to the other hostile crews, feel fleshed out. There’s also some humour in play to counter an otherwise serious thread, including meta jokes and a few surprise curses considering the game’s low age rating. There is a bit of stiffness to the English voicework from some characters, but there’s also a lot of fully-voiced dialogue that is good. The animated characters take some getting used to, but they offer plenty of expression and quirks to prove engaging. Admittedly, it’s slow to warm up, taking several hours to find its feet, and some scenes unfold across close to thirty minutes, which may try some, though there’s still a lot to enjoy.
Once the time for talking ends, the mecha combat takes centre stage. Across dozens of turn-based battles, you’ll mostly be tasked with guiding your squad to victory while avoiding losing all your pilots. Characters can be equipped with both short-range melee and firearms for longer shots, while one-handed weapons can be backed with a shield for higher defence. Battles often let you deploy a handful of pilots at once, each with a handful of classes they can upgrade through job points. This means you can often level up with support roles by using their abilities to buff others, which is a good touch. Between missions, you can also upgrade your weapons and Stellar Gear using SG earned from battles. There’s a lot to customise as a consequence, meaning your character build can vary from another player’s, but you never feel overtly punished for experimentation as completing one upgrade path unlocks the other.
Once the time for talking ends, the mecha combat takes centre stage. Across dozens of turn-based battles, you’ll mostly be tasked with guiding your squad to victory while avoiding losing all your pilots. Characters can be equipped with both short-range melee and firearms for longer shots, while one-handed weapons can be backed with a shield for higher defence. Battles often let you deploy a handful of pilots at once, each with a handful of classes they can upgrade through job points. This means you can often level up with support roles by using their abilities to buff others, which is a good touch. Between missions, you can also upgrade your weapons and Stellar Gear using SG earned from battles. There’s a lot to customise as a consequence, meaning your character build can vary from another player’s, but you never feel overtly punished for experimentation as completing one upgrade path unlocks the other.
|
|
Mecha fans will feel gleeful seeing the hulking robots engaging in battle. The map grid clearly shows where you can take action, saving can be done at any time, and there are a couple of neat systems to help spice up the action. The aggro system sees foes targeting specific characters if they attack or kill other mecha, which serves well for Tank builds who can absorb damage and can open up certain strategies with classes such as the Ninja. You also must factor in physical and gravity weapons, as attacking with the other gifts bonus damage. There’s only a couple of notable faults with combat. The maps are pretty bland in terms of design, often consisting of simplistic arenas that may feature the odd blockade, but tend to grow stale by the end. The difficulty is also up and down, with most of the game proving straightforward but sudden spikes coming from bosses who dish out ultra-powerful debuffs and attacks. But for those wanting their fill of strategy RPGs, this should still be pleasing.
Those in tune with Relayer’s mix of space opera and strategy will be pleased that there is a sizeable amount of content. The campaign lasts around forty hours, split into around nine chapters and over 40 battles. Upon completion, extra modes are unlocked including two lengthy What-If scenarios. They do however lack the voiceovers of the main campaign. You could easily extend that time toward 100 hours if you try to unlock each character’s Star Cube, or max out their level at 300.
Those in tune with Relayer’s mix of space opera and strategy will be pleased that there is a sizeable amount of content. The campaign lasts around forty hours, split into around nine chapters and over 40 battles. Upon completion, extra modes are unlocked including two lengthy What-If scenarios. They do however lack the voiceovers of the main campaign. You could easily extend that time toward 100 hours if you try to unlock each character’s Star Cube, or max out their level at 300.
|
|
Relayer certainly isn’t the best-looking PS5 game, but it does enjoy success in key visual areas. The Stellar Gear proves the highlight, with chunky designs and intricate detail that can be appreciated in cut-scenes depicting certain moves. The sequences between battles showcase distinctive character design, though there are a couple of characters who animate more stiffly than others. Battle backgrounds look a touch plain and busy moments suffer from slowdown, such as intense cut-scenes on specific planets, though the game does mostly maintain 60fps. There are also a few moments that warranted more pizzazz than a static, shaking screen. In fairness, these are signs of a more modest budget. The audio benefits from bombastic music and potent battle sounds, though inconsistent voiceover audio quality again points to a lower budget.
Relayer is an enjoyable modernisation of the mecha SRPG, offering a trip down memory lane for enthusiasts while also serving as a potential entry point for the curious. Some will likely turn their noses up at it, as a few overly long cut-scenes and low-budget presentation put a dampener on things. However, when everything clicks into place, the game offers an enjoyable mix of interstellar drama mixed with turn-based mecha battles. Those who grow to enjoy its quirky charms will also find a ton of content to sink their teeth into. If you are craving battling giant robots or a lengthy escapade to lose yourself in, Relayer may be worth a look.
Relayer is an enjoyable modernisation of the mecha SRPG, offering a trip down memory lane for enthusiasts while also serving as a potential entry point for the curious. Some will likely turn their noses up at it, as a few overly long cut-scenes and low-budget presentation put a dampener on things. However, when everything clicks into place, the game offers an enjoyable mix of interstellar drama mixed with turn-based mecha battles. Those who grow to enjoy its quirky charms will also find a ton of content to sink their teeth into. If you are craving battling giant robots or a lengthy escapade to lose yourself in, Relayer may be worth a look.
|
|
VERDICT"Though it suffers from some overly long cut-scenes and a low-budget presentation, Relayer proves an enjoyable and content-rich modernisation of the mecha strategy-RPG." OVERALL: 7/10 |
OTHER GAMES MECH-ORIENTED GAMES REVIEWED
Cyborg Justice (1993, Mega Drive)
|
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (2014, PlayStation 4)
|