The game is quite long for how limited the gameplay is. Combat had an interesting rhythm gimmick but it should have been a 5-6 hour, tight experience, not 10-12. It really outstayed its welcome for me given that the game is just combat arenas and cutscenes.
Apart from that combat could be broken by spamming companion abilities once you unlocked them all, it didn’t feel like there was any reason to use different combos than 2 or 3 that worked fine.
I end up with the feeling that the hype around the game comes mainly from the unfair closure of a studio that did something that wasn’t just following trends.
People hold the game up as an example of what’s wrong with the cash grabbing nature of big publishers in the industry, but I just don’t think it’s a good game at all.
That’s the big point for me. Ive seen another one play the game this way and I agree with that the combat can be broken this way. It propably is the most effective way to get through combats but its IMO not the must fun one and does not embrace the intended gameplay flow.id even go as far as saying that this way actually works against the intended vibe and since the combat is such a mayor gameplay part of the game I can see how a dissapointing combat might ruin the whole experience for you.
This strategy is one of the prime examples for me where adapt gamers will optimize the fun out of a game because they focus on efficiency rather than fun.
The game is not as broken as you’re making it sound on higher difficulties—specifically S-Ranking Rhythm Master—and “adept gamers” will be aiming for high ranks on higher difficulties.
I think for OP it’s not about getting good ranks but getting through the combats. I agree tho, S-ranks are pretty hard