Things As They Are

Things As They Are is a 20-plus-hour JRPG set in a comfortable, not highly advanced civilization built on the study of special laws carried by living beings, known as Illusory Laws. Young Illusory Law practitioner Doen hopes to spend his life relaxing in his home village. When he and his childhood friend Xiska return from a nearby town to find the village mysteriously gone, Doen sets out with her to discover what happened and recover his home.

A detailed world

The main story follows a fixed path, but the world offers many things to explore and collect. Animals and other creatures react in different ways when you interact with them, and you can inspect the cabinets in every house. Collectible books have distinct layouts, publishers, indexes and genres. You can also ride sightseeing carriages, use a fortune-telling machine, customize a character’s appearance and, at times, dismantle and carry away treasure chests.

A gentle adventure

The story unfolds in a lighthearted world whose residents are often a little unreliable. Its generally gentle tone continues even when the characters face a threat to the world: people keep going about their lives, while the protagonists investigate and take on small community tasks, such as spending time with children or feeding a donkey. Characters do not suddenly die or undergo a drastic change, and wild animals are driven back rather than killed.

Turn-based battles

Combat uses a slow-paced, turn-based queue system with no action controls, and the basic difficulty is low. You can pursue extra objectives while winning battles, while certain enemies call for a more considered choice of strategy. Even seemingly mild herbivores can charge together and knock the party down when angered.