Overview
Lost Sphear is a JRPG developed by Tokyo RPG Factory and published by Square Enix, released in 2017. It is the studio's second game after I Am Setsuna, and it follows the same approach: offering an old-school JRPG, in the spirit of Super Nintendo-era classics like Chrono Trigger.
Story and world
You follow Kanata, a young man living in a small village, in a world where whole chunks of reality start disappearing, leaving a white void behind. Kanata discovers he can restore what has been lost thanks to the memories he collects, and sets out with his companions to rebuild the world.
Gameplay
This world restoration system is what makes the game stand out: you collect memories and use them to bring back places and elements that were wiped from the map. I find it fairly original.
Combat is turn-based, with a positioning element: characters move around the battlefield before acting, and their placement relative to enemies matters for attacks. The system is decent, but without being memorable.
Verdict
Lost Sphear is a likeable game that captures the formula of the JRPGs of old well, with an interesting world restoration idea. But it remains a long way behind the games it takes after.