Long Gone Days

This game is about war, but more importantly, it's about the cost of war on civilians and those that get caught in the cross-hairs, in front and behind the gun. This game touched many human experiences, and I could tell that this game was a labor of love from its developers.
The story is very engaging, and I would personally say its strength lies not so much in the (sort of sci-fi,) alternate universe plot, but in its snapshots of how war, and elements surrounding war, affect people. The game briefly touches on some very real topics, like trauma, human trafficking, propaganda & misinformation, homelessness, and xenophobia, to list a few. Unfortunately, the game doesn't go in-depth into these topics, but I also believe doing so would detract from the pacing of the main story line. What also struck me was the beauty (and challenge) of the story spanning many different countries and locations. I got to meet characters of different backgrounds and different values, and it wasn't long before I fell in love with them.
The elements of the game are quite engaging. Unlike other video games about war I've played, the art is bright and saturated, which for some can read a little too cheery, but for me, I loved. We got to see the vibrant colors of the cities and their people that are affected by game events. The music and sound design is fantastic throughout as well!
The gameplay for the most part is smooth. Combat has changed a bit over early access and has improved, though the turn-based combat still needs a few tweaks to its balance, in my opinion. If I had to suggest something, it would be to have a speed x2 mechanic for combat, as the status change messages are quite slow. Puzzles in the game are a bit too guided in my opinion, but I'm mainly here for the story and characters, so it's no big flaw for me.
There is a morale system, which some other reviewers mention, but to be honest, I haven't paid too much attention to it yet, as I've only played through the full game once. I think it's best not to think too hard about whether or not you're increasing/decreasing morale your first playthrough and just select answers to your heart's desire.
Overall, I do recommend this game if you're looking for a story-based game with great characters and a message about hope and action in the face of adversity. I enjoyed it a lot, and I think many people will as well!

Long Gone Days caught my attention a few years ago because of its excellent visual style, but I only managed to play it now. I'm glad I waited for the full release as it would have been painful to stop in the middle without following the plot till the end. Political fiction genre with a modern world setting is pretty unusual for a jRPG-style game, so it warms my heart we actually got an interesting story with lots of varied characters to befriend along the way. It took me about 12 hours to beat it and I had fun pretty consistently with only a few hiccups along the way (combat can drag a bit sometimes, morale system feels half-baked).
The thing I appreciated most, although it's a pretty minor detail overall, is that in every country you visit (no spoilers) the locals speak their own language, so as a foreigner you have no idea what's going on until someone translates for you. It added to the immersion and made my inner language nerd happy.
Long Gone Days is a hidden gem and I'm posting this review to make it a tiny bit less hidden. Go and play it.

Still rather early in the game, but so far it's quite good. The combat system isn't too cumbersome. The characters interesting and the art style simply great. I highly recommend for fans of story driven rpg.
After finishing it, I say this was a pretty darn good rpg despite being one on rails. The story was nice, but I wish you would have had the chance to interact and chat more with the NPCs who are part of the cast, maybe have a chance to have sgt, Faye officially join the team during the last act and have a chance to turn Branna to your side (poor brainwashed child soldier that she is). All in all, a very good indy game.

Boys handsome, Girls cute, War bad.
I demand a Rourke's Slice of Life Dating Sim Sequel/DLC!!!

A very good story about co-operation and a take down of the military industrial complex held together with some fantastic sprite work and character writing

Very solid storytelling game, that while linear and at times a tad tedious, still captures my attention, my thoughts and enjoyment. The art is amazing, and the vibes of the game are on point. There are many mechanics that are implemented that I wish were developed further upon, but it's a game I recommend purely on the narrative and storytelling it weaves.
I don't know how much replay-ability is in store for me personally, as the roster of available party members never gets too far, and several quests are not quite intuitive to finish or start. That being said, if you can get this game on sale, just need a story to play through and enjoy, hate shadowy fascistic authoritarian psuedo-governments that ruin people's lives, spread misinformation, disrupt people's livelihoods and you want to take them down with the little guys, it's the right game for you.

I fell in love with this game a couple years ago thanks to the beautiful art style, and waited for it to be out of early access to buy it. First of all, I would not recommend buying it at full price, unless you are like me and absolutely stricken by the character design. It is a short game! That being said, I had an absolute blast while playing it.
Some pros and cons:
+Beautiful pixel graphics and illustrated art
+Fun and unique character interactions
+A lovely story
-Confusing morale system
-I wish combat was more in-depth, or a bit more difficult