Info about Utawarerumono: Past and Present Rediscovered:

Official game description:
The _Utawarerumono_ legend reaches a new climax in this sprawling JRPG! As a shadow falls over Yamato once more, Oshtor and friends set out on a new adventure—and somewhere, amid white mists, a long slumber approaches its end.
FEATURES
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*   A massive traditional **JRPG! Explore** the sprawling lands of Yamato!  
*   The Action Ring system returns, bringing **tempo and strategy** to every **turn-based battle**!  
*   Unleash **devastating techniques** and the **power of your masks** to defeat deadly enemies!  
*   Fight and befriend a rich cast including returning **_Utawarerumono_ fan favorites!**
STORY
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Long, long ago, in the distant past... or was it in the far-off future?  
The mighty empire of Yamato exists at peace under the rule of its god incarnate the Mikado.  
Oshtor, Mikazuchi, Munechika, and Shunya have been hailed as heroes ever since they repelled an invasion out of long-lost Arva Shulan.  
Yet once more, a shadow falls over the nation.  
Monsters rise in every corner of the land, and disconnected incidents spiral towards one conclusion while old comrades triangulate a response.  
As their journey begins anew, they have no way of knowing—what awaits them is sung about only in legends.  
Somewhere, white mists still cloud a cradle—but a long, light slumber is about to end.
CHARACTERS
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**Oshtor** – _Voice: Kentaro Tone_  
A warrior from the frontier province of Ennakamuy.  
Following the events of _Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten_, he has been anointed as the Imperial Guard of the Right, one of the Twin Shields of Yamato.  
He wears the mask that he inherited from his fallen master Dikotoma.  
**Shunya** – _Voice: Yuko Minaguchi_  
A girl from distant Arva Shulan, the land at the ends of the earth.  
She traveled with Oshtor and his allies in their adventures but is currently recuperating in the mountains of Ennakamuy.  
**Munechika** – _Voice: Saori Hayami_  
The daughter of Murasame, viceroy of Izumo.  
As demure and polite as she appears, Munechika's ladylike affectations barely conceal a burgeoning warrior's spirit.  
**Mikazuchi** – _Voice: Yuya Uchida_  
A man hailing from Ashiwara, the City of Squalls.  
Following the events of _Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten_, has been anointed as the Imperial Guard of the Left, one of the Twin Shields of Yamato.  
He wears the mask that he inherited from his family, once worn by a legendary ancestor.
CREATIVE STAFF
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Producer & Music Director: **NAOYA SHIMOKAWA** (_ToHeart_, _White Album 2_, etc.)  
Concept & Story: **MUNEMITSU SUGA** (_Utawarerumono_, etc.)  
Character Design: **MI** (_Monochrome Mobius_, etc.)  
Original Character Design: **TATSUKI AMADUYU**, **MISATO MITSUMI** (_Utawarerumono_, _ToHeart 2_, etc.)

Release date: May 27, 2026

Categories: JRPG, Turn-based Combat, Story-driven Gameplay

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 90; verdict: Broken; summary: The Steam Deck experience for this game is significantly marred by frequent black screen issues, particularly at the start and after cutscenes. Users also report frustration with controller and UI issues, including the lack of keyboard prompts and the need to switch to windowed mode to resolve black screens. Performance issues, such as being locked at 40 FPS, are also noted. These issues collectively result in a poor user experience.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance varies significantly across hardware cohorts, with higher VRAM configurations generally reporting better stability. Lower VRAM setups struggle with frequent black screen issues.
  - Sample size: 22 (38% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 6 reports): Frequent black screen issues and loading problems reported.
  - Windows 16GB+ VRAM (negative, 5 reports): Black screen problems persist even with high VRAM.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 5 reports): Mostly stable performance with few reported issues.
  - Caveats: 22 of 58 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: 3.0h
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct and indirect mentions of playtime. '浅浅的玩了2个小时挺好玩的' suggests a session length of around 2 hours. '玩了7个多小时暂时也没遇到什么恶性BUG' indicates a longer play session, possibly pointing towards a significant portion of the game being completed. '开头有一长段剧情，包括一些前作的回顾和本作的起始剧情，连续看1个小时便宜演出' and 'Almost 3 hours in and its like 95% cutscenes' both highlight the extensive cutscenes at the beginning of the game, which can be considered part of the story completion time.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Stable performance on PC (weight 0.57): Many players report that the game runs smoothly on PC without any major performance issues or bugs.
- Improved gameplay and optimizations (weight 0.56): The game has seen significant improvements in gameplay mechanics and optimizations compared to its predecessor.
- Engaging storyline (weight 0.55): Players are satisfied with the storyline, finding it engaging and well-packed, especially in the initial hours of the game.
- Positive reception on different platforms (weight 0.23): The game works well on various platforms, including Linux, and has received positive feedback for its performance.
- Battle environment improvements (weight 0.22): Specific improvements in the battle environment have been noted, including visible enemy health bars.
- Convenient character information (weight 0.13): Players appreciate the convenient access to character information, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

Common complaints:
- Frequent black screen issues (weight 0.97): Players report encountering black screens during various points in the game, including loading, after cutscenes, during dialogue scenes, and after performances. This issue seems to be widespread and significantly impacts the gameplay experience.
- Game crashing and loading bugs (weight 0.89): Several players have experienced crashes and loading bugs, particularly when transitioning between scenes or during the initial loading of the game. These issues prevent players from progressing and significantly disrupt the gaming experience.
- Poor graphical quality (weight 0.71): Many players have expressed dissatisfaction with the game's graphical quality, citing poor 3D modeling, texturing, and overall lower graphics quality compared to previous games. Some players feel there has been no improvement in the game's visuals over the past decade.
- Difficult and confusing combat system (weight 0.48): The combat system is criticized for being difficult and confusing. Players report that the combat tutorials are not applicable in the same battle, and the UI changes make it feel like a traditional online game, which has not been well-received.
- Long and excessive cutscenes (weight 0.47): Players feel that the game has excessively long cutscenes, particularly at the beginning. Some report that the first few chapters are mostly cutscenes, which can be tedious and slow down the pacing of the game.
- Lack of system information and controls (weight 0.22): Players have noted a lack of information regarding system requirements and the absence of keyboard controls, which can make the game less accessible and more difficult to play.
- Disappointment with game size and content (weight 0.21): Some players have expressed disappointment with the game's size and content, questioning what the large file size is attributed to and feeling that the game does not offer enough in terms of new or improved features.

Gameplay feedback:
- Combat system tutorials (weight 0.34): The combat tutorials and combat system are frequently mentioned, indicating a significant focus on combat mechanics. Players seem to either appreciate or critique the way combat is taught and executed in the game.
- Long introductory storyline (weight 0.33): The game has a lengthy introductory storyline, which may be seen as either immersive or tedious by players. This includes a long opening movie that delays getting to the main gameplay.
- Visual and environmental enhancements (weight 0.31): Players appreciate the modeling and background designs, as well as improvements in battle environments. These visual enhancements contribute to a more immersive gaming experience.
- Innovative gameplay mechanics (weight 0.14): The game introduces innovative gameplay mechanics that stand out to players. This could include new ways to interact with the game world or unique combat strategies.
- Simplified map exploration (weight 0.13): The game has simplified map exploration, making it easier for players to navigate and explore the game world. This change is likely aimed at improving user experience and accessibility.

Performance notes:
- Frame rate and black screen issues (weight 0.57): Multiple players reported problems with frame rates and black screens, including crashes and loading bugs.
- Positive launch experiences (weight 0.44): Several players reported that the game launched without issues and ran fine on various platforms, including Linux.
- Technical and optimization problems (weight 0.41): Several reviews mentioned technical issues and poor optimization, affecting overall game performance.
- Graphical settings and Vsync options (weight 0.19): Players noted the presence of basic graphical settings and Vsync options with 30 FPS or 60 FPS.

Recommendations:
- Resolution and window mode change (weight 0.12): Players recommend changing the resolution to 1080 and using windowed mode, likely for better visual experience or compatibility.
- Login suggestion for NS2 (weight 0.11): Some players suggest logging into NS2, possibly indicating a preference or requirement for accessing certain features.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.41): Players are frustrated primarily due to technical issues such as black screen problems, poor optimization, and bugs that hinder gameplay progression. The difficult combat system and lack of keyboard controls also contribute to this frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.19): Disappointment stems from the game's technical issues, including black screen problems and poor programming quality. Additionally, the long introductory storyline, high percentage of cutscenes, and perceived degradation in game production and 3D modeling contribute to this sentiment.
- Anger (weight 0.07): Anger is mainly caused by the game crashing to a black screen and persistent black screen issues, which severely disrupt the gaming experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Players feel satisfied with the improvements made over the previous version of the game, particularly in the storyline.
- Support (weight 0.04): Players express support due to the innovative gameplay features introduced in the game.
- Heartbroken (weight 0.04): Players feel heartbroken due to the disappointment with the quality of the 3D models in the game.}