🎮 Review: Quartet

Developer: Something Classic Games LLC
Publisher: Something Classic Games LLC
Genre: Indie, JRPG
Price: $19.99
Release Date: Aug 26, 2025
Where to buy: Steam

Quartet, from Something Classic Games, is a love letter to the 16-bit JRPGs of the SNES era, blending classic pixel art aesthetics and turn-based combat with smart, modern quality-of-life updates. It is a nostalgic yet fresh adventure that easily finds its place among the best traditional RPGs of the modern indie scene.

What Makes It Special

✨ Classic Heart, Modern Brain

Quartet successfully captures the feel of a classic RPG—the charming pixel art, the memorable soundtrack, and the sense of grand adventure—but eliminates the frustrating parts, like random encounters and excessive grinding.

• No Grind Required: Progression is well-paced, rewarding you naturally for simply moving through the story and exploring.
• Encounters on the Map: Enemies are visible on the screen, allowing you to choose your battles and explore with peace of mind.
• Rewarding Exploration: Maps are well-designed with branching paths and secrets that are genuinely worth seeking out, often yielding powerful gear for your eight-person party.

⚔️ Engaging Combat System

The combat is turn-based but keeps the action moving quickly. The core mechanic that elevates it is the seamless party swap.

• Eight Characters, Four Active: You control four characters on the front line, with four more in reserve. You can swap a character in instantly during battle without using a turn.
• AP Regeneration: Reserve characters regenerate their Ability Points (AP) faster, encouraging you to swap frequently to unleash a non-stop stream of your best attacks. This makes all eight characters feel constantly relevant and encourages strategic team composition.

🎭 A Narrative with Depth

The story is structured brilliantly. It begins as four separate stories, each following a duo of main characters, which you can complete in any order.

• Intertwining Narratives: This split focus allows for excellent character development and world-building, touching on themes of war, prejudice, and magic. The stories eventually converge into one epic quest against a greater conspiracy, bringing all eight unique characters together.
• Memorable Cast: The characters are the soul of the game. They have distinct personalities, from a disillusioned soldier and a magical cop to an irreverent cook and a sassy, supportive talking hippo (yes, really).

Final Verdict

Quartet is an easy recommendation for fans of traditional JRPGs, especially those who enjoyed games like Octopath Traveler, Final Fantasy VI, or the developer’s previous title, Shadows of Adam.

It’s a fun, cozy, and heartfelt experience that takes a familiar formula and polishes it to a brilliant shine. While the plot is often linear after the initial split, the fast, fun combat and fantastic ensemble cast make the 25-30 hour journey constantly engaging and genuinely memorable.

⚙️ Game Summary