Wow. What a rollercoaster ride.
First I'll talk about gameplay, the most controversial part of the game. I'll say right away it's not THAT bad. Sure, there's not much strategy, and the side quests can be repetitive, especially fishing. BUT, it doesn't ruin the game. The controls are smooth and your character moves swift and fast, so everything flows with grace. The main problem with the gameplay is certain segments of fighting the same enemies over and over again. Once you get past these segments, the game gets better, and they don't last that long. Bosses are a blast to fight, at least to me. Yeah, they aren't that hard, but the sheer creativity in their design and unpredictable behavior makes them fun to fight. The cinematic cutscenes are great to watch when you take down a boss as well.
Gameplay can also be unpredictable, as the game puts you in 2d segments of platforming, or gives you some puzzles to solve. It's not that bad, but just remember, it's the story this game is known for.
The story starts off with a father, you, trying to protect his daughter from creatures called Shades. When all hope seems lost, he touches a strange book, that seems to send him into the future. In this time period, things don't seem that different, as your daughter is still sick from a disease called Black Scrawl. That's as far as I'll go with the plot, but let me just say it gets crazy, especially when you reach the end. It's a story with twists and turns. What really makes the story shine though are the wonderful characters you meet. Kaine is a loud and foul mouthed woman, while Weiss is a magical flying book who is snobby and proper. Kaine and Weiss always get on eachother's nerves, and this relationship makes for some amusing moments that make the game worth playing alone. There is also a kid called Emil, who serves a more emotional side for the story. There are some more side characters who also have interesting personalities.
The story is broken into four endings. Play through the game once, and you can play it again, getting a slightly different ending. Finally, if you collect all the weapons, the game will give you a choice to make. I will say one choice you try to make, the game will be reluctant about you making, but if you really want this to be the choice, don't be afraid, unless you just want to spend longer time playing the game and watching the cutscenes again.
A point of advice, you must do some sidequests in order to get all the weapons. Most weapons are obtained by buying from shops, so side quests are needed to be done to gain more money. There are also two side quests that must be completed to get a weapon from them.
This is a wonderful game. If you want to experience a truly unique game, get this game. Even though the endings don't explain everything, it is still a satisfying game, with a theme about fighting for those you love no matter the cost.
Positives:Fantastic music
Fun bosses
Great story
Funny dialogue
Unpredictable, both in plot and gameplay
Unique spells to use
Negatives: Same enemies
Fishing
Weapons feel unbalanced