13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim cover art

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

A sci-fi mystery that splits across thirteen protagonists' stories, backed by light real-time strategy battles.

Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION2 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE2 /10OPTIMIZATION6 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    2/10

    Real-time strategy battles have light unit-control inputs

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    0/10

    Kaiju wave patterns are scripted per stage

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    2/10

    Hidden story order and mystery connections obscure the full picture

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    6/10

    Optimising battle chip builds and unlocking all story segments is the mechanical layer

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

South Park: The Stick of Truth cover art

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Pure Optimization · comedy turn-based RPG

E
R
V
O
South Park: The Stick of Truth
The Sims 4 cover art

The Sims 4

Pure Optimization · life simulation

E
R
V
O
The Sims 4
Animal Crossing: New Horizons cover art

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Pure Optimization · life sim

E
R
V
O
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The Cave cover artcross-genre

The Cave

Pure Optimization · puzzle platform adventure

E
R
V
O
The Cave

Game details

Released
2019
Developer
Vanillaware
Platforms
PS4, Switch
Modes
Single player
IGDB critics
84/100
IGDB users
92/100
SimulatorStrategyTacticalAdventureScience fictionDrama