With the success of Final Fantasy VII in 1997, it was expected that companies would try to imitate its formula. Sudeki, Anachronox, Silver and even Lord of The Rings: The Third Age had strong JRPG influences, but no game came closer to a “Western-made Final Fantasy VII” than Septerra Core.

The game is set on Septerra, a planet composed of seven layers, each with unique characteristics. You play as Maya, a scavenger from the second layer who saw her city destroyed by a general from the first layer.

Her adventures follow a decidedly JRPG-like formula (especially those of the PS1 era) of gathering companions, visiting exotic towns, exploring dungeons, travelling across a large overworld and even acquiring a late-game airship that allows you to travel freely.

That's not to say there's nothing new – Septerra features adventure game elements, with topic-based dialogues and puzzles that require you to combine items in your inventory. Some are fun, but others are poorly presented or require items that are very easy to miss.

Combat is similar to Final Fantasy's ATB system, where characters wait for a bar to charge so they can act. Here the bar is divided into three segments – you can act with just one segment, but more segments allow more powerful attacks (similar to what FFXIII would use). Sadly, combat is slow. Very, very slow.

However, what really exacerbates the flaws in both the combat and puzzles are the game's dungeons. They are massive, packed with enemies that respawn, and offer no challenge beyond pushing levers.

It combines terribly with the sluggish combat and confusing puzzles: some events can only be triggered by specific party members – going back to town to switch characters and returning can take a lot of time. And even if you know exactly what to do, you'll often be forced to cross the same dungeon multiple times.