The Blue Reflection series is one of those JRPG series that never seems to get the recognition it deserves. It probably isn’t sitting at the top of many JRPG fans’ favourite-games lists, but perhaps it should be.
I was first introduced to the series through Blue Reflection: Second Light, the last of the four experiences included in this collection. Until the announcement of Blue Reflection Quartet, I didn’t even realise there were four different entries in the series.
They are:
- Blue Reflection
- Blue Reflection RAY
- Blue Reflection SUN
- Blue Reflection: Second Light
The only other game I had previously heard of was the original Blue Reflection. Having immensely enjoyed my time with Second Light to the point where I came very close to earning its platinum trophy, I had always intended to go back and play the game where the series began.
Now, thanks to Quartet, I can do exactly that.
Not All Four Experiences Are Equal
It’s worth making this clear from the outset. This isn’t four similarly sized JRPGs packaged together.
Blue Reflection and Blue Reflection: Second Light are full-blown JRPGs, each capable of taking around 30–35 hours to complete. SUN is a much smaller, more compact JRPG based on the original mobile game but with the combat mechanics of Second Light.
RAY, however, is something completely different. Originally an anime, it has been transformed into a condensed, playable experience. There is no conventional combat, and the whole thing can be completed in an hour or two.
In short, for around £39.99 RRP, you’re getting four very different experiences that, when played together, can provide around 70–80 hours of content.
Although you can tackle the games in any order, the collection recommends playing them chronologically. Characters and events introduced earlier become relevant later, and some of the emotional impact is undoubtedly greater when you understand the history behind them.
Personally, however, having already played what is generally regarded as the most polished game in the collection, Second Light, I didn’t find this as much of an issue as I expected.
Don’t Judge It by Its Appearance
On the surface, particularly if you’ve only seen the trailers, Blue Reflection doesn’t immediately scream “must-play JRPG”.
The graphics aren’t a technical showcase, the animations can look somewhat basic, and even on Nintendo Switch 2, some of them aren’t particularly smooth. The artwork is attractive but rarely spectacular.
Then, there are the trailers, which largely show what appear to be high-school girls transforming into magical girls and fighting monsters.
It’s a concept we’ve seen countless times in the JRPG genre.
It would, therefore, be incredibly easy to look at Blue Reflection and simply move on to something else.
That would be a mistake.
The real strength of the series lies elsewhere: the stories, character development, narrative structure, elegant combat, and most importantly, the engaging and surprisingly relatable themes it explores.
A Little Bit of Persona
I’ll go as close to spoiler territory as I dare, but I’ll put it this way:
Blue Reflection sometimes feels like “Persona-Lite”.
Let me explain.
In Blue Reflection: Second Light, much of the game is structured around the girls dealing with their own internal struggles. The dungeons they enter are manifestations of those personal issues, and overcoming what lies within them becomes part of their journey towards understanding and accepting themselves.
For example, one character’s story revolves around guilt. She is carrying enormous guilt over something that happened in the past, and in order to move forward, she needs to take responsibility for what she can while accepting that she cannot change what has already happened.
Each character’s story deals with different subjects, and the writing handles these themes with such care that you can’t help but become emotionally invested in what they’re going through.
And this is where Blue Reflection really surprised me.
Although the games don’t all play in the same way, they all explore similarly interesting themes.
The original Blue Reflection is a more personal and grounded journey centered around Hinako, who has to find herself again after losing the thing that once defined her.
RAY is the darker sister of the group, dealing with themes of trauma, suffering, and what desperate people might do to escape their pain.
SUN explores rebuilding yourself, relationships, and finding reasons to keep moving forward.
Some of these subjects are surprisingly heavy, but they’re handled with such care that they rarely become overbearing.
That is helped enormously by the character writing.
Watching the girls change after confronting their own personal demons is one of the most satisfying aspects of the series. You don’t simply defeat a monster and move on to the next area. You see the effect those experiences have on the characters themselves.
The writing is excellent, as is the Japanese voice acting.
It is a shame that Western players aren’t given an English dub as that will undoubtedly be a deterrent for some players. But if there is one series where I’d say stick with the Japanese voice track and give the writing a chance, this is it.
Getting to Know the Characters
The main storyline isn’t the only way you develop your party.
Between the more dramatic sections, you get plenty of downtime to spend with the characters, building relationships and learning more about their personalities and problems.
The benefits are twofold.
First, these social events add considerably more depth to the characters, which makes the emotional impact of their individual stories even greater.
Secondly, you’re rewarded mechanically with improved attacks and combat abilities.
That makes the time spent away from the dungeons feel worthwhile rather than like filler. You’re developing your relationships while simultaneously making your party stronger.
It’s a simple system but a very effective one.
Simple, Elegant Combat
The combat is another area where the series has evolved considerably.
The original Blue Reflection uses a more traditional turn-based system. RAY has no conventional combat at all, while SUN uses the combat system developed for Second Light.
Second Light itself uses a real-time, timeline-based turn system, with the pace and power of your attacks developing as you build up your Ether and progress through the Gear system.
It sounds more complicated than it actually is.
The combat is remarkably easy to understand but has enough depth to remain satisfying throughout the game.
And then there’s the moment I suspect many players will remember most.
The transformations.
Once you’ve built up enough power, your girls can transform into their magical Reflector forms. Suddenly, those seemingly vulnerable girls wandering around in school uniforms become combat badasses.
The transformation sequences are stylish, dramatic, and frankly, just a lot of fun to watch.
The contrast between their normal appearances and their Reflector forms works brilliantly, and it’s satisfying to see how the combat systems evolved from the original game into what I consider the strongest version in Second Light.
An Excellent Audio Identity
The Blue Reflection series also has its own distinctive sound.
The musical soundtracks, particularly those composed by Hayato Asano, are standouts. They give the games an ethereal, dreamlike quality that fits the strange worlds and emotional subject matter perfectly.
The combat sound effects are also good, but it’s the music and voice acting that you’ll remember.
There are moments where the combination of the visuals, story, and soundtrack creates an almost melancholic atmosphere that is difficult to replicate in other JRPGs.
The Reason to Keep Playing
And ultimately, I think this is what makes Blue Reflection special.
You’re not simply playing to reach the next dungeon or defeat the next boss.
You’re playing because you care about what happens to the characters.
You want to see them confront their fears. You want to see whether or not they can overcome their problems. And sometimes, the themes they’re dealing with can hit surprisingly close to home.
With compelling narratives, excellent character development, strong Japanese voice acting, addictive combat, and superb soundtracks, it’s surprisingly easy to become emotionally invested in these games.
Blue Reflection Quartet may not be the most technically impressive JRPG collection you’ll play this year. But scratch beneath the surface, give its characters a chance, and you’ll find a series with considerably more depth than its appearance initially suggests.
If you’re willing to look past the slightly dated visuals and the magical-girl exterior, there is a genuinely beautiful series of stories underneath.
Developer: GUST
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release Date: 30th July 2026
Gaming Respawn’s copy of Blue Reflection Quartet was provided by the publisher.
