7/10. First of all, the game looks amazing. The environments are very cute and clearly a lot of effort went into using various tiles to make them look interesting, the character sprites are extremely charming, and both the enemy designs and combat animations feel outstandingly polished. Hololive CouncilRyS RPG is definitely one of the best looking pixelart games out there.

Another thing that stands out about the game is the writing. If you're familiar with the talents the characters are based on, you will notice their speech patterns are used in subtle, natural ways, with a sense of flavour and characterisation but without overly forced catchphrases.

The story is a strong point of the game too, but it can be a bit more of a mixed bag. Overall, you get an interesting and charming take on the evil clone trope mixed with lore and references specific to each talent, as well as an adorable story about friendship and bonding when faced with adversity.

The thing is, most mysteries the plot is centered around remain unanswered in the end. And while it makes sense that the focus shifts from the high-stakes main plot to the characters, it also feels unsatisfying to leave this story without really understanding what happened or exploring some deeper themes behind it.

Another element that isn't a bad thing by itself, but holds the overall experience back a little bit is the choice of the base game mechanics. The traditional turn-based JRPG, which hasn't really changed since 1987, definitely holds up, but it's far from the best choice for a plot-heavy, character-oriented video game, and at times it can drag the pace down.

Overall, Hololive CouncilRyS RPG is a pleasant experience and a genuine fangame made with actual passion (rather than just a lazy clone of whatever's popular at the moment with some superficial references thrown inside), and while its short length and slightly unfocused narrative hold it back a bit, it's still a delight to play.