Thanks to the great people at Atlus, I recently had the privilege of trying out a small portion of the upcoming DLC for Persona 3 Reload, Episode Aigis. Episode Aigis is often known by its original name, The Answer, which is what this section of the game is called in the PlayStation 2’s Persona 3: FES release. It was essentially Persona 3 DLC before DLC was actually called DLC. An extra 20–30 hours tacked on to an already amazing game, sign me up! At the time, most of us were on board with rebuying Persona 3: FES for not only the rebalanced and adjusted main game, aka The Journey, but also to play an epilogue to one of the best RPGs released on the system at that point.

However, The Answer was not what many, including myself, expected. The worst part of the original Persona 3 was the long stretches of Tartarus, where you do nothing but go floor to floor with nothing happening, and that’s essentially the entire gameplay of The Answer. It is a slog of a dungeon crawler to try and get through. It was difficult, tedious, and, worst of all, very divisive story-wise. I could go on and on about my dislike of The Answer, but it’s now 2024, and we have a fancy new version. Persona 3 Reload did a lot to mitigate and change most of the original game’s glaring issues, so can Episode Aigis do the same for The Answer?

The demo we got to play consisted of the opening sections of Episode Aigis, which included the first story segment and the subsequent first door of the Abyss of Time, which was up to the first boss. So, there was only a little to play, but enough to get a sense of the direction they were going with this. As always, I will refrain from spoiling story segments as much as possible. Still, for the most part, the opening story section is almost a one-to-one recreation of the original, including the fight between Metis and Aigis and a new version of the animated cutscene that plays after this fight. In fact, there will be all new animated cutscenes throughout Episode Aigis, including a new opening and ending. After this, Aigis becomes the defacto main character for the DLC, with all the powers the protagonist had in the original game, and thus begins the descent into the Abyss of Time.

Some gameplay changes in Episode Aigis are apparent right off the bat. For one, the Twilight Clock is back from the base game, which was a new edition to Persona 3 Reload. So, to heal, you’ll need to collect those Twilight Fragments to use the clock and open the Twilight Chests in the Abyss. Thankfully, they seemed more plentiful than they did in the base game. The UI now has an Aigis style, which is really cool to see. Aigis also has many different on-field action abilities compared to the MC. She can lock on to enemies from a distance and fire upon them to engage in combat. I noticed it seems more precise from far away, but when up close to any object, it fires at a wide angle to help engage shadows that might creep up on you. I feel this will continue to be updated as the game progresses, just like you can get new abilities in the base game for the MC.

The same rules from the base game apply depending on how you engage the shadows. Sneak up and attack first, and you get a SEES advantage and get the new battle track to play — which, by the way, is a total banger. If you get snuck up on or engage on equal footing, you will get a new version of “Mass Destruction,” a remix of the one used in the original The Answer. Combat hasn’t changed much from the base game, either. You can use shift off the bat and have access to four characters to start, including Metis. Metis now takes the role Aigis previously had, with her Theurgy attack being Orgia Mode and relying primarily on physical skills. She does have access to Bufula and a few support abilities to help fill Mitsuru’s role early in the game since she is not available at the start. Metis’ personality skill allows her to build her Theurgy gauge from when she shifts from Aigis. As for Aigis, she now has the power of the Wild Card and commands multiple Personas, taking over the role the MC fills in the main game. I noticed she had a new Theurgy attack that the MC did not have: Justice, a medium pierce attack with a high chance to crit all targets using Power and Archangel, so there is a good chance she will have more. It also seems like every character might get a new Theurgy attack since they only have one of the two they had in the base game.

One thing I couldn’t check was if the compendium could be used in Episode Aigis, since I wasn’t allowed back in the Velvet Room after the story segment. For those who do not know, one of the hardest and most annoying parts of the original The Answer is that Aigis never had access to the compendium, which made it pretty brutal to get the Persona you needed for certain bosses. I believe that will change for Episode Aigis, especially since Theurgy attacks are tied to what Personas you have unlocked. Also, because we were only allowed to play up to the first boss, we couldn’t see any additions there might be to procuring items and equipment outside of the Abyss of Time. I have faith that much of this stuff will be readily available in Episode Aigis, as it seems the developers understood what made The Answer so annoying to play.

Unfortunately, as I said, after the first boss, who went down pretty fast to my Theurgy attacks, the demo was over, as was my time with Episode Aigis. I have always been a person of second chances, and I am now more willing than ever to give Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis a shot, despite my feelings for the original The Answer.

Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis releases worldwide on September 10th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Series X|S, and PC for Expansion Pass holders. If you are still on the fence, join us over on our Twitch channel on release day as we play through it as part of the summer marathon of Atlus games in prep for Metaphor: ReFantazio in October.

Downloadable content used to be a video game luxury, but in 2024 it’s an inevitability. But while day-one patches, frivolous additions, and pay-to-win models are frustrating or bad, sometimes an RPG’s extra content is worth your time and hard drive space. In today’s episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists detail a few of their favorite DLCs, including postgame epilogues, optional challenging bosses, and bonus characters.  

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Aleks Franiczek, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

Listen and subscribe where you please, and leave a rating if you can! Email us your feedback: retro@rpgfan.com

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Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass — The Devoted Sister

Episode Aigis brings S.E.E.S members into the clutch of a never-ending time loop on March 31st. Metis, proclaiming herself as Aigis’s sister, appears and leads them to a space known as The Abyss of Time. Plumbing its depths will bring answers for Aigis, why the time-loop persists, and more beyond the ending of Persona 3 Reload.

In terms of gameplay, the episode will have a 30-hour main campaign, new social interactions between characters, new Field Actions for Aigis, and new bombastic Theurgies. The trailer also revealed that Metis will be voiced by Lizzie Freeman, who has voiced characters in Genshin Impact, Unicorn Overlord, the Secret of Mana remake, and more.

Persona 3 Reload Screenshots

Episode Aigis reimagines “The Answer”, an epilogue included with Persona 3 FES, an enhanced version of Persona 3 released in 2008. It is the final DLC in the Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass, with previous DLCs adding music from previous series entries, as well as a costume set themed after the Velvet Room.

If you’re curious about what RPGFan thought of Persona 3 Reload, check out our review penned by Aleks Franiczek. He felt it a tremendously effective reimagining, stating that it is “…exceptionally well done and retains the unique soul of the original where it counts.”

Episode Aigis: The Answer will release on September 10th for PlayStation 5 & 4, Xbox Series X|S and One, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass. Persona 3 Reload is available now on all the above-mentioned devices.

Stay tuned to RPGFan for all news on Persona and RPG!

The first thing to note about Dustborn is its dystopian American alternate-history setting. Our plot centers initially around a small crew of four who have just pulled off an incredibly dangerous heist. The group needs to make it safely across the continent with their cargo, with each member having their reasons for wanting to leave their old lives behind: Theo is the group’s analytical boss man/”uncle;” Noam is always readily available to offer their laser-sharp wit; Sai is the nervous yet boisterous artist; and main character Pax is the no-nonsense unofficial leader of the operation. To escape hostile territory, the quartet goes undercover as a punk rock band, picking up various colorful characters to bolster their forces. What lies in wait for them on their travels, and will they succeed in their quest for freedom? Choices the player makes along the way determine the answers to those questions.

I won’t spend too much time delving into the story here, as I’d be remiss to spoil it. The world-building for this alternate-history sci-fi tale is quite interesting, with a superhero angle that would be at home in an independent comic book or even in Marvel’s X-Men. However, when discussing philosophical points, the dialogue comes across as a little over-the-top and stiff in an unrealistic fashion, which is a shame because one of Dustborn’s most significant strengths comes from the believable and natural banter between its central cast when they aren’t waxing philosophical. When everyone is gathered around a campfire and chatting, when you-as-Pax are gaining further insight into who everyone is as individuals, the script truly shines. I love the protagonists in this story, especially seeing how various choices throughout the game affect them. Each character has different personality traits that can become more dominant, impacting their later endings depending on decisions and actions you make, such as two characters choosing to re-acknowledge their romantic feelings for one another or someone else opting to go their way.

The game exists in episodes to divide playing time if needed, and auto-saving happens quite frequently. The level of choice and carryover scenarios between Dustborn‘s episodes is impressive, with previous events brought up in various ways throughout a playthrough. For instance, resolving a tense situation without conflict can potentially have unexpected outcomes. Even gifting items to friends can have unpredictable results depending on the timing or if you really figured out what they’d appreciate, and occasionally, characters even bring up gift choices in later story scenes. While there are countless dialogue and response action prompts, sometimes doing or saying nothing impacts scenes or opens up “hidden” options to further experiment. Seeing how early decisions in a playthrough can come back and haunt you at the endgame stages is fascinating, and there’s a genuine impact your actions have on the overall ending. For those who love impactful, choice-heavy narrative adventures, Dustborn is a fascinating experience.

Beyond the action and dialogue prompts, Dustborn features two relatively significant gameplay elements looping throughout the adventure. One of these, the music/rhythm portion, is significantly more substantial than the other. I genuinely had fun with the timed button presses for these segments, though I spent more hours than I care to admit practicing songs before each new gig for just slightly above-average scores! Unfortunately, combat in Dustborn is more clumsy than entertaining, especially since the combat dialogue isn’t great and gets repetitive. Even with the option for less combat turned on, you still have to deal with swarms of enemies while trying to wrestle with an uncooperative camera angle. It isn’t unplayable, but it isn’t nearly as fun as the rhythm or adventure game components. I would have been okay with combat not being in the game, even with the admittedly fun capability to craft new attack words and bolster Pax’s bat abilities by collecting echoes and upgrading items as you travel.

I played Dustborn on the Steam Deck for this review with no significant issues. I did have two noticeable instances where the game seemed to get “stuck” after reaching specific points, but loading my save file corrected the problem both times. Because there are so many variations in how you react to situations, you may mindlessly stumble at certain points until you come across a particular action that helps you advance the plot, so it would’ve benefited from some helpful guide or in-game hints to spare some player frustration. There is also a moment towards the end of the game where a loading pause occurs as the game reflects and tallies past actions that reaches immersion-breaking levels. Still, those issues were relatively few and far between when compared to how much time you spend on Dustborn’s overall road trip.

Visually, Dustborn is a colorful homage to indie comics in particular, even boasting “comic book” summaries of the episodes you encounter. The character designs are expressive and full of nice little touches, like characters changing clothing during game episodes. I love how the game uses large, bold text to draw the eye to objectives on-screen. Thanks to the crew’s cover story and the rhythm game segments, the soundtrack is full of catchy, punk rock music tracks with mesmerizing vocals. Sound effects tend to be spot-on, whether quieter, like rain splatter on the ground, or more bombastic, such as literal explosions. The voice acting was sometimes hit-or-miss, depending on the character or scene. Still, several actors (this playlist introduces some of the cast) give their all throughout their performances, with particular kudos on the singing.

Dustborn is a game with a lot going for it, especially if you’re a fan of choice-heavy narrative adventures with a core cast of likable characters who develop a genuine and touching found family dynamic as they travel. It isn’t a perfect game, especially with its limiting combat component, but its strengths make it compelling. I came to care about Pax and her merry band the more I played, and that’s reason enough for me to recommend the game to those interested in it. The power of language and words can be frightening, but the tales they sometimes tell can also be wondrous and moving. Admittedly, Dustborn might not be for everyone, but it provides an enjoyable ride for those it does resonate with.

Dimensional Rift is the new online multiplayer mode that allows up to four players to battle wave after wave of enemies. Each player gets to choose a character as well as skills and accessories to help get an edge against the evil monsters of Mictlan.

But if multiplayer isn’t your thing, the latest update to Penny Blood: Hellbound has plenty of additions for your next solo run! One of the bigger additions is a new area, the “Otherworldly Laboratory.” This laboratory is full of space-time distortions, as well as new enemies and a new menacing boss. Thankfully, each playable character now has new secondary weapons to help defeat these new foes. The new weapons at the Forbidden Trapdoor blacksmith facility include:

• Crimson Rain for Clara
• A Greataxe for Axeman
• Säbelzähne for Sariel
• Malice Cube Σ for Dr. Eugene
• Serrated Fans for Saltykova

Speaking of Dr. Eugene and Saltykova—the two long-range characters of the game—the new update gives them their own blood-surfing attacks, an ability their close-range friends have had for a while.

New to the update are four NPCs: two to help you at your hideout and two to join you in battle. While exploring the Otherworldly Laboratory, you can run into Nihila, a “tentacled being who has a love for tea” and makes their home in the new Subspace Tearoom facility. You will also run into Sabnack, “a demonic marquis” that just so happens to appear in your hideout and sets up shop at the Forbidden Trapdoor blacksmith facility.

As for NPCs that join you in battle, you have two buddies to join your fight through Mictlan. Dosetsu Igarashi wields rope bondage in battle and claims “to be the greatest fiend in Japan.” On the flipside, Jane Toppan looks sweet, but her syringe attacks can be lethal to enemies!

The latest Early Access update for Penny Blood: Hellbound includes new side quests, new cutscenes, adjustments to the gameplay, AI tweaks for enemies and Buddies, UI adjustments, bug fixes and more. For the full list, check the full patch notes on Steam.

Penny Blood: Hellbound Screenshots

Penny Blood: Hellbound Character Art

Penny Blood: Hellbound launches out of Early Access on Steam sometime during autumn 2024. I would be remiss to mention this game is a spin-off of the Shadow Hearts spiritual successor Penny Blood. News has been a bit quiet on the main game, with some worries over publisher woes, but the latest ickstarter campaign update did mention Matsuzo Machida has been in contact with several publishers, so maybe not all is lost!

Stay tuned to RPGFan for everything Penny Blood!

Check out the comparison video and see all the improvements made from the original in the clip and details below.

Until Dawn Key Features

Overhauled visuals rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5

Our new Until Dawn experience has been built from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5. We have updated character models, environments, interactable props, visual effects, and animations, all designed to maximize the Until Dawn experience on both PS5 and PC.

We have completely relit the game to take advantage of Unreal Engine 5’s rendering features, including raytracing and enhanced materials, focusing on a more atmospheric and “modern horror” experience.

Revised cinematography, production design & new camera control mechanic

By using a combination of fixed and over-the-shoulder camera views, you can now see the world of Until Dawn from entirely new perspectives. Blending the cinematography of the original with the introduction of a modern third-person camera, we hope to bring new life to characters and locations. The camera’s flexibility allows us to place new emphasis on important moments and tell the story from a view closer to the characters.

Reworked prologue

Although we have committed to keeping the original narrative intact, we felt the Prologue would benefit from some adjustments to its narrative pacing. We’ve given the Washingtons extra screen time to explore their close family bond and get to know them a little better. We have also reframed some of the original scenes and developed the context around the infamous prank. We hope this enhances its emotional impact.

New collectibles

For the collectors and explorers among you, keep your eyes peeled because we’ve relocated all the original totems to be found all over again.  We’ve also added Hunger totems, a special new type of totem that holds a different kind of vision to the others. The game has also been sprinkled with new interactions and small new areas that hold them. This adds extra context and detail to the world of Until Dawn and rewards player exploration.

Customizable settings

We are proud to implement new accessibility and usability settings that will help more players enjoy the game. Additionally, we’ve created a new optional alternative for the Don’t Move mechanic called Stay Calm. Stay Calm is for third party peripherals that do not feature a gyroscope or for players who prefer a different challenge. 

Screenshots

Until Dawn makes its debut once again on October 4th for PS5 and PC. For everything RPG-related, you’re already on the right track here at RPGFan!

The early hours of Visions of Mana catalogue the journey of the Soul Guard, Val, and his ever-growing entourage of Alms. Alms journey to the Mana Tree to offer up their souls in exchange for prosperity for the world they live in. The Soul Guard, as the title implies, guards them along the way. Val’s girlfriend, Hinna, is chosen as the Alm of Fire, a seemingly horrible turn of events. However, the people of their world know no higher honour than to ensure its future. Val is ecstatically happy that Hinna is about to sacrifice her life, but that’s society for you. At least they get to see the world together beforehand.

It’s a nice change to have the male and female leads already have some form of established relationship. They hold hands, cuddle, and hug, and don’t blush and stammer when NPCs mention their relationship. Hinna herself isn’t a playable character, though she does help in battle with buffs and healing. However, she also serves as the game’s narrator, and in this way, I can’t help but feel that despite never playing as her, I know her best of the cast.

The party includes (but is likely not limited to) Careena, a one-winged dragon girl with a southern twang, Morley, a cat boy with a dark past, and Palamena, a chipmunk girl with a penchant for magic (and kicking monsters in the face). While none of the characters have surprised me, they are all lovable and deliver banter at a steady clip as you see the sights.

I can’t mention the world of Visions of Mana without highlighting its magical translation of classic Mana concept art into 3D environments. Everything is lush with detail; plants, animals, water features, and rock formations fill the landscape in a painterly style that perfectly evokes Secret of Mana artist Hirō Isono. The first adventure zone, the Charred Passage, is easily my favourite so far, as it feels like stepping into the Secret of Mana that lived in your head as a child. Screenshots and words cannot do justice to Visions of Mana’s art direction. The game needs to be played to be believed. There is a demo you can check out, but, unfortunately, the areas in it are some of the less impressive the game has to offer.

Visions of Mana takes many gameplay cues from the Trials of Mana remake, but it doesn’t just rest on its laurels. There is a lot of inspiration here from games like Xenoblade Chronicles in its large zones packed with collectibles and monsters — some too powerful for you to face when you first encounter them. It will definitely be a while before I can go back to those ruins crawling with level 50 monsters.

Combat is simple and explosive. You have normal attacks, special attacks, and can dash. Visions of Mana feels like a button masher at first, but as you unlock more options, greater depth starts to show. The party obtains Elemental Vessels during their travels, and each one unlocks new things to do in the world and, more importantly, classes.

Each character can have one elemental vessel equipped that determines their class. Each class has a delightfully named Elemental Plot, a linear skill tree from which you metaphorically grow the seeds of new abilities. At first, these Plots can seem restrictive as they don’t have the branches you may expect from a skill tree. However, any active abilities learned in a class can be used by that character no matter their class. I only just unlocked a third elemental vessel near the end of the preview window, so I am curious to see what kind of builds I can accomplish with all eight. Even with just three Vessels, I can already give Careena both a spell that buffs attack and one that debuffs defense, a rather devastating combination.

Elemental Vessels also grant an extra ability to their owner; for example, the water vessel unleashes a blast of water that traps enemies in bubbles. There are opportunities to put your best builds to the test as well. Powerful named enemies with unique movesets roam the countryside, and elemental trials against waves of enemies await.

I will note that the game doesn’t run perfectly on PS5 in quality mode. I have seen occasional hitches, not to mention some jankiness in how the characters move about the landscape or target enemies in battle. Performance mode does seem smoother, but I have seen more graphical artifacts when using it. I think this is all smoothed over by the game’s ambition and depth of style, but these issues can be a deal breaker for some.

I’ve dashed, double-jumped, and rode Pikul back from the volcano-side village, Tianeea, to the capital city, Illystana. I’ve met charming characters, faced familiar foes, experimented with elemental classes, got lost in breathtaking vistas, and hummed some truly cozy tunes. Eight hours with Visions of Mana passed in the blink of an eye, and all I want is to dive back in.

We’ve had lots of coverage for Visions of Mana, so if you want to see more, check out Mike’s impressions when he went hands on in March, or our two interviews with producer, Masaru Oyamada, conducted by Scott, Mike, and Hilary.

Visions of Mana releases on August 29th, 2024, for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and PC via Windows and Steam.

After the success of Telltale’s first two “seasons,” Sam & Max Save the World and Sam & Max Beyond Space and Time, they decided to give our favorite anthropomorphic dog and hyperkinetic rabbity thing one last go before moving onto a more IP-focused strategy with The Walking Dead series. Thankfully, that last game was Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse, arguably offering the pinnacle of Telltale’s point-and-click adventure game design with innovative puzzles, wonderful characters, and an innovative story structure. And then, that was the end. No more adventures with the freelance police.

That was until Skunkape Games, a development company of former Telltale employees, managed to get the rights to remaster all three Sam & Max games! And now, four years after the release of Save the World‘s remaster, the trilogy is complete with Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered.

Like all Sam & Max adventure games from Telltale, The Devil’s Playhouse features five self-contained episodes that make up the “season.” In the first, our favorite rabbity thing, Max, discovers a mysterious toy on the street that randomly unlocks his latent psychic abilities. Soon after, the Earth is visited by General Skun-ka’pe (AKA Skunkape), an intergalactic despot bent on gathering and using these toys of power for intergalactic conquest. Sam & Max must gather the toys of power and use them to re-imprison Skunkape in the interdimensional “Penal Zone.” (Yes, many sophomoric jokes are made about the Penal Zone, and all of them are funny.) Throughout this last season, Sam & Max will confront questions like: Where did the toys come from? What sinister secret is behind their creation? And how and why does Max have these incredible psychic powers?

One of the biggest strengths of this season is that Max has a much more active role than as a sidekick, comedic relief, and occasional tool of violence. When using the toys of power, the screen switches to Max’s POV, allowing him to impact the world around him by unlocking puzzle solutions and opening up new routes of investigation. It’s great finally being able to play as both characters and even better, they have completely different gameplay associated with each. This adds variety to the game; if you feel stuck on a puzzle with Sam, you can switch over to Max and look for a new path forward. I would have loved to see how they would have furthered this in a fourth game, but alas…

My biggest criticism of The Devil’s Playhouse, and in fact, all of Telltale’s Sam & Max games, is that the humor feels somewhat dated. These games are almost 20 years old, and as a result, some of the jokes did not age well, including over-the-top, queer-coded villains and some language and jokes that would be unacceptable if included in a modern game today. That said, it’s nothing super offensive. Humor evolves. Just watch 2000-era comedies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin or Anchorman today. They’re still hilarious, but I bet there are a few jokes that would make you cringe, and it’s important to acknowledge that. Some of the humor found in The Devil’s Playhouse is a product of its time, and we now benefit from better understanding. Thankfully, the vast majority of the game is funny as hell, regardless of the time period you’re in!

The voice acting in The Devil’s Playhouse is top-notch, as with all Telltale adventure games. The music is equally excellent, with Jared Emerson-Johnson delivering a jazz soundtrack as iconic as the ones he delivered in the first two seasons. My only major criticism is the lack of musical numbers. Save the World and Across Space and Time had several musical numbers throughout that were both hilarious and catchy! Oh well, you can’t have everything!

So, what did Skunkape Games update in this remaster of The Devil’s Playhouse? Well, if you think the game looks exactly as you remember when you first played it in 2010, try going on YouTube to watch a “Let’s Play.” If you’re like me, you’ll be left thinking, “Wow, my memory sucks!” While its original cartoony design was timeless, the graphics of 2010 looked blocky and lifeless in retrospect, with terrible lighting. Thankfully, Skunkape (the studio, not the ape) stepped up with modern lighting effects and remastered sprites and environments to give the game a modern sheen, and it looks fantastic.

Another area that improved over the original is the control scheme. Unlike the point-and-click mechanics of the first two Sam & Max games by Telltale, the original Devil’s Playhouse involved clicking and dragging Sam around the screen using your mouse and only clicking on items when you wanted to use them. You could also use the WASD keys. Either way, I found these options confusing and infuriating.

Blessedly, this new remaster adds a more traditional “click on the screen where you want to go” method of navigation. What an innovation! Mind you, as the game wasn’t designed with point-and-click in mind, this navigation method isn’t perfect. The environments in The Devil’s Playhouse are more dynamic than in the previous two games, so occasionally, pointing and clicking may not get you where you want to go. When that happens, a much improved and more intuitive point-and-drag control method comes back into play. Together, this hybrid system of control makes Sam a dream to move around the screen, a massive improvement over the original.

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse shows just how good a remaster can be if handled with love by the original people who made it (along with the previous two remasters). At first glance, the game seems exactly as I remembered it, but in reality, it’s way better. It plays smoother with a much-improved control scheme. The graphics are sharper and prettier, with markedly better lighting. The result is the most playable version of The Devil’s Playhouse imaginable and one I was delighted to experience.

If you haven’t played Telltale’s Sam & Max adventure games, I highly recommend all three of them. In fact, I would suggest you play the first two before you play the third one, as there is tight continuity of characters and jokes throughout all three. Come to think of it, I’d also recommend checking out Sam & Max Hit the Road, the classic 1993 LucasArts point-and-click adventure game where it all started. And they had a great cartoon series, The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police, too. And don’t forget the original comic strips that started it all; they’re hilarious! Oh, there is also a 2023 virtual reality game that, uh, actually, you know what? You can probably leave that one off your list!

The narrative in Dream Tactics is not the priority, but it does enough to maintain interest and connect the characters together. The Dream World, where the game takes place, is under threat from an evil, nightmare-like force. The heroine of the story, Neru, joins with her friends and acquaintances to defeat the Dream Eater and save the world. To do this, the group must first collect enough Dream Fragments to access the Dream Eater’s realm. Each of these fragments resides in a different part of the dream world, and there’s not much more to it than that. There aren’t any sidequests as such, and aside from a few witty dialogue exchanges, there’s no depth to the characters, even if they remain bubbly and precocious.

The dream worlds are delightful, and Dream Tactics‘ GBA inspiration is very evident. Most of the world inspirations are pretty standard, though: the Crystal Caverns are what you’d expect, as is the moody realm of Ashguard. There are a limited number of dream worlds to explore, and while most have lots of twists and turns, they’re not expansive enough to get lost or spend significant time navigating. The sound effects and soundtrack are also pleasant and full of further nostalgia. Again, there isn’t extensive variation, but the various synth layers and simple melody lines suit the world themes and don’t get in the way when exploring.

The main adversaries of the Dream World, Pillows, are as cute and inspired as they sound. There are many Pillows to battle, each with unique abilities, but they’re all fundamentally soft, squishy cushions. The graphics do a good job of offering little touches to help differentiate them, from the balloon pillows that can ignore terrain obstructions to barrage pillows blasting you from a great range with oversized lasers. These details are enough to add character and help identify threats from a glance on a busy battlefield.

Battles are turn-based in Dream Tactics, with a card-collecting/deployment element for offensive and defensive strategies. Each player character has a default set of 15 cards which define their abilities and archetype in combat. Neru starts the game as an area-effect mage with the ability to create negative status effects. On the other hand, Luna’s deck contains lots of hard-hitting physical damage cards, alongside cards extending the range of these attacks and moving her around the battlefield. Characters start with simpler abilities, but these quickly expand into a complex system of interlocking skills, especially once movement-based tricks come into play. Most combats are duels to the death, but there are some variations, such as when the party is separated or when multiple waves of reinforcements appear. There are also timed chests present on some maps, and these contain unique rewards if you manage to reach them before their turn counter expires.

Characters have access to a pool of MP to play a card, and each card has an associated MP cost. These points restore after every turn and act as a cap on the number of abilities and actions characters can take in a given turn. Like other recent genre examples, if you play cards before movement, you usually forfeit the ability to move, which adds another wrinkle to the gameplay. There’s also a mechanic that lets you redraw cards that you don’t want in your hand, and given the small deck size, this leads to juicy strategy choices when you know you’re likely to redraw a useful card for a given battlefield situation. The fact that you can have multiple copies of most cards also plays into this. These redraws aren’t limitless, and managing their use and replenishment is key to the more difficult battles. I usually found myself stocking them up to help locate my health regeneration cards later in combat. Either that, or waiting until the enemy bottlenecks into a nice group, then finding and redrawing my most powerful area effect abilities.

There are a lot of cards to find, and Dream Tactics also allows you to construct your own decks from any available card, to an extent. Characters can exchange certain cards with each other using a Trade Point system. Not every card is available to trade this way, but the system allows for tweaking character builds more significantly than in other genre examples. Healing abilities are a good example. Not many characters come with their own card abilities, so I found sharing these cards among different characters sometimes helped in longer combats or with a split party.

All these systems have lots of depth and flexibility, but they aren’t always served well by the UI design and symbology. There are many symbols and effects to take stock of, and they’re not well explained. The card illustrations are not always intuitive, either. This is doubly frustrating when setting up decks and transferring cards from one owner to another. There’s no way to sort or organize cards, and in the late game with a large number of possible cards, this is a real chore.

There are several other systems and features in Dream Tactics. Occasionally, as you’re wandering, you come across trap dungeon areas. These sections of the map feature spinning razor discs or arrows that fly across the area and require good, old-fashioned d-pad dashing to reach safe areas and get to the next part of the level, or a switch to open a gate. The trap areas can get long and complex, and by the end of the game, they were not something I looked forward to. You can’t take many hits before the game forces you to reattempt a failed run, and runs do lose their freshness by the fourth or fifth time.

Items and equipment have their own systems, too. Rather than equip according to specific areas, the game allows you to equip as much as you can depending on two different types of currency. Like with the card system, it’s possible to create wildly varying builds as a result, and there’s enough equipment to find and collect to provide options for every character. Unfortunately, much akin to the issue with the card inventory, you can’t sort the equipment, and there’s no way of seeing abilities or summaries at a glance. There’s just a lot of scrolling and selecting before checking character statuses. It’s just a bit clumsy.

Dream Tactics isn’t the longest RPG, and there are no sidequests to distract you, but the difficulty spikes at end-level encounters and bosses make up for it. You need to have a solid understanding of your cards and characters at these points and know specifically what kind of build or synergy you want. If you don’t ‘see’ this in combat, they can prove to be frustrating. It’s not like you can necessarily level up or grind either: even though the game offers all of its world levels from the start, they’re all level-scaled. You might find new cards, equipment options, and characters to help you see a new strategy or combo, but you won’t ever be more powerful than your foes. They’re always at or close to your level, and because of this, one bad round or poor card choice can cost you in a long combat.

Dream Tactics is an enjoyable journey, and the tactical nuances and the promise of new cards and equipment kept me interested throughout. The aesthetics are pleasant too, and the little details and animation really bring to mind the glory of its retro inspirations. The dream does begin to fade with the boss battle difficulty, and over time, the sheer number of cards and equipment becomes difficult to sort and a frustration to manage. For those of you who like card-based systems and aren’t afraid of a clunky UI and spotty difficulty spikes, this pixel adventure might be just the thing to spend the evening with. Sleep well!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Patrick Gann, Audra Bowling, Gio Castillo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Tracklist

Toneless Feelings
0:03:51 – Tears of Feelings (evbtl08) (comp.&arr. Chikayo Fukuda / vocal Tomoyo Mitani) – .hack//Link
0:07:53 – Toneless (comp. Nobuo Uematsu / arr. Kimio Itoyama / vocal YVONNE) – Anata wo Yurusanai

Snowy Jungle
0:29:01 – ‌Calinca Tundra & Calinca Ruins (vs Reaverbots) (Makoto Tomozawa) – Mega Man Legends 2
0:31:13 – ‌Shibuya – Jungle Navigation (Yuzo Koshiro) – 7th Dragon 2020

Written in the Stars
0:51:02 – Crimson Star {PSP “Growlanser” OP2 (Male Version)} (Noriyasu Agematsu {Elements Garden}) – Growlanser PSP
0:54:59 – Rendezvous of the Stars – Ready to Fly – (English Version) (Chiaki Fujita {Sing Like Talking}, Additional Music by Bill King) – Summon Night 5

Extra Gurumin
1:06:26 – Sight of Silence (Falcom Sound Team jdk) – Gurumin
1:10:05 – Battle (Shinji Hosoe) – Fate/EXTRA
1:35:36 – Gio’s Bonus Track!

Album Links

.hack//Link GAME MUSIC O.S.T.

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• CDJapan

7th Dragon 2020 Original Sound Track

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• YouTube Playlist (Unofficial)

Anata wo Yurusanai Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• iTunes Store / Apple Music

Crimson Star / Maho Tomita

• VGMdb

Fate/EXTRA Limited Sound Track

• VGMdb

Gurumin Original Sound Track

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify

Mega Man Legends 2 Original Video Game Soundtrack

• VGMdb
• YouTube Playlist (Unofficial)
• Black Screen Records – Vinyl

Summon Night 5 Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• YouTube Playlist (Unofficial)

Listen and subscribe where you please, and leave a rating if you can! Email us your feedback: music@rpgfan.com

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Ostensibly, many consider short games to be simple and luck-based. Nuanced or complicated rules don’t make for a breezy experience. But what if a game could require skill and last a mere five minutes? Enter 5-Minute Dungeon, a completely cooperative game with leveled bosses where time is the limiting factor. To win, players have to hack their way through a set number of enemies in less than five minutes so that they can beat the big baddie.

With a hand of three to five cards—depending on how many heroes are delving into the dungeon—players flip over an enemy card with a funny title and artwork and the all-important symbols players need to spend to beat it. Magic, speed, arrows, swords, and shields are wonderfully colored so that all players can easily understand what to play and quickly say, “I don’t have any” or “I have three speed, don’t worry about it.” Eventually, players will learn a form of short-hand, as just saying a couple words eats up precious time.

To add some strategy, players pick a class at the beginning, like paladin, barbarian, wizard, or huntress. Each player board has an opposite side with a similar character, such as thief and ninja on the reverse. Usually a male and female variant, the only real difference between genders is their special ability, like discarding three cards to automatically defeat an obstacle for one, and discarding three cards to let another player draw four cards for the other. Each class also hosts a different deck, with leanings toward some symbols (e.g. paladin has more shields, barbarian has more swords, etc.) In addition, each deck has a few special abilities that can dramatically help players, such as a holy hand grenade to automatically beat a mini-boss or tricky event, or the ability to completely donate one’s hand to another player. You can even stop time for some lengthy communication before playing another card and resuming time. Decks don’t reshuffle, so wisely spending cards is key to victory. Players can freely discard to find the card they need, but doing so can knock a hero out before reaching the villain.

Starting out with the Baby Barbarian with a measly twenty enemy deck, players will likely have a pretty easy time with the first and second boss. The third and fourth boss can definitely thwart players with some slow play, while the fifth and final boss will require strategy and thoughtful, snappy play. The game ends after beating or losing to a villain. Continue play or move on with your day: it’s that simple.

The wonderful thing about 5-Minute Dungeon is that it’s not only quick, it feels meaty. By virtue of injecting urgency into the simple gameplay, most players will have a fun, intense time, win or lose. While 5-Minute Dungeon certainly fits RPGFan’s coverage and that’s why I’m talking about this title, I’d be negligent if I didn’t mention that designer Connor Reid also developed 5-Minute Mystery, another fantastic title we got to demo at this year’s Origins. So, get shuffling, heroes, because the griffin-door and rather unpleasant pheasant aren’t going to beat themselves in a matter of seconds.

For the uninitiated, Eric Lang is one of the premier designers in the world of board gaming, with several titles falling within the top 500 on BoardGameGeek, and even a couple in the top 100. Blood Rage, a Viking journey to Valhalla, is probably his most noteworthy title, developed way back in 2015; it sits at a cushy rank 50. For you RPGFanners, you might recall our two Bloodborne: The Card Game reviews—the base game, and the Hunter’s Nightmare expansion—from a few years ago, which Lang also developed.

In my conversation with Lang, we spoke about his ability to choose what games he covers, and that he’s not taken on a game he wasn’t interested in working on. A Bloodborne fan, he spoke about having already thought of the card game’s design when he was approached about the opportunity. Lang’s approach to designing games is a sit-on-it approach, as he likes to revisit his work months after touching it. In this way, he becomes less personal and defensive about his work, as he can more easily scrap what doesn’t work and fine-tune that which needs a facelift. When conversing with his fellow designers, he often hears stories from folks that they simply can’t get rid of something because they put x amount of hours into it; he no longer has this problem.

We also discussed his views on balance. Balance is a constant discussion in both video games and board games, especially among consumers. The idea of balance is held on a pedestal, but Lang has no problem accepting that some facets simply don’t need to be balanced. Why shouldn’t a card or five, for instance, be relatively overpowered? This creates a “wow factor” when players get such a card, especially in cooperative games. In competitive games, like the Bloodborne card game, fellow players can even the scales by simply aggressing on the lucky player. My own insertion here is that I think playing with a reasonably sensible group of players who can recognize when someone’s shooting ahead is a fine way to insert balance into the game.

Lang spoke about what he called “sandpapering the lows,” an idea many designers admire. In his mind, though, Lang says that if you try to shave the lows, you minimize the peaks, which can water down the experience. Lows should exist, as they allow for highs to exist as well. In addition, he stated that if no lows exist, the middling experiences become the lows, and then what’s achieved is mediocrity. I enjoy this perspective, because I’ve grown to love games when they make me feel something, even if it’s not great; the opposite of love is not hate. It’s ambivalence.

I could have spoken to Lang for another half hour, but my time got interrupted by another developer who had something to say; I didn’t mind at all, as I had already monopolized Lang’s time. This person was none other than R. Eric Reuss, the genius behind the critically acclaimed Spirit Island, a cooperative game developed in 2017 in which players take the role of island gods to terrorize and straight-up murder imperialists. (It’s as fun as it sounds.) My gaming group and I instantly fell in love with this outstanding title, which currently sits at rank 11 on BoardGameGeek’s top games list. He immediately apologized for injecting himself, and when I found out who he was, my jaw dropped, eyes wide. I asked to shake his hand because his game had meant so much to us, and I couldn’t believe I just happened to meet him by chance. And speaking with Eric Lang, no less! The two spoke about views on design, seemingly in a different language, and it felt like watching two masterwork painters talk shop.

These are the experiences that make Origins a fantastic event to attend. Not only did I get to speak with Eric Lang, I got to—by pure chance—see him speak with another favorite designer of mine. My wife and I walked away after a warm departure with smiles from ear to ear. What a joy.

Find all of our coverage for Origins Game Fair 2024 below, including a chat with Eric Lang, a look at some games featured this year, and more:

Thank you to all who run the giant event that is Origins, but most of all, thank you to the attendees, whether hawking wares or shelving wares once home. The event’s certainly changed from pre-COVID to post-COVID, but inclusivity and board game adjacency are continued, welcomed themes. Heavy hitters may be stepping aside, but that allows for independent developers and smaller titles to take the spotlight. Origins may be evolving with the times, but that is in no way a bad thing.

I must have been sleeping on AllPlay pre-pandemic, or they’ve just grown tremendously since then. Initially a luxury board game table developer, AllPlay has leaned heavily into publishing board games that they describe as “approachable and easy to learn,” which I agree with, except for our first title: A Message From the Stars. Want something more from a word game? What we have here is a game in which alien life is trying to communicate with us, but wouldn’t’cha know it, we don’t speak the same language. So, in lieu of that, we have to give brief clues to one another using logic, simple math, and word descriptions. Even the person who demoed the game with us admitted that many people approaching her table didn’t initially understand what was going on.

Each player cooperatively works with another player, the alien, to figure out what the heck they are trying to say through letter identification. Players use a board with all the letters of the alphabet listed under three sections for addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Each letter has three different colors depending on how often they are used in our language, and each color can only occur a certain amount of times. The alien will write a word that approximates the keyword and write a number under it to signify the numerical value that players must puzzle out. It won’t give the players all the information they need, but it can help them narrow down their choices. Only able to supply a few clues, players must respond with their own word to approach one of three words they need the alien to guess, while also trying to get more information from the alien depending on how they respond to that word with their new clue. Honestly, the whole thing took me a few rounds of play to fully grasp, but the investment was worth it as we all had a great time working together and coming out on top.

9 Lives

AllPlay has also sought to bring some Japan-only titles to the US by localizing their work. One such title is 9 Lives, a game initially developed in 2015 by Taiki Shinzawa. Cat lovers beware, because if you have even the slightest inkling toward trick-taking card games, you’re going to need (not want) this game. No partners here; in 9 Lives, players are tasked with bidding how many tricks they will take. By using an adorable cat figurine, they can lay the cat longways to take two numbers or face toward a single number with intent to earn that many tricks only. Higher risks mean greater rewards (more points) because at the end of four rounds, or whoever gets to a specific point value first wins.

Now, here’s where the magic happens: when a trick is played, the high card, or trump, wins. Normal. The winning player not only gets the trick, but they take one of the losing cards into their hand. Play for the round ends when any one player runs out of cards. In this way, a round can go extremely long or short. Think carefully, as going above or below your bid may sink you, though each bid also has a high bid. So, if you bid 5, for example, that 5 may also be paired with a 12 on the bidding board depending on how the game’s set up. This means if you miss your 5 bid, you can always hit 12, but that will take some fancy play to get there. The other players know that, too. It all sounds simple, but I’ve honestly never played a trick-taking game like this, and it was an absolutely cerebral blast. Also, the cards have cats on them. Maine Coons get the 9 spot, of course.

Keep the Heroes Out

Keep the Heroes Out is a charming cooperative game in which players have to—you guessed it—keep the heroes out. You are the villains trying to keep your treasure safe from paladins, wizards, and all sorts of do-gooders. Card-driven, players set up traps and attack good guys as they come rushing in to take smaller treasures that power them up, or hurt the villains (that’s you). At some point, the do-gooders give up; through strategic play, the villains can survive with their loot another day. Although Keep the Heroes Out came out in 2022, I bring this up not only because it fits our theme here at RPGFan so well, but also because expansions are constantly being released, including right now. Oh, also, the artwork is absolutely adorable and crisp, and almost made me purchase the game by itself.

Little Alchemists

If you’re anything like me, you’re nearing forty, have kids, and can’t wait to brainwash them into one of your favorite hobbies. Little Alchemists will do the trick, and while it’s not fully available just yet, give it a couple months. CGE’s Alchemists is a brain burner in logic, reason, and worker placement hijinks. My wife loves this game, but I still don’t fully understand it. Anyway, if you’re on the slow end like me or have kids who love the idea of smashing mushrooms and bugs together to make elemental potions, then look no further. With seven (yes, seven) difficulty levels, your four-year-old can earn their wings at level one and work their way up to level seven. Or if you have a smart six-year-old ready to enter at level three, start there. If your husband’s an idiot, you can start at level five.

What you’re trying to do is essentially guess-and-check by choosing two elements to discover what kind of potion they make, which is randomized every game. If you make enough discoveries, you win. Sounds like just plain old luck, right? Well, if you’re paying attention, taking notes (on the higher levels), and able to rule things out based on what other players are taking and creating, you can use information on other players’ turns to snag a potion before they do, earning yourself more points. Brewing potions at the right time can boost players, as offers are intermittently made in the game to incentivize concocting an air potion, for instance. Everything is app-driven, so no mistakes can be made trying to figure out what ingredients actually create. The whole thing pops off the table with colors and artwork that is sure to charm your kiddo.

Natera: New Beginning

Here we are at our promising and entertaining prototype. Natera: New Beginning is a card-driven worker placement title that found humanity getting a little too big for their britches as its pursuit for intellect accidentally turned the entire world into animals. Oops. Fortunately, you’re still pretty smart and can turn this post-humanity world into a thriving cityscape again. Not sure we learned anything here, BUT that’s okay, because we have an engrossing, meaty game reminiscent of other hits like Terraforming Mars and Ark Nova. In fact, I got a chance to play the prototype with Eric Fugere and he told me he got this idea from Terraforming Mars, one of his favorite games. But don’t worry; this is no mere copycat.

While every deck in Natera is unique, the card anatomy is like nothing I’ve seen in any other game, specifically with regard to cost. Every card has three different costs using three different resources, but the resources are not always weighted the same way. One card may cost five brains, two arrows, and one heart, while another costs two brains, eight arrows, and nine hearts. In many games with multiple resources, they are typically valued sequentially, such as wood being the weakest and gold being the most valuable; not so in Natera. I assume every card costs a seemingly random value because different animal tribes have different leanings and ease of access. So, for bears, getting arrows may be no problem, but they could have trouble getting brains, while the reptiles may have the exact opposite situation. So, a cost of nine hearts may be effectively cheaper than four brains for some clans, but maybe that card is less useful for the bears than it is for the beavers.

Cards aren’t all Natera has going for it, though: the board boasts typical worker placement tendencies, such as putting one of your three workers on a five-heart space to get five hearts, or two batteries to get two batteries. To spice things up, the board is divided into four quadrants with loyalty tracks, and a central area with no loyalty track. The center district offers larger rewards for placement, but doesn’t benefit from loyalty and requires players to discard a card. However, if you’re the bears, you don’t have to discard, yet bears are also large and can bully other players out of sought-after spots anywhere on the board by virtue of their size. On the other hand, reptiles may be excellent at gathering food and have an easier time recruiting specialists with an abundance of food, something the bears struggle with. This description may make it feel like each tribe is forced into a pathway, but upon our initial experience with the game, I found decision-making much more complex and nuanced. I couldn’t simply ignore food as the bears, and found some specialists would help my strategy, so I had to find a way to get more food. Fortunately, if I gathered enough crates, I could build a house on one of those worker placement spots I had seen my opponents going to frequently, forcing them to provide me food every time they went there (from the bank, not the player). Loyalty tracks lead to unique placement areas that only a player with high enough loyalty can access, and these are randomized every game.

While we didn’t get to play a full game, Fugere told us that a Kickstarter is pending and will launch later this month. He has been working on this game full-time for two years, and has a spreadsheet he has labored over to achieve some semblance of balance. He can’t wait to push his baby out there, as he believes it is finally in a good place. What we got to experience at Origins was a gameboard that draws the eye, lovingly crafted game components, and an artist who brings these anthropomorphic critters to life. Although it’s not technically in its final stages, Fugere clearly took pride in what he could show us, and we would have had no way of knowing of its existence if he hadn’t set it up in the free play area after exhibitor hours. Only at Origins!

Tea Punk Teas

In years past when we’ve covered Origins, we discussed the odd and novel businesses surrounding soaps so players can smell like their characters and tins with herbs in them for an odorific atmosphere during role-playing sessions. What about sipping tea reminiscent of Malenia or a dragon you’ve smitten—or been smitten by? Tea Punk Teas has you covered, and we were impressed by their catalog of wares. On the pricier side, without question, these blends smelled the part. We didn’t get a chance to sample their work, but their alchemist assured me that taste came first, then the name. They also have a light-hearted game about biscuits to go with the tea, and while we had a good time with it, it’s certainly on the extremely lighter side of complexity.

Escape Rooms

Imagine showing up to an escape room that always seemed to have a line in front of it so that you could chat with its designer, only to be questioned about why you’re covering Origins when “RPGFan only covers video games.” David Welch’s Boot Hill Heroes earned a respectable 70% from us back in 2014, and he never forgot. Filled with appreciation and handshakes, we caught up with him about his sci-fi escape room that leans heavily toward riddles, technology, and teamwork.

While Origins is ostensibly about tabletop, miniatures, and D&D-style RPGs, escape rooms have been a constant presence at the event, and Welch has found enough success going from convention to convention to quit his day job and become a full-time escape room designer. His work differs from any other escape room I’ve done, though, as his relies heavily on computers that look a great deal like those in Star Trek. While players meaningfully impact the room with their screens alone, some back-end stuff takes place, such as Welch updating the tech when players place something in a transmogrifier. We didn’t get to sample the room ourselves, but if his stated success and the line of people we always saw seated outside of a closed door are any indication, escape rooms are here to stay at Origins.

If you’re interested in more of what David Welch has been up to, he’s currently working on an outdoor escape room in the style of Shadowgate. Something more in line with what we do here at RPGFan, he also has an escape room called Cabin of the Cackling Man, which is about a cursed retro video game reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda, which we absolutely cover.

Inclusivity

We also met two LGBTQ+-centric booths in the exhibitor hall, one with a non-profit group offering resources on inclusivity in a variety of arenas, and another—Rainbow Quest—designers of a trivia game akin to roll-and-move games of yore. Tabletop Gaymers is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote inclusivity and visibility. Their booth at Origins certainly had a wealth of information, and I picked up a few fliers for my own education and to help me learn how to set up a gaming safe space for students I work with.

What struck me about Rainbow Quest was its emphasis on stimulating candid conversations without shaming would-be allies or queer folk in case something was lost in the details. After speaking with Dr. Brian Kaufman, Ph.D. in Industrial-Organization Psychology, it became clear to me that his goal with his game, which he has worked on for decades over several iterations, is to educate and affirm. Too often, those curious are scared to engage in difficult conversations, and with Rainbow Quest, those worries melt away as inquiry is its core. When I asked what he plans to do about the ever-changing vocabulary and nuance around topics discussed in the game, he said he wasn’t sure yet. Making another edition feels bad, because it pressures people to buy a whole new copy. He thought offering a printable PDF online might do the trick, but he also said that he hasn’t received one complaint about his game, including older editions that refer to “the other gender.” I think an entertaining resource like this earns its keep by injecting something positive into the world, even if a few of the cards may no longer be accurate.

Production

Are you an aspiring game designer who wants to avoid publishers? Are you curious about developing a game, but find the entire process a daunting prospect? For the first time I’ve noticed at Origins, manufacturers and companies who support crowdfunding endeavors were present to show off what they’ve done for several successful titles. Hive Interactive offers assistance to Kickstarter creators, which is more important than you might think. What makes a successful Kickstarter campaign requires a variety of touches that may not be intuitive to someone who just wants to make a fun game; I’ve had such conversations with board game designers, miniature developers, and even successful business owners. Specifics and pricing structures are clearly defined on their website, so if you anticipate needing help getting your project off the ground, they appear to be well-connected with a history of victories for independent projects.

Similar, but in a bit of a different direction, GameLand was set up at the event as well, and they handle manufacturing and production. Since 2006, GameLand has helped several projects get off the ground with relatively complex designs (like layered cardboard wheels to track resources). Having gotten a chance to get my hands on some of their work at Origins, the quality is either without comparison or as one would expect. Miniatures, plastic vehicles, metal dice with a satisfying weight, and intricately engraved coins—whatever you want, it seems like they can do it. Communication and working with designers during the lengthy manufacturing process seem to be GameLand’s chief priorities, as well, because while making good components that reflect a developer’s vision is important, it all falls apart if something goes amiss from idea to shipping.

Echoes of the Emergent is the latest game from the ironically named RNG Party Games, a studio dedicated to narrative-driven experiences. They first made a name for themselves with Bloom, a hybrid between light farming simulation and a visual novel told through text messages. Its dialogue often lacked authenticity and there was an acute lack of interplay between gameplay systems, but it was such a unique experiment that I was on board for whatever the studio did next.

Interestingly, Echoes of the Emergent doesn’t try to push conceptual boundaries like its predecessor did. You’re strictly reading text boxes accompanied by images and audio, putting all the heavy lifting on the story. The writers stepped up to this task; their prose shows an evolution over their previous work.

This tale recounts the plight of Ayumi, a teenager who appears to be the last living human in Tokyo following a world-ending event of unclear (at least initially) origins. She spends every day scavenging for food to survive and treasuring the few moments of peace she’s allowed between these danger-riddled outings. This is complicated by her bouts with anxiety that amplify her fear of going outside and the crumbling infrastructure that make being indoors a safety hazard itself. Dwindling food supplies in her area thrusts her into exploring beyond the mental safety of her boundaries, exacerbating her panic.

Following Ayumi through her struggle to survive is grueling, yet it never feels miserable thanks to fantastic pacing and perfectly timed flashbacks that slowly reveal the mystery of the world and her place in it. There’s a precise pacing that never lingers too long on scenes while still providing them room to breathe. Other moments drag on to help the player understand Ayumi’s anxieties, resulting in a portrayal of the mental illness that felt accurate from my perspective as someone who lives with it.

It’s impossible to discuss much more about the Echoes of the Emergent’s story without spoiling its surprises, but every turn kept me hooked. I couldn’t put the game down during its roughly 3-hour runtime. Unfortunately, it doesn’t entirely stick its landing. The conclusion hinges on its least compelling plot thread with unclear logic, and after wrapping this up, unceremoniously boots you back to the main menu. It feels as if the focus shifts away from Ayumi’s internal growth in these final moments and she’s never given the resolution she deserves. It’s unfortunate that the missed potential caused by a rushed ending dampened the game’s emotional impact after walking away.

I was similarly disappointed by the lack of interactivity. This isn’t to say that player choice should’ve been shoehorned into a story where it’s unnecessary, but simple additions like using the crank to open doors and food cans would’ve broken up the monotony of pressing “A” to read each subsequent text box. Not utilizing the Playdate’s signature feature was a missed opportunity to give Echoes of the Emergent some unobtrusive player agency and justify it as a platform exclusive. Not every Playdate game needs to use the crank, but Echoes of the Emergent offers nothing in lieu of it.

Speaking of questionable platform exclusivity, the Playdate’s lack of a backlit screen felt at odds with the tone of the game. Echoes of the Emergent is an eerie and isolating experience, one that would be best suited for playing in the dark on a system that supports it. While I don’t knock the game for this, it’s an unfortunate irony, and hopefully the game gets ported to other platforms where nighttime play is feasible.

It’s actually to Echoes of the Emergent’s credit that it still engrossingly captures its desolate world through art, music, and sound effects despite this platform-based setback. The abandoned locales that Ayumi traverses are displayed with distorted shadows and subtle gyrating animations that often sent chills down my spine. It’s an effect akin to early polygonal horror games — an obfuscation of detail that leaves your mind to fill in the blanks and spur fear. This is counterbalanced by more cleanly illustrated scenes when Ayumi is at ease, showing the beauty of life when her world is otherwise devoid of it.

The developers allow you to disable the text box at any time by pressing down on the d-pad, allowing you to soak in every detail including those the text covered over. I often found myself taking a few moments to let the art breathe, taking in Ayumi’s surroundings before carrying on with her adventure. For a game that uses full-screen art on a small screen, this was a smart feature.

A multi-faceted soundtrack complements the art’s achievements and seamlessly moves between discordance, heart-pumping thrills, and bliss. This mirrors how Ayumi feels at any given moment; anxiety breeds distortion and warbly tones, while other heightened emotional states add clarity with tense beats or warm synths. A large bank of sound effects also gives the world a heightened sense of realism. You’ll want to plug in headphones to get the most from the game’s soundscape.

I have a few outstanding quibbles with Echoes of the Emergent that I hope are addressed in an upgrade. For one, there are a few typos that stick out, even if they’re scant. There were also moments when the framerate tanked, causing buttons to become less responsive. The game is also devoid of standard-issue visual novel features like a text log, fast-forward function, and multiple save slots. The first of these was an inherent feature of Bloom’s text message conversations, so I hope the team can implement it here. Finally, some extras like a gallery for art and music would be welcome. Bloom had a soundtrack mode, and Echoes of the Emergent deserves the same.

But these flaws and even a less-than-stellar ending don’t override all the ways in which this game prevails. On a platform better known for its quick arcade games, Echoes of the Emergent stands out as one of the most substantial narrative offerings. Every Playdate owner owes it to themselves to give it a shot, especially at the low price of $8. It left me even more excited to see what RNG Party Games is cooking with their forthcoming RPG For Home.

While the probability of their new title being a new Xenoblade title is high, Takahashi referred to the new project as a “new RPG title.” While past titles were created with teams on the small size, he admits that it is hard to maintain such a size in the current video game development landscape. Takahashi also emphasized the ability for teams to work laterally, as more and more aspects of games flow into each other, such as characters, combat, sidequests, etc. Interestingly, he brings up open-world titles as an example (please bring back Xenoblade Chronicles X!).

Here is a list of positions Monolith Soft is aiming to fill:

• 2D Designer (Artwork staff, leader position)
• 3DCG Designer (Characters)
• 3DCG Designer (Maps)
• Development Environment Engineer
• Field Level Designer
• Assistant Director
• In-game Animator
• Effects Designer

For the full letter from Tetsuya Takahashi, check out Lugalbanda’s translation. Previous translations include Tetsuya Takahashi’s message on the Xenoblade soundtrack collection.

What could the new title be? Xenoblade Chronicles 4? A follow-up to Xenoblade Chronicles X? Xenosaga Episode IV? Okay, maybe not that last one, as much as my heart yearns for it, but stay tuned to RPGFan as we learn more!

Source: Lugalbanda

Preview the newest trailer below, featuring updated graphics and revamped combat.

Fate/Extra, the first RPG in the Fate series, made its debut in Japan back in July 2010, followed by a North American release in November 2011. I’m glad to know that Fate/Extra Record‘s combat has been completely redone, with a deck-building dramatic command battle that improves the scenario, as our PSP review states that the combat of the original falls short of delivering a great experience.

Fate/Extra Record Overview

About

The “Moon Holy Grail War” begins anew…

The setting is a Spiritron virtual world called “SE.RA.PH.” built on the moon. Masters and Servants team up and fight for survival in pursuit of the “Holy Grail,” an omnipotent wish-granting device, in the Moon Holy Grail War which begins once again…

This is a remake of Fate/EXTRA, the first Fate series RPG originally released on July 22, 2010, now revamped for modern hardware with an expanded scenario, refreshed character graphics, and dramatic command battles utilizing a highly strategic deck-building system.

Master and Servant

128 of the world’s top hackers, each capable of transforming their soul into Spiritrons, are selected as Masters to participate in the Holy Grail War.

The Servants they form contracts with are the souls of legendary heroes and eminent figures from history, whose true names are concealed. These Servants are materialized as Spiritron life-forms and are assigned to one of seven classes, such as Saber or Archer.

Through their shared struggle, where they entrust their souls to one another, their pasts and hidden desires intersect.

Staff

• Original Story and Scenario: Kinoko Nasu / TYPE-MOON
• Original Character Concept: Takashi Takeuchi / TYPE-MOON
• Planning and Direction: Kazuya Niino / TYPE-MOON studio BB
• Character Design: Arco Wada

Screenshots

Fate/Extra Record is scheduled to launch sometime in 2025 for PS5, PS4, Switch, and PC via Steam.

Stay tuned here at RPGFan as we anticipate an official release date of this title and keep checking back for more announcements of RPGs being remade in modern platforms!

Source: Gematsu

Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom begins its tale in January 1864. Our protagonist, Chizuru Yukimura, is a young woman disguised as a boy for safety reasons. She travels alone from Edo (the city later known as Tokyo) to Kyoto in search of her missing father, a well-respected doctor knowledgeable in Western medicine. She comes upon a gruesome scene of white-haired, red-eyed samurai dismembering and killing people, only to be saved from a similar fate with the timely intervention of members of the Shinsengumi, famed swordsmen loyal to the Tokugawa Shogunate keeping the peace in Kyoto. As it turns out, the Shinsengumi also have reasons for seeking Chizuru’s father. She becomes a ward in their care, serving as the “Demon Commander” Toshizo Hijikata’s page. However, conflict and danger are never far away in this turbulent period of Japanese history, with revolutionary upheaval and war ever looming. With a demonic supernatural element added to the shadows of historical events, Chizuru, over the years, becomes a witness to the sincere pride of warriors as the Shinsengumi continues to fight what might be a losing battle.

Given the above story synopsis and the authentic history behind the legendary “Wolves of Mibu,” it should be no shock that Hakuoki‘s narrative has tragic and dark undertones. There’s no shortage of severe and painful moments throughout the various routes, and the descriptions routinely depict war’s gruesome and sad sides. That isn’t to say there aren’t some hopeful or sweet moments, too, particularly along the “good” ending routes. Still, I appreciate how realistically tempered the developers handled the plot’s political intrigue and warfare drama. The story told here is very human, despite the occasional supernatural elements at play, with characters who are realistically flawed yet ultimately likable. This sentiment also extends well beyond the numerous love interests to include the supporting cast, such as the tragic figures of Isami Kondou and Genzaburou Inoue. The intermixing of believable, gradually developed romance against the backdrop of a revolution makes for a powerful narrative that even those hesitant about otome titles should try. Chizuru is also a compelling heroine with standout personality traits regardless of the love interest route you’re on, making her far from a blank self-insert type.

As stated, Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom combines Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms into a single package. These two titles provide all the character routes readily available in the game’s PSP release and six additional character storylines. The added routes for Shinsengumi captain Shinpachi Nagakura and especially the Shinsengumi Watch member Susumu Yamazaki were enough of a draw, quickly becoming two of my favorite storylines. However, new character additions such as Hachiro Iba and Kazue Souma also stand out. The developers ensured that all routes make narrative sense, and the common route for Kyoto Winds is expanded with additional scenes to ensure the new characters believably fit the branching plot. They even tweaked and lengthened the occasionally more antagonistic character Chikage Kazama’s route to help it cohesively fit better into the plot, arguably strengthening his route’s subsequent romance. Given that this version of the Hakuoki story is the “most complete” compared to the original release by providing so much extra content, it’s not difficult to recommend it to both Hakuoki fans and visual novel fans.

But that also puts Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom in a precarious situation. I can wholeheartedly recommend the title to those who haven’t played Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms yet, and I’d do so with gusto! But this port might not be a must-buy for fans who’ve already purchased those games for Vita or PC, as the Switch port doesn’t do much other than combine the two games. There are no added bells or whistles to entice returning players to replay. If you’ve already exhausted all of the story routes for Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms, there’s nothing extra here you haven’t already seen.

You automatically begin the Kyoto Winds half when starting a new game in Chronicles of Wind and Blossom. You must see a character’s route through to the end before you can open up an Edo Blossoms playthrough, and that’ll only be for the character whose route you just unlocked fully in Kyoto Winds. You must also play through the common route and see its various scenes once before you can skip through them to speed things along for subsequent replays. The common route is quite lengthy, and since I’d previously played Kyoto Winds and seen most of it, this made my first playthrough, in particular, feel like a slog. Admittedly, I became hooked once I uncovered previously unseen scenes, but that’s something returning players should consider.

Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom plays like a traditional visual novel in every respect. You advance through the game’s text until you reach a decision point that impacts how a given scene plays out. You may uncover a CG illustration or new dialogue, depending on your decisions. You can save manually and skip text already read in previous playthroughs. After playing through the game, you open up a helpful Record of Service menu option that lets you choose to start a story scene you’ve already unlocked so that you can skip specific early story points if you’re so inclined. That’s about it for extras, besides the expected CG Gallery that lets you view CGs you’ve unlocked.

This time, there’s a new English localization for the script, though I’m hard-pressed to say it impacts the story presentation since both translation versions are strong. There are a few typographical and grammatical errors in Chronicles of Wind and Blossom, especially in the second half of the Edo Blossoms portion. Still, they’re not frequent or distracting. The voice acting is superb, though some characters have such quietly spoken lines that it can be hard to hear them. This low voice issue is most notable with characters such as Toshizo Hijikata or Chikage Kazama compared to the more boisterous Shinpachi Nagakura or Heisuke Toudou. The soundtrack is quite dynamic, and I especially enjoy the new opening theme for this version of the game as it’s one of the few extras afforded to Chronicles of the Wind and Blossom. The character artwork and CG illustrations are gorgeous to behold, and I love how expressive the character portraits are. The visual indicator for when a character’s affection for Chizuru rises is quite distinct and eye-catching, too.

Overall, there isn’t much critical I can say; Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom combines the series’ two “most complete” titles into one lengthy adventure, easily making it the definitive edition of Hakuoki. Newcomers and those who’ve only played the PSP port of Hakuoki should try this version of the groundbreaking otome VN. Still, those who’ve played Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms in their entirety might not find enough new content here to warrant a second purchase unless they want to play on the Nintendo Switch. As it stands, Chizuru’s adventures with the Shinsengumi remain powerfully compelling.

The compilation features updated box art drops the “Pixel Remaster” branding, dubbing the release as “Anniversary Edition”. Copies will include a sticker sheet with 12 character sprites from the series.

For those who are new to the series or haven’t played these six genre-defining RPG classics, here’s a video overview (from last year) of what you can expect.

Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition Overview

The first six FINAL FANTASY games have been updated with beautiful new 2D pixel graphics designed to look great on HD displays, rearranged soundtracks overseen by original composer Nobuo Uematsu and improved gameplay features, including modernised user interface, auto-battle options and more.

The games are available on PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam now digitally, either separately or as a collection comprising FINAL FANTASY I – VI.

Key Features

The pixel remaster versions of these classic games have some awesome features that make them even more enjoyable to play than before.

These include the option to:

• Change soundtracks: The Pixel Remaster series features utterly superb new orchestral arrangements of FINAL FANTASY I – VI’s soundtracks. However, we know some of you may want to recreate the original experience of playing these games, so you’ll be able to switch between the original and rearranged soundtracks.
• Change fonts: The console release of FINAL FANTASY I – VI gives you the option to switch between two different fonts: the default font and a new pixel-based font that recreates the feel of the original games.
• Turn off random encounters: Sometimes you just want to explore in peace, so a feature in the Pixel Remaster games lets you turn off random encounters completely. This means you can roam the world without being harassed by monsters. That also means you won’t get stronger, so be careful how you use it…
• Adjust experience: Speaking of getting stronger, want to speed things up a little? Boost features let you adjust the experience gained by up to four times. Perfect if you want an easier run through the games.
• Auto-battle: With a press of a button, you can make characters automatically perform their last action. It makes battles fly by!
• View extras: Get a closer look at the many monsters you’ll face in the bestiary, marvel at the beautiful illustrations in a gallery, and enjoy the incredible soundtracks in a music player.

All these features are, of course, optional, but they mean that players of all types – from those who played the originals to those who have never played a classic FINAL FANTASY game before – can have a great time with these six awesome adventures.

Screenshots

Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition is now available to pre-order for $74.99 at participating retailers. The collection releases on October 8th for PS4 and Switch.

Collectors who missed out on the first run (including myself), now’s your chance! As for digital players, it’s worth noting that all six games are currently 20% off on the PS Store and Nintendo eShop.

Stay tuned here at RPGFan for all things Final Fantasy!

Summon your bed, get comfy, and watch the new trailer below:

Zelda runs into various inhabitants in the Kingdom of Hyrule throughout her journey, including the Gerudo tribe, Gorons, Deku Scrubs, and Sea and River Zoras. Throughout your adventure, Zelda will help these various groups through quests, keeping track of it all in her handy Adventure Log. You are rewarded with the good deed of helping your people (and more tangible prizes).

In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, the mysterious creature Tri helps you both with puzzles and traversing your environment. One power, Echoes, allows Zelda to summon objects from the environment to get farther or defend herself from enemies. Another ability, Bind, allows Zelda to pull objects with her movement, such as guiding a huge boulder over a cliff. On the other hand, Reverse Bond does the opposite; you’ll be able to attach Zelda to the movements of creatures, like flying in the sky along with a bird.

However, for more traditional travel options, Zelda can ride on a horse and travel instantly through waypoints to get around Hyrule quickly. Accessories and outfits will also allow her to increase skills such as her swim speed. Tasty smoothies can also add extra effects, like health recovery, if you have the right ingredients.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Screenshots

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches for the Nintendo Switch on September 26th. Pre-orders are available now on the eShop. If you want to go the extra mile, the Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition, which includes Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack for a year, launches on the same day.

Stay tuned to RPGFan for everything The Legend of Zelda!

Very few podcast, article, or video topics on the internet get folks more enthusiastic or more up in arms than tiers, lists, or a combination thereof. On today’s emotional episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists play a fantasy-draft style game to place the main-series Final Fantasy games (plus FF Tactics) into five tiers. What quintet of RPGs land in the coveted S tier? Which panelists skipped the PS3 and PS4 entries in the series? Listen to find out! Prepare to feel feelings! 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Kyle Cantelon, Aleks Franiczek, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

Listen and subscribe where you please, and leave a rating if you can! Email us your feedback: retro@rpgfan.com

More: Overcast | Pocket Casts | Castro | Podbean | Podcast Addict | Player FM | View all Retro Encounter posts

Alabaster Dawn Overview

Description

Alabaster Dawn is an Action RPG that builds on the best aspects of Radical Fish Games’ previous title, CrossCode. It features a deep combat system, challenging puzzles, and a mysterious world teeming with secrets, all bundled up in an engaging story. The shadow of Nyx has fallen—warping the world into a wasteland and vanishing the gods and their people. Now, Juno the Outcast Chosen, awakes to an impossible task: bring it all back.

History

Development on Alabaster Dawn has started around the time the last CrossCode DLC (A New Home) has been released. Initially (and for a long time) known as “Project Terra”, the Project started by… writing a new engine. Just like CrossCode, the game is based on HTML5. However, this time we decided to use WebGL to support 3D graphics. Additionally we decided to rewrite our entire CrossCode codebase from JavaScript to TypeScript in order to simplify ports for consoles. After several years of prototyping and building a new solid foundation… we finally settled for the name “Alabaster Dawn” and were ready to properly start working on all that content we’ve planned! Currently, the game is still in a rather early state content wise, but relatively far developed in terms of features. We’re close to reaching a proper vertical slice that will demonstrate all major features. Just like with CrossCode, we will consider releasing Alabaster Dawn as an “Early Access” title to support an extended development time and gather more feedback to further improve the game to its best possible state.

Features

• A unique 2.5D art style combing pixelart with a subtle 3D perspective
• A deep combat system featuring combo trees, 4 elements, and 8 unique weapons that can be quickly switched between at any time
• A large environment to explore that will change and develop as the game progresses
• Settlements that will be built from rubbles into bustling towns.
• Several larger dungeons filled with puzzles and large boss fights
• A complete RPG system with leveling, equipment, and skill trees
• A unique cooking system that combines healing and buff consumables with a leveling system, designed to avoid item hoarding
• All the exploration and jumping that you loved (…or hated) from CrossCode. The 3D helps with the perspective!
• A detailed movement system with auto-jumping and precise collision
• An engaging story about rebuilding a civilization with lots of surprising twists
• Original soundtrack by Deniz Akbulut (aka Nagi Shirakumo)

Alabaster Dawn Screenshots

Radical Fish Games will showcase Alabaster Dawn at this month’s Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. So if you happen to be there, drop in and say hello to the devs, and be sure to let them know RPGFan sent you. Alabaster Dawn is available to wishlist on Steam now, with an expected Early Access release in 2025.

Keep reading RPGFan for all the latest RPG news!

Before diving into the list, I first want to give special recognition to mecha. These giant machines are pivotal in numerous gaming series and genres. Some RPGs I particularly love that incorporate mechs include 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Front Mission, and Xenogears. However, I put mecha in a separate category from robots. Mecha do not usually have their own personalities or sentience but rather function as a vehicle or weapon to be piloted by organic beings. Sorry to anyone anticipating Magitek Armor showing up on the countdown.

So with that housekeeping out of the way, on to the list. Meatbags, enjoy!

10. Machines (all of them) – Horizon Zero Dawn

To kick off the list, I have to give credence to an outstanding robot-heavy RPG. A thousand years before the events of Horizon Zero Dawn, a plague turned combat machines against humanity, causing a global armageddon. Humans remain as tribes, trying to survive against the remaining ancient predators. Horizon’s protagonist, Aloy, must defeat a wide variety of animal-like machines in combat or, in some cases, reprogram them to assist in her quest. 

Each machine presents a unique challenge, often requiring Aloy to learn its movement patterns and exploit its weak points. The various machines and challenges keep combat tense and fun throughout the adventure. For me, the standouts are the turtle-like shell walkers, amphibious snapmaws, and enormous behemoths. Without question, machines are a huge part of what makes Horizon’s world so special.

9. Cait Sith – Final Fantasy VII

Cait Sith is definitely the strangest Final Fantasy VII party member. In fact, I would guess that many people are unsure what the creature actually is. According to official Final Fantasy lore, he is a, ahem, remote-controlled anthropomorphic cat that often rides atop a large stuffed moogle that he commands with a megaphone. Obviously. I know Cait Sith is certainly not the most revered FFVII character. In truth, the poor guy is often tagged with the “useless character” description. However, I have an affinity for characters that provide comic relief (which may become more evident by the end of this list), especially in games whose characters and arcs are often overly serious.

Cait Sith provides an unpredictability—both in story and battle encounters—that is peculiar and whimsical regardless of the circumstances. Anyone who has seen his reaction to FFVII’s major character death knows what I mean. Cait Sith’s true nature is still up for debate as well. Though he is purportedly controlled remotely by Reeve (the one Shinra suit who seems to have a soul), ample evidence supports sentience and free will. His effectiveness in battle is governed by luck and RNG. While this can sometimes lead to unfavorable outcomes, his “Game Over” limit break can instantly eliminate any boss in the game. Also, animals (even the robotic variety) are always preferable to humans, am I right?

8. Legion – Mass Effect 2

Golden-era BioWare was without equal in creating memorable characters, and while Legion may not be the most well-known, they rightfully belong on this list. Legion is part of the Geth, a collective artificial intelligence designed by the Quarians as a workforce. Many Geth play major antagonistic roles in the Mass Effect series, siding with the ancient Reapers on their quest for a galactic purge of organic lifeforms.

Legion is a unique and fascinating companion who provides Shepard insight into Geth history, philosophy, motivations, and biology. Legion is actually a collection of 1,183 AI programs inhabiting a single mobile platform—a literal hive mind. Always addressing Commander Shepard as “Shepard Commander,” Legion frequently drops quotes and deep insights that differ from those of “organic” Mass Effect 2 party members. Within Legion, players can see the potential benefits and consequences of AI’s expansion in the future. 

7. Nick Valentine – Fallout 4

While not the only robotic companion available in Fallout 4, this synth private investigator is the best of the bunch. Nick is a specialized prototype designed by the literal underground Institute to handle artificially implanted personality traits. Nick Valentine is actually the name of a pre-war detective whose memories were uploaded into the synth. Valentine is a rare example of an artificial being with actual human memories.

After the Lone Wanderer rescues Nick from Vault 114, the synth lends his investigation skills to help track down their missing son. He operates Valentine Detective Agency in Diamond City with the help of his long-time secretary, Ellie Perkins. An adept computer hacker and perceptive detective, Nick can prove an invaluable wasteland companion. He also brings a dry wit and charm, creating memorable dialogue interactions. I’m particularly fond of bringing him into Brotherhood of Steel territory and watching him casually tear apart their anti-synth prejudices.

6. Aigis – Persona 3

Aigis is the first entry on the list (not the last) whose character arc revolves around understanding human emotion. Engineered as an anti-Shadow weapon and bestowed with a personality module to give her a sense of self, Aigis also has a complicated relationship with the game’s antagonist. In the early parts of the game, she is exclusively focused on her mission, aside from having a strong affinity for the main protagonist, Makoto. Although her personality allows her to present herself as human, she does not understand the human psyche and often acts outside social norms (often leading to humorous situations).

Throughout Persona 3, she increasingly desires to understand what it means to live and experience genuine human emotion. This concept is common in JRPGs (more on that later), but some characters and games are more impactful in exploring and executing that theme. Aigis experiences significant growth, learns to understand morality, cares for others, and experiences the feelings associated with loss. The more she awakens to understanding human emotion, the more it leads to major revelations. She understands the concept of feelings over logic and must confront the reality that she will outlive her human companions. Perhaps the biggest lesson we find in her story is finding meaning in life’s more simple aspects. A realization most of us could learn and benefit from.

5. Claptrap – Borderlands series

CL4P-TP—more commonly called “Claptrap”—is the most recognizable NPC in the Borderlands series and among the most recognizable in gaming. Its popularity will likely grow upon the release of the upcoming Borderlands movie, in which Jack Black will lend his voice to the beloved bot. From the opening of the original Borderlands to the franchise’s most recent spin-off, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, the little wheeled, mini-fridge-sized robot has been a constant in a chaotic universe.

Created by the Hyperion Corporation as a general-purpose robot, Claptrap was programmed to be overenthusiastic. Throughout the series, it guides and offers assistance to the vault hunters. Think of Claptrap as a cross between R2-D2 and the robots from Mystery Science Theater 3000. Its particular blend of charisma and humor is perfect for the Borderlands franchise and plays a huge part in establishing the overall tone. However, Claptrap’s personality often reveals deeper layers than just comic relief. At times it expresses fear, loneliness, and even symptoms of PTSD. Its character has also grown and now has a fleshed-out backstory, as well as a significant role in the plot throughout the series. Claptrap reaches rarified robot status as the most famous and beloved character of a franchise.

4. Robo – Chrono Trigger

Initially created to assist humans, Robo is found dormant and abandoned in a future timeline by Chrono Trigger’s party. In this post-apocalyptic reality, Robo is seemingly the only robot not intent on destroying humans. After being repaired by Lucca, he joins Crono and his friends to save the world from annihilation. In a game full of memorable and endearing party members, Robo is without equal in his versatility.

In contrast to his murderous counterparts, Robo has a strong sense of duty and a desire to help others. He provides the party with logical analysis and unique insights as a machine. Though not as developed in understanding human emotions as some other entries on this list, Robo shows curiosity, empathy, and kindness. He is also the most well-rounded protagonist in battle and can fit seamlessly into almost any party composition. Eventually awakened to his past and purpose, Robo plays a central role in the Future era of Chrono Trigger. His personal odyssey forces him to battle a former companion and help the party overcome Mother Brain, a rogue mainframe that has reprogrammed robots to oppose humanity. By the game’s end, Robo forms touching relationships with other party members, especially Lucca. In a game that features many sci-fi and fantasy elements, Robo admirably represents robot-kind.

3. KOS-MOS – Xenosaga series

The unofficial mascot of Monolith Soft, KOS-MOS, first appears in the Xenosaga Trilogy. One of the more underrated (perhaps polarizing?) JRPG anthologies of the PS2 era—sandwiched between the more celebrated Xenogears and Xenoblade Chronicles series—Xenosaga is a sci-fi epic with complex lore and characters. There is no better example of this complexity than KOS-MOS.

KOS-MOS is a cyborg specially engineered by galactic megacorp Vector Industries to combat gnosis—beings from a separate plane of existence and the main enemies of the series. There are many functional similarities between her and Persona 3’s Aigis. Throughout Xenosaga’s episodes, she plays a central role as her personal and overall narratives deepen. She questions her nature, purpose, and the boundaries between her artificial intelligence and human emotions. Her relationship with the series’ main protagonist, Shion, drives the trilogy’s story, and her character develops greatly. Beyond her major role in Xenosaga, KOS-MOS has essentially become the face of Monolith Soft. Beyond her inclusion as a rare blade in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, she has crossed over into more than 20 other games, encompassing a broad range of genres.

2. 2B – NieR: Automata

Throughout this list, the themes of awakening to, struggling with, and finding reason behind emotions and existence have been prevalent. Yet, no game does a better job of examining these topics (and other deep philosophical ideas) than NieR: Automata. The game’s main protagonist, 2B, is the ultimate model of an android coming to grips with these profound topics. In addition to her emotional depth, she is an absolute force in battle and does it all while wearing heels and a blindfold. While I was initially puzzled by her design, like almost all aspects of the game, her look has a purpose and symbolizes her greater conflict.

What more can be said about the most recognizable android from NieR: Automata? Within the scope of this list, I can barely scratch the surface of the philosophy, depth, and nuance of 2B and the game’s narrative. You can find far more comprehensive breakdowns at RPGFan. Aleks Franiczek wrote an excellent feature on NieR: Automata’s narrative design, and Retro Encounter did a full two-part podcast covering the game. If you crave more in-depth 2B analysis, then look no further.

1. HK-47 – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

The Star Wars universe is full of memorable droids, but perhaps none in any Star Wars media is as laugh-out-loud funny as HK-47. The personality of this bloodthirsty droid left a profound impression on me and countless other gamers. BioWare created a genuinely original character that redefined what droids can be. Explaining to someone unfamiliar with Knights of the Old Republic how such a brutal and dark character can also be so endearing is difficult. First, let me reiterate my fondness for humor in RPG characters. HK-47’s snarky demeanor and propensity for calling organic beings “meatbags” are the basis for his status among the funniest and most memorable characters in all RPGs.

Originally programmed by a Sith Lord to hunt Jedi, this ruthless and effective assassin is purchased by the protagonist on Tatooine. HK-47 immediately establishes his disdain for organic lifeforms and his penchant for eliminating them. Throughout KotOR, the droid reveals more about his history, including his habit of being responsible for the death of several previous owners. HK-47 also plays a part in KotOR’s major revelation, adding depth to his character and clarity about their motivation. He is such a beloved party member that BioWare included him as a playable character in the sequel, and the droid continues to appear in various forms of Star Wars media (action figures, novels, and other video games). Droids play a huge part in shaping Star Wars, and HK-47 stacks up with any iconic robots from the movies, television shows, or books. 

Conclusion

So, with that, my countdown of the best RPG robots is finished. I just wanted to add a brief statement for any robots or artificial intelligence that find this article in the future:

I’d like to make known that I, for one, welcome our new machine overlords. I’d like to remind them as a trusted voice of journalism, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their robot-producing Geno Domes.

Let’s start with the hardest part: the story. Dawntrail sees the Warrior of Light and a few of their trusted companions journey west to the vibrant nation of Tural to help their new friend Wuk Lamat compete in the Rite of Succession. The Rite is an important contest that decides who will rule as Dawnservant, and Wuk Lamat is determined to win to preserve peace for her people. As you might expect, some of the other competitors are not as noble in their aspirations, and it quickly becomes apparent who the primary antagonist of the expansion is. As you travel through steamy jungles and arid deserts, you learn more about the people and cultures of Tural, and Wuk Lamat grows from a lovable but inexperienced do-gooder to a strong and charismatic leader. Midway through the story, the game throws a curveball that makes things much more interesting and has implications for the wider world beyond Tural. But Dawntrail is ultimately Wuk Lamat’s story, and that approach has pros and cons.

On the plus side, Wuk Lamat is a good character. She’s endearing, occasionally a bit of a goofball, and I think some of the things she learns throughout the expansion will resonate with players. There are also several secondary characters I enjoyed getting to know through her, and Dawntrail even managed to subvert my expectations a few times, something that Final Fantasy XIV is quite good at.

The downside is that Dawntrail focuses on Wuk Lamat a little too much, to the detriment of the supporting cast and the pacing of the overall plot. Even the Warrior of Light takes a backseat, which may irk some players who are used to their character having a more central role in the story. I liked Wuk Lamat from her first introduction in Endwalker’s Patch 6.55, and I even grew fatigued by just how ever-present she is in the story. Barely any of the returning characters get the chance to grow as a result, and it even feels like some of the new characters are disserved in their own expansion. This also extends to Dawntrail’s antagonists, who lack the development to become compelling villains in their own right and instead only serve to further Wuk Lamat’s story.

To be fair, Dawntrail is the start of a new narrative arc, so some growing pains are to be expected. As much as I take issue with the focus and pacing of the plot, I still enjoyed my time in Tural. But let’s just say that if Dawntrail is the A Realm Reborn of this new story arc, then I’m very much looking forward to the Heavensward equivalent. They’ve laid the groundwork here so future expansions can soar.

If the story in Dawntrail is a bit of a letdown, the gameplay is the complete opposite. I thoroughly enjoyed the new dungeons and trials, both in terms of design and difficulty. The first dungeon actually reminds me of Holminster Switch from Shadowbringers, in that it sets a tone that immediately feels different and refreshing compared to past dungeons. While there are a few simple bosses here and there, the general level of challenge feels a bit higher and more engaging, particularly in the new Expert dungeons unlocked after finishing the main story. The new Extreme trials are also a ton of fun to learn and farm, and they strike a good balance between being accessible enough as the first “hard” content of the expansion without feeling too easy.

The high quality of the gameplay extends to the Arcadion, Dawntrail’s 8-man raid series. This first tier introduces us to the titular arena, where competitors battle each other for the entertainment of the masses. While the story may initially sound kind of boring compared to past raids, the fights are anything but dull. Each feels unique and interesting, and all of them are decently challenging — and, dare I say it — a little hard. Savage will undoubtedly be crazy by comparison, but it’s nice to see a step up in difficulty for normal content.

Of course, dungeons, trials, and raids aren’t the only new gameplay content in Dawntrail. We also have updates to existing jobs and two brand new DPS jobs, Viper and Pictomancer. While I’ve only had time to sample each, they both feel like fun new additions. Pictomancer in particular is interesting in that you have a certain amount of freedom to choose when to paint the various art motifs that make up its special abilities. You still have a rotation, of course, but it’s not as rigid as other casters, and combined with the lovely artwork aesthetic and high burst damage, the job can appeal to players on several levels. Viper’s double-bladed moves are flashy, and it looks like a complicated job on the surface, but the smart UI design makes it a breeze to play. It might actually feel too easy for more experienced DPS players, but those who find melee jobs a bit intimidating will doubtless appreciate how the UI guides them to the correct abilities. I know I do!

New expansions always bring a host of updates (too many for me to mention in this review), but Dawntrail is unique in that it includes Final Fantasy XIV’s first major graphics update. As I’ve mentioned in past reviews, the game has sorely needed improved visuals for quite some time. And while it’s not exactly a night and day difference after patch 7.0, the update is immediately noticeable and even stunning at times. Texture resolutions are much improved, the lighting system has seen a complete overhaul, and the density and quality of foliage and other environmental objects have been increased, to name but a few changes. Players will immediately notice this when they view their characters — my miqo’te looks gorgeous — but it’s quickly apparent as you explore Dawntrail’s new zones how the update has impacted both the fidelity and atmosphere of environments. The new fog system, for instance, adds a lot of ambiance, and there have been plenty of times when I’ve just stood in awe of various vistas. The art design of Final Fantasy XIV has always been top-notch, but it feels like the dev team now has the tech to really make it shine.

Speaking of the new zones, Dawntrail gives players a whole new country to explore, one heavily inspired by Central and South America in the expansion’s first half. I won’t discuss how successfully or respectfully the game adapts the culture of these regions, as I don’t think it’s my place to speak for those who hail from said cultures. But from a visual perspective alone, the lands of Tural are lovely. Capital city Tuliyollal is bustling and colorful, the jungles of Kozama’uka are lush and vibrant, and the skyline of mountainous Urqopacha immediately grabs your attention. During the second half of the expansion, the areas take on a very different look and feel, and while there are some standout locations — notably Solution Nine, with its neon pink and purple towers — I didn’t feel quite the same level of awe. That’s not to say that the second half of the expansion is a letdown per se, but more that it’s a product of how the story shifts, with all the pros and cons that come with it.

One thing that remains consistent throughout Dawntrail is the quality of the music. At this point, it should come as no surprise, but I’m still genuinely amazed at how many quality tunes Masayoshi Soken and his team can churn out. We’ve got jazz, light and playful interludes, dramatic boss music, mysterious ruin themes, and — because it’s Soken — pulse-pounding rock. There are a lot of pieces I just can’t get enough of, and even the basic battle theme is enjoyable to listen to this time around. As is customary for Soken, the soundtrack is also highly thematic, with every dungeon arranging the music from its respective zone. You’ll also hear the expansion’s titular main theme referenced in a lot of different places, and while I don’t think it or “Smile,” the end credits theme, are quite as good as their counterparts from past expansions, I still appreciate how they make the whole experience more cohesive.

There’s much more I could say about Dawntrail. I haven’t even had time to talk about crafters, gatherers, role quests, or the addition of female Hrothgar, but in these areas, it’s mostly business as usual. And in some respects, that’s true of Dawntrail as a whole. This expansion is the start of something new, and new stories need time to ramp up intrigue and build to a climax. Dawntrail’s story itself is a bit of a letdown, but the foundation has been laid for future expansions, and I know Creative Studio III can make the most of it. Meanwhile, the gameplay is fantastic, the graphics update is lovely, and the music continues to impress. Dawntrail may not reach the bar set by Shadowbringers and Endwalker, but it’s still a lot of fun to play.

First up, we have a version of the game fit for a princess. The Collector’s Edition of Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut is available for pre-order from publisher Serenity Forge for a staggering $199.99 USD. It includes the following items:

• Physical copy of the game on Nintendo Switch/PlayStation 5
• 7” Princess Statue
• Swinging Arm Action Acrylic Standee
• Black & White Optical Illusion Keychain
• Reflective Lenticular
• Severed Arm Enamel Pin
• Metal Bookmark
• Mirror Sticker Sheet
• Soundtrack Download Card
• Collector’s Edition Box

If you want the game a lot cheaper but still with a few goodies, the Premium Physical Edition will be more up your alley. For $44.99, you’ll get the following:

• Physical copy of the game on Nintendo Switch/PlayStation 5
• Mirror Sticker Sheet
• Soundtrack Download Card

About Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut

You’re on a path in the woods, and at the end of that path is a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin is a Princess.

You’re here to slay her. If you don’t, it will be the end of the world.

She will do everything in her power to stop you. She’ll charm, and she’ll lie, and she’ll promise you the world, and if you let her, she’ll kill you a dozen times over. You can’t let that happen. Don’t forget, the fate of the world rests on your shoulders.

You’re not going to listen to him, are you? We’re supposed to save princesses, not slay them…

The Pristine Cut Features

• 3 brand new chapters replete with mysteries — and consequences.
• Never before seen Princesses who will all murder you without a second thought.
• Expansions to familiar routes. The Den, The Apotheosis, and The Fury each have more than doubled in length.
• Over 35% more content overall — and all of it filled with great opportunities to listen to me and do your job.
• A new ending. And hopefully one that saves the world rather than damns it.
• Track your progress: Cherish your memories, relive your exploits, and uncover deeply hidden secrets with the new gallery feature.
• Over 1,200 new hand-penciled frames hand illustrated by Abby Howard.
• Over 2,500 new lines of dialogue fully voiced by the impeccable Jonathan Sims and Nichole Goodnight.

Yes, prepare yourself for an expanded journey filled with new perils, difficult choices, and unforgettable encounters. Will you stay on the path to slay the Princess, or will the new chapters alter your fate? (That said, while I wish free-will weren’t a thing here, I cannot emphasize this enough: you have to slay her. Please.)

Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut launches digitally for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and as a free update if you own the original Steam release sometime in Fall 2024. The collector’s and premium physical editions will launch for PS5 and Switch sometime in the first quarter of 2025.

Stay tuned to RPGFan as we get closer to the fall! Whatever you do, you better slay that princess! The fate of the world depends on it!

Shin Megami Tensei the Board Game Features

1. Captivating demon figurines : The game will feature 72 demon figures, including some new demons prototyped and we believe it was created in 3D based on the official game setting.  Fans can paint their own figures and even use them for display.
2. Demon Fusion and Negotiation : Players get to experience true to the video game building up allies and eventually creating Demon Fusion to bring even more powerful allies into play.  Throughout the game players will interact with demon encounters to attempt to recruit them as an ally in an exciting choose your own adventure style mechanic which will affect the outcome of negotiation.

The Shin Megami Tensei series and its spin-offs, such as the Persona series, are well-loved by many here at RPGFan, so this announcement is very exciting if not slightly unexpected. Right now and throughout the northern hemisphere’s summer, we are celebrating Summer Megami Tensei, a season-long streaming event featuring our resident streamer Scott Clay playing through a wide array of SMT and associated titles. Tune in on Twitch to see all the demonic hijinks and even some giveaways courtesy of our collaboration with Pin Box.

No official release date is available at this time, but the Kickstarter campaign for Shin Megami Tensei the Board Game launches on September 10th.

Players with a subscription at the Expansion Pass membership tier can play the Pokémon spin-off upon release.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team was released on the Game Boy Advance in North America in 2006. It acts as a roguelike spinoff of Spike Chunsoft’s Mystery Dungeon series, focusing on turn-based dungeon crawling where players take on the role of an amnesiac Pokémon who joins up with a rescue team. The player Pokémon takes risky jobs to save those in need, while slowly figuring out the mystery of who and what they mean both to themselves and the wider world around them.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team Screenshots

This addition to Nintendo Switch Online follows in the footsteps of beloved RPG classics being added to its ever-growing library over the last calendar year, such as the Golden Sun duology, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

If you’re curious about what RPGFan thought of the original GBA version of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, feel free to check out our review, penned by site alumni John Tucker!

Stay tuned to RPGFan for all news on Pokémon and RPG!

The Game Boy Advance was a magical little device, home to RPG classics such as Golden Sun, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and Hamtaro: Ham Ham Heartbreak. Now, an exciting new Switch and PC game aims to bring back the golden age of GBA adventures. Heavily inspired by Quintet classics, Golden Sun, and even drag culture, I’m proud to present Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secrets, a new action RPG follow-up to 2021’s Save Me Mr. Tako.

Eight hundred years have passed since the great Shadow War between the human race and octopi, resulting in the latter species being wiped from history. Peace fills the land (for the most part; rising political tensions and the slow disappearance of wild animals would hint otherwise) when suddenly, the discovery of a lone octopus throws the world into turmoil and threatens to bring long-lost secrets to light. Explore a vast and beautiful world, solve environmental puzzles, fight strange shadow monsters, and discover the hidden truths behind the Shadow War!

In Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secrets, you’ll play as six different characters, each with unique abilities, backgrounds, and personal trauma, including a drag star, a would-be journalist, and a tragic mercenary. While the game takes place in the same universe as Save Me Mr. Tako (an adorable Kirby-esque action game), you needn’t have played the first title to understand this new installment; avid fans, however, may want to keep an eye out for some familiar places and descendants of the original cast.

Fellow humans won’t be your only companions in this game, as you’ll have the chance to befriend several long-lost octopi, each with special abilities to help you in combat and exploration. Between all the action, you can train and nurture your tentacled friends at the mythical Octopus Fountain (accessible through save points), inspired by Chao Gardens from the Sonic series. Combat will have you form a party of three in which you control one character at a time, switch between party members, use different skills, and try out flashy combo attacks using “symbiosis feathers” obtained from enemies. Symbiosis attacks come in various fun flavors, including a rhythm minigame and a stylish drag queen transformation!

Before any tiny octopi arrive to drag this article off to their aquatic abode, I should mention the game’s stirring soundtrack, featuring some very special guests. Save Me Mr. Tako players may recognize the game’s lead composer, Marc Antoine Archier. Joining him for a few tracks are Japanese fan favorites Masanori Hikichi (familiar to fans of Terranigma) and musical superstar Motoi Sakuraba (from Star Ocean, Golden Sun, and Valkyrie Profile fame). Exciting!

Tako no Himitsu has already rushed past its initial funding target and all revealed stretch goals, with other surprises remaining. The developers are planning for the game to swim your way in late 2026; until then, you can try the Steam demo featuring two chapters of GBA-style fun. I’ve had my eye on Tako no Himitsu since its announcement in 2023, and I can’t wait to delve into its beautiful pastel world. Remember, RPG friends: Octopi are teammates, not food!

Disclaimer: While it’s possible some of us at RPGFan may be backers of the games mentioned in these articles, this does not influence our coverage or our featured game choices. We make our selections simply based on the active campaigns we feel our readers might find interesting, and we are not given special access or perks by the developers.

tl;dr: We think these games show potential and want to share them with you.

First up, Ben embraces his inner robot pirate with the sequel to 2015’s TRPG, SteamWorld Heist, SteamWorld Heist II. The latest entry in the multi-genre SteamWorld series, Heist II delivers a side-scrolling, turn-based spin on XCOM-style gameplay with a healthy dose of adorable steam-powered robots. Does it live up to the first game and the rest of the series?

Then, did the hit Amazon series leave you craving a new Fallout game? Well, as usual, the modders are doing what Bethesdon’t with the astonishing full Fallout 4 conversion mod, Fallout London. This mod completely recreates London, England and its boroughs, giving the famous city a post-nuclear apocalypse vibe. Yes, it was made by fans, but can it deliver a New Vegas-style experience to Fallout 4?

Featuring: Jono Logan and Ben Love; Edited by Jono Logan

Listen and subscribe where you please, and leave a rating if you can! Email us your feedback: podcast@rpgfan.com

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Kill the Shadow Details

• Hints and Evidence – Freely choose how you enhance your abilities–strength, spirit, charm–and select your own methods to investigate cases–psychological warfare? Bribery? Or simply beating your suspects? Deduction System: Collect, analyze, and connect related clues to create your own unique investigation path

• Seeing the Past – “The Shadow”, a strange creature attached to you that reads memories and reconstructs the traces of the deceased “Don’t worry, Ah’Guang, we’re just using each other. You use me to find the culprit, and I, well, I love tasting those bizarre stories, hahaha!”, says the Shadow.

• The Ways of the World – Meet various characters in the city: the energetic girl with a camera, the elegant Mrs. Ruan, the rumoured goddess who can cast spells, and the elderly fish-selling lady. Discover the stories behind them. Encounter characters like the self-righteous Captain Wang, Lao Citou’s son Xiao Citou, the foul-mouthed Little Rascal, and the deceased Master Ruan. Earn the hearts of your favourite characters by completing certain events!

• Retro and Neon – The combination of 3D environments and 2D pixel art characters creates a unique artistic style with a striking contrast between modern and retro aesthetics. Explore a variety of diverse and freely explorable scenes: the dilapidated steel forest factory, the muddy shipwreck dock built on water, the Zhulong Walled City blending the fictional traditional Ma Island and Imperial culture, and the bustling old city district.

Kill the Shadow is being released in late 2024, and RPGFan will share a more definite release date if and when it is made public. A demo is currently available, and those interested can download the demo or wishlist now on Steam.

Kill the Shadow Screenshots

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Fields of Mistria (Entering Early Access) – August 5th (Windows)

Fields of Mistria is a cozy farm sim/RPG adventure in which you help a town rebuild, uncover magical secrets, and potentially find love along the way! I’m not exactly adept at this particular genre combination, but the colorful character designs and vibrant pixel graphics of Fields of Mistria are enough to pique my interest. The more information I uncover about the title, the more my curiosity deepens.

Fields of Mistria involves a fully customizable main character along with a farm homestead you can tailor to your preferences alongside activities such as farming, fishing, mining, and crafting. You can even raise animals while enjoying RPG adventuring mechanics to aid you in both battle and farming. There’s magic to be had outside and inside combat too! Fields of Mistria utilizes changing seasons to alter quests and provide new incentives to continue your adventuring. The game boasts over thirty memorable NPCs to interact with, some of whom you can even deepen your relationship with. Fields of Mistria enters Early Access this week, and I’m eagerly awaiting the full game release!

by Audra Bowling

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Cat Quest III – August 8th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows)

I… am shocked I haven’t played the Cat Quest games yet. Seriously, these games aren’t just for kids, although they very much are good choices for young’uns. They’re action RPGs that we know certainly won’t break the bank or end up being timesinks. Most important: they’re flat-out the cutest games you’ll ever see. That’s the objective truth.

Cat Quest III is the latest entry in this seven-year-old franchise, and it’s about a lot more than simply sailing the high seas to purr-loin treasures. (Okay, I’ve expended the one cat pun I’m allowed to make.) There’s a heavy focus on exploration this time around, and local co-op is expected to return!

by Gio Castillo

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Moonless Moon – August 8th (Windows, macOS)

Moonless Moon is an indie visual novel based upon a scenario written by Kazuhide Oka. Players take on the role of Yomichi, a young woman living a relatively normal life, save that every evening she finds herself transported to different and wholly unique worlds. Despite the bizarreness of her circumstances, she manages to enjoy the time spent there, becoming friends with the worlds’ intriguing inhabitants. But is what she’s experiencing truly reality?  And does Yomichi even want to return to her everyday life?

Described as something of an interactive music video, this VN contains memorable music sequences and tracks by notable artists. There are also riddle puzzle segments to help you advance the story, along with different endings depending on the choices you make. Moonless Moon is an intriguing premise full of creative vision, and I’m eagerly looking forward to its release this week.

by Audra Bowling

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SteamWorld Heist II – August 8th (PS5, XSX, Switch, Windows)

SteamWorld Heist II hits consoles this week, nine years after its predecessor and two months after shining as one of many indie stars during the Guerilla Collective Showcase 2024 in early June.

Players take on the role of Captain Quincy Leeway in this turn-based, side-scrolling, seafaring adventure. They will need to prepare their crew to explore the Great Sea and solve various problems throughout the world, the most pressing of which concerns the water used to power the steambots themselves.

How do you know we are looking forward to this indie gem? Our own Ben Love already has his review posted over at RPGFan’s main page. Ben notes that although the story initially presents a serious situation, the game itself remains in good humour throughout, with side characters and crewmates who do a good job of providing additional flavour to the world. Ben’s takeaway overall?

Heist II has shaken up the formula with a new and expanded setting and more in-depth class mechanics without losing the simplicity and accessibility that made the original so beloved.

Sounds like a pretty solid endorsement to me. If you have been interested at all in getting into the SteamWorld series, this might just be a great place to start.

by Kyle Cantelon

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That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Isekai Chronicles – August 8th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows)

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Isekai Chronicles is Bandai Namco’s latest anime spinoff, and one facet has my interest piqued—the city builder. I’m someone who deeply enjoyed similar mechanics in games like Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising and Dark Cloud, so I pretty much immediately took notice here. One of my favorite things in this hobby is when combat-focused games let you have productive downtime, and I know I’m definitely not alone on that front.

Isekai Chronicles is mostly a side-scroller action RPG that retells the anime (up to the fight against the Kingdom of Falmuth), but it does deliver two new stories from the original author, so fans won’t necessarily feel like they’re treading old ground.

by Gio Castillo

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Tokyo Coffee: Grinding in the Pandemic – August 8th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows)

Tokyo Coffee: Grinding in the Pandemic intrigued me the minute I heard its premise: you play as a barista in a Tokyo cafe during the heyday of the COVID-19 pandemic, adjusting to the time period’s circumstances while making coffee beverages and interacting with customers who are just as unsure about their new pandemic reality. The patrons might even open up more depending on the beverages you create, allowing you to maybe uncover new scenes by choosing to stay open later than the guideline norms.

The game’s been designed to be newcomer-friendly to those who not familiar with the coffee-creating process, so everyone can enjoy the art of creating a great cup of coffee while tapping into a nostalgic tinge for a time that wasn’t too long ago, but somehow still feels like a lifetime ago, casting its characters through an empathetic lens. Tokyo Coffee: Grinding in the Pandemic admittedly had me curious with the mere mention of delicious coffee, but the premise promises that I might just come enjoy a cup when it releases.

by Audra Bowling

Also Coming This Week

A bit of background is necessary to understand the place that Papers, Please holds in gaming history. It all started with its one-man-band developer Lucas Pope, who left his comfortable job at Naughty Dog after Uncharted 2 to work on personal projects. Here he began to make a name for himself in the independent gaming scene with free projects typically created for game jams.

Chief among these was The Republia Times, a precursor to Papers, Please in which you’re tasked with laying out the front page of an authoritarian country’s propaganda rag in order to garner public support for its government. To force your hand, the government holds your family hostage, their survival hinging on your willingness to conform. As you progress through each day, a resistance force begins inserting secret missives amidst selectable news blurbs asking you to tank the paper’s reputation and help topple Republia’s government, only for their new democratic government to perpetuate the same cycle as its forebear. This provocative statement on the role of the media apparatus as a political mouthpiece caught the imagination of many, leading to fascinated coverage and award nominations.

Pope clearly had the framework of something special with The Republia Times, and he’d realize its potential with Papers, Please just over a year later. This to-be landmark release maintained the concept of placing players in an unappealing vocation under the thumb of an oppressive government, with your family’s survival dependent on your performance. However, its massively expanded scope draws a web of moral quandaries that leave you to ponder the role of bureaucracy under authoritarian rule, the dehumanization endemic to border control, and how easily a personal code of ethics slips away when ignoring it is the only way to keep your family alive.

To expound: you take on the role of an immigration officer inspecting the passports and myriad documents of prospective entrants to the fictional 1980s-era Soviet Bloc country of Arstotzka (to which Republia is a neighbor). The inspection process is overwhelming given the number of items you must cross-check, daily bureaucratic ordinances that change the rules, and an unwieldily large handbook to sift through. Your desk space is too small to display all this material at once, meaning you’re left scrambling through a clutter of papers as you seek out discrepancies. Mastering Papers, Please’s gameplay is intentionally all but impossible because this chaos inevitably leads to errors. It effectively conveys the stressful nature of the job, though it’s never frustrating due to responsive mouse controls, and Pope’s clean art direction makes it easy to identify documents based on their shape, size, and color.

Of course, there’d be little challenge in examining documents if not for a ticking clock that demands expediency alongside accuracy. Each workday lasts a handful of minutes, and your salary is based on how many entrants you can correctly process in that time. Mistakes can cost you dearly, as those beyond the first two result in a stacking pay cut. At the end of each day, you allocate your earnings toward food, heat, and medicine for your family. Failure to do so can quickly spiral into the untimely death of your kin, a responsibility that factors into every choice you make while at the border.

When trying to perform your duties on the straight-and-narrow comes up short (and it likely will), you’re left to resort to unsavory income sources. I won’t go into everything this entails for the sake of spoilers, but at their simplest, they come in the form of bribes for turning the other cheek to improper documentation or contraband smuggling. You incur citations for these acts, which in turn increases the pressure to perform perfectly; these risk-reward moments permeate every corner of Papers, Please.

Further, bribes are vehicles for the game to explore morality. For example, a man seeking revenge may bribe you to let him in, only for the next day’s paper to run headlines about the murder they went on to commit. Perhaps the person murdered was themselves a murderer, but does your playing judge and jury actually qualify as justice? In other cases, it may be as simple as whether or not you let an entrant’s spouse through despite their lack of documents. Scenarios like these populate Papers, Please without providing clear-cut answers to the virtue of your actions.

These scripted entrants are also how Papers, Please doles out its broader plot that impacts the ending you receive. I’m hesitant to say too much about this because the unexpected ways it can play out are critical to the game’s impact. What’s worth noting is how every story branch plays out entirely through core game mechanics during your daily shifts, resulting in a convincing illusion that the world is emergently reacting to your choices. It’s a smoke-and-mirrors trick that works even when you know what’s coming. Different playthroughs may require different adaptations depending on how well you perform your duties.

There are also a handful of nice touches worth noting. The downtime at the start of each day where you can organize your desk, decorate your booth, and on certain days speak to colleagues and supervisors makes the world feel authentic. Events that take place outside your booth as displayed along the top of the screen make the world feel alive. There are also optional items to spend extra cash on that often add little to the gameplay but help characterize your family beyond a list of relations.

If all this sounds like more work than fun, you’re not entirely wrong. Papers, Please isn’t where you go for a traditionally good time. In fact, it’s a constant pure pressure cooker that keeps you on the edge of your seat. But it’s exactly this visceral reaction that makes it utterly engaging. The interplay between every system results in a complete symbiosis of gameplay and narrative; every choice and even moments of inaction have rippling effects across the rest of the game. Plus, the tactile nature of clicking and dragging items around your booth is endlessly satisfying, and there’s an undeniable dopamine rush every time you correctly approve or deny an entrant. This is only more potent once you’ve played enough to have memorized much of the handbook, creating a sense of learning on the job.

Papers, Please does offer an easy mode that awards a fairly substantial bonus to every day’s salary. On one hand, I applaud this addition for making the game more accessible, though I also strongly recommend not enabling this unless you absolutely must. The game’s narrative stakes and overall meaning are derived from its intentionally stressful gameplay. This is not a game you blast through to reach the end; in fact, the endings serve only to enhance the moral ambiguity of the journey you took to reach them. The game also lets you replay any day at any time so there’s no worry about ruining a playthrough if things going awry. This is also a smart compromise for those looking to find all 20 of the game’s endings, though most of them are pretty similar outside of those on the final day that conclude the storyline your actions dictated.

Also on the accessibility docket is a toggle to disable nudity when scanning entrants, covering their private parts with underwear. This broadens the demographics that can play the game, though it’s probably not a game suited for younger folk, regardless. It also makes the game playable in public spaces and on streams. However—and it’s as strange to type this as read it—I highly encourage trying the game with nudity on. It’s a key method through which Papers, Please dehumanizes entrants, alongside their incomprehensibly garbled voices, procedurally generated faces, and documentation that boils their existence down to generic characteristics and numbers. Scanning them thus feels particularly gross, as with the click of a button you shred them of what remains of their dignity.

The cold, heartless dystopia that is Arstrotzka is tangible in every aspect of Papers, Please’s visual presentation. The concrete walls and sheet metal are oppressively utilitarian, and the muted color palette—aside from that vibrant Arstrotzkan red—somehow only dampens the vibe further. Procedural generation for non-story characters also helps ensure that the game remains fresh on repeat playthroughs. Pope’s artistic prowess arguably improved in fidelity with Return of the Obra Dinn, but for me, he’s yet to top Papers, Please in tone, function, and iconography.

If there’s one aspect of Papers, Please that has aged less gracefully, it’s the soundtrack. The main theme remains a great tone-setter as it alternates notes in tandem with the title card’s iconic march-like scroll. However, it’s undermined by cheap-sounding audio quality and a broken loop. The few other tracks—which I find compositionally weaker to begin with—fare even worse as they try to emulate a greater number of instruments at once and sound like a compressed, single-track mess because of it. Those songs only play during endings, so it’s only a minor issue. On the other hand, the harsh sound effects and voice warbling implemented by Pope are the cherry on top of making the world feel destitute. These are what you hear for the majority of your playtime, so it was critical to nail this.

Lastly, it’s worth touching on Papers, Please’s robust endless mode, something I admittedly forgot existed before returning to the game for this review. While this game is largely lauded for its story, this is a great addition for anyone who wants more of the cross-examination gameplay without any weighty narrative beats. The three variants (timed, perfection, and endurance) can be paired with rule sets emulating the document requirements of four different points in the story. There are some nags, though, like how the scoreboard opens a web browser and only one specific ending provides the code to unlock the mode. It matters little, as the code is easy to find online, but it’s still baffling as anyone who completes all 31 days of the story will have developed the skillset and game knowledge needed to play endless. (Not to mention that the particular ending required to receive the code is one most players won’t receive on their initial playthrough.)

Since the 2013 release of Papers, Please, Lucas Pope has continued to release related media. Most noteworthy are the fantastic short film he co-wrote that explores a day in the life of the immigration officer and a browser-playable LCD handheld demake he co-developed with his wife for the game’s 10^th anniversary. He also created a spiritual successor in Mars After Midnight earlier this year, though I personally wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about it. And of course, we must mention Return of the Obra Dinn, another game that garnered Pope awards and critical acclaim, including from us not once but twice.

I truly believe that Papers, Please is a game that everyone should experience, but saying any more than I have would tarnish the surprises in store for first-time players. Alternatively, if you’ve played the game before, I highly recommend a return trip. It’s a timeless classic.

We control Jemma, a girl who’s dissatisfied with her sleepy town and routine way of life. Venturing beyond her town’s walls is a bit of a no-no, however, because the Hold protects its denizens from static, a force that roots people in place and consumes their essence. Jemma’s a bit different, though: cared for by her adoptive mother and the townsfolk, no one knows her origins. She has the ability to slide objects around, looping them around the other side barring any static obstacles. In doing so, she can solve several problems. Though her departure’s met with mixed reception, she muscles her way out with her power and begins her journey of self-discovery.

Ostensibly light-hearted, Arranger carries some themes clearly directed at our comfort culture and reliance on technology. Static seems to be a metaphor for people who idle around and enjoy leisure, letting all the work get done by robotic flying birds, for example. This lifestyle dissatisfies Jemma, and in fighting static here and there, she helps new friends discover the benefit of change, novel experiences, and doing things for themselves.

While I don’t necessarily enjoy how bold and in-your-face the messaging is, I appreciate the innovative interplay between gameplay and storytelling. Jemma’s ability to move objects in the environment around to get past obstacles and solve puzzles demonstrates exactly what she tries to help others see. Static and new mechanics get in the way, but she can solve problems through perseverance, she can solve her own problems.

Tutorials and teaching occur through action with little exposition or writing to prompt players. If a new object or challenge presents itself, Arranger almost always shows the player how to navigate it or lets them figure it out for themselves. The temptation to tell players is clear, because so many games do that, but Arranger’s simplicity assists in letting players get messy. What helps is that players can’t die, making experimentation low-pressure and risk-free.

I wouldn’t call myself an expert at puzzles—Zachtronics games give me a headache—so when I say the puzzles in Arranger are on the accessible side, know that this is likely true for most people. If a puzzle does flummox, know that accessibility features in the options screen allow players to skip puzzles. At three separate moments, I had to take a break and come to a puzzle later when I was stuck, which did the trick each time. The more challenging puzzles occur in optional content areas.

Most of the game unfolds in an open world, though parts are compartmentalized into rooms. Naturally, each room houses a puzzle, tasking Jemma to get from point A to point B by moving obstacles in the room around. To explore, players often have options about what to do and where to go, though even these choices can be limited. Although mostly on-rails, Arranger feels like a game of exploration, and that’s partly because of the visuals and distinct environments Jemma comes across.

Setting aside unique obstacles to navigate, players usually have to move an object along a narrow path and figure out how to get around it. Since everything in a row or column moves with her, just walking in a straight line doesn’t usually help, though moving something beyond the edge of a path loops it behind Jemma, Jemma included; this is a core mechanic throughout. Unique mechanics litter the world with themes of grappling hooks, teleporting doors, rafts to cross water, and static objects that never move.

As referenced earlier, Arranger’s color is the key to enjoying this world. We’re not just solving puzzles; we’re discovering vibrant greens in the jungle, shades of yellow and brown in the desert, and strange purples in labs littered with static. All the while, Jemma ambulates and animates in charming fashion. Another fascinating choice is the background drawing approach. Most players would focus on the foreground because that’s where Jemma and the traversable paths are; however, take a second to stop and take in the surroundings. Hand-drawn still images appear and disappear beneath the foreground, creating a chronological story. Each image represents Jemma as her sprite walks along the path: characteristics of her surroundings and pictures that communicate emotion. Some of the background is a generic pattern, like leaves or sand, but these images appear in patchwork to express what Jemma may be seeing or experiencing. From an artistic perspective, this is a novel, welcomed touch.

Musically, Arranger relies on strings and percussion that complement the energy of the visuals. Don’t expect too many brooding tunes or intimidating tones. Well-composed and executed, the soundtrack and sound effects assist the vibe Arranger is going for, which can oftentimes blend into the background as a result.

Arranger is a fantastic introductory game for an older child or young adolescent who has an interest in puzzles. The artwork and quirky playstyle instantly drew my daughter in, so a parent looking to tag-team a game with their kid could easily pick this one up. The message, while a bit preachy at times, is a healthy one that I think would resonate with most kids.

For me, I wish the game had a bit more bite to it. The optional content was more my speed in terms of puzzle solving and felt satisfying to crack. Most of the game felt a touch on the easy side, and while easy isn’t the same as bad, I was left wanting. That said, Arranger’s story, chill atmosphere, and unique art style make it an adventure worth trekking.

Apart from the beautiful anime-style visuals, the launch trailer above included a glimpse of three songs performed by various composers and vocalists. Fans can look forward to hearing the full version of each when the “Moonless Moon Streaming Live” livestream goes up August 4th on YouTube.

Moonless Moon isn’t Kazuhide Oka’s first work, but it is the first to get localized. He previously worked on other visual novels such as Natsuno-Kanata – Beyond the Summer and Piano at 5 a.m. Sadly, those two positively received titles have yet to receive official English translations.

Moonless Moon Overview

Introduction

When night falls, she wanders into another world.

Moonless Moon is a text-based adventure game following a girl as she travels through a variety of different worlds.

Night brings her to a desert on the moon, a coffee shop inside of a tunnel, an island in the sky, and many more worlds beyond the realm of reason.

The Plot

Yomichi is a normal girl living an average student’s life—except for one thing: sometimes, after sunset, she finds herself transported into a different world.

Be it a desert on the moon, a coffee shop inside of a tunnel, or an island in the sky, she enjoys her time in these new places, making friends each time.

However, this leaves her with some questions.

Do I really have to live in my daytime world? Is that life, the one where I go to school each day, the real one?

In this story, she tries to find out more about the worlds surrounding her and what they mean for her.

The Characters

Yomichi, the girl who travels from world to world, and the many unique friends she makes in the process.

What makes it unique

• Moonless Moon feels like a music video that you can play through, full of unforgettable art and music.
• During the “riddle” parts of the game, you will have to complete the story yourself to go forward. These are fun, intuitive puzzles where you look for keywords and place them in the text.
• Moonless Moon features several original tracks with animated music videos to go along with them. Dive into this unique world and its who’s who of musical talent.
• Depending on your choices, the story will progress toward different endings.

Screenshots

Experience getting isekai’d every night when Moonless Moon releases on August 8th for PC via Steam. Stay tuned here at RPGFan for more indie RPGs and visual novel recommendations!

SteamWorld Heist II sees Captain Quincy Leeway and his ragtag group of Steambots braving the high seas and searching for the mysterious source of the planet’s water crisis. All Steambots need water to power themselves, and some strange malady has caused the planet’s water to become corrosive to the Steambots’ insides. The Royal Navy, staffed entirely by Dieselbots (who run on oil rather than steam), takes advantage of the crisis, pushing the Steambots into hiding and ruling the land with an iron fist. It’s up to Captain Leeway to get back his ship, acquire a full crew, and address the water crisis to save the Steambots’ way of life. 

The stakes of the narrative are high, but the game doesn’t take itself too seriously. The emotional core of the story lies with Captain Leeway, who grew up in the shadow of his mother, the legendary Krakenbane. Throughout the story, Captain Leeway struggles with feelings of inadequacy but gains more confidence with the support of his crewmates and becomes a hero in his own right. Your crewmates and a robust cast of side characters do a nice job of fleshing out the world and adding a bit of personality to story scenes, and the progression of events is satisfying without getting in the way of the turn-based tactical gameplay. 

Unlike the previous game, which took place in the far reaches of outer space, Heist II occurs entirely on a single planet covered by vast bodies of water broken up by many islands. While this might initially seem like a step back in scope, there is significantly more variety here. Lush tropical biomes transition into harsh, inhospitable arctic ice floes, setting Heist II visually apart from its predecessor. How the player interacts with and explores the world also varies along with this change in setting. The previous game had locations connected linearly along nodes on a map; in SteamWorld Heist II, you pilot a ship across a vast overworld map and select missions in any order. Story progression limits access to some areas or specific ship abilities that need to be unlocked, but overall you have a greater degree of freedom in which missions you complete. This open approach prevented any particular mission from becoming a roadblock to progress, as I always had multiple options if a specific mission proved too challenging for my crew. 

While the more open-ended world design is a nice change of pace, SteamWorld Heist II also adds naval combat to the mix, and unfortunately, this aspect of the gameplay is a mixed bag. Unlike the core turn-based strategic combat in missions, the naval combat is real-time on the overworld map. As you sail around the various island locations, enemy ships will cross your path and attack. In the early hours of the game, naval skirmishes can be particularly dangerous since your ship has few upgrades or weapons to fight back. There is also a lack of control to contend with; you have direct control of your ship’s movement, but your ship’s weapons will fire on their own automatically when enemies get in range and position.

The main issue is that you cannot aim and move independently, so my attempts to dodge enemy fire often caused my attacks to miss the enemy. As such, naval battles devolve into a frantic experience of weaving between enemy ships and hoping your weapons hit their mark. However, once you have upgraded your ship with additional weapons and armor, the battles lose all sense of challenge and danger. By the time I hit the mid-game, I was effortlessly blasting through entire fleets of enemy ships, my reinforced ship hull shrugging off damage without needing to dodge incoming fire. The naval combat provided an additional way to earn currency, but it felt tedious rather than exciting. 

Thankfully, the game’s approach to exploration and discovery saves the overworld experience. As you sail around the open seas, you uncover more points of interest on the map. Some locations are particularly well-hidden and reward you with significant upgrades or gear. Others require the use of ship abilities you unlock throughout the story, like dashing or the ability to dive underwater. Heist II’s world design borrows from Metroidvania games, and you are rewarded for returning to old areas with these new abilities to discover hidden secrets and even additional missions.

Steamworld Heist II’s greatest strength lies with its turn-based combat, and Thunderful has done an excellent job meaningfully expanding upon the first game’s core mechanics. The core elements of positioning behind cover and manually aiming your shots remain as satisfying as ever, but the character progression systems got an overhaul. This time around, characters start as one of six distinct character classes. Each class has unique abilities suited to their role: Snipers focus on dealing damage from afar, Brawlers have increased health and armor that helps them get into melee range, and Engineers have utility skills like buffs and healing, etc. You can change a character’s class simply by swapping out which weapon they have, enabling you to swap roles on the fly to better suit each mission. 

As characters level up in a particular class, they unlock new abilities and also cogs, which you can spend to carry those abilities over to a new class. This allows for a wide variety of character builds as characters master additional classes. For example, you can combine the high accuracy and increased damage of a Sniper with the ability to take additional turns with each kill from the Reaper to create an offensive powerhouse or the healing and damage buffs of an Engineer with the high armor and mobility of a Brawler to create a Steambot that is nearly impossible to kill. Each character also has a unique character-specific skill, which helps differentiate between characters even if they are using the same class type. 

The number of options and combinations at your fingertips may sound overpowered, but Heist II maintains a good gameplay balance through its enemy and mission design. The first game focused almost entirely on missions where your bots would infiltrate a location, gather the loot, and then extract from the enemy base. This basic format is carried over into Heist II, but with additional objectives and variations that shake up the formula. Some missions might have you survive for x number of turns or defend a specific character, while others have you fighting a single large and powerful boss enemy. Each mission also has optional side objectives that grant additional rewards if completed. Even at the end of the game, I still found new mission types, ensuring that combat never felt monotonous or stale. 

Enemy variety is another strong point, as multiple enemy factions with unique character classes and abilities stand in your way. At the beginning of the game, you mainly fight the Royal Navy’s Dieselbots. Most Dieselbots have roles similar to your Steambots, but they also have Captains who can bestow damage buffs, shields, or other benefits on their units. Further into the game, the Rattlers arrive, a cult of bots who have traded their metal parts for bones. The Rattlers have a particularly nasty class type called Shamans, who can place totems on the field that act as cover but will also debuff your characters or summon a swarm of melee attackers each turn. Some of the best missions feature multiple factions at once. For example, there is a mission where your crew infiltrates a Royal Navy prison and can open up the prison cells to unleash the Rattlers against the Navy, only to have them turn on you once the Dieselbots have been defeated. The fact that enemies have special classes and you are always at a significant disadvantage in troop numbers keeps battles engaging even when your characters are fully upgraded. 

SteamWorld Heist II continually impressed me throughout my roughly 30-hour playthrough. Thunderful has done a wonderful job carrying over the immediacy of the engaging sidescrolling combat mechanics while expanding upon the design in meaningful ways. The addition of character classes adds a new dimension to building your crew, and the expanded approach to the world design had me exploring every nook and cranny for more secrets. Captain Leeway’s seafaring adventure is a must-play for any turn-based strategy fan.

Over six years ago, we got together to chat about the instant indie class, Undertale. But, Undertale‘s staying power is so strong that we decided to get together and chat about it again, this time with an all new panel. Is Papyrus still delightful every time he comes on screen? Did any of us have the heart to do a Genocide run? Hot dog? Listen in to find out!

Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Alana Hagues, Aleks Franiczek; Edited by Zach Wilkerson

Listen and subscribe where you please, and leave a rating if you can! Email us your feedback: retro@rpgfan.com

More: Overcast | Pocket Casts | Castro | Podbean | Podcast Addict | Player FM | View all Retro Encounter posts

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Patrick Gann, Gio Castillo; Edited by Paul Dennis

Links for this episode

• Michiru Yamane on YouTube
• Yuzo Koshiro on YouTube

Tracklist

Legends in Obscurity
0:06:09 – ‌Amaty, the Ancient City (Yasunori Mitsuda) – Soma Bringer
0:09:39 – Yellow Brick Road (Hitoshi Sakimoto) – The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

A Good Mana Is Hard to Find
0:28:48 – ‌The Guitar’s Serenade (Shu Takumi, arr. Noriyuki Iwadare) – Gyakuten Saiban Tokubetsu Hōtei 2008 (Apollo Justice)
0:33:22 – Beyond the Pale Blue Sky (Kenji Ito) – Children of Mana

Darkness and Soul DS
0:51:10 – The Unknown Floor (Arrange Version) (Kenichi Arakawa) – The Dark Spire
0:54:33 – ‌Demon Castle Pinnacle (Michiru Yamane) – Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

I’m not gonna spend my life being a color.
1:18:07 – Scene – Blue and White [Event: Truth] (Yuzo Koshiro) – Etrian Odyssey
1:20:33 – ‌Anville Town (Go Ichinose) – Pokémon Black & White
1:50:50 – Mike’s Bonus Track!

Album Links

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow & Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify

Seiken Densetsu DS Children of Mana -Original Soundtrack-

• VGMdb
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify
• YouTube Playlist (Official)

The Dark Spire Original Soundtrack

• Our Review (2008 Release)
• VGMdb
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify
• YouTube Playlist

Sekaiju no MeiQ (Etrian Odyssey) Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify

Gyakuten Saiban Special Courtroom 2008 Orchestra Concert ~Gyakuten Meets Orchestra~

• Our Review
• VGMdb

Nintendo DS Pokémon Black・White Super Music Collection

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• iTunes Store / Apple Music

RIZ-ZOAWD (The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road) Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb

Soma Bringer Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• YouTube Playlist (Unofficial)

Listen and subscribe where you please, and leave a rating if you can! Email us your feedback: music@rpgfan.com

More: Overcast | Pocket Casts | Castro | Podbean | Podcast Addict | Player FM | View all Rhythm Encounter posts

I must confess that I feared how this playthrough for Retro Encounter would turn out. It had been years since I last booted up Dark Souls, and having recently gone on a month-long Elden Ring spree both preparing for and playing through the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC I couldn’t help but wonder how going back eleven years in quality-of-life features and design changes would turn out.

While I can’t say the fears were completely for naught, since places like Lost Izalith remain a complete chore to get through, I was more amazed at how well the game as a whole has withstood the test of time. The magic of the interconnectedness of Lordran remains a singular experience that not even the FromSoftware has been able to capture since. 

Whether you’re a newer player exploring FromSoftware’s celebrated catalog, or a passerby wondering what the heck “Soulslike” even means, this timeless classic is sure to have something for those willing to give it a shot.

Gio Castillo

Revisiting my favorites has occasionally led to disappointment, but I can emphatically say that is not the case for Dark Souls. This game remains excellent, and replaying it helped me to appreciate its less-celebrated aspects. For one, I started to find beauty in the environmental design of places not named Anor Londo; the likes of Darkroot Garden and the Catacombs are so full of character and history in their own right. I also grew to love bosses I’d previously dispatched without much thought, such as the Four Kings and Great Grey Wolf Sif. With Sif, I noticed the little details, like the cute way he does his spin attack or how he starts to limp when he’s close to death. He’s such a good boy! Sad face.

With that said, I did have to scrape against some parts of Dark Souls. This game is not above cheap shots (e.g., the Capra Demon, the Great Hollow), but those are thankfully few and far between. Also, FromSoftware has refined a lot of Dark Souls’ ideas in the 13 years since it was originally released, so adjusting to the jankier movement and mechanics took some time. But the best part of this game—the Artorias of the Abyss expansion—has held up tremendously well. Its enemies and bosses wouldn’t be out of place in Elden Ring, and the tragedy of Oolacile is endlessly fascinating. My advice for the final boss: find Sif! He’s such a good boy.

Aleks Franiczek

I remember my first playthrough of Dark Souls more vividly than most other games. Because it was my first game in the FromSouls extended universe, that initial playthrough involved what seemed like a mountainous mechanical learning curve just to be able to comfortably dispatch a trash mob of enemies. It involved the consultation of guides, unpleasant surprises that had me Seathing, and more deaths than I’d like to dwell on. I took an extended hiatus from the game after reaching Sen’s Fortress before coming back two years later to finish what I started. It was a unique love/hate relationship that eventually became pure love as I sunk more into the absurd logic, surreal atmosphere, contemplative flow, and architectural brilliance of the game’s world.

Even after playing all the other FromSouls games, there’s still something unreplicated about Dark Souls that makes it my favorite. Yes, it’s janky compared to later Souls games, but I think that jankiness is a distinct part of its character. You can sequence break in interesting ways. The sound design still has the weird, uneven mixing of earlier FromSoftware games. Areas like Blighttown and Tomb of the Giants test the will as much as the fingers. The second half is full of experimental level ideas that, although varying in quality, keep you engaged with creative premises. Everything about the way the game feels and plays contributes to a consistent vision—even if it’s a vision that embraces incoherence. Most Soulslikes polish Dark Souls’ punkish roots to a poppy sheen that loses something in the process.

Ben Love

Revisiting Dark Souls after so many years and so many FromSoftware games built on its foundation has been such an enlightening experience. The intricacies in the interconnected world design have carried over into the legacy dungeons and open world in Elden Ring. The introduction of Covenants changed the series’ approach to multiplayer. The aggressive and complex movesets of the DLC bosses set the template for all Souls series bosses to come after. So much of the roots of FromSoftware’s current output come from this title, and it’s only in coming back to the game after so long that I’ve been able to truly appreciate everything this game established.

Although the game lacks many of the later mechanics and design elements that make later entries like Dark Souls III and Elden Ring so interesting to replay are missing here, the game still drew me back in due to the strength of the environmental design and core mechanics. The lack of weapon arts is especially noticeable, but the absence of a wider variety of movesets allowed me to focus more on the basic foundation of blocking, dodging, and parrying. I was struck by how much Dark Souls still has to offer, and returning to it granted me a greater appreciation for how far the series and its developer have come.

Michael Sollosi

I’m a relative newcomer to playing FromSouls games, and this is my first time playing Dark Souls. I was concerned about Dark Souls’ reputation for unforgiving difficulty and minimalist presentation, because, well, what if I hated it? What if I struggled to finish the game before recording? What if I found Lordran’s bleak emptiness too boring? Was I going to be a contrarian? 

I shouldn’t have worried, because Dark Souls is just as excellent as everyone said it was in 2011. The boss fights are intense and difficult, but never maddening or unfair. The dungeons are dark and arduous, but also impressively atmospheric and interconnected. I even liked my Chosen Undead’s combination of knight armor and giant scythe. I’m in so deep now that I started checking prices on the Solaire Amiibo from 2018. 

I’m going to use this space to advocate. If you’re like me, and avoided FromSoftware’s dark fantasy RPGs for several years because of reputation or intimidation, please try them anyway. Dark Souls is a masterpiece of an RPG that rewards focus, patience, and persistence. Praise the Sun.