Torches of Fate

If you like classic old-school JRPGs (made with RPG Maker MV), then this game will be right up your alley. The game's greatest strengths are its dungeon design and its exploration incentives/rewards (and there's some really great custom artwork, too). Dungeons feature just enough complexity and puzzles to make the player feel smart (without dragging on too much), and the player is always rewarded for exploring off the beaten path, even on the large world map. There are a lot of optional quests and dungeons to take on (and well hidden secrets to find), and (not) completing them essentially determines the difficulty of the main quest, since the equipment gained from the optional dungeons totally breaks the game (in a positive way). By unlocking new tools over the course of the story (jumping on/off ledges, smashing rocks/walls, and - my absolute favorite - being able to walk over water), the player is encouraged to revisit previously cleared areas, and there's (almost) always something new to discover. The story doesn't take itself too seriously and features a lot of funny dialogues, but it really could have used more proofreading. Everything else (battles, equipment choices, mapping, etc.) can be considered at least or even above average. My biggest gripe is that most random mobs don't drop anything useful besides money. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun, and I can fully recommend this game to fellow JRPG players who like their games being on the exploration-heavy side.

Most important is that the devs were available to quickly answer questions and quick to fix any problems. You start out quickly with a party of 4 that have various skills that you earn slots for when leveling up and must equip them. A good variety of creatures to fight with quick battles and needed strategy. There are plenty of places to explore and searching everywhere and everything is fun to do.. The game has a main story line but you can explore the entire world to find temples and other places that yield powerful weapons/armor/items/bosses. However you must first find key items that allow you to walk on water, jump ledges, light up dark areas, and other interesting abilities to proceed. You can purchase items that allow you to warp to towns you previously visited since there is no airship. Towers, dungeons, forests, etc. are well designed. After defeating the final boss and after the credits there are still things to do. Torches of Fate is a most challenging, fun, and addictive rpg. Highly recommended.

If I could play it to see what it is like

I don't do a lot of reviews, so I'll have the TL;DR up front with more detailed Pros and Cons below. The game is fun and if 2D, turn-based RPGs appeal, this will be right up your alley. [b][u]Pros[/u][/b] The artwork for the characters is great. The custom sprites are incredibly well done. The music is enjoyable throughout the game. Interesting ways of opening up new areas of the game to explore. Plenty of optional content for the players that want to really sink their teeth into the game. The bosses all have interesting designs and unique abilities. Interesting puzzles that help break up the normal exploration and combat cycles. Great map designs overall.* The overall story is engaging and there are some very comedic and somber moments. The developer has been receptive to reported bugs and very prompt about rolling out patches to fix them. [b][u]Cons[/u][/b] The combat soundtrack can get repetitive. *Some of the maps, one specifically, can feel very tedious. The combat can feel a little easy in places while spiking in difficulty in others. This applies mostly for optional areas that aren't required for the main story. There are problems with the text in several cut scenes of the game that can break immersion.

Old school, for this game it means grinding for levels and money without any real rewards. I don't mind grinding...if I can see that the time I wasted away does something good. But, my party is now at lvl 20+ with the best equipment but they must fear every little group of monsters...are they using poison or a killing curse again? And then it's almost always the same enemies...ugh, boring. It's actually an interesting game with an interesting story and nice dungeon puzzles, just completely lacking in convenience (you get tips...great, write them down, because there's no in-game log). Long story short...I just don't feel like continuing. So...sorry, but I can only recommend this game to true retro enthusiasts; everyone else should steer clear.

An example of what someone with a story and a love for rpgs can create with rpg maker. The bosses were all amazing looking and the story screens were often adorable and touching - cheers to the illustrators. Did not see the twist ending coming (but I wasn't expecting one either). At first I found the spell limitations a little vexing, but it makes you prepare and consider your enemies and the locale. I will say, I breezed thru the last of the game using an augmented weapon that I'd gotten by clearing the elemental temples. So the final boss fight lasted about 2 rounds; which I'm fine with but others might take issue. I loved playing this game though. The characters were a team, building each other up; not snarky a-holes. The story screens added a lot to the comradery. I really look forward to your next project. Well done!