A neat little game I got from an itch.io sale a while back, feels very similar to no straight roads in terms of what I enjoyed and what I had issues with. The game has a consistently hilarious and enjoyable story that isn't necessarily the most groundbreaking thing ever, but does what it tries to do well. The characters are mostly really charming, funny or interesting with only one exception I'll get to later. Melody is just like me for real. The soundtrack by Beatrix Quinn is a highlight, with no real weak tracks and with the boss themes and all Javis related tunes in particular being amazing. The visuals are delightful, I particularly enjoyed the way corruption is represented visually and the way the final area and the astral plane look.
Where the game falters a bit is with the actual gameplay. It's mostly pretty standard rpgmaker fare with some inventive new ideas thrown in to the mix (the spellbooks being equippable subclasses is really interesting and I wish there were more of them, star power adds more variation to strategies since you can never use your strongest attacks on turn 1), but the game is far too easy for most of it's runtime. I don't necessarily have a problem with a more laid back approach to difficulty, but in this game's case it often leads to the honestly really inventive boss gimmicks being ignored due to many overpowered options like scrap shield, the entire cronomancy book, the charm that lets you keep star power, Allison dual wielding, faith's shield, etc completely invalidating them. I often had to hold back my strongest strategies so I could let some bosses show off their thing before they died (Especially Javis and gumball goliath), but the fact I was willing to be so charitable with the game is a testament to its charm. The gameplay shines the most with a few extra difficult optional fights, which I did the moment they became available and had a lot of fun with, and I will definitely steal their mechanics for a pathfinder encounter one day!
The main cast is comprised of three really enjoyable characters with interesting ties to each other and the main conflict, and Jodie who is also there. Don't get me wrong, she's a fun character and all of her interactions with Faith were really great, but she feels a little out of place towards the end. I found myself far more invested in Claire's guilt, dynamic with Melody and fun romance subplot, Melody's relatable insecurities and anxiety issues, relationship with Allison and quest to figure herself out and gain confidence, and Allison's relationship with Melody, her mother and figuring out how to be less focused on herself.
The antagonists are delightful, with both an understandable, redeemable villain that poses a genuine threat and a funny boyfailure tape man whose shenanigans were always entertaining. The game is a good time if you can handle a fairly easy experience that isn't really trying to reinvent the wheel, or if you are queer, a furry or both, I guess. Excited to see what Ponett makes next!
Where the game falters a bit is with the actual gameplay. It's mostly pretty standard rpgmaker fare with some inventive new ideas thrown in to the mix (the spellbooks being equippable subclasses is really interesting and I wish there were more of them, star power adds more variation to strategies since you can never use your strongest attacks on turn 1), but the game is far too easy for most of it's runtime. I don't necessarily have a problem with a more laid back approach to difficulty, but in this game's case it often leads to the honestly really inventive boss gimmicks being ignored due to many overpowered options like scrap shield, the entire cronomancy book, the charm that lets you keep star power, Allison dual wielding, faith's shield, etc completely invalidating them. I often had to hold back my strongest strategies so I could let some bosses show off their thing before they died (Especially Javis and gumball goliath), but the fact I was willing to be so charitable with the game is a testament to its charm. The gameplay shines the most with a few extra difficult optional fights, which I did the moment they became available and had a lot of fun with, and I will definitely steal their mechanics for a pathfinder encounter one day!
The main cast is comprised of three really enjoyable characters with interesting ties to each other and the main conflict, and Jodie who is also there. Don't get me wrong, she's a fun character and all of her interactions with Faith were really great, but she feels a little out of place towards the end. I found myself far more invested in Claire's guilt, dynamic with Melody and fun romance subplot, Melody's relatable insecurities and anxiety issues, relationship with Allison and quest to figure herself out and gain confidence, and Allison's relationship with Melody, her mother and figuring out how to be less focused on herself.
The antagonists are delightful, with both an understandable, redeemable villain that poses a genuine threat and a funny boyfailure tape man whose shenanigans were always entertaining. The game is a good time if you can handle a fairly easy experience that isn't really trying to reinvent the wheel, or if you are queer, a furry or both, I guess. Excited to see what Ponett makes next!