Now, I don't know how seriously you want to take this, but I think it needs more funny moments other than cutscenes. Like interacting with the environment should provide some funsies, and also with items and other micro-quests, like bringing a piece of beef to the grandma and she yearning to stew it but not being programmed to, etc.
"Vanilla" RPG Maker games are a dime a dozen, even back then, so you have to put in much more work to make it stand out.
Playing through this right now, writing my thoughts as I go. Forgive the train of thoughts style of writing. The very beginning already had me cracking up. "Why does everything look so stupid?" The writing is snappy and funny. Some of the mob names made me giggle too. All of the small touches (like the "World of Generica") and NPC dialogue are funny and charming. Making a no-grind version was definitely the right choice - at least in my opinion. Turn-based RPGs can be fun but for a game like this, I really just want to see what happens next (in a good way, cuz the writing is genuinely really funny.)
The ending was tragic. Poor Lillith. That was really funny, and a great way to spend 40 minutes of my day.
Is this supposed to be a one-off meme game for Demo Day? I finished the thing within about 40 minutes. I was playing the Non-Grind version though. The meta-commentary has its moments, some NPCs are fun to talk to. The music is alright, I don't know if it's original or part of RPGMaker.
Are you planning on doing anything special with this one?
I just did this when sick, so I had something to submit, its finished, theres not going to be anything touched up on this. I also removed the regular Versions, it was apparently just way too grindy and annoying to play through, the only Thing people seemed to enjoy a bit was the Story, not the Gameplay.
I also don't really know why anyone assumes I tried to make Fun of RPGMaker Games with this, or that its a parody or anything, its just bad Dialogue. I don't even remember 70% of what I wrote or made in this Game.
All Assets used are stock RPGMaker, or came with DLCs I apparently got when originally buying it.
I got the boat then I didn't know where to go and I lost interest.
But I was pleasantly surprised by how funny some of the dialogue was, well done! The self-referential isekai humor can be hit or miss but you got multiple chuckles out of me.
Beat the Minotaur in 30 minutes by going all in on Nina so I'll count that as a victory. Not much to review gameplay wise. It's RPGM. Nina getting an AoE spell at level 3 speeds up a lot of the early grinding. In the interest of time I played until I died. The writing can be funny at times, especially the deliberate typos, but the inescapable feeling of seethe I get from this kinda mars the whole experience. While the concept is endearing, when every NPC has a variation of "I have nothing important to say" it's easy to grow bored of the optional dialogue pretty quickly.
In the interest of time I played until I died, about 45 minutes in on dungeon floor 3. I (obviously) did not reach the end.
I had fun talking to random NPCs, hearing what stupid things they had to say. But stopped playing when I had to actually engage with the RPGM gameplay which just isn't my cup of tea...
Okay, I'm done, for now at least. Got to the Gralssland Temple level 4.
Characters are the best part. Writing is kinda fun despite the wonky English. I genuinely want to know how it ends, so it's really a shame that there's so much generic RPGMaker tedium between anyone saying anything.
Like why do the dungeons have so many levels of just walking around being subjected to the same random enocunters over and over? Why do you have to grind to before going to the first dungeon to not get wiped instantly? If you're making a parody of trashy RPGMaker games, please don't put in the actually trashy and boring parts.
Bugs:
Had the menu become unresponsive one time after tabbing out. I'd just saved, so I just quit and restarted, but that was down to luck. Probably an RPGMaker thing rather than your fault.
I get that it's their hobby to walk around randomly, but the wandering NPCs in town can get in the way a lot due to the many 1-tile-wide gaps. Again, don't copy the annoying parts.
Well you say that, but I can't shake the feeling that there's a decent parody locked away behind all the dull grinding, and I'm annoyed that I can't get at it.
You're welcome to grind more if you want, just letting you know if you're in Gralssland Temple, theres 3 more 4 Floor Dungeosn aswell, which are pretty much the exact same, just a bit bigger each Time.
Found an actual game-breaking bug: In the snow island village, in the house with the teddy-burning woman, trying to exit just sends you back into the house again. Had a previous save, luckily.
Also also, I'd just like to point out that while my previous impression stayed about the same throughout the game, the quest to get the airship pilot was paced perfectly. No need to wade through two floors of random encounters: you get an objective, you go there, you have some fun dialogue, a fight, quest over.
This is my first time ever playing an RPGMaker game and I found it kind of charming. The art is nice, and everything seems to work.
I like your writing too.
Comments
Ah, RPG Maker, how I missed you.
Now, I don't know how seriously you want to take this, but I think it needs more funny moments other than cutscenes. Like interacting with the environment should provide some funsies, and also with items and other micro-quests, like bringing a piece of beef to the grandma and she yearning to stew it but not being programmed to, etc.
"Vanilla" RPG Maker games are a dime a dozen, even back then, so you have to put in much more work to make it stand out.
Playing through this right now, writing my thoughts as I go. Forgive the train of thoughts style of writing. The very beginning already had me cracking up. "Why does everything look so stupid?" The writing is snappy and funny. Some of the mob names made me giggle too. All of the small touches (like the "World of Generica") and NPC dialogue are funny and charming. Making a no-grind version was definitely the right choice - at least in my opinion. Turn-based RPGs can be fun but for a game like this, I really just want to see what happens next (in a good way, cuz the writing is genuinely really funny.)
The ending was tragic. Poor Lillith. That was really funny, and a great way to spend 40 minutes of my day.
Is this supposed to be a one-off meme game for Demo Day? I finished the thing within about 40 minutes. I was playing the Non-Grind version though. The meta-commentary has its moments, some NPCs are fun to talk to. The music is alright, I don't know if it's original or part of RPGMaker.
Are you planning on doing anything special with this one?
I just did this when sick, so I had something to submit, its finished, theres not going to be anything touched up on this. I also removed the regular Versions, it was apparently just way too grindy and annoying to play through, the only Thing people seemed to enjoy a bit was the Story, not the Gameplay.
I also don't really know why anyone assumes I tried to make Fun of RPGMaker Games with this, or that its a parody or anything, its just bad Dialogue. I don't even remember 70% of what I wrote or made in this Game.
All Assets used are stock RPGMaker, or came with DLCs I apparently got when originally buying it.
writing feels bit cynical at the start but turns more lighthearted towards the end, also earlier build was working on mac just fine
I got the boat then I didn't know where to go and I lost interest.
But I was pleasantly surprised by how funny some of the dialogue was, well done! The self-referential isekai humor can be hit or miss but you got multiple chuckles out of me.
Beat the Minotaur in 30 minutes by going all in on Nina so I'll count that as a victory. Not much to review gameplay wise. It's RPGM. Nina getting an AoE spell at level 3 speeds up a lot of the early grinding. In the interest of time I played until I died. The writing can be funny at times, especially the deliberate typos, but the inescapable feeling of seethe I get from this kinda mars the whole experience. While the concept is endearing, when every NPC has a variation of "I have nothing important to say" it's easy to grow bored of the optional dialogue pretty quickly.
In the interest of time I played until I died, about 45 minutes in on dungeon floor 3. I (obviously) did not reach the end.
I had fun talking to random NPCs, hearing what stupid things they had to say. But stopped playing when I had to actually engage with the RPGM gameplay which just isn't my cup of tea...
Dialogue is very well written, short, concise and funny despite the randomly capitalized Nouns everywhere.
Even with the NoGrind version there are way too many encounters everywhere for the game to be fun.
Dungeon design is uninspired, just random rooms connected randomly. This together with the extremely high encounter rate made me drop it.
Pretty decent for having built this in a week tbh.
Encounterrate is just the default RPGM one, I was too lazy to change that.
Dungeons are randomly generated by RPGM aswell, I just added a bit of Noise and clutter.
If you don't like grinding mindlessly forever, try the NoGrind Version.
Okay, I'm done, for now at least. Got to the Gralssland Temple level 4.
Characters are the best part. Writing is kinda fun despite the wonky English. I genuinely want to know how it ends, so it's really a shame that there's so much generic RPGMaker tedium between anyone saying anything.
Like why do the dungeons have so many levels of just walking around being subjected to the same random enocunters over and over? Why do you have to grind to before going to the first dungeon to not get wiped instantly? If you're making a parody of trashy RPGMaker games, please don't put in the actually trashy and boring parts.
Bugs:
Had the menu become unresponsive one time after tabbing out.
I'd just saved, so I just quit and restarted, but that was down to luck. Probably an RPGMaker thing rather than your fault.
I get that it's their hobby to walk around randomly, but the wandering NPCs in town can get in the way a lot due to the many 1-tile-wide gaps. Again, don't copy the annoying parts.
It's not really ment to be a Parody, its just a bad Game.
Well you say that, but I can't shake the feeling that there's a decent parody locked away behind all the dull grinding, and I'm annoyed that I can't get at it.
You're welcome to grind more if you want, just letting you know if you're in Gralssland Temple, theres 3 more 4 Floor Dungeosn aswell, which are pretty much the exact same, just a bit bigger each Time.
Also just decided, I'll upload a noGrind version real quick, in case People really want to see the Rest.
I'll try it again later then :)
Found an actual game-breaking bug: In the snow island village, in the house with the teddy-burning woman, trying to exit just sends you back into the house again. Had a previous save, luckily.
Also I finished the game. Poor Lillith ;_;
Also also, I'd just like to point out that while my previous impression stayed about the same throughout the game, the quest to get the airship pilot was paced perfectly. No need to wade through two floors of random encounters: you get an objective, you go there, you have some fun dialogue, a fight, quest over.
This is my first time ever playing an RPGMaker game and I found it kind of charming. The art is nice, and everything seems to work. I like your writing too.