Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 123

Bug Fables is an Indie RPG Inspired by Paper Mario

February 5 was the 17th anniversary of the original Paper Mario’s North American release.

I’ve been disappointed in the changes they’ve made to the Paper Mario series (although I will eventually give Color Splash a try), but as I was reading comments about Paper Mario’s anniversary, someone mentioned an indie game inspired by Paper Mario called Bug Fables.

I was skeptical at first. I’ve seen other Paper Mario spiritual successors that either just took the paper aesthetic or looked like a complete clone. However, Bug Fables looks like it’s successfully captured the Paper Mario aesthetic while still having an identity of its own.

Bug Fables, which is currently seeking funds through Indiegogo, follows three bug characters (Bee, Beetle, and Moth) on a quest to find a legendary treasure.

It is filled with gameplay mechanics reminiscent of Paper Mario, including turn-based combat with action commands (which are different for each of the three characters), a cooking system, skills each character can use on the field, and a “tattle” system where you can learn more about each location and NPC.

The story will take place across 6 chapters and several locations

If the trailer isn’t enough to convince you, don’t worry. There’s also a demo you can download. The demo covers the game’s prologue, as well as a section after the prologue that lets you check out how cooking, shops, side quests, etc. will work in the full game.

You can even participate in a play, with humorous results. One of the things I liked most about this demo was that the characters’ personalities had a chance to shine, especially since Paper Mario has veered away from that. If the same charm and humor are present throughout the game, Bug Fables should be quite entertaining.

I had a lot of fun with the demo, and I can’t wait to see what the full game will be like. It really captures that Paper Mario style while standing on its own beyond nostalgia.

If you’re interested in supporting an indie RPG inspired by Paper Mario, head over to the Bug Fables Indiegogo page to help them out.

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Bug Fables is an Indie RPG Inspired by Paper Mario appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Nekopara? What Did I Get Myself Into?

On my birthday, I decided to 1) complete something from my backlog, 2) play something relaxing because it was my birthday, and 3) do research for my freelance work.

All of these things would be accomplished if I played the visual novel Nekopara Vol. 1.

(You know you’re at a strange point in your career when you’re playing Nekopara for research purposes.)

I knew very little about Nekopara going in, but I had Volume 0, 1, and 2 from the visual novel Humble Bundle, so I decided to give it a try.

Nekopara is set in a world with catgirls, which are basically what you’d get if cats could speak and behave like humans but still keep a lot of their feline tendencies. It’s actually a kinetic novel, so there are no choices to make or routes to follow, just a story to enjoy.

Well, it’s not the deepest story. The main character starts up a bakery, and two catgirls from his home follow him and end up working there. In the all-ages version, it’s pretty much just silly hijinks and awkward sexual situations the entire way through.

There’s something endearing about it, though. If you don’t think too hard about it, it’s a silly, cute story. If you do think too hard about it, it starts to feel a little creepy… but if you accept everything at face value, Nekopara is a fine way to enjoy a few hours.

Except for Shigure. Shigure is always creepy.

It also has really good production values. I was a little surprised at how nice everything looked, with lovely art and even animated characters.

After I finished Vol. 1, I played Vol. 0, which has even less story and just exists to show the characters in some additional silly situations. Since I have Vol. 2, I’ll probably go through that eventually, and then we’ll see if I’m interested enough to pick up Vol. 3 and the eventual fourth volume.

In short, Nekopara is silly and a little embarrassing to play, but it was an amusing way to spend the afternoon.

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Nekopara? What Did I Get Myself Into? appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Website Redesign Ideas

Just a quick blog post today (partly because it’s my birthday).

After the site went down in January, a few pieces never quite recovered. For example, we lost the collapsing archives that used to be in the sidebar, the list of similar content at the end of each post, and the lightbox effect for images.

It was also brought to my attention that the site design itself could be considered outdated.

So since I’ll have to make some changes anyway because of the first issue, I’ve been considering a redesign. But what sort of site design is best? Since you’re the ones who will be reading it, I’d like your feedback.

Which do you prefer?

Keep this design, with the blog post front and center.
Switch to a design that shows many recent blog posts at once on the front page, like the design for my Kingdom Hearts fan site, KH Theories.
Switch to a static front page with links to different types of content.
Go with a hybrid that has a static front page and recent posts, like the current design for my new game site, Lovecraft Video Games.
I have a different idea.

Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Website Redesign Ideas appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Project Octopath Traveler Changes Announced

After I played the Project Octopath Traveler demo, it went from being a game I was skeptical about to one I can’t wait for.

Now, the team at Square Enix has responded with a video explaining the changes and improvements they’ve made based on player feedback from the demo.

Here are the main points:

Movement Speed

In the demo, your character walked by default and ran if you held the B button. Now, you’ll be able to use the analog stick to run. Holding the B button will make you run even faster, but you’ll also have more random encounters. They also mentioned a fast travel option.

Fast travel does deviate a little from the “traditional” feel the demo had, but I don’t mind. It’s a convenience that can be ignored if you dislike it.

Visibility

Next, they’ve addressed visibility concerns by adjusting the colors and adding landmarks, to make it easier to see where you can go. You’ll be able to adjust the brightness and intensity from the options, as well. They’ve also added a “radar” feature that will “point players to exists, entrances, and important destinations.”

That’s the addition I’m least enthusiastic about. It’s certainly convenient, but it moves even further away from the traditional style, and more the modern style of quest markers. (I like plenty of games with quest markers, but sometimes I prefer the old way.) But the radar looks fairly small. Maybe there will even be an option to remove it.

UI and Events

They’ve adjusted the save UI and added more save slots, made the help text larger, and increased the default message display speed. You’ll also be able to skip scenes (and re-watch scenes you’ve already encountered).

Combat

They’re balancing the battle system, although the core combat will remain the same. I enjoyed the combat in the demo, so I’m glad they won’t be changing it too much.

Conclusion

Now, some people are displeased with this update, because they think these changes would/should have been made anyway, but I think it’s great that Square Enix is listening to feedback. Fast travel, for example, is definitely something they didn’t have to include.

On a different note, a preview version of the soundtrack is available now as well. The music sounds great, and it really gives me that classic JRPG sense.

We still haven’t heard much about the story. The two demo characters were interesting, but I have my heart set on a single story that brings all 8 characters together once you’ve played their individual stories. For now, at least, Project Octopath Traveler is one of my most anticipated games.

Are you looking forward to it? What do you think about the changes they’ve announced?

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Project Octopath Traveler Changes Announced appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Muv-Luv Vanished from Steam (Returning in February)

As you know, I enjoyed Muv-Luv (Extra and Unlimited) and loved Muv-Luv Alternative, enough to recommend these visual novels to any fans of the genre.

A couple weeks ago, I saw they had been removed from the Steam store, but it was just temporary, the result of Degica transferring everything to Ixtl (the parent company of Muv-Luv).

Well, they’re still gone.

In the latest Kickstarter update, the team apologized for the delay and said they need to recreate the Steam store pages because of the transfer.

This doesn’t seem like the greatest situation – right now no one can buy them, and it sounds like all the reviews will be gone if they’re making new pages. I’m not entirely sure what this means for those of us who already have Muv-Luv installed, either. They’re still there now, but will the new store pages cause a problem?

The good news is that they plan to have the store pages re-launched in February. If you’ve been hoping to get Muv-Luv or Muv-Luv Alternative, they should be available again soon.

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Muv-Luv Vanished from Steam (Returning in February) appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

The Next Dragon Age Will Have “Live” Elements

I’m a Dragon Age fan.

I loved Dragon Age: Origins and I found Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition to be enjoyable, despite flaws I saw in each.

Although I felt Inquisition had a split personality and some disappointing story elements, the Trespasser DLC left me intrigued about where the story might go next.

So I was excited when a report surfaced that BioWare is hard at work on the next Dragon Age game… and wary when Kotaku’s recent article on Anthem mentioned that their sources say development on the next Dragon Age game was rebooted “to implement more ‘live’ elements into the game.”

“Live” elements? What does that mean?

The whole thing sounded disturbingly similiar to EA’s explanation about shutting down Visceral Games and changing direction for their Star Wars game because the market doesn’t want linear, single-player games.

Dragon Age: Inquisition already suffered (in my opinion) from all of its open world elements, and Mass Effect: Andromeda handled it even worse. Watching Dragon Age drift even further in another direction doesn’t appeal to me.

Fortunately, it might not be that bad. BioWare’s Casey Hudson responded to fans by saying the next Dragon Age will still be focused on its story and characters, and that the “live” elements are part of “designing a game for continued storytelling after the main story.”

Reading lots of feedback regarding Dragon Age, and I think you’ll be relieved to see what the team is working on. Story & character focused.

Too early to talk details, but when we talk about “live” it just means designing a game for continued storytelling after the main story.

— Casey Hudson (@CaseyDHudson) January 25, 2018

At first, this just sounds like DLC, but that doesn’t make sense. The previous Dragon Age games continued their stories with post-game DLC. You wouldn’t need to reboot development to allow for post-game DLC, and that’s not a “live” element.

And if it’s continuing the story, it doesn’t sound like multiplayer, either.

After thinking about it, this sounds to me more like the sort of in-game events from MMORPGs brought to a single-player game, like how Final Fantasy XV had the “Assassin’s Festival” event. (That specific event was a crossover, but others wouldn’t have to be.) It’s a story addition added to the game at a certain time, and then it disappears at a certain time. To me, that sounds like a “live” way the story continues.

However, if that’s what they have in mind for Dragon Age, I’m not sure I like it. I didn’t play the Assassin’s Festival event in Final Fantasy XV, but it still bothers me that a story event was added to a single-player game and will be taken away at the end of this month.

But who knows? What do you think the “live” elements in the next Dragon Age game will be like? How do you think they will affect the game?

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post The Next Dragon Age Will Have “Live” Elements appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Turn-Based RPG Legrand Legacy is Out Now

We haven’t talked much about Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds before, although I did interview the developers for Nintendo Chit Chat.

Legrand Legacy is out now for the PC, with a Switch version to follow in Q3 2018 and PS4/Xbox One versions in Q1 2019.

It is a turn-based RPG inspired by classic JRPGs. Here’s the official description of the game from the press release:

After displaying mysterious powers beyond his control, Finn is freed from violent slavery and vows to save his liberator’s daughter. This leads him to a prophecy, a group called the Fatebounds and their quest to save the land of Legrand from the resurgence of a conflict that previously left it in war-torn shambles.

Saving the world may be a colossal task, but Finn is not alone. While adventuring, he can recruit citizens of Legrand to join the Fatebounds and upgrade their headquarters, Dumville Castle. As their ranks swell, the Fatebounds will acquire the services of shopkeepers, blacksmiths and others in addition to party members who can turn the tide of battle.

The Fatebounds must master both turn-based combat and tactical warfare to counter their enemies’ weaknesses. Victory will grant them stronger attacks, new magical abilities, and the materials needed to craft new weapons and armor.

When the battle for their homeland gets tough, Finn and his companions can take time to enjoy the beautiful environments of Legrand, depicted in a delicate balance of eastern and western oil paintings. Narrative-driven side quests, fencing competitions, heart-racing hack and slash battles, and fishing are among the abundance of activities waiting to be enjoyed in this yet-thriving world.

“Legrand is a land full of life, engaging activities and nostalgic throwbacks to the JRPGs of yore,” says Iain Garner, director of developer relations, Another Indie. “This epic tale pays homage to the greats with its beautiful and riveting world, cast of exotic characters, and twists waiting to be uncovered.”

It was inspired by many classic JRPGs, include Legend of Dragoon (another game I need to play), with timed button presses as part of its combat system. There are also tactical warfare scenarios, as well as a city restoration/recruitment activity. The launch trailer shows some of this in action.

Legrand Legacy has gotten good reviews so far, and it also seems fairly lengthy. Although a lot of indie RPGs are on the shorter side (especially compared to the classics they pay homage to), Legrand Legacy is supposed to be about 40 hours for the main story and up to 60 hours if you want to do all the side content.

It’s available on Steam now for $24.99.

I’m not sure yet if I’ll get Legrand Legacy now or wait for one of the console versions, but either way, it sounds like a game I’ll want to play. What do you think about Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds?

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Turn-Based RPG Legrand Legacy is Out Now appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

My Uncertainty About DRPGs

I love RPGs, especially JRPGs. This is no secret.

But there’s one style of RPG I’ve never really gotten into: DRPGs. Dungeon crawling RPGs often seem to have a lessened emphasis on story and character development, which are the main things I play RPGs for. Instead, they focus on exploring dungeons (obviously).

Last year, I played my first DRPG, Mary Skelter, to review it for MonsterVine. I actually enjoyed it a lot, especially because it does have a story with some interesting features.

Still, the longer I played, the more tedious it felt to go through floor after floor of the maze-like dungeons.

At first, I found the exploration fun, but eventually I got tired of dead ends, branching paths, and even more rooms to check for items, and I just wanted my exploration to have a more meaningful payoff. Yet it seems like this sort of exploration is what DRPG fans like.

On the other hand, some people describe Severed as a DRPG, and that game was fantastic. And I keep glancing at Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux even though it’ll probably have these mazes.

So for those of you who have played a lot more DPRGs than I have, what do you think? Is it just not the genre for me? Are there specific ones I should give a try? Do some have great stories and non-tedious exploration?

(Side note: are the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games considered DRPGs?)

Let me know in the comments! Also, thank you to everyone who has supported Ascendant Hearts so far!

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post My Uncertainty About DRPGs appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Ascendant Hearts is Now Out on Steam!

Remember, Ascendant Hearts, the romantic comedy visual novel funded through Kickstarter that I wrote the script for?

It is now out on Steam!

Ascendant Hearts tells the story of a young man named Hayato who is mysterious transported to a world where the tropes and mechanics you find in JRPGs (and MMORPGs) are how life actually works.

It’s a lighthearted parody filled with romantic hijinks and nods to the JRPG genre as Hayato joins Shiori, Aiko, and Chise in a quest to stop unexplained monster attacks.

Plus there’s a mad scientist! You know how much I love mad scientists.

Ascendant Hearts has multiple endings in addition to the possible romance outcomes, and it should take around 5 hours or so to complete, depending on how fast you read and whether or not you go through it multiple times. It normally costs $9.99, but it is on sale for $7.99 until January 25.

I had fun writing this visual novel, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as well. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions about it, and if it sounds interesting to you, check out Ascendant Hearts now on Steam!

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Ascendant Hearts is Now Out on Steam! appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

The Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition?

Final Fantasy XV has three DLC episodes out (along with a multiplayer expansion), more DLC on the way, free updates with gameplay changes and additional lore, and… now a Royal Edition on the way.

The Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition, as well as the PC version, will be out on March 6. In addition to the main game, it includes:

The three DLC episodes and the multiplayer expansion
An expanded explorable map for the Insomnia City Ruins, with side quests and special enemies
A controllable Royal Vessel boat that lets you explore between Cape Caem and Altissia
A powerful “Armiger Unleashed” option once you collect all the royal arms
A first-person camera mode
Weapons, car skins, and items
New myths and legends about the world, along with an Archive where you can review all of the Cosmogony stories you’ve seen
Quests to strengthen Regalia Type-D
New trophies/achievements

If you already own Final Fantasy XV, you’ll be able to upgrade to the Royal Edition by buying the Royal Pack. The price for upgrading was initially reported as $19.99, but Square Enix says that was a mistake and the price hasn’t been announced yet.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. I generally don’t mind DLC, “definitive editions,” and similar things, but since Final Fantasy XV felt rushed and/or incomplete at launch, it’s a little frustrating. I’m happy that they’re slowly fixing Final Fantasy XV, but it also makes me wish it had some of this stuff at the start.

Plus they’ve given no indication that the new DLC content will be included in this. That might be part of a second Season Pass.

Still, I have to admit… part of me is still hopeful that Final Fantasy XV will eventually become the game I hoped it would be when I started it.

How do you feel about the Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition? Are you planning to get this additional content?

(On a side note, one of the casualties of the site disaster was the “related posts” section at the bottom. It was nice while it lasted…)

Like this post? Tell your friends!







And if you want posts like this delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email in the box below to subscribe!

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post The Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition? appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.