RMXP IGMC Short Reviews (for everyone to participate)

@slimmmeiske2 I stopped after meeting the flowers in the garden. And hey, if you ever update the game in the future, I'd totally love to give it another try! I love Alice in Wonderland and I love looking into different media based on it

 

Whoa! Thank you for your review, glad you liked it!
The game came out a bit more difficult than planned. Thanks for the effort of beating the initial step! ^ ^

 

Moop
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
- super cute artstyle
- cute characters with a lot of character despite only speaking a few sentences
- very interesting story
- GOD THIS IS SO CUTE! >O<

Cons:
- I need more of this! Ò_Ó
- NOW!

Score: 5/5

Hello Blue Echo
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
- very nice artstyle and animations
- short but good puzzles
- managed to make something that is usually super tedious not to be tedious

Cons:
- This wind puzzle! (probably just me cause I suck at those xD)
- story came a bit short

Score: 3/5

 

Edit: Oh whoops lol wrote the message in the quote

@Nirwanda
That's very surprising to hear you say it's not old pc friendly. My laptop is from like 6 to 7 years ago and definitely can't run Witcher 3 without burning it and having a frame rate of 2 per second. It can't handle alot of games and yet just the other night as a test run I played a bit of @JacobM 's game and it ran very smoothly no problems or any lag, and the enemies were very easy to deal with once you get used to the fighting system. I only got up to the part involving the woman helping me defeat a monster, but even that boss was easy if you land your shots with the bow and arrow girl. I mean besides A few complaints I have with the story being paced weirdly the game actually seems to be very well made and if it can run on my really old laptop then I thought it could run on everything very smoothly. Guess I was wrong >_<

I wonder if it's just your PC. (No sarcasm or intent to throw daggers at you. I'm genuinely shocked to hear you give cons to a game that didn't present any problems too me.)

There we go lol.

 

@Nirwanda @Enigma_Productions So, the reason why it's not very well optimized is partly because of MV and scripts I'm using. That being said, there are some thing's I've figured out to help some of the machines that have issues with it, and that's compressing the large parallax maps. I'm also using some older MV coding to make certain aspects of the game work correctly, which I want to get away from. Unfortunately, I didn't figure this out until AFTER the contest but I'm working on updated versions, including an Android version, which is forcing me to find ways to make the game more optimized across the board. It seems some people had it worse than others. In our testing phases, all we experienced on our low end machines was some longer load times, but I had no idea it was crashing. Thanks guys.

 

@Lucy Fox: What an awesome review, thank you very much! Don't worry, you'll be seeing more from MOOP soon

 

@JacobM Thank you for clearing that up.

 

I hope I do this right. Okay, so I played this game and came to offer my short review on it.

Sirens: The Cold North

I highly recommend this game, t'was a lot of fun despite not being finished.

Pros:
- Great story behind it, even though much of it still needs to develop in the content coming up.
- Though it has the simple sideview combat, there is potential for great fun due to magic costing not just MP, but magicite, too, which at times may be hard to come by.
- I thought the combat was well-balanced.
- Graphics look cool, especially the mapping of the sample map. The music sounds good as well, and the mood is right for a game like this.

Cons:
- In the battles, the only minor flaw I saw was that the characters were too distanced from the enemy. Still, this is not a biggie, it's not that bad and can easily be fixed.

Score: 4/5 The score I give it can be credited to the story, (even though it didn't develop too deep, but I understand it is a demo, so I know more will come out later. It is only the first game of several that will take place in the same world, so there is great potential to a great series) to the eventing processes I saw, and just the whole fun I had with it. Like I said, highly recommended to anyone who likes adventure-like rpgs.

 

Thank you so much for the kind review! I really appreciate that.

 

T'was no problem, @DragonVine. I just thought the effort I saw while trying your game deserved this. I wish I could play all the games people deliver, but there are just so many and of different variety, and I'll be honest, not every game captures my eye. Those that do, I will surely try out in the coming days, so perhaps I might come back here again and deliver other reviews.

 

@Enigma_Productions It's the area after that where jacob's game lags, it has a fog effect that killed the framerate on my pc. Also i didn't say the enemies were hard, i said they had too much hp, so battles were kinda long. Anyway thanks for reading

 

SPOOKED

Spoiler: Spooked

Pros:
- Original and engaging history
- It has a dark detective game atmosphere
- The gameplay is very fun
- Some parts gives you goosebumps

Cons:
- The game crashed a few times in my machine (probably a game issue), making me replay the same parts some times.
- The game could use some polishing, specifically in the graphic details and gameplay

Score: 3/5
MIXED

 

Unsung Heroes
Mixed

Pros

• Western RPG (the classic Medieval style that started the RPG genre before JRPGs popularized it).
• Easy to understand but strategic battle system.
• Potentially deep story with lots of characters and skills to keep track of.
• Skills that perform 2-4 different things each that are designed to be used in certain situations to get maximum benefit.
• Tile sets and artwork match up perfectly with this type of RPG.
• Not as granular or tedious as some of the old-school WRPGs.
• Higher level of investment needed enjoy yourself.
• Battles take longer if you attempt to make strategic choice like you're supposed to and you'll could easily die if you don't.
• Refill health to full after each battle so no worries about resource management but with the wrong combination of party members, you could get TPKed.
• World map is gorgeous. Looks like it'll be a massive game that takes dozens of hours to complete when it's finished.

Cons

• See Pros

This game is all about personal preference. If you like the medieval setting and some of the complex mechanics of classic WRPGs, you'll like this game a lot. If you would much prefer the simplicity, faster pace and/or anime style of JRPGs, you may not care for this one too much.

Score
Highly subjective. Probably in the 2-4 range based on personal tastes. I was starting to get into it by the time I stopped playing but it also took a little while to get to that point (little over an hour and a half).

 

I'd Cross The World For You [Recommended]

Spoiler

[Pro]
- Sweet and simple story
- Interesting side-quests and characters
- Satisfying ending

[Con]
- I wish it were a little longer

Score: 4.5/5

Maker of Dreams [Recommended]

Spoiler

[Pro]
- An RPG Maker sim ABOUT making RPG Maker games? Clever!
- Fairly realistic options for what to do each day and time management
- Does have a bit of challenge to it

[Con]
- Being a sim, it can feel a bit tedious at times

Score: 4/5

 

I played a bunch of entries, so I might as well drop these in!

Spoiler: Part I

Happy Slappy
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Stupid fun
-Slap (almost) everything!

Cons:
-Can't slap everything

Score: 3 / 5

Darkness of Hope - The Pocket Watch
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Custom artwork is nice and expressive
-Snazzy dialogue system, the game is well presented in general

Cons:
-What the heck is going on
-No seriously what am I even doing in this game
-Is anyone going to explain? No? Okay

Score: 2 / 5

Caterpillar
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Cute art style and nice looking maps

Cons:
-The writing is a trainwreck, this definitely requires a dedicated editor (though it did spawn a few gems)

Score: 1 / 5

Dear Edwin
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Stunning visual style

Cons:
-Writing was serviceable, but none of the characters have much. . . character
-Storyline wasn't very interesting, didn't really feel like the protag did much detective work at all

Score: 2 / 5

A Fool's Choice
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Charming writing style
-Multiple endings! It’s short so getting them doesn’t take long

Cons:
-Clashing 3D/2D visual elements
-Too short, would’ve liked to see more

Score: 3.5 / 5

The Midnight Train to Nowhere
Mixed

Spoiler

Pros:
-Artwork is nice, cute character designs

Cons:
-Writing is slightly stilted
-Weird things happened, but none of it felt too interesting

Score: 2.5 / 5

The Lost and Forgotten
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Cute pixel graphics

Cons:
-Storyline was completely pointless

Score: 1 / 5

Once Upon A Spirit
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Impressively atmospheric, had me hooked with this alone
-Amusing scenes and interactions kept the game feeling fresh

Cons:
-An unfortunately unfinished ending, I wanted to see where it went!

Score: 4 / 5

Spoiler: Part II

Demon Phase
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Entertaining characterization really holds the game together

Cons:
-Battles are pointlessly easy, might as well toss this out and make an adventure game

Score: 3 / 5

Project WITCH
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Character art is well done

Cons:
-Battles are pointlessly easy AND long
-The writing is rather flat

Score: 1 / 5

Paletta
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Excellent visuals and atmosphere
-Interesting twists and story scenes subvert expectations

Cons:
-No particular complaints, but the game didn't feel as compelling as it could be

Score: 3.5 / 5

Quidget the Wonderwiener
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Very stylish and upbeat!
-Fun dialogue (could benefit from more variance, however)

Cons:
-Not much of a game, walking back and forth in a small space makes it harder to hide it

Score: 3 / 5

Mute
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Intriguing direction and storytelling, atmosphere is perfectly eerie
-Gameplay balance is just right (unless you're not good at this kind of thing)

Cons:
-Some things were pretty vague, not as impactful as I would've liked but still worthwhile

Score: 4 / 5

Project Warp
Mixed

Spoiler

Pros:
-Very surreal, weird in a good way

Cons:
-Not much else going for it

Score: 2.5 / 5

Colossal Conquest
Mixed

Spoiler

Pros:
-Adorable art style
-Custom battle system

Cons:
-For a game focused around battles, I didn't find the combat very fun

Score: 2.5 / 5

Recondite: The Phantasm Emporium
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Artwork does a lot for the expressiveness of the characters
-The characters are well written and fun to listen to

Cons:
-Battle system is custom but I'm not digging it to be honest

Score: 3 / 5

Spoiler: Part III

Starlight
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Nicely drawn character busts (though they could use a few emotes. . .)

Cons:
-Writing and story don't carry the game well
-Poorly balanced battles, sudden QTE combat in your face

Score: 1 / 5

Subworld: End Prologue
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Unique style for an RPG Maker title

Cons:
-The writing is interesting, but it could really use a change of pace in the characterization department because it starts to feel same-y

Score: 3 / 5

Die Totenmaske
Mixed

Spoiler

Pros:
-Has its own visual flair
-Clever use of 'party members'

Cons:
-Atmosphere is there but it tanks a bit because the high contrast is distracting
-Battles/Encounter rate make exploring a slog

Score: 2.5 / 5

Abyssal Shine: Nevermelt
Mixed

Spoiler

Pros:
-Cute face sets
-Clever use of maps
-Gameplay and design basics are all serviceable

Cons:
-Distinct characters, but they're not particularly fun to listen to - storyline feels dry
-Encounter rate is way too high, especially for puzzles that require a lot of backtracking
-Combat is a bit boring

Score: 2.5 / 5

Monstruct!
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Concept of making and selling monsters isn’t seen often

Cons:
-Though, nothing interesting happens
-The monster crafting isn’t super satisfying either

Score: 1 / 5

Botanophobia
Mixed

Spoiler

Pros:
-Cute character portraits
-Pacing is nice

Cons:
-Demo ends right when the story is about to pick up
-Mapping needs work

Score: 2.5 / 5

That Which Binds Us
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Artwork is pretty, dialogue is serviceble

Cons:
-The scene changes are extremely abrupt
-Challenges suspension of disbelief

Score: 2 / 5

The Rosewood Masquerade
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Tons of witty dialogue

Cons:
-Not a whole lot else (and that's okay)

Score: 3 / 5

Lonely in the Winter
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
-Different gameplay segments

Cons:
-Writing is a total mess
-Uninteresting battles

Score: 1.5 / 5

Last Boy on Earth
Mixed

Spoiler

Pros:
-Combat forces you to pay attention
-Visually engaging 3D environments

Cons:
-Characters come off somewhat flat
-The drama in the beginning and the end feels forced

Score: 2.5 / 5

Spoiler: Personal Favorites

A Conga's Tale
Highly Recommended!

Spoiler

Pros:
-This game is too cute pls end me
-Presentation, humor, and writing are spot on, the world is incredibly charming!

Cons:
-Battles kind of overstay their welcome, but not by too much

Score: 4.5 / 5

Journey to the East
Highly Recommended!

Spoiler

Pros:
-Covers all its bases: Cute and stylish art, good mapping, fun storytelling
-A well implemented rhythm based combat system

Cons:
-Similar deal to Conga, the combat inputs really start to drag on once you get a hang of them

Score: 4.5 / 5

To Crime Nirvana
Highly Recommended!

Spoiler

Pros:
-Appealing retro visual style
-Battles are fun and well balanced
-All of the characters have personality, the writing holds up nicely

Cons:
-Similar deal to Paletta, no real complaints but is lacking in those sweet high points

Score: 4.5 / 5

 

Thank you for your feedback, Atlas!
Due to the length of this contest entry and the number of fights, the combat is not as hard as we initially wanted it (moves-wise) in order to allow a proper learning curve. We are working on it and the goal is to make it way deeper to master.

 

Gah! You played mine! Thank you for giving my game a try, @AtlasAtrium!
I agree that the battles are too easy at this point. Part of that was intentional since I wanted people to actually play the game instead of grinding, but most of it was me running out of time. (I was like, throwing in battles shouldn't be hard. I can do that at the last minute. I was wrong. ) Anyway, I'm glad you still enjoyed it enough to give it a recommended rating.

 

@Kokoro Hane Thank you so much for your review! I'm really glad you liked it. I'm planning on adding a bit more content to the game in the future, so look forward to that!

 

Once upon a Child
Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
- interesting concept
- it's so simple and at the same time so fun to read through
- nice use of sounds
- the only game so far I really was interested in seeing all the endings

Neutral:
- the save window maybe pops up a little too often

Score: 5/5

mute
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
- er.... honestly... I'm usually quite good at picking at least something for this field here... but... I don't even find words...

Cons:
- what the actual...fluff did I just play?
- the dishwashing minigames seems to be unbeatable... at least for a person with non-japanese reflexes >.>
- lots of priority bugs with the tiles (grass is over the players head)
- this is clearly a yume nikki fangame... or just one of those games that are... I don't even know. I think you have to like something like that... whatever... that is.... D:

Score: 0/5

He
Not Recommended

Spoiler

Pros:
- nice artstyle

Cons:
- please get someone to translate this >.>
- it feels very weird, has a lot of logic gaps and doesn't make much sense at all... (and why is the only meal the poor boy ever gets is breakfast?! D: )

Score: 1/5

 

Greetings Lucy Fox,

Wow you put so much effort into all your reviews -- what a great thread --- and your reviews are so easy to read & honest, Lucy Fox. Much appreciated

Reading them changed me in 3 ways:

• I'm off to try Moop; and
• I'm off to try Once Upon A Spirit ...
• You really really made me want to collaborate & write a real game with someone ...

​

Very thankfully,

Joy Diamond