Novella by NewBlack & Narcodis

 

The Lovers (Les Amants) is a 1928 painting by René Magritte, and if you give a look to that painting you will see the protagonists of this game, two figures that apparently have their faces shrouded by white cloth. These are indeed two lovers, or better, they were. The game is their story and we play as the male character as he explores a surreal landscape solving musical puzzles.

Novella is a short adventure/puzzle game: the game mainly consist on exploration of some restricted areas that are pretty well mapped and atmospheric, where the protagonist has to solve some musical puzzles. These three puzzles consists basically in trying to mimic the notes from a violin using a piano, and I guess it's not really easy if you do know play musical instruments. There are no battles, no inventory management, nor risk of death. The main menu is particularly impressive.

Download Link

Rpgmaker.net

Rmarchiv.de

 

Random Fact: this game was made for the 2011 Rmn Summer event. Although it's released as a complete game, it's a first chapter that ends with a screen that says "end of part one" leaving the story incomplete.  

 

 

Final Verdict: Novella is a weird game, some ideas are great, other aspects not so much. The story is obscure and seems incomplete with the mentioning of just a part one, but I may be wrong of course (maybe part 2 is just what hopes.the protagonist, to turn back time and restart). The puzzle are ok, strange but not bad, maybe a bit difficult but there is a solution for all of them on the game page, so it is impossible to be stuck on any parts. Maps and graphics are the best part of the game, but aside from style and presentation (that are clearly important) there isn't much else.

The story is weird, maybe incomplete due the strict time requirements of the event or maybe is it is a personal expression of a real life experience of the author. Who knows? The problem is that it is rather vague and... somehow it seems it could have been a bit better. I also do not like some choices, like when you perform a task you read that "a door has opened"! Ok. But where? How? Why?
Lots of questions and no answers, yes. Anyway this is not a bad game, it is ok, very stylish and quite short even if I am pretty sure that most players will have difficulties with those puzzles.  

Final Fantasy Time and Again by Azrael & Sephiroth X

 

The world is in a state of flux. The Baron Army, the most powerful nation in the world, has inexplicably begun attacks against other nations in a blitzkrieg attempt to gather all of the Crystals of the Elements. While the people of Baron are confused, their King is well loved for his service to the people up to this point. As his support dwindles, attacks come out in larger force, with the Dark Knights, Dragoons, and the Baron Red Wing airship fleet coming out in more violent shows of force each time.

 

In the midst of this, a loyal Dragoon of the Baron Army, a half-demon orphan of Mysidia, and an unbalanced Psionic wanderer will meet, their fates locked together until the end of this madness, and will begin a constant struggle for peace... 

 

Final Fantasy Time and Again is a fangame based on the world and some events of Final Fantasy IV. The characters of that game will appear from time to time, but the game focuses on the four core characters of the game. Like Kain, the protagonist Azrael is a Dragoon and the game closely resemble the original source game, sending the party of original characters all around the world and making them interact with the various characters seen before. Expect dungeons, puzzles and battles.

 

Download Link

Rmarchiv.de 

 

Youtube Playthrough 

 

Random Fact: this is one of the few FF fangames that includes a working Jump attack mechanic. It's cumbersome but well integrated into the Rpgmaker 2003 system.

 

Final Verdict: this is a brillian fangame that while incomplete, it's 8-10 hours long. Mapping is pretty good and it really represent a case of well made fangame and entertaining story that involves new characters inside a familiar setting.

Four Sided Triangle by Majin Sam

 

The protagonist is Hennu Katsuya that recently moved with his mother to the town of Onanne. Being a classic teenager he has to go to school but something happens on the way and becomes involved in a battle between the city guards and some dark knights followed by the appearance of mysterious portals around his new home. After this event he starts to help Jonouchi, one of his schoolmates, that apparently is a sort of secret-soldier/agent that works with the town guard. For Hennu this is the beginning of a great adventure.

 

Four Sided Triangle is a fantasy Rpgmaker jrpg with a serious plot but also comedy moments. The system is classic, heroes have Alchemy powers that are linked to the elements, Hennu for example will learn how to use electricity powers, and enemies have strength and weaknesses to these elements. But the game includes also races and puzzles to be solved.

 

Download Link

Rpgmaker.net

Rmarchiv.de

Random Fact: the game constantly references to the Full Metal Alchemist anime. For example Hennu is said to look like Edward Elric to that anime, moreover he will have to learn Alchemy during the course of the adventure. Unsurprisingly there are golems in this game too, even if they are more similar to the fantasy counterparts rather than to those of the anime.

 

Final Verdict: Four Sided Triangle is a pretty good demo, pity for the imprecisions and mapping issues especially in the later parts, but I can say it's an enjoyable experience if you want to try an old-school Rpgmaker jrpg that is not too serious. Despite the lack of polish you can still have some fun with this little unfinished game thanks to the variety of tasks, the humor, and fun classic party-based jrpg gameplay, if you can tolerate the silly parts and quite random events, but better if you can enjoy them! 

Overall not bad at all!

1873 by LouisCyphre

 

The year is 1873. Law-enforcement is non-existant in the small trail town of Tombstone, Texas. Bandits, drunkards, crooked gamblers, and killers walk undeterred. Crimes are committed without regard to consequences, because there ARE no consequences.

 

Enter Mardsen Dustine. With his handful of allies, he is charged with clearing out the filth from Tombstone. Each month of the year 1873, you'll bring in various bounties and wanted men, cuminating each month with a showdown with a particularly dangerous opponent. As you progress and your fame grows, the rewards you reap will grow as well - but so will your notoriety and the danger it entails. Can you survive a year in the West?

 

 

1873 can be defined as a western-themed rpg/adventure: the game in fact consists into a linear series of missions that our bounty hunters will take. Sometimes they have to capture a dangerous criminal, others they have to rescue someone, in any case all boils down to dungeon delving adventure, fighting bandits, solving few puzzles and facing enemy bosses. Restocking is possible in some cases even during missions.

Battlers are custom made by the author, that also made all the graphics for a game posted previously, Speak no Evil. 

Download Link

Rpgmaker.net

Rmarchiv.de 

 

Random Fact: this game is more a prototype than a real demo and it includes some unnamed and non-interactive characters that were supposed to enable some extra optional quests and features.

Final Verdict: I admit, despite some lack of polish this game is strangely addictive, maybe for the simple and fast battles or the wild west charm, a very unusual occurrence in rpgmaker games. I only wish maps were a bit more refined and populated, but I know that this is a demo of a cancelled game, still it was a promising prototype! 

Tierra Azul by Riko

 

Prohesia is a world protected by the goddess Rubi, but not everything goes well: King Richard sends one of his men, Sir Edward, to investigate the presence of an enemy patrol of the Iriad Army at the nearby Medusa's Caves. But Edward once he arrives to the place he finds the enemy soldiers massacred, and suddenly he's ambushed by a mysterious creature.

 

Meanwhile Rico joins a friend to help him completing an errand for the sage Krilos, and all goes well… until they go back to town! Here they find that their friends and relatives mysteriously disappeared and their village is empty. So they decide to leave through the forest to search for the missing townsfolk...

 

 

Despite the title in spanish and the subtitle in latin, this very old game is instead in english, and it's a pretty long demo of fantasy adventure. Here you can find numerous battlers, puzzles, mazes and other challenges, but our protagonist will also find numerous allies in his adventures. And old game that offers a classic gameplay, nothing more and nothing less, however I must admit that the plot is pretty unusual and interesting.

 

Download Link

Mirror Link

Rmarchiv.de 

Random Fact: it's not a coincidence that the protagonist is called Rico, when the developer is named Riko! Anyway most of the time the developers use the same name when they make a self-insert.

 

Final Verdict: this is a very old game, so do not expect something original or new, it's pretty classic fantasy Rpgmaker game, but well done, and despite being a demo it offers a lot of content, for example all the world map is complete, so it's possible to travel a lot, even if not every location was completed. Mapping isn't too bad but in my opinion it was the weakest aspect of the game. The rest is pretty good.

Ateria - Kontinent der Schatten by Xargoth (german)

 

An attack by a horde of vampires sweeps across the island in the great sea of ​​Gaiana, nearly wiping out its entire population. Young Charon survives thanks to his combat skills and the training his father gave him from childhood. 

He finds his father gravely wounded on the battlefield and receives a small key from him before the man ultimately succumbs to his injuries. The key leads Charon to the cellar of his own home, revealing the entrance to a small room. Inside, he discovers a modified pistol and a valuable elemental sword. He also finds a strange mirror. It turns out that a demon named Dagon is trapped within it; the demon immediately proposes a deal: Charon will gain a portion of its powers if he uses them to kill the vampires. Driven by a desire for revenge against the creatures responsible for his family's death, he accepts the offer.

 

 

Ateria - Continent of Shadows is a Rpgmaker horror game demo created by Xorgoth: the game is basically amystery horror adventure with a single character, a vampire hunter. It features some custom activities and original gameplay elements like climbing, a custom made combat system that lets the player switch between gun and sword, anyway the additions are still rather simple and do not overwhelm the player. The graphics use edited REFMAP assets and there is a lot of attention to light, shadows and atmospherical effects.

Download Link

Rmarchiv.de

Rpg Atelier 

 

Let's Play Youtube Video 

 

Random Fact: although the game includes a monster encyclopedia that can reveal the strength and weaknesses of the opponents, mind that it can be only consulted when in town and not while travelling! A bit odd choice anyway. 

 

Final Verdict: despite the short playtime, Ateria is impressive as an high quality game with great use of lightning, good mapping, many poses, sprites ans features like climbing, monster encyclopedia, slot machines, and more. There are two only issues: the first is that you will often have to travel through the forest and that's becomes boring, there isn't a lot of story, since you are just a vampire hunter hunting vampires! That's it! Anyway it's an excellent demo, and very unique adventure, considering it was released in 2008 it was certainly one of the best games of the time. It's a pity this was never completed.

Fantasy of the Hearts by outlander145

 

Jurven... a reasonably normal man, if not a bit snide in his mannerisms. He must make a rough decision: saving humanity from a fate worse than death, or cryogenic stasis (apparently). Well, while cryogenics may take several decades to be discovered, one thing is for sure. The doors of the Mind have been placed in harm's way. Final Hearts, the interconnecting chamber to the mind has been penetrated deeply... and its security, compromised. Two omnipotent beings have altered the very reality of the Mind's fabric weave, with colors on whites, and bleach on color..

 

Roy Latrice, Jurven's supposed friend, is merely a pawn in this dilemma. In being possessed, Roy fears for his inevitable insanity. The end result: drug consumption. While not only an extremely idiotic decision, this also proves incredibly useless. Jurven, practically the last man standing within Earth's shattered reality, has been chosen to mend the Mind's fabric for reasons even he is unsure of.

 

Roy opens a portal to a land beyond time, imagination, and budget costs. Especially the Fourth Wall.

 

 

Fantasy of the Hearts is a parody/fangame of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, in fact our hero, Jurven, will be joined by some popular Square Enix characters. The game itself is basically a classic jrpg with battles, levels and party management, the main appeal are the weird situations and funnly dialogues.

Download Link

Rmarchiv.de

Rpgmaker.net 

Random Fact: this game is basically a remake of Final Hearts, a game posted on the Gaming World forums that received terrible reviews. This is better, I assure you.

 

 

Final Verdict: this game is basically a joke based on the title screen and not much more, so do not expect this to be a good old style fnatasy rpg. It's instead a silly and humorous little game with some funny moments, but that shouldn't be taken seriously!

Mana Conquest: Vengeance by Ramza

 

A thousand years have passed since the events of the first part. 

When Meridia is attacked on the night of Prince Eidan's sixteenth birthday, his country is pulled into a war against both the Council and the Resistance, which had been fighting for hundreds of years previous. Join Eidan on his quest to round up as many specialists as he can find to wipe out both enemy factions, and with them, the ancient evil of so long ago...  

 

Mana Conquest: Vengeance is a story driven rpg adventure and the second episode of the Mana Quest series. Unfortunately it was never completed, but the demo available includes some hours of gameplay and the following features:

 

- 6 Playable characters
- caterpillar system
- random banters between party members. if the character doesn't like you, he'll let you know
- skill levelling system for all PCs is implemented and active
- improvements to the intuitive twists on the DBS from the first game.
- several improvements to the encounter system from part one. monsters will notice you if you get close, - the actual distance and follow speed is different depending on the monster.
- Fabulous (mostly) custom musical score, some familiar from the first game, others not.
- Scaleable difficulty system

 

Download Link

Rpgmaker.net

Rmarchiv.de 

Random Fact: Mana Conquest: Vengeance can be played as a stand alone adventure, in fact the prologue summarizes the events of the first game and its ending, letting us play as the protagonist Rolf once again for a short time.

 

Final Verdict: Mana Conquest is an ok demo with many options and useful additions to the usual rpgmaker system seen in many other games. Combat could have been balanced a little better, still it's enjoyableand while I am not a fan of the use of savepoints, the game is not frustrating at all, just challenging. 
Ok, it's true that the setting is pretty generic and the story is nothing special: usual bad guys threatening the world, and the classic "you killed my father prepare to die", characters speak in a casual modern way to their King, and there is an abundance of some classic fantasy tropes, still this is much better than other similar Rpgmaker games.
Overall this was a pretty good demo for its time, and I admit that I enjoyed it despite its shortcomings, in any case it's not your average rpgmaker game, nor a must-play one. But if you like the genre, like me you will have fun playing this game.

Exile by QHeretic

 

The story is set in a semi-futuristic / medieval world where machines meet magic. The game begins with the introduction to three seperate tales, each with it's own protagonist. When evil is amidst, these three have a kind of bond that seems to call them together to fight the enemy.

 

However, each ends up in their own tangle on the same day...and soon each person's story develops into a epic battle tale. The complete story begins 10 years before the present day, when a power hungry emperor comes close to taking over the world. His desire for power also drives the children that he kidnapped to serve him to assassinate him, to phase in a new era of peace. The day this occurred was further known as the Medlahm Assassination, and the ringleader of this faction was Xelan. He lead this faction named Sabre to become the new leader of the world capital, Imanene.

 

 

Exile is a very old Rpgmaker adventure game released in 2002, and one of the first to feature different protagonists in different scenarios: however as the titles says, all three heroes will be exiled for different reasons and this will lead to a series of adventures. Do not expect anything new or original, this was a basic adventure rpg using the classic Rpgmaker system and the default RTP graphics, still it was one of the first works by the author of the great Kindred Saga.

Download Link

Rmarchiv.de

 

Random Fact: the old defunct original site for the game can still be found using Waybackmachine: see it here https://web.archive.org/web/20001017095906/http://www.geocities.com/enterranet/exile-sto.html 

 

Final Verdict: an ok game if you are very nostalgic, the adventure is however well made but pretty classic and can be still be enjoyable. Anyway being a demo do not expect a real epilogue to the story.

Vanilla Villain by YDS & Decadence by FLCL_Naota_Hina

Today I post two forgotten games, that are pretty short demos: both can be completed in 5-10 minutes and present a well mad urban modern setting with many edits and custom made animations. Both games are pretty stylish, come from two now defunct communities (GamingW in the first case, SodaRPG in the second). And both games start with an animated cutscene and end with the apologies from the developer for not completing the game... yet!

 

Vanilla is the protagonist, and at the beginning of the game she's driving her pink car while watching the news, when then her boss, a Panda, calls her... in the end our Vanilla has to blackmail the evil anti-porn antagonist to help her pandas bosses. 

 

 

Vanilla Villain is, like the next game, a sort of prologue of an adventure that was never made. To be honest Vanilla Villain is a little more interesting because besides the intro and the first exploration sequences it also offers a couple of shooting levels with a psychedelic background. Anyway everything is pretty easy and skippable. The nightclub map and Vanilla's house are both really well made.

 

Download Link

Rpgmaker.net 

Rmarchiv.de

 

Random Fact: in 2008 Sarevok presented the GamingW community a lucrative challenge: Create a game using these themes: "pandas, antagonists and a rag tag team." For incentives, Sarevok offered $450 worth of prizes for three lucky winners! One team took the opportunity and ran with it and created what you now see.

 

 

 

Decadence starts with an angel being punished for not following the orders, refusing to hurt the humans. Then the real game starts with a normal man, Chipp, a military officer in a futuristic city where a bomb exploded. Chipp leaves his house to investigate.

Once again we have a short prologue without combat, about what was supposed to be a mystery adventure. Decadence, unlike Harry, doesn't rely on custom graphics but includes lots of edits and custom made animations and sprites, and considering its shortness this is well detailed.

Download Link

Rmarchiv.de 

Oniromancie 

 

Random Fact: Decadence is a game in English created by a maker speaking in French the pseudonym of FLCL_Naota_Hina, ex-member of Dream-Square, deceased creation group managed by none other than Soda (aka. Pickles Lover) after the death of its site SodaRPG. This game created in 2002 was extremely promising although largely unknown to the majority of the community.

 

Necropolis by Jude

 

Take on the role of Marcus, an aging war veteran who awakens under peculiar circumstances... he has joined the ranks of the undead! Battle your way through a gothic necropolis of skeletons, vampires, and werewolves to unravel the mystery behind your undead condition. This RPG will feature a unique turn-based battle system, character customization to fit your play-style, and handmade retro NES-style graphics. Fight against your dark fate, restore your humanity, and take vengeance upon the creatures of the night! 

 

Necropolis is not the classical Rpgmaker jrpg since this time we play as a single hero, an aged warrior. The game uses custom handmade retro NES-style graphics and a custom turn based system with skills that allow three possible specializations:  Basic, Finesse, and Power.

 

Download Link

Rmarchiv.de

Internet Archive 

 

Random Fact: it's no mystery that the game is a homage to the Castlevania series, presenting a setting that's clearly inspired to the  popular series. Enemies are also similar, like the journey of a single hero, however the genre is pretty different.

 

Random Fact: it's a really a pity that this game hasn't be completed since it's a promising first half of a bigger adventure. 

The Rose Chronicles by Legacy001

 

Rose Chronicles follows Roselle as she goes 7 years into the past to prevent a tragedy from occurring. The game plays similar to a 2005 GBA game: Riviera. In which you are not able to move a character around the map, but rather drag a cursor around clicking on nodes to advance the story.

 

A very unique gem of a game, the author ripped the sprites from a game called Hoshigami, then formated it to rm2k3 himself, and adapted the maps to the isometric characters, but since Rpgmaker 2000/2003 can only do diagonal movement in special cases, Legacy001 opted for some comprimises. The payoff? The game ends up exhibiting a distinct look compared to other rm2k/3 games.The demo is about  4-6 hours long.

Download (3.2 version)

Mirror Link  

Download (1.1 version) 

Rmarchiv.de 

 

Rpgmaker Historia 

Random Fact: The Rose Chronicles was just a side project made by Legacy001,worked on to take a break from doing the Naufragar series. Though it’s understandable why the project took too much effort to continue working on. In the end it ended up being one of the more memorable demos of the mid-GW era.

 

Final Verdict: this was a rather unique experiment that showed what can be accomplished using Rpgmaker in a different way, and if really offers something new and original. A must play game.

Harry & What lies beyond that swamp? (Cave Game) by Cheshire Cat

Harry is a detective that lives in a dark city. Or at least he WAS a detective before retiring, now he's a writer. Typical protagonist of a noir movie, he moves around his rainy city, caring only for his nephew Robert... or Robbie. But apparently his past is haunting him...

 

Harry takes inspiration from the old noir detective movies but adds surreal characters and a very dark, almost horror undertone. Unfortunately the game is so short that's practically just a prologue, in any case it's really well done and atmospheric.

 

 Download Link

 Rmarchiv.de

 

Random Fact: Cheshire Cat in this game takes inspiration from another game that was released the same year, Gates of Invocation, where the developer was assisted by Malad.

 

Final Verdict: like for the game presented next, it's really a shame there won't be the possibility to play at least a longer demo, given the intriguing story and characters presented here. It's also pretty short and that's why I decided to post both prologues from this author.

 

 

 

 

A young man lives inside a dark cave with other people, but dreams of a better future outside under the light of the sun. However there is a dangerous swamp outside the cave and no one dares to leave their refuge. But this young man decides that he'll try to leave the place and his friends to cross this swamp that everyone fears...

 

 

What lies beyond that swamp? is a short demo of an adventure game: no battles, just exploration and some simple tasks, but the main interesting aspect is probably the dark atmosphere of mystery and dread. The game uses simple stylized graphics, that dive a crude but intriguing look, like some kind of cave painting.

Not a coincidence for sure.

Download Link

Rmarchiv.de

 

Random Fact: save often, the game is unfortunately a bit buggy. 

 

Final Verdict: it's a pity that we will never learn what lies beyond that swamp, because the game is pretty much intriguing and unique visually speaking. This demo makes it look like a walking simulator, but this isn't a bad thing. 

Even in the Midst of Darkness by Xanedil

 

In a world ruled by magic, there are three types of people: The Venesi, the Terreli, and the Nomals. Nomals are the normal people who make up the middle class of workers and soldiers. Terreli are the ones who can use light magic, who are the rulers and government officers. Then there are Venesi, the ones who can use dark magic, who are the ridiculed and hated; tossed aside from society.

 

For many generations, the Venesi people, wielders of dark magic, have been ridiculed and scorned by the Nomals and the Terreli, wielders of light magic. An organization known as Greyland was created in order to combat the deep segregation imprinted into the fabric of society.

 

However, after a planned convention of the group falls into chaos, a man named Douglas Blaak and his recent wife Aira are thrown right in the middle of an unknown plot between the leader of Greyland, the Grand Saint and his followers, and a mysterious group of people simply known as the Kaaj.

 

The release of this game includes a prologue and the first chapter, a single dungeon and about three boss battles, plus some other combat encounters. It's a classic adventure rpg that's pretty linear and unfortunately not complete. The story is probably the best aspect of the game, together with some original sprites and battlers for the playable cast and some of the enemies. The rest isn't bad but rather classic and not really original, still better than many other Rpgmaker demos.

 

Download Link

Rpgmaker.net

Rmarchiv.de

 

Random Fact: the game includes a test savegame on the world map where no location is accessible. However it's still possible to fight random battles with a party that also includes two new characters that do not appear in the demo, Kyla and Claus.

 

 

Final Verdict: Even in the Midst of Darkness starts quite well, with an interesting story and plot, ok for the most part is Douglas lamenting because he always trusts the wrong people, anyway it's not the usual "fight the evil demon" thing. Lots is unfortunately left unexplained: who and what is Poliestar? Which is the origin of the three races? Which was Blackmore's plan? We'll never know since the game ends with a black screen. There is also a test save that includes two extra characters, Kyla and Claus, but we'll never know about them, and that's a pity.
However the lack of savepoints and the boring battles are probably the greatest problems of this game, for the rest it's pretty standard, with some high points like the battlers and some ideas. Pity. Could have been better, much better, and the story was promising.

Tale of Exile - Act 1 by Lastturn

 

In this game the protagonist is Adam, the mercenary called Black Claw, a bounty hunter that is quite skilled but not a veteran yet: the game starts shortly after he kills an assassins and captures his accomplice. Wandering the city the hero will find some optional quests, card games and find himself in a series of different situations. Meanwhile the heir to the throne, Prince Antonius receives the "Great Initiation" after the mysterious death of the Queen...

 

Tale of Exile is a low-fantasy gritty adventure that gives a lot of freedom to the player: the city is fully explorable and there are many secondary quests, for example it's possible, but not obligatory, to try to defend an innocent in a trial, a quest that may be completed succesfully or failed. Then it's possible to explore various areas, solve puzzles and fight enemies in a turn-based custom system. The game uses in fact lots of custom made menus and systems, that sometimes are a bit clunky but quite impressive anyway, and the diary is pretty handy to remember what you are supposed to do and where you are supposed to go.

Download Link (installer)

Rpgmaker.net

Rmarchiv.de 

Official Site (english/polish)

 

Random Fact: this game was originally made in Polish since the developer is from Poland, however it was released in both English and Polish. The game was originally planned in four acts, but unfortunately only the first was completed. 

 

Final Verdict: far from perfect, but REALLY FAR from bad, Tale of Exile is a wonderful experience. Despite the inventory choices, the diary is really useful to understand what you have to do, and it's impossible losing the thread. The game does not hold your hand and rewards exploration, in this sense it's more of a typical fantasy western rpg (I mean not "oriental Jrpg", not that he has cowboys!). I also liked many references and easter eggs here and there (for example the art gallery hosts pictured by an artist that's clearly a reference to Andy Warhol) and the high level of detail and accuracy of the world, that cleary required a lot of work and effort. 
So this was Tale of Exile. The usual question is: did I had fun? Well, yes, a lot.
Despite the flaws (in my opinion due to the bold experiment to make something akin to a sort of fantasy Fallout rpg) the game is immersive, enjoyable and looks good too.
Recommended!