RPG Maker games, like many forms of media to arise since the age of the interwebs, are especially subject to Sturgeon's Law. But, as has been often been said on this very wiki, the remaining 10% makes the lot worthwhile, and this is a shining exemplar of it.
Last Scenario begins with Hilbert, an average boy with dreams of heroism, being told he's the descendant of a legendary hero and has an epic destiny to fulfill.
No, wait, come back! It gets better!
Yes, the initial premise of the game plays like an itemized list of RPG cliches, which the creator probably consulted when designing it. But as the game progresses, it evolves in a manner borderlining on deconstruction, as Hilbert and friends discover what it really means to be a hero.
The storyline, which is told via some of the best writing I've ever seen in a game, let alone a freeware game, is enough to justify a playthrough on its own, but luckily, that's not all the game has to offer.
The core gameplay is traditional turn-based Dragon Quest style combat. If it ain't broke, eh? Things are mixed up by the skill system, in which party members equip "Spellcards" which grant abilities and modify stats. Protip: Keep Scan and Steal available to your active party at all times once you get them.
On top of everything else, there's a card game minigame/sidequest known as Hex, which is evocative of Final Fantasy VIII's Triple Triad. It's completely optional, but very fun, and you can exchange cards for goodies.
The game is also nicely challenging, without being frustrating. ...most of the time, anyway. You may find yourself needing to gain a few levels for a stubborn boss on occasion, and if I have one complaint about the game, it's that a lot of the near-endgame sidequests require more than a little bit of grinding to get to the point where you can survive the random encounters.
And to top it all off, it's a good length. Even an experienced RPG player might find himself sinking 30+ hours into it, and that's without doing most of the sidequests.
In closing, Last Scenario is a great experience, and I recommend it highly to RPG gamers in general and fans of SNES-era RPGs in particular.
VideoGame Quality? In my RPG Maker game?
It's more likely than you think.
RPG Maker games, like many forms of media to arise since the age of the interwebs, are especially subject to Sturgeon's Law. But, as has been often been said on this very wiki, the remaining 10% makes the lot worthwhile, and this is a shining exemplar of it.
Last Scenario begins with Hilbert, an average boy with dreams of heroism, being told he's the descendant of a legendary hero and has an epic destiny to fulfill.
No, wait, come back! It gets better!
Yes, the initial premise of the game plays like an itemized list of RPG cliches, which the creator probably consulted when designing it. But as the game progresses, it evolves in a manner borderlining on deconstruction, as Hilbert and friends discover what it really means to be a hero.
The storyline, which is told via some of the best writing I've ever seen in a game, let alone a freeware game, is enough to justify a playthrough on its own, but luckily, that's not all the game has to offer.
The core gameplay is traditional turn-based Dragon Quest style combat. If it ain't broke, eh? Things are mixed up by the skill system, in which party members equip "Spellcards" which grant abilities and modify stats. Protip: Keep Scan and Steal available to your active party at all times once you get them.
On top of everything else, there's a card game minigame/sidequest known as Hex, which is evocative of Final Fantasy VIII's Triple Triad. It's completely optional, but very fun, and you can exchange cards for goodies.
The game is also nicely challenging, without being frustrating. ...most of the time, anyway. You may find yourself needing to gain a few levels for a stubborn boss on occasion, and if I have one complaint about the game, it's that a lot of the near-endgame sidequests require more than a little bit of grinding to get to the point where you can survive the random encounters.
And to top it all off, it's a good length. Even an experienced RPG player might find himself sinking 30+ hours into it, and that's without doing most of the sidequests.
In closing, Last Scenario is a great experience, and I recommend it highly to RPG gamers in general and fans of SNES-era RPGs in particular.