The great thing about being a lifelong fan of video games is that you can spot fellow fans in an instant. For me, just a single glance at The Tale of Relm immediately tells me that people behind this upcoming JRPG live and breathe games, but also epic fantasy and many other things I love. In this case, the same appreciation of the source material is immediately seen in the fact that this game is inspired by titles like Final Fantasy IV and Zelda: A Link to the Past. Because of this, the development team behind the title, an indie studio called EG Games, is focused on the gameplay mechanics just as much as they are on the story and that timeless sense of adventure.
In its essence, The Tale of Relm is an RPG rooted in the Japanese traditions of this genre, but also supplemented by puzzle-solving mechanics and a character-driven narrative. The game’s story begins many centuries ago when a chance discovery offers items of huge power to magicians of Franga. However, the same greed for power uncovered something much more sinister and dangerous. The only way to stop it was to create perfect warriors - the Crudo.
In this intriguing premise, the game offers a huge variety of features. This includes 12 playable characters, turn-based combat based on a strategic system, expansive dungeons, and puzzles, as well as over 200 enemies, all with their unique powers and weaknesses. Throughout the game, players will be able to explore the world, enter villages, complete side quests, and do much more.
Everything here is accompanied by an ideally defined art style, which uses the best elements of the JRPG golden era but also gives it a contemporary twist. This seamless merger of visuals with rich and in-depth mechanics will be another huge boon for all JRPG fans, but it is far from the only one. Presently, The Tale of Relm is engaged in its Kickstarter campaign and it’s looking for help in that final stretch. If you love fantasy and JRPGs, put the game on its Steam demo and if you like what you see, help The Tale of Relm become a reality!