VGamingIndies: Vol 1

We don’t need to tell you that there are a lot of video games being released every week and a lot of games simply go under the radar. Indie games in particular are often developed by small teams, usually without a billion dollar corporation behind them and they don’t have a chance to shine. 

VGamingIndies gives us a chance to talk about some of those smaller titles that we’ve played recently. We’re not scoring these games like we would if it was a ‘full review’. An arbitrary number isn’t always the best approach, especially with Indie games. Instead, we’re just laying out what we liked, what we thought didn’t work so well and leaving the choice up to you.

In our inaugural VGamingIndies we take a look at:

Paladin Dream

Paladin Dream is a straight down the middle type RPG; there’s no surprising twists or turns to uncover through the short run time. The kicker is that the vast majority of what’s on screen isn’t HitherYon Games‘ work, as it’s created using RPG Maker. Granted, the programme allows devs to write their own story arc and draw their own assets, but ultimately you’ll still be playing a game made within the bounds of an engine that is painfully showing its age. HitherYon Games have created their own sprites and some unique music, and both of which hold up well. You play as Josiah, a square jawed paladin, plagued by a dark past. You decide to pick up your sword and head out into the world to kill God or find out that you were the monster all along. You know the drill. 

Platform:	PC – Link to Steam page
Developer:	HitherYon Games
Publisher:	Meridian4
Pros:	+ Feels like a Retro RPG  + Not too Grindy  + Simple progression system
Cons:	– Predictable story – Character on the overworld moves very slowly  – Music a little lacking
Price:	£3.99
Played by:	Odi

If you think of the pre-PlayStation Final Fantasy games, then you’re approaching the correct experience. Movement around the map is done in a bird’s eye view and dialogue is rooted in a text box that usually repeats the same sentence each time you speak to an NPC. Combat boils down to you and your enemy taking turns slapping each other in the face until one of you falls over. Each fight is functionally the same, but mercifully Paladin Dream doesn’t force you into unacceptably grindy gameplay loops. In this case you’re able to follow the core story arc to completion without having to spend hours punching bandits just to progress to the next grind session. 

If you’re looking for a retro RPG experience then Paladin Dream might be for you, but so could thousands of other games. There aren’t any massive clangers which would have me call it a broken experience but it also lacks any kind of hook that would let me wholly recommend it. 

The Vagabond Emperor

The Vagabond Emperor puts you in the shoes of a character who has had enough of the state of the country and decides to be the nation’s ruler. (They might have also had a few pints when this revelation comes to them, but that’s neither here nor there.) As you set off on your journey, the land is thrown wide open for you to tackle this challenge in whatever way you wish. If you want to build a town and increase your reputation, that’s fine. If you want to explore and convince people to join you in your quest, that’s also cool. Hell, the developer (yep, singular), Wiggling Eyebrows, have even given players the option to breed with everyone to conquer the world Dominic Toretto style – with Family. 

Key Info
Platform	PC – Link to Steam page
Developer	Wiggling Eyebrows
Publisher	Wiggling Eyebrows
Positives	+ Good concept + Table-top aesthetics + Witty writing
Negatives	– No fixed genre – Navigation is very clunky – Steep learning curve
Price	£15.49
Played by	Joe

The customisation is surprisingly deep and flows into the game play itself. The massive world is set out like a table-top RPG; the characters are represented like circular portraits and amble around the map until you interact with them. If you can’t or won’t convince them to join the quest, battles are equally flexible, either taking a turn based approach or a strategy-RPG style where two factions of cards will close in on each other and a bloody battle will ensue. Winning the battle and the remaining men will find their way onto the party, but if you lose then there are consequences. Missing limb or being given a degenerative disease are always a joy and impact the rest of the game. I had an arm lopped off early on which meant I could no longer hold a shield until I found a store to sell me an artificial replacement. It’s a great mechanic that gives a real weight to the quest. 

The Vagabond Emperor tries to do the impossible, giving you free reign on the genre of game you’re playing. It is primarily a 2D RPG with elements of dungeon crawling, town creations and family building mechanics all thrown into the mix. The trouble is that The Vagabond Emperor tries to do too much. It tries to be every genre of video game under the sun, but falls flat because of it. Combat in either guise is random and requires little-to-no skill, and the exploration feels more like fumbling around and hoping for the best. If Wiggling Eyebrows had concentrated on just one genre of RPG, the results would have been incredible. The story, as simple as it seems, is engaging and well written, and the fact there are a range of options and routes it can take is always welcome. As it is, The Vagabond Emperor has good structure but is let down by mechanics that desperately tries to please everyone.