Going Deep Into the Edge of Eternity

[dropcap size=big]P[/dropcap]lanet Heryon: A world that thrives on the balance of magic, keeping three realms tied together in perfect harmony. This peace lasted until the day the skies became thick with invading ships, descending upon their world and laying their capital to waste in a siege that sent shock waves through the coming days. The event described above isn’t as black and white as it seems; this note in history witnessed a war that birthed the construction of a group known as “The Consortium”, a militarized authoritarian organization that rose up to fight the invaders and maintain order among the people of Heryon. After backing the invaders into their ship that acts as an impenetrable fortress, the unwelcome guests released a bio-terrorist attack only known as “The Metal Sickness”. This disease leaves its victims mutated into half-bio, half-mechanical terrors driven by madness and aggression. This conveniently sets the stage for an undertaking of unfathomable proportions for the point character, Daryon.

In Edge of Eternity players assume the role of this young man, currently attending the Academy of Astrya, as he meets the princess of the land, Selen. The pair team up to save their home, but the endeavor is made difficult by The Consortium, who unfortunately does more to hinder their progress than help it. Taking it upon themselves to focus on petty crimes than focus on the larger issue at hand, they pursue the two for their apparent “Illegal use of technology”, in which the transgression leaves them two no choice but to tiptoe around the world they only wish to save in order to avoid being captured by the army. The beauty, however obscured by the hardships that it may be, is that this wondrous world is governed by magic, despite the fact that the crystals that once held everything together have been exploited and tarnished. Confiding in this energy, our protagonist pushes past the obstacles and sets his sights on the goals at hand: Stay alive, avoid The Consortium, and see to it that these invaders are dealt with. What a world it would be if Heryon was restored to its original state? What wonders will flourish if given the chance? These questions provide a spark of motivation that keeps the heroes going in light of these dark days.

Edge of Eternity is an RPG that stays true to the roots long settled by JRPG’s of the past such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Chrono Trigger. As a matter of fact, the music composer, Yasunori Mitsuda has been recruited by Studio Midgar to compose the OST for Edge of Eternity. Mitsuda-Sama has been involved in the music production of titles such as Chrono Trigger, Xenosaga, and others. And what a treat this is for players, as the mellow soundtrack is a delightful accompaniment to the gameplay itself, and really sets the mood, tying all the elements together. From the smooth GUI/menu system, to the quest tips, and turn-based combat (which involves quick time input to gain attack power), Edge of Eternity has established a great spot on the market, and is heading in the right direction.

This presentation is made all the more appealing by the availability of a pre-alpha demo, which can be downloaded from the Kickstarter page for PC, Mac, and Linux. EOE, as early as it is in development, hits all the right notes for a modern RPG, and with its in-depth crystal-upgrade skill tree system, amazing soundtrack, and epic back story, it’s a JRPG faithful that won’t disappoint. The features missing from the demo are already in planning/development so expect great things in the near future! Other than that, the pre-alpha is a very immersive, relaxing-yet exciting experience all on its own. This game, running on Unity3D, is already Greenlit on Steam, and the development can be followed on Twitter, IndieDB, Youtube, and their main website!