In many ways, Tears of Avia sounds like a very traditional RPG. It’s turn-based, features an anime aesthetic, and asks players to form a party of colourful characters to battle enemy forces. There’s certainly a receptive audience for this kind of thing, and so the project’s £68,000 doesn’t sound impossible – unless it fails to stand out. However, Tears of Avia’s chances are helped greatly by a number of unique features the title aims to throw into the mix, which may very well make all the difference.
The project presents itself as ‘a turn based tactical RPG that shakes up dull and linear skill systems, where crafting your strategy is as key as the battle itself’. Here’s what that means: party composition is essential. In Tears of Avia, it’s not enough to simply throw together your favourite characters. The personalities of your party can clash, leading to less effective teamwork. On the other hand, they can gel fluidly, making the party’s performance more effective, and the need to plan battle strategies adds further depth to this system.
That’s not all. The title promises a dynamic narrative, branching in response to the choices made by the player’s party. According to the project’s Kickstarter page, the player will be faced with a number of difficult decisions in which there is no clear right or wrong answer. Moreover, the overused ‘talk to that person to get this side quest’ system is out; in Tears of Avia, side quests are handed out based on the way conversations unfold. Indeed, there’s a lot going on here, and it’s sure to add layers of replayability.
Not so traditional, after all.
For more information, head to the project’s Kickstarter page, and check out its official website.
Track the progress of the Tears of Avia Kickstarter in our Campaign Calendar.
“side quests handed out based on the way conversations unfold”
Now THAT is something I never thought of! Seems the dynamism will take on a life of its own in this game. Wish there’d be more JRPG’s like this, like the 90’s, which seem to have become legend now instead of fact that will keep being passed on through time :/