Many recent indie games interpret retro inspiration exclusively as pixel art and chip tunes, so it’s nice to find one willing to modernize their presentation. Light Fairytale is a turn-based Japanese-style RPG that draws inspiration from classics like Final Fantasy 7 and Breath of Fire 5 without trying to imitate them.
A one person game studio in France, neko.works, wants to make modern tributes to classic games. To help facilitate this a Kickstarter campaign has launched for the first episode of Light Fairytale. Seeking $33,562, the game features 3D chibi characters with anime-styled, illustrated 2D cutscenes and dialogues.
The man behind neko.works, Kamel Benlahrech explains on Kickstarter that he hopes Light Fairytale will bring back the feelings of immersion and emotion of JRPG’s from the 90’s, but with updated graphics and gameplay.
“I think the reason why most recent games in the genre have failed to impress is their overly complicated stories and the realistic direction they are taking,” Benlahrech wrote. “This does not leave much to the imagination and just doesn’t feel like the naive drama stories we used to love.”
Benlahrech also laments that modern RPG mechanics are overly complex and require too much time and practice before they feel fun. He hopes to take Light Fairytale in the opposite direction, with a light yet touching story and mechanics that are quick and easy to pick up, but hard to master.
A Boy Named Haru
The story follows a boy name Haru who dreams of vast green plains and clear blue skies, despite having never experienced either. Haru lives in a dying underground world, ruled by a fierce empire. He must confront the soldiers who rule this dark society and embark on an adventure to discover the mysteries of his world. Along the way he’ll team up with allies and engage in turn-based combat, typical JRPG affairs.
Graphically the game looks like a refined RPG Maker title. The visuals are much nicer, but the interface is familiar. This makes it an ideal project for JRPG veterans and newbies alike. Running concurrent with the Kickstarter, Light Fairytale is also looking for votes on Steam Greenlight to help make its 2017 PC and Console release possible.
It’s definitely a project worth looking into if you’ve got any love for JRPG’s, particularly the epic adventures of yesteryear. There is a demo available if you’d like to take Light Fairytale for a test drive. The first episode is planned to release next July in both English and Japanese.
