Hi everyone, developer of the game here! Just wanted to respond to some questions/comments about the game.
Crisco1492: And bought. Looks more faithful to the original
Final Fantasy games than the pixel remasters Squeenix just released.
Thank you very much Crisco1492! I hope you'll find it faithful to the spirit of those classic JRPGs we all love =)
Dogmaus: Another fake "remaster" like the Eternal Castle. I almost fell for this one.
I don't know what Eternal Castle is, sorry, but the reason it has the "Remastered Edition" moniker is because 8-Bit Adventures 1 was originally released in January 2013. That initial version was extremely rough and poorly designed, though, so at the urging of someone else, I eventually rebuilt the game, rewrote the script, added a ton of cutscenes, re-balanced/re-designed combat, added new areas, overhauled progression, etc. etc. It was still rough in some areas due to lack of budget, but it was now (in my opinion) a project to be proud of. So when I released that version, so as to not be mistaken for the original 2013 release, I added the "Remastered Edition" moniker. Hope that clarifies!
dtgreene: Looks interesting, but some questions:
* How is the gameplay:story ratio? Do I actually get to play the game most of the time, or are there annoying cutscenes or other story bits?
* Is the game strictly turn-based? If not, what parts of the game are not? (In particular, consider things like finding/avoiding encounters and minigames.)
* Are there any interesting systems for character growth or ability learning?
* How linear is the game? How difficult is it?
* How does 8-Bit Adventures 2, which is apparently coming soon here, compare? In particular, how would you answer these questions for 8-Bit Adventures 2?
Thanks for asking the questions dtgreene! Based on your questions, I don't know if 8-Bit Adventures 1 will be for you, but hopefully this information will help you decide one way or another.
For 8-Bit Adventures 1...
*There's a reasonable amount of story, but I'd say most of the time you're in control.
*The game is strictly turn-based, aside from exploration in the oveworld (finding treasure, talking to people, etc.).
*8-Bit Adventures 1 is pretty straight-forward when it comes to character growth; I wanted to make something smooth and concise, but it's also very simple.
*The game is also quite linear, although there are plenty of secrets and side-quests to be discovered (particularly in the endgame).
*It's definitely got some challenge, but I tried to make sure it wasn't frustrating or a slog. It's not especially easy, but not uncomfortably hard either in my opinion.
As for 8-Bit Adventures 2...
*There's a lot more story, and many more cutscenes, in the sequel, including for small moments and NPC conversations - but it's also a longer game so there's plenty of gameplay. Hopefully there's a nice balance between the two, but it's definitely a story-driven game.
*The sequel is once again strictly turn-based, aside from exploration. But this time, you can avoid enemies on the overworld (they all walk around just like you do). It also has a turn-based Airship combat mini-game.
*A lot more interesting mechanics in this one! Lots of equipment with different effects, a new Augment system which allows you to boost character stats and grant them all kinds of special effects in battle, 7 playable characters which can be freely swapped in battle, Team Attacks, Omega Burst finishing moves, etc.
*Like its predecessor 8-Bit Adventures 2 is quite linear (perhaps more so), but it definitely opens up more as you progress - lots of secrets and optional content. The difficulty has been meticulously designed to provide a gentle progression - battles require strategy, but progression is very smooth and comfortable (lots of quality of life features too - like instantly retrying a battle if you lose).
Hopefully that answers your questions and helps you to determine whether or not these are the kinds of games for you. Obviously as the developer I'm biased, but I'd rather respond honestly and lose a sale than encourage someone to purchase a game that they wouldn't enjoy =)
MeowCanuck: Australian JRPG. Completionist is
~12 hours to beat.
Seeing reviews saying that it's a love letter to NES JRPGs and doesn't try to do anything more. By moral relativism, it'd be a top JRPG in the 1980s. Will take the plunge.
Thanks for posting the links MeowCanuck! Hope you enjoy it if you do take the plunge =) There are plenty of Steam reviews out there for anyone curious. As well as a recent video review I saw, if anyone prefers something more visual:
https://youtu.be/qJtm9O1hnRE?t=45Darvond: Sniff. Sniff. Is that Game Maker or RPGmaker I smell?
Call me old fashioned, but I do like my JRPGs with a little more YM2413 or Konami's VRC7.
Good nose =D Yup, that was RPG Maker XP for 8-Bit Adventures 1. We've used RPG Maker MV for 8-Bit Adventures 2, which is infinitely more customisable (thankfully!). Fun to see you mention the sound chips - I believe our composer (Sebastian Cruz) has incorporated some use of the VRC7 in 8-Bit Adventures 2's soundtrack.
Swissy88: Incredibly generic name makes it nearly impossible to find information about this game.
Can't find the OST to listen to anywhere.
Can't find developer site either, another generic name, smfh.
I'm sorry you had trouble finding information! If I type in "8-Bit Adventures" (minus the quotation marks), it's the first thing that comes up (the Steam page), followed by the sequel's Steam page. The OST isn't available to listen to anywhere as far as I know, although you can check the 8-Bit Adventures 2 Sound Cloud if you'd like to hear some samples from the sequel:
https://soundcloud.com/8bitadventures2_Auster_: By the gameplay in the trailer, if it is made in either of these engines, it looks highly customized so it doesn't resemble what people usually expect from these engines.
Thanks _Auster_! That was definitely the goal - particularly with the second game, where everything is customised to suit the game design (I had a lot of constraints on the first game, so I wanted to break free of that afterwards).
Mr.Mumbles: Could be fun. The sequel definitely looks to have a lot more polish.
Thank you Mr.Mumbles! I'm really glad to hear that was your impression. 8-Bit Adventures 2 has had a proper budget (the first game did not), so it's quite a step up. It's been in development for over 5 years too, so that's had a big impact haha.
Breja: HEY LOOK! NOSTALGIA!!1!!1! IT'S LIKE THAT THING YOU REMEMBER!!1
Haha, don't worry, that stuff bothers me too XD The idea with 8-Bit Adventures was (to quote my own marketing) to make a game "that focuses less on references and more on telling a story." The aesthetic actually has meaning to the narrative and themes of these games.
Gudadantza: Visually the problem of this game are not the graphics themselves (although they are generic preassets and pretty ugly) but something that has to do with the art direction and/or use of those sprites. It looks lazy, boring, empty and amateurish.
Anyway, who knows. Maybe the rest of the design, as a game, is better enough
Just to be completely upfront, it *was* amateurish a lot of the time. Character overworld sprites were drawn by a wonderful artist named Jerram Fahey, but that was all I could afford at the time (Jerram has done *all* of the graphics for 8-Bit Adventures 2, and that clearly makes a huge difference). Consequently, most of 8-Bit Adventures 1's assets were drawn by me...which was a problem because I'm not even *remotely* an artist. I then supplemented that with some open-source assets, but putting all of that together proved challenging - simply put, it's very visually rough.
Thankfully, players responded to the game's other virtues (game design, pacing, story, characters, etc.) when it launched back in 2015, and that allowed me to massively boost the production values and art direction in 8-Bit Adventures 2 =)
Sartan0: Surprisingly good, in my opinion. Stands out from similar style games with good writing and a simple but fun rock paper scissors style magic/weakness system. I had fun playing it. I am definetly looking forward to the next one.
Thank you very much Sartan0! I sincerely appreciate the kind words and am really glad you're looking forward to the sequel =D We've come a long way since 8-Bit Adventures 1.
Thanks for the comments everyone (even the harsh ones)! We've come a long, long way since 8-Bit Adventures 1, and I'm really hoping to deliver something incredible with 8-Bit Adventures 2. But for anyone who might be interested in the sequel, GOG and I wanted to make sure that the original game was available on here DRM-free.
To anyone who takes the leap and purchases 8-Bit Adventures 1, thank you very much. Most of the money I've earned from the first game has gone directly into development of the sequel (which is entirely self-funded), so it's sincerely appreciated. I hope you all enjoy the game, despite its rough edges! =D
And if 8-Bit Adventures 1 is not for you, no worries at all - maybe I can win you over with the sequel ;)
Thanks all!
~Josh