Browser Game Pick: The Linear RPG (Sophie Houlden)
The Linear RPG is Sophie Houlden's entry into RPGDX's "LoFi" Indie RPG Jam. Play is set along a single line and battles happen automatically, with health and experience being altered randomly.
Along the linear mission there are circles which represent inns, places to restore your health. To make it all the way to the end, players need to work their way forward and back along the line, visiting previous inns in order to build their experience up before tackling harder and longer lines.
It's not a breakthrough in RPG gameplay, but it's an interesting concept and the story which is simultaneously told in the background adds to the experience. Walk the line over at Sophie's site.
Comments
"to work their back forward and back along the line"
to work their way forward and back along the line?
Or am I just reading the sentence wrong?
Posted by: David | March 1, 2009 10:04 PM
And just to appologize, I didn't mean to be a grammer nazi, I'm not good myself (especially when it comes to spelling).
Posted by: David | March 1, 2009 10:05 PM
Is there an "end"? My line stopped and nothing happened, so I went back to the start and nothing happened there either.
Posted by: Neddo | March 1, 2009 10:08 PM
I dont think there's an end end, just an end of the line. The story in the back should say "Fin" or something (I forget).
Posted by: David | March 1, 2009 10:43 PM
The game doesent end when you complete the narrative, I thought people liked sandbox gaming =p
Posted by: GirlFlash | March 1, 2009 10:57 PM
@David: Indeed my brain clearly decided to fail me. Fixed.
Posted by: Michael Rose | March 1, 2009 11:14 PM
I like it when there is at least something satisfying about finishing a game. Maybe when you reach the end of the line you could get a hat, or there could be a picture of a hat to look at.
Posted by: Neddo | March 1, 2009 11:44 PM
I found the "fin" pretty satisfying.
Posted by: Paul Eres | March 2, 2009 9:40 AM
The Pegacorns are satisfying! NEXTGEN GAMING.
Posted by: Melly | March 3, 2009 6:37 AM
Unless I'm not seeing the subtle humor, some seem to be missing that this game is a metaphor for a traditional JRPG which tends to be a linear experience with lots of repetition.
The grinding you do helps you get from place to place to advance the story. The story, as it is with most RPGs, is background to the battles to give the time between fights some flavor. The fights have been abstracted to health and levels since what you ultimately care about in an RPG is that you're still alive, and you're getting stronger. The story also makes fun of cliches used in many JRPGS. When the game ends so does the story (Fin), and you run out of new enemies to kill (end of the line).
Anyway, that's the long way of saying I don't think you should get a hat at the end.
Posted by: Nate | March 6, 2009 4:18 PM
Okay, I'm dumb. I can't seem to get it started. ???
Posted by: Steven H. | March 8, 2009 8:42 PM