Facets

a phenomenal game. there are very few RPGs that have combat that i enjoy, but this is one of them. the mechanics and skills are incredibly simple but have a strong amount of depth, and crucially, the encounters all thoughtful and don't waste your time. i also really enjoyed the narrative. the premise is compelling and the execution is to match. like the rest of the game, it's compact, but what's there is of extremely high quality.

the only problems this game has are the production limitations (art, general rpg maker jank), and item management. i love that you have to carefully manage your resources, but realizing that you don't have enough potions to get through an encounter (as i did), and having to go back to an earlier part of the game to clear things more efficiently is just... not ideal. i think maybe something like an estus flask style system where potions refill after each facet defeated would have been much better.

all that said though, i still really do love this game. i like that i needed to attempt some bosses 10+ times, consult the maps to navigate the obtuse areas, and struggle. precisely in line with the narrative, this game does not want you to beat it. and i like the heart. i didn't quite cry at the end but i was close, and this will definitely stick with me for a very long time.

thank you for making such a beautiful game.

Thanks for the maps, I got lost in that big maze. I cried at the end...I guess not every story can have a happy ending. A really strong minimalist work... I'm excited to read the companion prequel novel.

"A sad but beautiful game" - this is how I described it to anyone who asked. Even though you play from the perspective of the villains, as a player I was compelled to keep going so that I could get every bit of story, which is strangely hopeful in its way - though the final context of it wraps that hope all up in an immense but relatable tragedy.

The concept of only having boss fights is a stroke of genius - each one is more like a difficult but fair puzzle to work out. And the realization towards the end that each monster represented a person whose memory is desperately trying to save a strong, kind personality from being erased is one of the best twists I've read in anything, ever.

It's clearly a labor of love and though I originally found the whole concept very intimidating on approach, the game itself is so artfully crafted that it drew me in and the emotional gutpunch makes for a perfect catharsis.

Really incredible, John. The ending sequence - everything that happened after Facet #8 - is going to stick with me for a while. I cried during the final string of encounters.

Funnily enough, I originally tried playing it before you released v1.1, lost to the worm, and gave up. The maps and the general tips at the start of the walkthrough with this version were enough to get me up to par, so thanks for those! Was able to beat it on classic difficulty without using either dream catcher

The story was deeply affecting despite (or due to?) its minimalist nature, and you push RM2003's mechanics beyond their limits.I'm really glad I got the chance to play this game - thank you for making it.

i wrote a review for facets over on RMN! the tl;dr is, it was a very cool and particular experience and i'd love to play more games like it

https://rpgmaker.net/games/10689/reviews/6701/

Is there such a thing as the "anti-RPG"? If so, it's Facets. Facets is an extremely well-made game with interesting mechanics. Despite there being only 10 "boss" fights, they all feel unique. The story is gripping and is, well, a lot to take in... please take breaks if you need them. John Thyer, with his experience playing RPGs and his attention to detail, absolutely nailed what he set out to do: this is the gesamtkunstwerk of his storytelling prowess and his aptitude for RPG Maker. I look forward to more content like this from this developer.

An excellent experience. This is a relatively short experience for anyone curious, essentially taking the form of a single dungeon with event battles scattered throughout. This isn't a "traditional" RPG where you grow over the course of the game, but essentially a game about puzzling your way through a variety of pressures using items and abilities granted to you from the beginning. So be aware of that. For what it's worth, I'd say that this makes it a lot easier to test whether you'll enjoy it than the average RPG might, so please try it out.

The battles are tied into the story, which is not so much a progression through events as a deep dive into one's history. This lets the work focus entirely on the specific story it wants to rather than trying to juggle too many balls, and the cutscenes are fairly poignant. My favorite is the one right after the maze, as it hits particularly hard as build-up to the climax.

Now, that said, the game is all about the fights and those cutscenes, so if you're looking for a sweeping game or aren't really that excited for puzzling out battles, you probably will not enjoy this game. It's active time battle as well, so if that pressures you too much, be warned. But as a small and well-crafted RPGMaker game, I definitely think it's worth trying before you decide whether you dislike it.

Good luck...

Great game! <3