https://youtu.be/iHJHEJwke0s

An indie game based on a classic 16-bit JRPG appearing on Kickstarter seems to be a reoccuring theme in reporting news, sure, but Dusty Games’ Chronicle of Ruin is something that might be of interest to diehard Ogre Battle fans.

Having just recently launched their Kickstarter, the developers are hoping that their homage to classic tactics-based JRPGs strikes a chord with those who still pine away for them. The opening description shows they know the genre well enough, even if the exact nature of their game is a bit hard to nail down:

Chronicle of Ruin is a real-time tactical Japanese-style RPG. A bit of a mouthful, isn’t it? But, with roots in so many games and (sometimes long-neglected) sub-genres, hours upon hours of trying to fit Chronicle of Ruin neatly into a predefined genre has brought me to one conclusion: the usual classifications just fall short.

“RTTJRPG? Is it.. real-time Final Fantasy Tactics?”

Sort of, but the way it plays out is a bit more Fire Emblem-esque…

“So it’s a real-time Fire Emblem clone!?”

Rude, but getting warmer. Imagine a Fire Emblem where you commanded your units in real-time, except your units weren’t just individuals, but entire squads drawn from a wide range of classes. You then used them to not only complete objectives and engage in strategic traditional turn-based combat across the stage, but also to explore the world in an up close and personal fashion, same as you would in a classic JRPG.

“Oh! So it’s like Ogre Battle meets Final Fantasy VI!”

Bingo! Close enough, anyway.

The only problem now is that we live in a world that hasn’t had an Ogre Battle game in nearly 20 years. I can’t really say “X meets Y!” when you might not know “X”, can I? So, without further ado…

Anyone who has played the original Ogre Battle for the SNES can see the heavy resemblance that Chronicle of Ruin shares with it. From the real-time overworld map with moving “chess piece” icons to the way sprites move backwards when they get hit during combat, Chronicle of Ruin certainly knows where its roots are.

The finished game will broaden its appeal a bit by adding more complex features such as an expansive crafting system and a varied character class roster that reaches a total of 38. It also adds features such as the ability to explore the towns you guard (Ogre Battle players may remember you just plunked units onto a town to garrison it and left it be), and a Super Mario RPG-esque timing aspect to its battle system.

Chronicle of Ruin should release sometime in the Summer of 2017 for Mac, PC, and Linux, provided the Kickstarter is successful.