Hey! Dumb Question, but whats the name of the track that plays when you fight Ebeezil? I’ve been trying to find it in the OST and haven’t been able to.
Thank you! I finally got around to playing this after owning it for a while now and its probably one of the best Earthbound inspired games I’ve seen. Thanks again for all the great work!
I'm profoundly grateful that my work could have such an impact on you. I don't know the details, obviously, so forgive me for responding more generally, but thanks for sharing. Live your best life!
It's a pretty minor difference, but mostly it's just that the file named "game" varies depending on the version. On Steam, you have to set a default executable, so Steam has to have two versions. I left it that way here since people who weren't familiar with mkxp and might not be the most tech savvy would have simple instructions for getting the game started. There are also some in-game instructions that vary based on which version you're using; basically, mkxp allows you to resize the window however you want, and the standard version has a few set window sizes.
Thanks for the prompt answer! (And then I take a week to say thanks…)
I see now some of that was also mentioned on the download page, though that isn’t accessible from the Itch app. And thanks to the mention of the Steam versions, I was able to find this from the Technical FAQ, for anyone interested:
What is the mkxp version and how do I opt into it?
The mkxp version runs Jimmy through a C interpreter. Basically, this makes things run at a much nicer framerate. However, battle music doesn’t loop correctly, and some people experience other glitches, so I felt it was too unstable to have as the main download.
An amazing rpgmaker game with a cavalcade of content. This is on par or even better than the likes of LISA as far as testing the boundaries of what you can do with the engine's combat system. Seriously a lot to do here, 30 hours is the low end if you're trying to experience most of the side content.
Story-wise it's definitely good, when keeping in the context that you're experiencing the dream world how an 8 year old would. The music is fantastic. The sprite work is definitely rough around the edges even going for an earthbound style, but consistent in style and direction. A lot of the elements of the game really fit together to create an experience that's much more than the sum of its parts.
The only thing I find myself wishing upon reflecting over my dozens of hours with the Jimmy is that there were a few more transformation puzzles. Also this is certainly on the more challenging end on rpgmaker games so be prepared for that.
I'm about 25 hours in, and while I mostly really loved it, I had a pretty big issue with it. I'll talk about the positives first, and then get into my problem, after a spoiler warning.
First, the positives: the art style is charming, especially the overworld sprites. The battles offer a good variety between battles with a trick to them, and battles testing your knowledge of the combat system and character abilities. I like how the game juggles characters in and out of your party, it keeps battle interesting and you on your toes. The game has a good mix of quirky, heartfelt, and horror, and while it goes fairly hard on the cartoon gore, it manages to stay grounded with the more cheerful sections in between.
~~ Here's the spoiler warning, for the game up through the sequence at the end of the library. ~~
After the library boss sequence, Jimmy and Lars end up on a beach, with Lars giving a little mini monologue about how he feels a bit directionless in life. This monologue becomes a rant about how he wants a Perfect Asian GF, who would never complain about the fact that he sucks. There's no commentary from Jimmy, or any other character, and this little monologue doesn't seem to get acknowledged afterwards. (I only got like, 30 minutes after this part, to be fair.) As someone who *is* Asian, and who has dealt with this kind of behaviour in the past, it was honestly really upsetting to hear this ideology come uncriticized out of the mouth of a character portrayed as a hapless but well meaning guy. Let's be clear - whether this is intended as a joke (or to setup some future event) it's an uncritical lighthearted repeating of a way of thinking that hurts Asian women every single day. It's said in a way that is clearly not meant to have any introspection at all, from the mouth of a character the player is meant to empathize with and enjoy being around. It's worth noting, as well, that there isn't a single female character who clearly reads as Asian in the entire game, at least up until this point.
I'm not going to say others shouldn't play this game, but personally, it felt like a giant red flag telling me that this game wasn't for me. As much as I wanted to see the ending, for my own sake, I've decided to put the game down for now.
For real. It gets even worse just after that as well. I've gotten some mild spoilers and I have a guess at what the game (eventually) might dig at but it remains very uncomfortably unresolved for many hours afterwards (Edit: It doesn't dig at it. It plays it straight and honestly is just plainly bad writing for this part even if the dev was attempting nuance). There's a certain cost even if the game is setting something up artistically.
Yeahh for real I love this game for like, Every Single Other Part Of The Game Being Great and can even kinda understand Lars being.... like THAT as meant to represent how "sometimes family members have really really cruddy worldviews and a small child might not understand how thats extremely bad" but then the rest of the island being "haha y'know anime!?" is just friggin' insufferable. And makes the Lars stuff worse. And how its resolved is like, ugh. Not good. The rest of the game is like a 10/10 for me which makes it suck even more.
"like THAT as meant to represent how "sometimes family members have really really cruddy worldviews and a small child might not understand how thats extremely bad""
That's exactly what it is. You were so close to getting it. The rest of the island is Jimmy innocently trying to make Lars happy, without realizing any of the implications of it, because he's eight.
Oh i understand that, it makes sense in context, but. one can argue its value regardless. Can't help but think there was a way to get that point in a different way? i wouldn't argue it isn't coherent or thematically sensible it just kinda sucks anyways to have stuff like that thrown around regardless of the intent being decent. Should've been handled with better sensitivity, despite its intentions, is how i guess I'd put it, i suppose.
It's not like I'm advocating that the story should've gotten into a 30 minute sideplot of the player getting told that racism is bad over and over either, its fault isn't in being too subtle lmao. (Heck, the sense of subtlety and its depiction of a three-dimensional nuanced family from the viewpoint of a not-terribly-nuanced but empathetic child's perspective is the emotional core of the friggin' game.)
There isn't a criticism in game, because eight year old Jimmy doesn't realize the toxic nature of it, and the entire game is from his point of view and his understanding. Its worth nothing that every single family member is shown to have at least one major flaw that is simply shown and not commented on. The game trusts the player to recognize what is happening. None of them are shown to be perfect or indicated in any way that we are supposed to agree with them 100% of the time.
Buck's temper is the most obvious example, but Lar's lazy nature and disconnect from reality is consistently shown throughout the game. There's also Jimmy's Mom's ambiguous bipolar disorder, or his dad's intellectual distancing and his inability to both recognize or properly deal with Jimmy's learning disorder. These are all shown as is with no commentary from Jimmy, with the player trusted to put the pieces together. Only Buck ever gets a call out, and not by Jimmy. So its consistent throughout the game.
ah yeah... on rewatch that does make me bristle to watch to come out of nowhere; at the time it passed over me as another sad sack quote unquote characterization of Lars but as a sad sack white dude I'm sorry you had to read that. if I can speak for the developer then I'm beyond sure they didn't mean for that to be hurtful. they're good people and like it was for me it must have been a blind spot, tropes and character aside. I can't quote from memory any specifics about this that happens in between that and Lars' arc concluding but I don't believe it gets worse than that scene, or at least that overt.
I understand how that would offend you, but the context is important that perhaps would help you understand the game further. Major, end-game spoilers below. Please proceed with caution:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
All characters speaking are based off what Jimmy believes they would say. It's all in his head. He has cancer and is in a coma in a hospital bed. All these experiences are from the mind of an 8 year old child. This is why certain ideologies are overly simplified. The world is much more complex than these ideologies, and the horrors and issues that bombarde jimmy's reality, which he is overall powerless against regardless of his strength, are represented frequently, such as the mouse being raped and killed by Mr. Cat or Jimmy being required to still use the banking system even after beating the CEO in battle because the system of capitalism is too powerful for him to face.
Lars explains his perspective on his desires in a partner in an over simplified way because its Jimmy imagining what Lars would say. Jimmy does not have a firm understanding of how that may be inappropriate as he is 8 years old.
I was unable to figure out how to save. Can anyone help? I got to the save screen to pick File 1, 2 etc. and I pressed every single key on my keyboard and it would not save. This game is so fun! Please help :)
I've beaten the game a couple times now- thinking on beating it again. I got it on steam. Legitimately one of my favorite indie RPGs- or RPGs in general- in a long time. Keep up the good work, Kasey! Great stuff!
Loving the game so far, but incredibly confused on how to save the game. I can access the "Save to which file?" menu, but I have pressed literally every button on that screen to no avail. On the MacOS version.
Honestly, this is a truly fantastic game. It's quirky, loveable, fun, and the soundtrack... My goodness, the soundtrack is truly amazing. I've never had a chance to play Earthbound or anything, but this is a fantastic experience that I can see was inspired by it. So far this has resonated with me so much, and I'm so glad I decided to check this out from the bundle. Good job on this game!! Really one of the best indie games I've ever touched, and I could never recommend it enough.
P.S. Punch Tanaka is truly a fantastic character, and every scene with him really is just wonderful.
Hi, I LOVE this game! Only one question: is it possible to make something within the game that would let me adjust sound volume / toggle it on and off? It defaults to very loud, so I have to lower the sound on my computer as a whole and miss other notifications against the music. [Seriously, though, wonderful game!]
Glad you're digging it! Unfortunately, it doesn't have that kind of feature. If you're using Windows, though, you can right click on the speaker volume icon in the lower right of your start bar, click "volume mixer," and adjust the volume for Jimmy there.
this is so friggin good. like. one of the best games i've played, tbh. Incredible soundtrack, good story, Punch Tanaka existing. 12/10 play this game!!!!!
We officially found the best RPG in the bundle. The closest I could thematically describe it as is a mix of Undertale and Earthbound. A mysterious force is corrupting the world and you and your shapeshifting powers are trying to take it back. Its a 30-50 hour RPG, has incredibly satisfying level up mechanics and a thoroughly unique world. I will definitely return to this to finish it. One of the biggest surprises so far. Its fun, original and probably the most entertaining classic RPG experience I had in ... ages. 5/5
Hey just wondering, does anyone have any thoughts on the Mad Queen? I assumed she was Helga's mother given that the Legato residents mistake Helga for her... but Helga's mother is already represented by GAMM-E, and I don't know if it would break the "rules" to have a real person represented by two figments.
They seem so similar, though. They both say similar things about wanting to keep Jimmy forever, they both represent death deferred (GAMM-E is a robot, the Mad Queen is undead), and the Mad Queen is torn up about the death of her husband, just like Jimmy's grandmother. I can't imagine what the Mad Queen could represent if not that.
I felt this lost steam in the endgame and the ending was cruelly and unexpectedly bleak. I found the reveal so obvious I was certain there was something more going on, but it would seem not. The game is otherwise extremely charming and good, 9/10. (And after A Very Long Rope, I was very pleased to find that attacks always hit.)
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This game is truly underrated and is one of the best
indiegame I've ever played.The story, the narration, the characters, the ost, the tone of the game, even the artstyle are excellent.
Thank you for your job.
Hey! Dumb Question, but whats the name of the track that plays when you fight Ebeezil? I’ve been trying to find it in the OST and haven’t been able to.
It's called "Strangled While Asleep."
Thank you! I finally got around to playing this after owning it for a while now and its probably one of the best Earthbound inspired games I’ve seen. Thanks again for all the great work!
Awesome, glad you're liking it!
would have literally preferred 'congraturation' to how the game actually ends
This game literally saved my life.
I'm profoundly grateful that my work could have such an impact on you. I don't know the details, obviously, so forgive me for responding more generally, but thanks for sharing. Live your best life!
can U Makw Porn
Does the bee sting cake have a further evolution or is it fine to eat at +3?
That's it's Ultimate Form.
What is the difference between the
--mkxpdownload and the other one? They both includemkxpfilesIt's a pretty minor difference, but mostly it's just that the file named "game" varies depending on the version. On Steam, you have to set a default executable, so Steam has to have two versions. I left it that way here since people who weren't familiar with mkxp and might not be the most tech savvy would have simple instructions for getting the game started. There are also some in-game instructions that vary based on which version you're using; basically, mkxp allows you to resize the window however you want, and the standard version has a few set window sizes.
Thanks for the prompt answer! (And then I take a week to say thanks…)
I see now some of that was also mentioned on the download page, though that isn’t accessible from the Itch app. And thanks to the mention of the Steam versions, I was able to find this from the Technical FAQ, for anyone interested:
An amazing rpgmaker game with a cavalcade of content. This is on par or even better than the likes of LISA as far as testing the boundaries of what you can do with the engine's combat system. Seriously a lot to do here, 30 hours is the low end if you're trying to experience most of the side content.
Story-wise it's definitely good, when keeping in the context that you're experiencing the dream world how an 8 year old would. The music is fantastic. The sprite work is definitely rough around the edges even going for an earthbound style, but consistent in style and direction. A lot of the elements of the game really fit together to create an experience that's much more than the sum of its parts.
The only thing I find myself wishing upon reflecting over my dozens of hours with the Jimmy is that there were a few more transformation puzzles. Also this is certainly on the more challenging end on rpgmaker games so be prepared for that.
I'm about 25 hours in, and while I mostly really loved it, I had a pretty big issue with it. I'll talk about the positives first, and then get into my problem, after a spoiler warning.
First, the positives: the art style is charming, especially the overworld sprites. The battles offer a good variety between battles with a trick to them, and battles testing your knowledge of the combat system and character abilities. I like how the game juggles characters in and out of your party, it keeps battle interesting and you on your toes. The game has a good mix of quirky, heartfelt, and horror, and while it goes fairly hard on the cartoon gore, it manages to stay grounded with the more cheerful sections in between.
~~ Here's the spoiler warning, for the game up through the sequence at the end of the library. ~~
After the library boss sequence, Jimmy and Lars end up on a beach, with Lars giving a little mini monologue about how he feels a bit directionless in life. This monologue becomes a rant about how he wants a Perfect Asian GF, who would never complain about the fact that he sucks. There's no commentary from Jimmy, or any other character, and this little monologue doesn't seem to get acknowledged afterwards. (I only got like, 30 minutes after this part, to be fair.) As someone who *is* Asian, and who has dealt with this kind of behaviour in the past, it was honestly really upsetting to hear this ideology come uncriticized out of the mouth of a character portrayed as a hapless but well meaning guy. Let's be clear - whether this is intended as a joke (or to setup some future event) it's an uncritical lighthearted repeating of a way of thinking that hurts Asian women every single day. It's said in a way that is clearly not meant to have any introspection at all, from the mouth of a character the player is meant to empathize with and enjoy being around. It's worth noting, as well, that there isn't a single female character who clearly reads as Asian in the entire game, at least up until this point.
I'm not going to say others shouldn't play this game, but personally, it felt like a giant red flag telling me that this game wasn't for me. As much as I wanted to see the ending, for my own sake, I've decided to put the game down for now.
my VODs from playing this game, for more of my thoughts
For real. It gets even worse just after that as well. I've gotten some mild spoilers and I have a guess at what the game (eventually) might dig at but it remains very uncomfortably unresolved for many hours afterwards (Edit: It doesn't dig at it. It plays it straight and honestly is just plainly bad writing for this part even if the dev was attempting nuance). There's a certain cost even if the game is setting something up artistically.
Yeahh for real I love this game for like, Every Single Other Part Of The Game Being Great and can even kinda understand Lars being.... like THAT as meant to represent how "sometimes family members have really really cruddy worldviews and a small child might not understand how thats extremely bad" but then the rest of the island being "haha y'know anime!?" is just friggin' insufferable. And makes the Lars stuff worse. And how its resolved is like, ugh. Not good. The rest of the game is like a 10/10 for me which makes it suck even more.
"like THAT as meant to represent how "sometimes family members have really really cruddy worldviews and a small child might not understand how thats extremely bad""
That's exactly what it is. You were so close to getting it. The rest of the island is Jimmy innocently trying to make Lars happy, without realizing any of the implications of it, because he's eight.
Oh i understand that, it makes sense in context, but. one can argue its value regardless. Can't help but think there was a way to get that point in a different way? i wouldn't argue it isn't coherent or thematically sensible it just kinda sucks anyways to have stuff like that thrown around regardless of the intent being decent. Should've been handled with better sensitivity, despite its intentions, is how i guess I'd put it, i suppose.
It's not like I'm advocating that the story should've gotten into a 30 minute sideplot of the player getting told that racism is bad over and over either, its fault isn't in being too subtle lmao. (Heck, the sense of subtlety and its depiction of a three-dimensional nuanced family from the viewpoint of a not-terribly-nuanced but empathetic child's perspective is the emotional core of the friggin' game.)
This makes me intensely curious. How would you do it differently? What would more sensitivity look like in this context?
Wow. That's crazy. Thanks for sharing this. I will not be playing this game.
There isn't a criticism in game, because eight year old Jimmy doesn't realize the toxic nature of it, and the entire game is from his point of view and his understanding. Its worth nothing that every single family member is shown to have at least one major flaw that is simply shown and not commented on. The game trusts the player to recognize what is happening. None of them are shown to be perfect or indicated in any way that we are supposed to agree with them 100% of the time.
Buck's temper is the most obvious example, but Lar's lazy nature and disconnect from reality is consistently shown throughout the game. There's also Jimmy's Mom's ambiguous bipolar disorder, or his dad's intellectual distancing and his inability to both recognize or properly deal with Jimmy's learning disorder. These are all shown as is with no commentary from Jimmy, with the player trusted to put the pieces together. Only Buck ever gets a call out, and not by Jimmy. So its consistent throughout the game.
ah yeah... on rewatch that does make me bristle to watch to come out of nowhere; at the time it passed over me as another sad sack quote unquote characterization of Lars but as a sad sack white dude I'm sorry you had to read that. if I can speak for the developer then I'm beyond sure they didn't mean for that to be hurtful. they're good people and like it was for me it must have been a blind spot, tropes and character aside. I can't quote from memory any specifics about this that happens in between that and Lars' arc concluding but I don't believe it gets worse than that scene, or at least that overt.
I understand how that would offend you, but the context is important that perhaps would help you understand the game further. Major, end-game spoilers below. Please proceed with caution:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
All characters speaking are based off what Jimmy believes they would say. It's all in his head. He has cancer and is in a coma in a hospital bed. All these experiences are from the mind of an 8 year old child. This is why certain ideologies are overly simplified. The world is much more complex than these ideologies, and the horrors and issues that bombarde jimmy's reality, which he is overall powerless against regardless of his strength, are represented frequently, such as the mouse being raped and killed by Mr. Cat or Jimmy being required to still use the banking system even after beating the CEO in battle because the system of capitalism is too powerful for him to face.
Lars explains his perspective on his desires in a partner in an over simplified way because its Jimmy imagining what Lars would say. Jimmy does not have a firm understanding of how that may be inappropriate as he is 8 years old.
I was unable to figure out how to save. Can anyone help? I got to the save screen to pick File 1, 2 etc. and I pressed every single key on my keyboard and it would not save. This game is so fun! Please help :)
Z and Return both worked for me.
Probably the best game I've played all year - and I purchased the racial equality bundle! It's funny, disturbing, touching, crazy
I've beaten the game a couple times now- thinking on beating it again. I got it on steam. Legitimately one of my favorite indie RPGs- or RPGs in general- in a long time. Keep up the good work, Kasey! Great stuff!
Thanks so much! Always good to hear that people dug it!
Loving the game so far, but incredibly confused on how to save the game. I can access the "Save to which file?" menu, but I have pressed literally every button on that screen to no avail. On the MacOS version.
Try this?
https://itch.io/post/1313453
this game is very good buy it, play it, love it.
Howdy, I LOVE this game!
Glad to hear it!
Honestly, this is a truly fantastic game. It's quirky, loveable, fun, and the soundtrack... My goodness, the soundtrack is truly amazing. I've never had a chance to play Earthbound or anything, but this is a fantastic experience that I can see was inspired by it. So far this has resonated with me so much, and I'm so glad I decided to check this out from the bundle. Good job on this game!! Really one of the best indie games I've ever touched, and I could never recommend it enough.
P.S. Punch Tanaka is truly a fantastic character, and every scene with him really is just wonderful.
Thanks so much!
For Mac OS Catalina users that can't open the game, this tip from Long Gone Days worked for me. I don't understand it, but I can play now! https://laburatory.itch.io/lgd/download/OpQi_Qo9_Y6tay0slF7te_FwHdGLjK1Qrsu1sLRL
Hi, I LOVE this game! Only one question: is it possible to make something within the game that would let me adjust sound volume / toggle it on and off? It defaults to very loud, so I have to lower the sound on my computer as a whole and miss other notifications against the music. [Seriously, though, wonderful game!]
Glad you're digging it! Unfortunately, it doesn't have that kind of feature. If you're using Windows, though, you can right click on the speaker volume icon in the lower right of your start bar, click "volume mixer," and adjust the volume for Jimmy there.
this is so friggin good. like. one of the best games i've played, tbh. Incredible soundtrack, good story, Punch Tanaka existing. 12/10 play this game!!!!!
THIS. THIS IS THE NOSTALGIA I WAS LOOKING FOR!
We officially found the best RPG in the bundle. The closest I could thematically describe it as is a mix of Undertale and Earthbound. A mysterious force is corrupting the world and you and your shapeshifting powers are trying to take it back. Its a 30-50 hour RPG, has incredibly satisfying level up mechanics and a thoroughly unique world. I will definitely return to this to finish it. One of the biggest surprises so far. Its fun, original and probably the most entertaining classic RPG experience I had in ... ages. 5/5
More Racial Justice impressions and ranking:
https://itch.io/c/915453/quick-impressions-bundle-for-racial-justice
I literally can't recommend this game enough. It's absolutely fantastic. 10/10
Hey just wondering, does anyone have any thoughts on the Mad Queen? I assumed she was Helga's mother given that the Legato residents mistake Helga for her... but Helga's mother is already represented by GAMM-E, and I don't know if it would break the "rules" to have a real person represented by two figments.
They seem so similar, though. They both say similar things about wanting to keep Jimmy forever, they both represent death deferred (GAMM-E is a robot, the Mad Queen is undead), and the Mad Queen is torn up about the death of her husband, just like Jimmy's grandmother. I can't imagine what the Mad Queen could represent if not that.
Does anyone have competing theories?
Nice to see this here.
I felt this lost steam in the endgame and the ending was cruelly and unexpectedly bleak. I found the reveal so obvious I was certain there was something more going on, but it would seem not. The game is otherwise extremely charming and good, 9/10. (And after A Very Long Rope, I was very pleased to find that attacks always hit.)