Class Maze (Free Horror RPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

I played and completed the game "Class Maze," which was made using RPG Maker VX.
The genre is described as a "horror-themed puzzle RPG."
Each playthrough offered new discoveries, making it a game that truly stimulated my desire to play.

I'm not entirely sure of the exact total playtime required to complete the game, but I think it was around 12 hours.
The description says that one playthrough takes about 2-5 hours, but I think that will vary depending on the character you choose and the generated map structure.

Game Overview

"Class Maze" is a horror RPG where you explore a school that has become a labyrinth at night.
Many mysterious shadows and strange phenomena lurk within the school grounds, and contact with them will result in combat.
When you start the game, the first thing you'll do is decide on a school name.

The name you choose here will determine the layout of the school and the placement of events.
If the school names are the same, the structure will be generated in the same way.
If you're unlucky, you might end up with a difficult layout.
However, until you get used to the game, it's a good idea to play with the same school name to memorize the map and event layouts.

Once you've decided on the school name, the next step is to choose the protagonist.
Each of the six main characters has unique characteristics, which greatly influence the difficulty level, especially in the early stages of the game.
The starting point and events will change depending on the protagonist you choose, but ultimately, they will all converge on the main storyline.
However, the chosen protagonist is explored in more detail towards the end, so there are developments that can only be experienced by choosing that particular protagonist.

The early stages of the game and the feeling of playing until all your party members are assembled reminded me of the gameplay of "SaGa Frontier."

Time progresses rapidly while exploring the school or during combat (excluding inside rooms).
In this game, time is of great importance because some events only occur within a certain period of time.
However, for the first few minutes after starting the game, I think you'll enjoy it more if you play without putting too much pressure on yourself.

Depending on the protagonist, fighting enemies head-on can be quite difficult in the early stages of the game.
It would be wise to focus on gathering allies first and avoid enemies as much as possible.

Combat will begin when you come into contact with enemy symbols on the map or when certain events are triggered.
The battles themselves are turn-based, command-style battles.

A distinctive feature is the order of actions and formations during battles.
The order of actions proceeds in the alphabetical order of the formation, starting with the letter "Z".
In other words, the front row is positioned left, center, and right, while the back row is positioned left, center, and right.
Characters who use buffs such as status increases should be placed in the top left corner, where they can act first, as a strategic move.

The formation can be changed at the start of each turn at no cost.
Basically, only the front line takes damage, so it becomes necessary to move any allies who are about to be defeated to the back row.
Furthermore, since many healing skills can only be used when characters are adjacent to each other in the formation, mastering position changes will be a crucial means of defeating powerful enemies.

As you play the game, you can earn various "achievements."
Depending on the number of achievements you achieve, you can access the hint room from the "Extras" option on the title screen.
Once you reach a milestone, such as a game over or reaching the ending, I think you'll discover something new by looking around this room.

Review (no spoilers)

I played all the way to defeating the secret boss, and I thoroughly enjoyed the game from start to finish.
While the story and situations are horror-themed, I felt that the game itself is an RPG with an extraordinary focus on gameplay.

Finding a companion early in the game, when you're just trying to gather as many allies as possible, is a feeling I can enjoy no matter how many times I play.
Since a new map is generated each time you change the school name, it's interesting to see how the detailed strategy changes.
Another way to enjoy the game is by applying your own strategy and adapting to the situation as it arises.
It's like mahjong; even though your hand is different each time, you can still succeed if you have a certain strategy.

If you're aiming to defeat the secret boss, you'll need to play through the game thoroughly with a single school name and adopt an efficient play style.
However, even after defeating the secret boss, this game has an appeal that makes you want to play through it again and again.
One of the reasons for this is the richness of the differences in conversations among the party members.
While it's natural that the dialogue in each event differs depending on the protagonist, there are even more subtle differences depending on the characters who are in your party at that point.
While roguelike games are generally designed for repeated playthroughs, the level of detail in this game, which manages to maintain a sense of freshness, is truly impressive.
The dialogue between the characters is genuinely entertaining, and it makes me want to find and see all the events and achievements I haven't seen yet.

I started playing as Torafushi, and the randomly assigned school name was just right, making it easy to complete the game.
I was lucky enough not to encounter any events where my companions died, and I was able to reach the normal ending without any problems (completion time: 4 hours).

The advice given in the hint room was excellent and perfectly timed.
Even without a walkthrough site, you can choose from several levels of advice, so even those who don't want to know everything can select and listen to advice that is just right for them.
Without this hint room, I don't think it would have been possible to see the TRUE END.

The music and pixel art also showed a lot of attention to detail, and there were many wonderful pieces.
The background music, in particular, was created specifically for this film, creating a strong sense of unity with the work and leaving a lasting impression.
I'm really impressed because I don't feel like I've heard this song in any other work before.
The post-game development room section was also quite substantial, offering plenty of behind-the-scenes stories and other interesting information, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

If there's one thing I'd like to see in the gameplay, it would be the ability to save commands during battle.
In the later stages of the game, when leveling up or gathering materials, I often found myself repeatedly selecting the same command during battles, so it would have been more convenient if this could be configured in the settings.

Strategy Notes (Contains Spoilers)

Game walkthrough

There are many ways to enjoy this game, but I think aiming for the TRUE END is a good way to fully appreciate the story.
Instead of aiming for the TRUE ending right away, wouldn't it be better to play casually for a while and aim for Exit No. 3 first?
After seeing the TRUE ending, I recommend aiming to defeat the secret boss, and then collecting achievements with different protagonists.
Depending on your progress, you can find very useful information in the hint room accessible from the title screen's extras menu. I think you'll have a more enjoyable experience if you refer to that rather than this article.

In my case, I played in the following order:
- Play the game normally and get used to it.
・See Exit no.3
- Challenge the Seven Wonders and see the TRUE END (Exit no. 1)
- Try taking the back route
- Enjoy collecting achievements

Route conditions to TRUEEND

To enter the TRUE route, you need to gather all your companions and search the shelves in the staff room before midnight.
Then, in the subsequent options, you choose to continue waiting in the staff room (which at first glance seems like the wrong choice...).
After the event ends, use the master key to enter the library, unlock the Seven Wonders event, and conquer all seven wonders.
Finally, use the Seven Wonders Notebook from the item screen to proceed to the final event part.
After defeating the final boss, you'll be asked to think of a certain keyword, and once you figure it out, you'll reach the TRUE END.

Enter the staff room by midnight.

The first hurdle is getting into the staff room before midnight.
If you play quickly with this goal in mind, at least your teammates won't die.
The strategy varies depending on the school name, but I found the "Red Yapukase" Junior High School, which I cleared, to be the easiest to play, so I will introduce the strategy using that as an example.

The protagonist started with Torafushi.

First, go to the art room, which is the starting point, and get a brush.
After that, on your way to the stairs in the lower left, you'll encounter a powerful horse-shaped enemy, so fight it and recruit Yamato as a companion.
If Torafushi attacks and Yamato keeps firing arrows, they should be able to be defeated.

After going up to the second floor, we'll add Itami to our party and also get some chalk powder while we're there.
After that, defeat the giant spider in the gymnasium in the upper right and recruit Hibino as your ally.

On the 3rd floor, you'll recruit Takasugi in the science lab located right by the stairs.
After recruiting Takasugi, immediately head back upstairs to the 4th floor and recruit Kagenishi in the restroom.
If you proceed with almost no delays, you should be able to obtain the master key around 10:30.

Even if you don't use this specific school name, creating a simple map as a trial run will make the game much easier.
If you happen to meet Ninomiya Kinjiro, using a compass would be a good idea.

Key battles include the fight against the giant spider, the battle in the science lab, and the tough enemy battle to recruit Yamato as an ally.
Depending on the main character, if you have about three party members, you should be able to fight in the order of Yamato, Takasugi, and Torafushi (or Hibino).

The Seven Wonders

After the event in the staff room, you can access each of the seven mysteries by examining the notebooks in the library.
I think we have plenty of time, so let's proceed while also leveling up.

Ninomiya Kinjiro is located to the left after you go down the steps from the door on the rooftop.
Creating the "Illusionary Test Tube" early on will be a huge advantage in future battles.
The TRUE END route is almost identical to the secret boss route, so aim to create the other infinite items and charms as well.
However, once you've secured the secret boss route, it's possible to farm items (more on that later).

- Stairs with one more step
Climb the stairs from the bottom to the rooftop, then return to the bottom floor to initiate combat.
If you hit it directly, it will retaliate, but you must defeat it before it gets too close.
Use Yamato's bow, and only attack Torafushi and Hibino when they have plenty of HP.
Using Takasugi's chlorine gas will slightly reduce the damage from the counterattack.
Attack by using chlorine gas to weaken their abilities, then poisoning them with aqua regia, and finally repeatedly using nitroglycerin.

- The sound of bouncing a ball in the gymnasium
If you search behind the piano on the stage, near the curtain, a battle will begin.
Dribble Girl unleashes multiple random attacks on the front line and dodges all attacks except counterattacks, arrows, and area-of-effect potions.
The key to their attack is Hibino's back roll.
If one of the vanguards is hidden by using Kageishi, and the other one is incapacitated, all attacks will be concentrated on Hibino.
By using a back roll, you can inflict significant damage in a counterattack.
As the turns progress, the dribble girl's attacks become more intense, but the number of times you can counter with a back roll also increases, making it easier to defeat her.
Defeating it will reward you with the Expert's Bash (increases dodge rate + doubles stamina recovery).

Ghosts appearing on the screen
At 4:44, examine the PC on the floor of the computer room to initiate combat.
Time-wise, let's leave this one of the seven mysteries for last.
It will start a countdown until it shuts down, so keep attacking with maximum firepower until then.
If you absolutely cannot defeat the opponent before the count reaches zero, it seems you can get out of the situation by having Kageishi hide.
Defeating it will reward you with the "Black Mirror," which is a requirement for defeating the secret boss.

- A moving skeletal model in the science lab(Revised on January 17, 2021, based on information from the author)
After reading a book in the library, he's now at the first intersection he entered.
If you move to the opposite side of the direction you ran from, and repeat this three times, you will then enter the room.
There's another door in the blind spot on the opposite wall from the door you entered through; if you go through that one, you can fight.

The skeletal model's attack count increases each time you attack it.
Once the battle begins, attack only once or twice, then use the Tiger Crouching Provocation to concentrate your attacks.
Once the Tiger Crouching's attack power has increased to a certain extent, attack it all at once with everyone to defeat it.
Defeating it will reward you with a rapier (100% critical hit rate).

- The Toilet Phantom Red Cloak
If you examine the stall at the very back of the toilet, a choice will appear. If you wait without answering, a battle will begin.
The Red Cloak has extremely high attack power, so be prepared for your front-line fighters to be defeated one by one each turn.
By effectively utilizing Hibino's back roll and Kagenishi's hiding ability, it should be possible to mitigate the damage to some extent.
Let's fight from the back line by throwing things like Yamato's bow, Takasugi's nitroglycerin, and illustrated encyclopedias.

・The moving eyes of Beethoven
After examining the portrait in the music room, examining the piano will trigger a battle.
If Takasugi doesn't continue playing the piano and keep selecting "Standby," the battle will end.
Beethoven is not yet materialized and therefore invulnerable to attacks, so for a while, focus on defense.
It uses various status ailments, but its attack patterns are mostly fixed.
The order may occasionally change, but I think the sequence from "Hero" to "Destiny" will remain consistent.
Equipping the front-row attackers with amulets makes it easier to continuously deal damage.

<Behavioral Patterns>(Revised on January 17, 2021, based on information from the author)
Turn 1: "Tragedy" - Deals damage to the two characters in the front row.
Turn 2: "Moonlight" - Darkens all front row players.
Turn 3: "Hero" - Increases own attack power.
Turn 4 "Pastoral" Put all front row players to sleep
Turn 5: "Joy" - Restores your own HP.
Turn 6 "Destiny" Incapacitate someone in battle (likely Takasugi will be the first one to be incapacitated)
Turn 7: Return to the original "Pathétique" or observe the situation / Itami starts playing instead / Materialize


After solving all seven mysteries, you can use the Seven Mysteries Notebook item to proceed.
Since using them will prevent you from returning to school, you'll definitely want to create the "Illusionary Test Tube," "Miracle First Aid Kit," and "Good Luck Charm."
There is a statue of Ninomiya Kinjiro ahead, but be aware that some items cannot be crafted because your accompanying partner does not possess unique equipment (quiver, test tube, first-aid kit).

After the TRUE END route is confirmed

The story will progress with just the protagonist and another character who corresponds to them.
The pairings will be Torafushi and Itami, Yamato and Hibino, and Takasugi and Kagenishi.
There are important events that can only be seen with each combination, and there are also slips of paper with hints for seeing the TRUE END, so be sure to check them carefully.

No matter which combination you choose, you will eventually fight a dragon, and all six of you will come together during that battle.
After that, you will have to fight against six shadows.
The number of shadows increases by two each turn.
Let's try to reduce the number as much as possible before it increases.
Two more shadows appear for each one you defeat. (Revised on January 17, 2021, based on information from the author)
The Tiger's Shadow absorbs all the damage through its taunts, so you'll want to reduce the number of enemies as much as possible before it appears.
Without overthinking it, if you keep using nitroglycerin to strengthen your defenses, you should be able to defeat them without too much trouble.

Once you defeat the six shadows, the teacher's shadow will appear.
It attacks with random status ailments on all allies, and multiple attacks on the front line (making back rolls impossible).
Because it is constantly under fire-prevention conditions, the effectiveness of nitroglycerin is low.
Let's fight steadily, using chlorine gas and other means to weaken their abilities.
Since it will periodically attack itself, use that opportunity to heal and prepare yourself.

After defeating the final boss, the next step is to find the school name in order to see the TRUE END.
There is useful information in the hint room, so let's check it out.
You can get some very useful clues at the place where you can replenish the "illustrated books" in the library.
By using the words in their names, the encyclopedia in the library, and the letters that can be picked up in scenes where only the two of them are present, I think you can deduce the answer without having to complete all three sets.

Back route

The alternate route branches off from the TRUE END route, where you obtain the master key in the staff room before 12:00.
Specifically, after unlocking the Seven Wonders, you defeat the demon that appears on the screen to obtain the "Black Mirror," and then when it reaches 5:00, you can go out onto the rooftop to fight the secret boss.
(Added information from the author on January 17, 2021): The demons displayed on the screen can be fought even if you are not on the TRUE route, so it is not necessary to be on the TRUE route.

After 5:00, the enemies will consist solely of powerful Chimeras.
It's quite a tough enemy, but you can get all the materials by defeating it, so if there are any items you're missing, you should earn the resources and craft them.
You'll have a tough time unless you raise everyone's level to 10.

Strategy for defeating the secret boss

Now, let's talk about the characteristics of the secret bosses, Momo and Hikari.
Momo throws her bag around every turn and unleashes a massive multi-hit attack on the front line.
The next move involves stopping time, rendering your allies immobile for a short period.
Hikari always acts first, swinging her broom to inflict massive damage on a single target, or using a fire extinguisher to put you in a fire-prevention state.
When the fire prevention measures are deactivated, they will immediately use fire extinguishers, so there is no opportunity to inflict significant damage with nitroglycerin.
Even if you have dynamite prepared, it will be rendered unusable by being doused with water at the start of the battle.
At the end of each turn, the player with the lower HP is restored to the level of the player with the higher HP.
Therefore, there is no point in attacking unless you can deal damage to both targets in the same turn.
(Example: 500 damage to the left, 200 damage to the right ⇒ At the end of the turn, the left side recovers 300 health)

This is about specific tactics.
It's not a guaranteed way to defeat them 100% of the time, but it's a fighting style that has allowed me to defeat them more than half the time.
First, equip everyone with a protective charm to prevent time from stopping.
(Added on January 17, 2021: Since Kageishi doesn't suffer much from offensive limitations even when time is stopped, I dressed him in a kendo uniform to improve his sub-wall capabilities.)
When it's Momo's turn to unleash her attack, the vanguard will be Torafushi, Kagenishi (or Yamato depending on the situation), and Hibino, and the other three will be on defense.
After Takasugi uses chlorine gas on the first turn, he should use nitroglycerin and keep Hikari using the fire extinguisher as much as possible.
Once the debuff wears off, use chlorine gas, but be careful as Hikari's broom attack may come depending on the timing.

When Momo doesn't spill her bluff, it's your chance to attack.
I'll position Itami in the center of the vanguard to use his rapid healing ability, with Torafushi and Hibino on either side, and the injured members in the center of the rear guard to heal the three injured members with their powerful attacks.
Then Torafushi attacks one of the enemies, while Hibino attacks the other with a normal attack plus Yamato's full-power attack.
This constitutes one set, and we will repeat it patiently.
However, once the effects of the chlorine gas wear off, the front line will become unstable, so if you can't fully heal your injured allies, you'll need to make adjustments such as using Kage Nishi or Torafushi's tenacity.

After adjusting with nitroglycerin to the absolute limit to defeat the first semester, we solidify the buff effects with things like Torafushi's tenacity, Hibino's encouragement, and Takasugi's chlorine gas.
This buff will prove useful in the later battles of the third term.
Just before delivering the final blow, make sure Hibino, Torafushi, and someone else are in the vanguard, so that Hibino and Torafushi are in the vanguard for the first turn of the second semester.

Once the second semester begins, Torafushi attacks one side, while Hibino's Eternal Rebound + Yamato's Perfect Hit + Encyclopedia + Nitroglycerin (Aqua Regia would also work, but you want to reduce the number of actions the opponent can take in the next turn) attacks the other side, and defeat them in one turn.
If the effects of the Ale and chlorine gas are still working, Torafushi and Hibino alone should be able to defeat him.

For the third term, both HP values are 1000.
In the first turn, Takasugi will be in the front line and use Thermite Trap, while Kagenishi will use "Hide" behind him.
I don't want Torafushi to be defeated, so I'll place him in the back row and use his Guts ability on him.
I'll leave Hibino and Yamato in the vanguard (I want one of them to survive until the next turn).

In the second turn, Takasugi will use Nitroglycerin from the back row, aiming to activate Thermite Trap.
In my case, even when the trap was triggered, the damage was only around 800, so if Yamato is still alive, use a full-on attack, and if Hibino is still alive, use Hibino's attack to compensate.
The Tiger Crouching unit is on the front line, and it attacks and defeats the unit that doesn't have a trap.

Even if you reduce both sides' HP to zero, you still have to withstand the attack that turn, so Itami should try to revive any fallen teammates to increase the chances of someone surviving.
If you can endure it, you will successfully clear the stage.

Character impressions and other details (contains spoilers)

・Yamato

My first impression was that he had the most protagonist-like aura, but that wasn't really the case.
Although she speaks in a formal manner, her actual demeanor is gentle, she's very understanding, and her naive personality is also one of her charming points.
Despite acting like a simpleton, he was very perceptive and his words and actions naturally came across as cool (or, as Torafushi would say, cheesy).

As a teammate, she was a character who could be reliably used in both the front and back lines.
On the other hand, it can be a bit unremarkable and lacks a decisive finishing move, but if you can master the "Perfect Hit" technique in the late game, its firepower is quite impressive.
They played a crucial, behind-the-scenes role and were very reliable.

・Torafushi

As mentioned in the game,He's just a nice guy, but his eyes and way of speaking are scary.is.
He's probably just perceived as a delinquent because of his appearance, way of speaking, and personality, and he likely doesn't actively deny it himself.
I've always used Torafushi as the main character, so in my mind, Torafushi is the main character.

In the game, he proved to be extremely useful as an attacker who could also act as a tank.
The skill that doubles experience points is fantastic, and the skill that increases the attack power multiplier is also incredibly powerful.
It would be convenient if we could use "taunt" and "guts" at the same time, but such a technique would be too powerful, so it can't be helped.

・Kagenishi

At the beginning of the game, he was portrayed as a timid and cowardly character, but as he constantly makes sarcastic remarks to everyone, he doesn't seem so timid anymore.
I found it interesting how they clearly depicted the difference in type of intelligence between him and Takasugi.

In terms of my role in combat, there were surprisingly many things I could do.
You can act as a secondary tank, use "hide" to draw enemy attention, and even play a frontline role in the early stages of the game.
The good thing about Kagenishi is that he seems like the kind of character who would forgive you even if you sacrificed him at a crucial moment, and he seems like the kind of character who would survive while complaining.

Hibino

No matter how serious the scene, her presence instantly lightens the mood; she plays a comedic relief role.
With her crisp Kansai dialect and blunt, no-nonsense way of speaking and acting, even just reading the text is entertaining.
The scene where Hibino dies without revealing his hidden feelings for Yamato is heartbreaking and unbearable (why am I posting such an image?).

In combat, there are many skills that are useful when fighting tough enemies, such as boosting firepower with "Cheer," emergency evasion with "Feint," counterattacks with "Back Roll," and full-power attacks with "Eternal Rebound."
Its high evasion rate and surprisingly low chance of being defeated are reassuring.

Takasugi

She's not a stereotypical cool beauty; she's a character who has quite a few very human worries.
However, she is an excellent student who is more responsible than the average person.
In this series, which features many unique characters, he often plays the role of the straight man, and he's a character I quite like.

In combat, the firepower of "nitroglycerin" is incredibly powerful and useful.
The "chlorine gas" that reduces the opponent's abilities is also very useful, and it has come to occupy a very important position in terms of combat.

Itami

It was heartwarming to watch Takasugi and the others gradually become friends, despite everything.
Putting aside his usual timid personality, when he's determined and ready for anything, he seems even more intimidating than Takasugi.
I really like the scene where, after the music room event, Takasugi throws a tantrum, and he calms him down by deliberately provoking him with "Have you changed your mind about me?"

Although she had no combat abilities, she was extremely valuable as the only healer.
It's helpful that my health recovers gradually even while I'm exploring.