Megalopolis (Free Non-Field RPG) Introduction and Review

This is an entry for the 14th WOLF RPG Editor Contest.
I downloaded it because I was interested in the genre, which is a combination of visual novel and non-field RPG.
This RPG features no randomly occurring battles; all battles unfold in accordance with the story's progression.
This game features a unique combat system, making it enjoyable both for its story and its battles.

The completion time was approximately 3 hours.

Game Overview

At the start of the story, the underground village was on the brink of extinction due to famine.
The situation was steadily worsening, with instigators of riots and people dying of starvation.
Amidst all this, eight men and women set out on a journey to reach the surface.

The game itself progresses by reading through the text.
It contains many literary expressions and is written in a style that makes it enjoyable to read as a novel.
The mysteries surrounding why they lived underground and what lies above ground are also driving elements of the story.

As you progress through the story, documents and other materials will be unlocked and become available to read as reference material.
While it's not directly related to how to beat the game, it adds depth to the world of the story.

As you read through the text, you may encounter combat situations along the way.
These battles don't appear randomly; most are fixed encounters.

It's a turn-based command battle system where characters act in order of speed.
Each character has their own unique commands, and can also use the skills and magic they are equipped with.

MP increases with each turn.
Powerful magic consumes a lot of MP, so it's important to use it only when absolutely necessary.
One unique aspect of the system is that if an ally character's HP reaches zero, they will revive after a few turns if left alone.
Sometimes they revive in one turn, but other times they remain down for several turns, so it's best to revive them quickly with a spell that heals incapacitated characters.

I feel that the combat balance in this game makes it easy to get wiped out, but the tempo is good because you can quickly retry and experiment, and the combat speed is also fast.

The main character is basically fixed, but the remaining two characters can be freely chosen.
While you cannot swap characters during battle, you can arrange your team almost freely in all other situations.
If your party is wiped out in a battle against a tough enemy, you can access the menu screen from the retry screen, so it's a good idea to try out various combinations.

In this game, in addition to regular equipment, you can also equip magic and skills.
While there are limitations on what each character can equip, the level of customization is quite high.

Furthermore, since characters in this game do not have levels, their strength depends entirely on their equipment.
While each unit has somewhat predetermined characteristics, various roles and tactics are possible depending on their equipment.

Review (no spoilers)

I was able to complete it in about three hours.
The game's appeal lies in its intriguing storyline, which focuses on each individual character, and its tense battles.

The exploration sections were written in a style reminiscent of a gamebook, while the exciting scenes featured many literary expressions, making it a very engaging read.
At first, you don't know what kind of character they are, but as the story progresses, you get to understand their personalities and grow attached to them.
This was a game that made me want to keep reading, wondering how the story would end.

There was no level-up system; instead, the game's unique feature was that you strengthened your character through equipment.
Each character has their own appealing characteristics, so it was fun deciding on roles and devising tactics.
As expected of an RPG made with WOLF RPG Editor, the battles progressed quickly, and since you could defeat enemies in normal battles by brute force, the pacing was excellent.
While you do have to think carefully when fighting tough enemies, the ease of retrying meant there was very little stress.
Since luck often plays a role in battles, you can often overcome challenges by trying a few times without changing your equipment or formation.
However, it definitely gets more difficult towards the end, so those who are not good at combat may have a hard time.
While it's easy to retry, it's a little disappointing that you can't save in some scenes.

The story, which unfolds in a desperate and challenging situation, was particularly impressive.
The progression from underground to the surface is reminiscent of "Breath of Fire 5: Dragon Quarter," and the Assassin Tick that appears in the middle of the game reminded me of the ticks from "From the New World" (by Yusuke Kishi), which was very frightening (the location also has some similarities...).

The film's appeal lies in its incredibly exciting and dramatic final battle.
If you're intrigued by the unique atmosphere of this game, why not give it a try?