Beloved Rapture

About

"Beloved Rapture" is a mid-length retro-style JRPG that focuses on storytelling, exploring themes of trauma, friendship, existentialism, and LGBTQ+ experiences. The game features turn-based combat with six playable characters, dynamic battles, and no random encounters. With a focus on exploration, players can discover riches, loot, and mini-games as they journey through Johan's conflict in a world beyond his comprehension.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 233 reviews

story90 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and a nostalgic soundtrack that captures the essence of classic JRPGs.
The story is engaging with well-developed characters, including LGBTQ+ representation that feels authentic and not forced.
The combat system is enjoyable, allowing for strategic play with a unique resource management mechanic that rewards players for their choices.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, particularly in later chapters, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress.
Some characters, particularly female ones, feel underdeveloped and lack depth in their story arcs, leaving players wanting more.
The pacing of the story can be uneven, with some plot points feeling rushed or unresolved by the end of the game.

story
322 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
68%
4%
The game's story is a blend of old-school JRPG mechanics with modern themes, featuring a mix of engaging character arcs and complex narratives that explore topics like greed and revenge. While many players find the story compelling and well-written, some criticize its pacing and occasional plot holes, leading to a sense of disjointedness. Overall, the narrative is appreciated for its depth and emotional resonance, though it may not appeal to those seeking a more straightforward or traditional storytelling experience.
- “The story is so beautifully written, and you can tell this game was made with so much love.”
- “The main conflict in the story wasn't due to some comically evil person trying to destroy the world, and every antagonist had something motivating them.”
- “The story flow constantly moves at the perfect pace, giving the player endless character and story developments, blended perfectly with exploration, puzzles, secrets, and combat.”
- “However, it left me feeling frustrated, as the game was not story-driven and was confusing at first.”
- “As I continued to play, the confusion only deepened, and I felt that the main storyline drifted off course and became disjointed.”
- “The storytelling is lacking; there is no sense of drive or anticipation for what happens next.”
music
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
43%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its nostalgic SNES-inspired soundtracks that evoke strong emotions and enhance the overall experience. Tracks are described as catchy, immersive, and fitting for various in-game environments, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere. While some minor issues with looping and bugs were noted, the overall quality of the music is considered one of the game's standout features, with many players expressing a desire to purchase the soundtrack.
- “Every single track crafted for this game just rings out with magic and emotion; there were so many times where I just stood still in the game, got a great view, and just let the music do its thing.”
- “The battle themes will have you banging your head, the exploration songs will fill you with wonder and excitement to explore, the emotional scenes will grip at your heartstrings, and the villages and cities are filled with personality and atmosphere.”
- “This has instantly shot up to one of my favorite soundtracks of all time.”
- “There's some music that doesn't loop properly and some environments that are hard to see too, but they're minor things.”
- “-the music fits well with the ambient but nothing stands out apart from the title theme.”
- “-couple of sprite bugs and typos in chapter 6, music bug around Riora shrine area.”
graphics
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
58%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art and vibrant environmental design, reminiscent of classic JRPGs from the SNES era. While some users noted minor graphical bugs and balancing issues, the overall visual presentation is considered a highlight, enhancing the gaming experience significantly. The developers are actively addressing these issues, demonstrating a commitment to improving the game's visual quality.
- “The graphics and music really help elevate the whole experience for me.”
- “The visuals of this game are beautiful, especially in the environment design.”
- “The graphics consist of beautiful pixel art that really complements the scenery, characters, liveliness, and just the mood all around.”
- “The game was released pretty buggy with crashes, hard locks that required alt-F4, graphical errors and collision errors, player inventory bugs, combat bugs, lag, and frames struggle to render on the old engine. I make it sound terrible, but the devs are actively working to fix reported issues.”
- “I have problems with the map... I understand the aesthetic, but it is generally a bit difficult to read, especially in large areas.”
- “Some character lines were very unnatural sounding given the game's aesthetic, but even that is fine if you want to polish it with a more modern-sounding style; just it wasn't consistently implemented.”
gameplay
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
79%
4%
The gameplay is a blend of classic JRPG mechanics with modern enhancements, offering an addictive mix of exploration and combat, though it suffers from balance issues and occasional crashes. While the nostalgic structure appeals to fans of the genre, some players find the mechanics untested and the user interface rough, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite these flaws, the game is praised for its engaging story and charming presentation, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate retro-style RPGs.
- “This is in structure and mechanics an old-school JRPG with a more modern (and better) plot and characterization.”
- “JRPG retro goodness wrapped up in some sleek gameplay features, statistical min/maxing... it's an addictive mix of exploration and combat.”
- “The characters are deep, the gameplay is fun without being overwhelmingly complex, and everything feels like it has a purpose.”
- “Literal 22 minutes of gameplay and it's crashed 3 times so far.”
- “These issues are heavily coded gameplay features and the amount of work to fix them will be harsh.”
- “Mechanically, 80% of it feels untested.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
The game's stability has been a significant concern, with players reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and performance issues, particularly on older engines. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay on devices like the Steam Deck, many recommend waiting for further updates to address these issues, as the developers are actively working on fixes. Overall, the game shows promise but is currently marred by instability that can detract from the experience.
- “The game runs great on the Steam Deck (OLED) without any tinkering, and can be limited to 60 Hz, 5 W TDP, and 400 MHz GPU without any detriment.”
- “The game was released pretty buggy with crashes, hard locks that required alt-F4, graphical errors and collision errors, player inventory bugs, combat bugs, lag, and frames struggle to render on the old engine. I make it sound terrible, but the devs are actively working to fix reported issues.”
- “I keep experiencing a bug where during combat, my combat freezes to where I cannot input commands.”
- “Buggy, sluggish, clunky, and easy to glitch out and get stuck.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
The game's design minimizes the need for grinding, making it accessible for newcomers to JRPGs while also ensuring that player builds feel less impactful. While some players appreciate the occasional grinding opportunities for rewards, others find the lack of necessity for grinding leads to an overly easy experience. Overall, the pacing of enemy strength and rewarding exploration through meaningful loot contribute to a balanced gameplay experience.
- “Chests, chests everywhere... and each contains meaningful loot, so the exploration is rewarding and not tedious.”
- “I have a natural tendency to take every encounter I come across, and by the end without any grinding the game was way too easy.”
- “I wish the stone goddess statue were teleport way points because having to travel across the map on foot to do side quests is so tedious and frustrating, especially if you want to visit previous regions.”
- “The developers did a great job with pacing the enemy strength so there's no particular need for grinding.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised for its ability to blend lightheartedness with deep emotional turmoil, creating a rich experience that resonates with players. Reviewers appreciate the representation of openly queer characters and the nostalgic JRPG style, though some feel the conclusion could have been more impactful. Overall, the game's music and vibrant settings enhance the emotional journey, making it a memorable experience.
- “As a fan of JRPGs for over 2 decades, it is so touching to see a game like Beloved Rapture exist.”
- “I find it so heartwarming to see openly queer-identifying characters like me presented in a polished game in the style of the ones I played and loved.”
- “It's hard to describe how masterfully the developers have melded the lighthearted feelings of wonder, nostalgia, and fun with the deepest cutting shock and emotional turmoil I have seen in a JRPG in over a decade.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's optimization on the Steam Deck is generally smooth, though players have reported minor audio glitches and incorrect button prompts. Additionally, some users noted that the dialogue presentation could be improved for better clarity and engagement.
- “Characters use ellipses when stuttering, repetition, exclamation, or even just speaking without pause would be more appropriate.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Character development in the game has been criticized for feeling disconnected and lacking depth, likened to being an outsider at a social gathering where others share a deeper history. While other elements such as music, animation, and design are praised, the character arcs do not resonate as strongly with players.
- “The character development felt like going to a party where you're a friend from work and everyone else went to high school together.”
- “The characters lack depth and their growth feels forced and unconvincing.”
- “I found it hard to connect with the characters because their arcs were predictable and uninspired.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game largely stems from the absurdly inept behavior of the monsters, which lack basic AI features like line of sight or awareness, leading to comically ridiculous situations where players can stand directly in front of them without being noticed. This intentional design choice adds a layer of comedic charm, reminiscent of older RPGs.
- “The monsters are hilariously dumb; they didn't even program in line of sight or monster awareness into the game, which has been an easy thing to do since RPG Maker 2000. Even tons of free games have it, but here you can stand right in front of a monster, and unless they touch you, you are ignored.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its dynamic battle themes that energize players, enchanting exploration music that inspires curiosity, and emotionally impactful scenes that resonate deeply. Additionally, the vibrant villages and cities contribute a rich sense of personality and immersion to the overall experience.
- “The battle themes will have you banging your head, the exploration songs will fill you with wonder and excitement to explore, the emotional scenes will grip at your heartstrings, and the villages and cities are filled with personality and atmosphere.”