Creepy Castle

“The combat gameplay consists mostly of slow exploration and minigame combats. For normal enemies, it involves 1 or 2 minigames, while bosses require 2-5 minigames depending on the opponent. Taking damage is nearly unavoidable, but there are foods scattered around for healing. The inventory is limited, so it's best to save space for useful items. There are two types of damage: normal and critical, with critical hits being rare for enemies and uncommon for bosses. The player starts with 10 HP and can use a special attack to deal critical damage or skip boss minigames, but it can't be used if the boss has 2 HP left. Bombs can eradicate any enemy on the map but cannot be used against bosses.”

“The gameplay is a neat example of old-school with a new twist. It combines elements of metroidvania, turn-based RPG, and WarioWare-style minigames, creating a unique experience. The graphics are nostalgic, and the minigames ensure that combat never gets old. The game captures that old video game feel while mixing in creative mechanics, making it fun and engaging.”

“The gameplay is easy to learn and can become challenging at times. It introduces mechanics in a fun way, and while it may seem simple, it offers a great adventure RPG experience with wonderful story, music, and gameplay.”

“The soundtrack is deeply rooted in the NES sound chip, and it's no surprise; much of it was composed and/or arranged by the excellent Rushjet1, whose distinctive style is right at home here.”

“Honestly, even if you're not huge on the game itself, the music is worth the price of admission alone.”

“The music in this game is truly one of the best chiptune OSTs I've ever heard.”

“The visuals are really something else; they're reminiscent of an old Commodore 64 game, but with the system limitations removed, much like Shovel Knight did with NES aesthetics.”

“The graphics and art style are well done and very memorable.”

“The colorful, uncluttered visuals are a nice throwback to the classic age of video games, and the levels are cleverly designed.”

“I couldn't help but smile in scenario 4 when the game used the duel system to do some really creative and funny things.”

“One moment, it's a dramatic and serious fantasy adventure; the next, it's funny and lighthearted; then it goes all deep and meaningful, with some clear real-life parallels; then you walk into a room with portraits of the developers and several lore tablets listing Kickstarter backers.”

“The dialogue is funny and modern, and the gameplay is retro-inspired without being purely retro itself (doesn't have retro difficulty, per se: nothing is so unclear that you don't know what you're supposed to be doing).”

“Without spoiling much, the way the narrative builds and the way we learn more about the characters throughout the story is remarkable. None of the characters in the game are truly evil; they all have understandable motives or are fun in their own way. The depth of these characters makes you appreciate them far more. The game addresses themes such as grief, anxiety, and dread in a heartfelt manner.”

“I'm not the type of person who easily gets emotional, but there were several parts in this game where I felt my heartstrings being pulled. It was a sensation I haven't felt in a long time. After some of the most emotional moments, I just had to know what happened next and couldn't stop thinking about how the story would wrap up.”

“Even though this game was technically a 'flop' and is now quite obscure, it reached deep inside and touched my heart. It made me feel emotions I had long forgotten. This is the type of game I wish to create, and it reignited my love for video games after a slump, much like Undertale did for me years ago.”

“This is one of the most charming games I've ever played. I love every character here; I love Moth, I love Butterfly, I adore Ant Queen. This game just scratches a very specific itch for me character design-wise that I just can't get enough of, and the character interactions here are so fun!”

“That personality is the greatest advantage to the system, since it allows Creepy Castle to weave character development into the combat mechanics.”

“Despite the simple look, charming character design, and funny dialogs (mostly the food descriptions and the fortunes from fortune cookies), the story is really deep and, if you did not see it coming, would hit you in the feels harder than any simplistic game should.”

“Of course, as a story-based RPG, you'd assume it's not meant to be replayable, yet there's a free-play mode for the first 3 chapters, allowing you to play as other characters, and you do have to complete chapter 2 (thankfully, the shortest one) twice as different characters.”

“For the price of the game along with the replay value of unlocking characters and chapters to play through, I can find myself really enjoying this game for a while.”

“Some scenarios are battle-heavy, while others focus much more on exploration, finding secrets, etc. They're helpfully labeled so that you can pick and choose which ones you want to play and in what order based on your enjoyment of the various aspects of the game, and there is some replayability in each because you can select new characters after you complete each one.”

“A game with a really great atmosphere, and the change-up of mechanics keeps it fun.”

“The battles are composed of fun little action/reflex minigames that fit in so well with the atmosphere.”

“Fun Metroid-style exploration and a bouncy atmospheric soundtrack.”