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Dr. Benton Quest · Jan 20, 2016

UPDATE: FUNDED!
Shadows of Adam is now on Kickstarter!

Something Classic said:
Do you remember your first 16-bit RPG? The one you played all night until you had to go to school exhausted the next day? That's what Something Classic is striving to re-create in its own special way.

Something Classic said:
With Shadows of Adam, we aim not just to evoke nostalgia for the classic 16-bit JRPGs we know and love, but also to progress the genre, providing an adventure that lives up to the legacy left behind by the classic games we love so dearly.

Link to announcement trailer!

You can play the demo in your browser here. (chrome recommended). Spoilers:

It's good!

Been excited for this one for a long time. Game looks great and I really hope it makes its goal.

Sinatar · Jan 20, 2016

Good luck getting funded when there are like 8 billion games exactly like it on steam.

MichaelFassbender · Jan 20, 2016

Sinatar said:
Good luck getting funded when there are like 8 billion games exactly like it on steam.

Sad, but very, very, VERY true.

The Flash · Jan 20, 2016

Would contribute if it was Shadows of Adam Sandler

NormalFish · Jan 20, 2016

i like the environments but as others have said this premise is a bit tired at this point. Every time I see one of these I just assume it'll either 1) suck or 2) never get finished.

Ludger Kresnik · Jan 20, 2016

Oh, it's another 16 bit style retro RPG. Those are always really interesting.

This could be the greatest RPG ever, but the market is so oversaturated with games exactly like this that I don't feel compelled to bother at all.

Dr. Benton Quest · Jan 20, 2016

Sinatar said:
Good luck getting funded when there are like 8 billion games exactly like it on steam.

Pretty sure this isn't RPG Maker though.

You guys are harsh man. At least try the demo.

WolvenOne · Jan 20, 2016

Sprite work looks good, not a fan of the artwork in that video but, whatever. I'll give the demo a try a bit later, but I wish them luck either way. They don't seem to be asking for much, so hopefully their campaign is successful.

Joyful · Jan 20, 2016

im liking the graphics

Dr. Benton Quest · Jan 20, 2016

Joyful said:
im liking the graphics

That's what initially drew me to it. It's different from a lot of 2D games out there.

Vamphuntr · Jan 20, 2016

Dr. Benton Quest said:
Pretty sure this isn't RPG Maker though.

You guys are harsh man. At least try the demo.

I tried. How do you start it? I loaded up the link in Chrome and it doesn't seem to like my keyboard. I can use arrow up and down but haven't figured it out the confirmation button. I pressed all the keys on my keyboard in vain.

Catshade · Jan 20, 2016

Pandering to the general nostalgia of 16-bit RPG just doesn't cut it anymore. You have to go for underrepresented niche, like Cosmic Star Heroine (Phantasy Star).

rybrad · Jan 20, 2016

Looks cool, will have to check out the demo when I get home. Their goal seems somewhat realistic too rather than being way too low to actually do anything and their expense breakdown looks reasonable.

ezekial45 · Jan 20, 2016

The visuals look really blurry, and they kinda hurt my eyes just staring at it.

Sounds neat, though.

BluWacky · Jan 20, 2016

Sinatar said:
Good luck getting funded when there are like 8 billion games exactly like it on steam.

Has anyone filtered through these for games which are actually good and don't just feel like every other RPG Maker game ever? I will admit to essentially automatically assuming that they're all rubbish, but I'd honestly have no way of knowing if they weren't.

User 479360 · Jan 20, 2016

It looks neat, but a lot of games are going retro these days. Almost too many.

This looks like Zelda meets Final Fantasy, though, so my interest is piqued. It'll have to come out on something other than PC, though.

jhmtehgamr20xx · Jan 20, 2016

More late-gen NES than even early-gen SNES tbh. I might look into it tho. Not a big JRPG guy but hey, maybe it's got some LTTP stuff going on.

PeterBazooka · Jan 20, 2016

This looks fantastic! Doesn't look your typical RPG Maker game imo. Would be great if they added an optional scanline filter.

PassiveObserver · Jan 20, 2016

jhmtehgamr20xx said:
More late-gen NES than even early-gen SNES tbh.

Nah, this looks better than Final Fantasy IV.

Aeana · Jan 20, 2016

jhmtehgamr20xx said:
More late-gen NES than even early-gen SNES tbh. I might look into it tho. Not a big JRPG guy but hey, maybe it's got some LTTP stuff going on.

...do you even know what NES or SNES games look like

Easy_D · Jan 20, 2016

Looks great, loving the environments especially, bit simplistic sprites, but the animations make up for it

LaserHawk · Jan 20, 2016

I don't know if I'm down for an old-school RPG like that, but I'm REALLY digging the pixel art and animation.

StereoVsn · Jan 20, 2016

Looks pretty interesting. On the over-saturation of the market comment, can someone recommend a great 16bit JRPG style game? I am drawing a blank here.

Edit: Talking about newish indie effort and not the original games (or DS ports).

tebunker · Jan 20, 2016

When are people going to realize that generic fantasy doesnt cut it anymore. Also 1 female character in an armored corset with two scrawny white dudes and a brooding black man is too trite and tropey.

Seriously, I get it, you want to make a homage to those classic games, but like was posted earlier, there are thousands of those. Some of them really freaking good. You have to show me more creativity than this to get my money.

I am still looking for a 16 buit styled Western rpg, no not like the Western Hemisphere, Wild West. Or where are the classic style gothic horror type rpgs. I want to fight Frankenstein, Vampires and fuck just make a new Ravenloft.

Or better yet, go off the rails, like Gamma World or a super hero rpg or just about anything other than tropey traditional fantasy.

I saw crystals, swords and magic here and checked right the heck out.

Burt · Jan 20, 2016

Sinatar said:
Good luck getting funded when there are like 8 billion games exactly like it on steam.

It's always painful when I read stuff like this. Game clearly isn't RPG Maker, and its art is really stellar overall.

Got an early bird, but might upgrade later on.

Transistor · Jan 20, 2016

Burt said:
It's always painful when I read stuff like this. Game clearly isn't RPG Maker, and its art is really stellar overall.

Got an early bird, but might upgrade later on.

Doesn't matter if it's RPG Maker in all honesty. The oversaturation of the same type on Steam will push people more towards games that already exist rather than funding a new one. Is it right? Probably not, but it's true

tebunker · Jan 20, 2016

Burt said:
It's always painful when I read stuff like this. Game clearly isn't RPG Maker, and its art is really stellar overall.

Got an early bird, but might upgrade later on.

But that's not the point, regardless of whether it's RPG maker or not, there are so many alternatives that are already like it and that are good.

It's about understanding the market and what you want to accomplish, do we really need another fantasy based 16-bit RPG?

Why waste such good sprite work, animation, and detail work on something like this. That's the point.

StereoVsn · Jan 20, 2016

tebunker said:
But that's not the point, regardless of whether it's RPG maker or not, there are so many alternatives that are already like it and that are good.

It's about understanding the market and what you want to accomplish, do we really need another fantasy based 16-bit RPG?

Why waste such good sprite work, animation, and detail work on something like this. That's the point.

Name two. Seriously, there really aren't a lot of "good" or "great" JRPG 16bit style alternatives out there, especially if you don't head to RPG maker territory. There is a shitload of bad to mediocre ones though.

Robert at Zeboyd Games · Jan 20, 2016

Game doesn't have an RPGMaker look about it (and in fact, they're using a custom engine). Graphics have a "Better Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest" vibe to them in that they keep the square sprites but everything has a lot more color & detail than you'd expect in an 8-bit or early 16-bit RPG. Wishing them the best of luck.

Catshade · Jan 21, 2016

tebunker said:
I am still looking for a 16 buit styled Western rpg, no not like the Western Hemisphere, Wild West.
.

Try Boot Hill Heroes. It's criminal that almost nobody knows about this gem.

StereoVsn · Jan 21, 2016

Robert at Zeboyd Games said:
Game doesn't have an RPGMaker look about it (and in fact, they're using a custom engine). Graphics have a "Better Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest" vibe to them in that they keep the square sprites but everything has a lot more color & detail than you'd expect in an 8-bit or early 16-bit RPG. Wishing them the best of luck.

Robert, you shouldn't have time to browse GAF. There is a certain 16bit type JRPG to be released to beta...

Nairume · Jan 21, 2016

StereoVsn said:
Name two. Seriously, there really aren't a lot of "good" or "great" JRPG 16bit style alternatives out there, especially if you don't head to RPG maker territory. There is a shitload of bad to mediocre ones though.

Cthulhu Saves the World and One the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 and 4 come to mind immediately (in part because one of the devs already posted in this thread

)

Beyond those, people seem to like Pier Solar.

I'd actually be inclined to include Breath of Death VII, but it does somewhat straddle the line of 8bit and 16bit styles, even though it clearly does more than an NES could do

Burt · Jan 21, 2016

StereoVsn said:
Name two. Seriously, there really aren't a lot of "good" or "great" JRPG 16bit style alternatives out there, especially if you don't head to RPG maker territory. There is a shitload of bad to mediocre ones though.

This is pretty much where I was heading. There are a few (if we're including stuff in that tag like Always Sometimes Monsters, To The Moon, and A Bird Story, not to mention LISA, which I don't even think is RPG Maker), but the overwhelming majority are disposable sub-$3 games that are all super RPG Maker-y. The closest comparison there is for what Shadows of Adam is going for is the stuff that Zeboyd's put out, and saying that there isn't a market or a reason for any more games like that is... pretty thin.

edit: speak of the cosmic star heroine

Dr. Benton Quest · Jan 21, 2016

StereoVsn said:
Name two. Seriously, there really aren't a lot of "good" or "great" JRPG 16bit style alternatives out there, especially if you don't head to RPG maker territory. There is a shitload of bad to mediocre ones though.

They really are pretty rare. I'm always on the lookout for one that shows promise.

Robert at Zeboyd Games said:
Game doesn't have an RPGMaker look about it (and in fact, they're using a custom engine). Graphics have a "Better Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest" vibe to them in that they keep the square sprites but everything has a lot more color & detail than you'd expect in an 8-bit or early 16-bit RPG. Wishing them the best of luck.

Your opinion carries a lot of weight! Gives me hope they'll make their goal.

tebunker · Jan 21, 2016

StereoVsn said:
Name two. Seriously, there really aren't a lot of "good" or "great" JRPG 16bit style alternatives out there, especially if you don't head to RPG maker territory. There is a shitload of bad to mediocre ones though.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/391260/

345 Mostly Positive Steam reviews. That one costs .49 right now. That is their competitive for right or wrong.

Or if you want to expand it a little more, To The Moon, Lisa, Skyborn, and more. Several others have been mentioned here. Pier Solar is a good example.

The point is that they aren't really differentiating themselves in an over saturated market.

I am not saying the work they are doing is bad, I am saying it's wasted going after generic fantasy setting. I guess its just me, as I would like to see a different setting, something to really set themselves apart. I like skill they've shown, but I've played enough traditional fantasy 16 bit rpgs.

Catshade said:
Try Boot Hill Heroes. It's criminal that almost nobody knows about this gem.

I had this wish listed at one point, I need to go back and try it out.

Comfort Jones · Jan 21, 2016

I'm not sure what people mean when they say it doesn't have an rpg maker "look" to it. Like yeah they clearly did all their own sprite work but it definitely looks like it could fit within rpgmaker.

TriAceJP · Jan 21, 2016

It looks like a cross between Final Fantasy IV and Mystic Quest.

I'm interested.

Dr. Benton Quest · Jan 21, 2016

tebunker said:
I like skill they've shown, but I've played enough traditional fantasy 16 bit rpgs.

This game isn't for you then bud.

Several people in this thread have shown genuine excitement had nice things to say.

It's totally fine if you think the market is saturated, but it's disingenuous to lump this game in with churned out RPG Maker drivel as it looks nothing like it.

Comfort Jones said:
I'm not sure what people mean when they say it doesn't have an rpg maker "look" to it. Like yeah they clearly did all their own sprite work but it definitely looks like it could fit within rpgmaker.

It's their own custom engine.

Het_Nkik · Jan 21, 2016

Somebody should make a game like this that actually runs on an SNES.

StereoVsn · Jan 21, 2016

Nairume said:
Cthulhu Saves the World and One the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 and 4 come to mind immediately (in part because one of the devs already posted in this thread )

Beyond those, people seem to like Pier Solar.

I'd actually be inclined to include Breath of Death VII, but it does somewhat straddle the line of 8bit and 16bit styles, even though it clearly does more than an NES could do

Yes, Cthulhu and PA 3&4 are quite good but they are more satirical then the traditional JRPG. Pier wasn't good, IMO.

There is Skyborn which was merely ok and Celestian Tales which were actually decent, but that's about it. A Great 16bit JRPG would be most welcome, IMO.

Despera · Jan 21, 2016

Tried the demo. Some good art and decent music, but character sprites and player movement in general is a bit on the weak side. The battle system is neither bad nor great, it's just what you'd expect your typical JRPG battle system to be. All I can say about it is that it's definitely functional.

The setting and premise is too familiar as well. Some originality would've been appreciated here.

With that said, wish the team working on this the best. Shouldn't be hard for them to raise $20k with enough interest.

StereoVsn · Jan 21, 2016

tebunker said:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/391260/

345 Mostly Positive Steam reviews. That one costs .49 right now. That is their competitive for right or wrong.

Or if you want to expand it a little more, To The Moon, Lisa, Skyborn, and more. Several others have been mentioned here. Pier Solar is a good example.

The point is that they aren't really differentiating themselves in an over saturated market.

I am not saying the work they are doing is bad, I am saying it's wasted going after generic fantasy setting. I guess its just me, as I would like to see a different setting, something to really set themselves apart. I like skill they've shown, but I've played enough traditional fantasy 16 bit rpgs.

I had this wish listed at one point, I need to go back and try it out.

Meh, this looks like a generic RPG Maker game. Skyborn was ok, but not more then that. Lisa, To The Moon are not traditional JRPGs. Pier was not good.

YOU personally may not want to play it but it doesn't mean there isn't a market of the game is great. They do need to market it though, that I agree with.

Nairume · Jan 21, 2016

StereoVsn said:
A Great 16bit JRPG would be most welcome, IMO.

Oh, most definitely.

Even if there's a little bit of a current oversaturation of general jrpgs going up on steam right now, there's still plenty of good room for ones that really stand out.

Honestly, the real concern is that it seems like most of these more ambitious ones that don't resort to RPGmaker seem to struggle to actually come to fruition. That said, I wish these guys well, because it would be nice to have more success stories out there.

Dr. Benton Quest · Jan 21, 2016

StereoVsn said:
Yes, Cthulhu and PA 3&4 are quite good but they are more satirical then the traditional JRPG. Pier wasn't good, IMO.

There is Skyborn which was on and Celestian Tales which were actually decent, but that's about it. A Great 16bit JRPG would be most welcome, IMO.

My thinking exactly, and it's a huge reason I'm excited about this title.

Great non-satirical throwbacks are pretty rare and this one shows some promise.

Comandr · Jan 21, 2016

This looks sweet. The music is good too. Backed!

StereoVsn · Jan 21, 2016

Nairume said:
Oh, most definitely.

Even if there's a little bit of a current oversaturation of general jrpgs going up on steam right now, there's still plenty of good room for ones that really stand out.

Honestly, the real concern is that it seems like most of these more ambitious ones that don't resort to RPGmaker seem to struggle to actually come to fruition. That said, I wish these guys well, because it would be nice to have more success stories out there.

Yeah, the game has to be great to differentiate. When people think Classic JRPGs they think Chrono Trigger, DQ5/6, FFVI, and other SNES greats. That's a hard judgement to get passed. Plus there is a ton of these classic games on mobiles, handhelds and consoles available. So there is that to compete against.

NipplesAndToes23 · Jan 21, 2016

Characters look a little stretched out.

ghibli99 · Jan 21, 2016

Not bad! I like the colors quite a bit. I hate that the font is higher resolution than the game, though. That always bugs me and ruins the illusion that I'm playing an older game, or one meant to evoke those feelings/memories.

Danny Dudekisser · Jan 21, 2016

This looks bad. Not a fan of the art style, and it's directly lifting its ideas from the classics... like.... too directly.

NipplesAndToes23 · Jan 21, 2016

Game looks alright though and oh look, there's a black character.

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