Many RPG’s out there tend to fall back on the standard fantasy tropes you would expect. Play NYC, however, has offered some more unique takes on the genre, one of which is a turn-based RPG titled Revery Rebirth, a game that combines irreverent humor, music as a primary motif, and a deep magic system.
A new indie title from developer Ratbird Games, players will star as Ares, a young musician who specializes in the electric guitar. Ares is one member of a famed music academy and will eventually embark on a journey that will take him beyond the confines of his studies in the academy, finding other musicians along the way to join his band.
The core theme of music in Revery Rebirth is a way to try and change traditional turn-based mechanics, in this case through music. The world Ares lives in, the fantasy land of Caarmellum, is one where music holds magical power. Each character has a physical attack and a musical instrument that casts magical spells. These spells are based on sheet music that the player must find in their travels. The sheet music is then added to their songbooks and can be combined to do unique effects depending on the compositions created.
In addition to musical compositions, different party members also have different elements attached to them. The elements act as “character classes” in sense, with ten different elements to consider when using music. All characters have a core and sub-element they would be attuned to, which in turn influences not only the ‘class’ or style that each character will play as, but also their abilities when using music to attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGygb6h7fBQ
The flexibility of the character classes adds more complexity when combining spells in a band. Up to three party members will join you in battle at a time, each with their own affinities and musical style. The combinations are also further enhanced by Rockstars, magical stones that can imbue special abilities for the characters with the use of lux gems, further customizing their abilities.
The depth of the games magic system is unique, but the motif of music also shines through in other mechanics. Each character’s instrument has songs and motifs written specifically by the games lead developer, Michael Elmquist, along with other musicians. The games puzzles will also be based on musical theory, providing unique solutions for players to solve. Even the narrative is attempting to go beyond the “good vs evil” feel of classic turn-based RPGs, instead, the hope is to create a world that is more irreverent in its humor and dialogue, but also showcase the consequences of the player's actions.
A passion project by the developers, Ratbird Games is hoping that an upcoming Kickstarter on September 1st will help promote Revery Rebirth to a wider audience. Several trailers, such as the one above, have already been posted to show off the game as well, which when released will be on the PC. Players curious about Revery Rebirth can also check out a playable Alpha demo on the games website.
What are your thoughts on Revery Rebirth? Interested in playing it? Please leave your comments below and be sure to check out the rest of our Play NYC coverage here.
