The 16bit era of games featured a number of magical RPGs that are fondly recalled. Whether it is Chrono Trigger, or Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past, there were a number of RPGs of that era that had action, adventure, and strong characters and story. The latest attempt to homage to this classic era of gaming is Ocean's Heart by Max Mraz, that is coming to PC next year.
Ocean's Heart aims to take the magic of the games of the adventure RPGs of the past, and combine it with modern twists and turns to create a unique take on the genre. All the areas in Ocean's Heart has unique sidequests for players, and the game attempts to mix humor, and seriousness to channel that charm we all grew up knowing.
In Ocean's Heart you play as Tilia, a youn woman whose father and best friend have been kidnapped by the dastardly pirate Blackbeard. Following Blackbeard through the ruins of a flooded kingdom, Tilia can unravel pirate conspiracies, sail across the sea, discover powerful artifacts, craft potions, and dive into dangerous dungeons with a growing arsenel of skills, weapons, and tools.
Publisher Nordcurrent Head of Marketing Artūras Surgutanovas shared the following thoughts on Ocean's Heart:
“Ocean’s Heart draws inspiration from the captivating 90s adventure RPGs that so many of us grew up with, but with a more intricate storyline than many of the classics featured. The game aims to both pay homage to the greatness of the originals while still advancing the genre through the many sidequests, puzzles, upgrades, bosses and dungeons. If you feel nostalgia for action-RPG or action adventure games that focus on exploration, then Ocean’s Heart is for you!”
Previously developer Max Mraz had created another Zelda-inspired game, this one that was also merging it with the gothic horror of Bloodborne. Yarntown is a completely free fan game that he released on Itch.io, and can give you an early glimpse of the design sensibilities that went into Ocean's Heart.
Ocean's Heart is coming to PC, via Steam in early 2021
