@Astropez - That's incredibly kind of you to say Astropez! I didn't realise you'd played the game, and I consider that quite high praise, so thank you very much! It always means a lot when players are looking forward to your next project, so I'll do my best not to disappoint
@Andee - Absolutely! The vast majority of players haven't had any experience with the first game, so it's not uncommon at all. I tried to make sure we explain the important points from the first game, and simply use it as backstory/context for the new adventure. Along with providing some new characters with fresh perspectives to ask the necessary questions =)
@McBurn - Thank you very much McBurn, I really appreciate that! I'm definitely hoping I can turn this into a viable business and keep making games in future, so fingers crossed =)
@bixente - Oh I'm so glad to hear it bixente! Thank you for sharing that. Full credit to our composer Sebastian Cruz (carfonu) for the soundtrack - I think he knocked it out of the park.
@nin10doom - That's really kind of you to say nin10doom, thank you! Unfortunately no breathers in this business haha. But I'm currently working on Free DLC for 8-Bit Adventures 2, as well as two secret projects, so definitely some fun things coming down the pipeline
@rvcolem1 - Thank you rvcolem1! The Earthbound/Mother influence is mostly the battle UI and the series' approach to writing memorable NPC dialogue =) I sincerely hope you enjoy it if you give it a go!
@jesse_dylan - Thank you Jesse! I'm the same way. It's always a bit tricky in game design to direct the player to where they're meant to go next, but I try to do it through cutscenes, environment design, and NPCs.
@Astropez - I think different people just have different tolerances for text and cutscene length. 8-Bit Adventures 2 has a lot of text (arguably, as the review points out, too much in some places), but I don't think it would be equivalent to the size of a Trails or Persona game. Personally, I just love character interactions, so I don't mind a lot of reading =)
@AgentLA - You're very welcome AgentLA - thank you for the kind words! It's fantastic to hear that I'm not alone in that too; that old school feel is what I most wanted to recapture =)
Developer here - Thank you so much for the wonderfully written review Nathan! I'm so glad you enjoyed the game and I sincerely appreciate all of your feedback
It's interesting you bring up auto-battle, as that's actually a feature I don't like. To me, if players are going to automate a fight, that fight might as well not be in the game at all. So I tried to make sure that grinding was unnecessary, in favour of strategy, to cut down on the number of required battles. Speed up is a very fair point, though!
@McBurn - I've been patching the game since its PC release in January 2023, so no worries on buginess I actually think I've nearly caught them all!
@johnedwin + @AgentLA + @silver-crescent - Thank you all for the question! Unfortunately, to get the first 8-Bit Adventures game on Switch, it'd have to be remade in a newer engine. I am sincerely considering doing this; it's just a matter of time/money/player interest. So I appreciate you asking about it =)
@obijuankanoobie - Thank you very much for those incredibly kind words obijuankanoobie! I really appreciate it. I try to respond wherever I can.
@Wisps - Thanks for helping out in the comments Wisps! I'm really glad to hear that you think it's up your alley, and I sincerely hope you'll enjoy it. I also prefer classic exploration over waypoints myself. And your memory is spot on!
@nin10doom - Thank you very much nin10doom! If those things sound like positives to you, then I'd say we're on the same wavelength
@shadowii - Don't worry, most people didn't hear of the first game when it launched on Steam back in 2015. But it built a dedicated niche following and made enough money to make a much more impressive sequel. So that's how we got here =)
@speedracer216 - I think the main is because of how well designed and paced Chrono Trigger is. It's a bit of a game design bible for any JRPG developer. So when I say Chrono Trigger influence, not only am I referring to the team-up attacks in the game, but also the way I design and pace the structure of the game and its overall story (particularly the way the story is focused on a singular villain from beginning to end).
The Mother 3 influence is mainly the battle UI, and Shigesato Itoi's wonderful way of writing charming/witty/funny NPC dialogue =)
@the_beaver + @Tempestryke - It's a style that our artist Jerram Fahey calls "NES+". Basically, we use the NES' limited colour palette and tile size to draw the sprites. But then the difference is that we allow as many colours as we want to be displayed on a single screen, which creates this really vibrant and detailed look. So we're drawing 8-bit graphics, but with one of the limitations removed.
@bixente Thank you bixente - I appreciate you saying so! That's my mindset as well =)
@Slain And thank you for the kind words as well Slain! I sincerely hope you enjoy the game if you decide to check it out (there'll be a demo on Switch closer to release if you're interested too).
To answer your question, I'm very sorry, but there aren't any scan line options in the game. I did experiment with scan line effects earlier in development, but I couldn't find a way to create an effect I felt looked pleasing/authentic within the engine I was using. Sorry about that Slain - I really like scan lines too!
@MeloMan Thank you very much - I'm glad to hear that MeloMan! Haha, I absolutely know the feeling with RPGs - I'm in exactly the same boat XD There are reviews from the PC version on Metacritic (87 score) and OpenCritic (91 score), but it'd be amazing to see Nintendo Life give their own review too!
@boatie Yes, it's the same world (albeit heavily redesigned) and the story is connected. But I tried to design it so that you don't need to play the original.
Past events will be referenced and explained, and new characters will provide a fresh perspective for new players. I knew when I made the game that a majority of players wouldn't have any experience with the first game, and that's definitely been the case - but from players have said, it hasn't hampered their enjoyment of the story =)
@Yoshi3 No worries at all Yoshi3, it's a totally fair critique! Fingers crossed - launching on a Nintendo system has always been the dream, so I'm really hoping it connects with players. Just have to get the word out there!
@Siegdroid I would love to release the first game on Switch, but it requires rebuilding it on a new engine (and I want to bring it up to the sequel's standard). So please give me some time on that one, but I hope to make it happen!
No physical plans yet (it'll partly depend on digital sales), but I'm a huge physical collector myself, so I'll be fighting to make it happen.
@KamikazeKae Thank you SO much KamikazeKae! That comment absolutely made my day. I try to respond to as much as I can, and be present in the community - and to keep the game updated. We have Free DLC coming soon, so I hope players will enjoy that too!
@Emmerichcoal Thank you! I'm definitely working on trying to make that happen =)
@Zerra_Adventure Hey Zerra! Sorry for the incredibly long wait, but thank you so much for your patience. I really hope you enjoy it - I think it feels great on Switch!
@Slain Thank you - I'd love a physical release as well! And that's totally fair. Without giving away the plot, I'll say that there's a very unique reason for the mixture of sci-fi and fantasy, and the two elements are kept largely separate because of that reason. Think of it as two separate worlds, essentially =)
@MastaRedSnappa Oh that's fantastic to hear! Saying that you'll pick up the game is about as big a compliment as a developer can receive, so thank you very much for the kind words!
@Serpenterror Thank you Serpenterror! The first game is a lot rougher around the edges (it didn't really have a budget XD), but if you check it out I sincerely hope you enjoy it.
@Expa0 Wow! Thank you so much for all of the kind words, and for sharing some perspective with new players Expa0 =) The way I look at it is that the events of the first game serve as a backdrop to the second game, in the way that, say...Braska's journey in FFX serves as backdrop to that game. But I definitely take your point! I'm hoping to get a chance to revamp the first game and bring it to consoles in future.
@DennyCrane Well I still very much appreciate the kind words DennyCrane! If you want to give it a go, there'll be a demo on the eShop closer to release - just in case it clicks with you =)
@bleeflooflah Much appreciated, thank you! We wanted to try and capture the feel of the era as much as possible, so I hope it feels authentic yet modernised in some ways.
@johnedwin Thanks for the kind words johnedwin! I grew up with these games too, so I know what you mean. You can still grind in 8-Bit Adventures 2 if you want to (enemies can be respawned at will), but on-the-map battles mean interruptions to exploration happen in a more curated way =)
Unfortunately the first game can't currently available anywhere other than PC, due to the engine it was made with. But I'm definitely looking at bringing it up to the sequel's level and releasing on consoles in future!
@nin10doom Thank you! Yes, part 1 released all the way back in 2015. It was my most successful game up to that point and earned some funds, so I decided to make a sequel...which has now taken 9 years to fully complete haha.
@Wisps Thanks Wisps! You sound like a person after my own heart, so it's definitely targeted at you. Haha, you know that's a very good point! I think names become endearing after a while if people like the game, no matter what it is =)
@PinderSchloss Thank you very much for saying that you'll be checking out the game! Honestly, if I was earlier in production, I'd probably consider it. But after marketing the game for 9 years, having a ton of Youtube videos made about it, having Google recognise the game name, having the PC release out, etc. I think that ship has sailed. But at a different stage, you're probably right =) But hey, hopefully I'll be able to bring the first game to Switch in future!
@Daggot Thank you very much Daggot! It's definitely been a labour of love, and I'm thrilled to hear it's on your radar =) All credit to our wonderful artist Jerram Fahey/World_of_NoeL for the presentation!
@Greatluigi Haha, happy to be here Greatluigi (and I agree you can never have too many RPGs)! Oh man, I absolutely love DQ4. I would recommend 8-Bit Adventures if you like any of the character-driven DQ games - like 4, 5, 8, and 11 =)
@naxuu Good eye naxuu! The game uses what our artist calls "NES+".
We do exclusively use the NES' limited colour palette and draw everything at the correct size for 8-bit art. The difference is that we allow as many colours as we want on a single screen. This creates the game's vibrant, detailed look, while still paying homage to some of the limitations. So you're spot on that it's a sort of middle ground
Developer here! Just wanted to say a big thanks to Ollie and the Nintendo Life team for sharing our game! I'm a long-time reader and watcher, so I was thrilled when I saw the article pop up on Twitter =)
@JohnnyMind Thank you very much - I'm glad it caught your eye!
@Yoshi3 @DjinnFighter You're definitely not the first people to have that thought! I agree it's not great, but I was stuck with it from the first game (it was a name I came up with back in 2012 XD). Hopefully the game's screenshots, footage, and reviews will say enough to overcome any impressions from the name, as they did on PC. I really appreciate the kind words!
@Princess_Lilly Thank you! And you absolutely can - team members can be swapped in and out at will, and character swapping is a major mechanic. There's not really an MC; it's closer to an FF6 ensemble approach =)
Comments 9
Re: Review: 8-Bit Adventures 2 (Switch) - A Well-Crafted Ode To Classic RPGs That Goes On A Bit
@Astropez - That's incredibly kind of you to say Astropez! I didn't realise you'd played the game, and I consider that quite high praise, so thank you very much! It always means a lot when players are looking forward to your next project, so I'll do my best not to disappoint
@Andee - Absolutely! The vast majority of players haven't had any experience with the first game, so it's not uncommon at all. I tried to make sure we explain the important points from the first game, and simply use it as backstory/context for the new adventure. Along with providing some new characters with fresh perspectives to ask the necessary questions =)
So please feel free to jump in!
Re: Review: 8-Bit Adventures 2 (Switch) - A Well-Crafted Ode To Classic RPGs That Goes On A Bit
@McBurn - Thank you very much McBurn, I really appreciate that! I'm definitely hoping I can turn this into a viable business and keep making games in future, so fingers crossed =)
@bixente - Oh I'm so glad to hear it bixente! Thank you for sharing that. Full credit to our composer Sebastian Cruz (carfonu) for the soundtrack - I think he knocked it out of the park.
@nin10doom - That's really kind of you to say nin10doom, thank you! Unfortunately no breathers in this business haha. But I'm currently working on Free DLC for 8-Bit Adventures 2, as well as two secret projects, so definitely some fun things coming down the pipeline
@rvcolem1 - Thank you rvcolem1! The Earthbound/Mother influence is mostly the battle UI and the series' approach to writing memorable NPC dialogue =) I sincerely hope you enjoy it if you give it a go!
@jesse_dylan - Thank you Jesse! I'm the same way. It's always a bit tricky in game design to direct the player to where they're meant to go next, but I try to do it through cutscenes, environment design, and NPCs.
@Astropez - I think different people just have different tolerances for text and cutscene length. 8-Bit Adventures 2 has a lot of text (arguably, as the review points out, too much in some places), but I don't think it would be equivalent to the size of a Trails or Persona game. Personally, I just love character interactions, so I don't mind a lot of reading =)
Re: Review: 8-Bit Adventures 2 (Switch) - A Well-Crafted Ode To Classic RPGs That Goes On A Bit
@AgentLA - You're very welcome AgentLA - thank you for the kind words! It's fantastic to hear that I'm not alone in that too; that old school feel is what I most wanted to recapture =)
Re: Review: 8-Bit Adventures 2 (Switch) - A Well-Crafted Ode To Classic RPGs That Goes On A Bit
Developer here - Thank you so much for the wonderfully written review Nathan! I'm so glad you enjoyed the game and I sincerely appreciate all of your feedback
It's interesting you bring up auto-battle, as that's actually a feature I don't like. To me, if players are going to automate a fight, that fight might as well not be in the game at all. So I tried to make sure that grinding was unnecessary, in favour of strategy, to cut down on the number of required battles. Speed up is a very fair point, though!
@McBurn - I've been patching the game since its PC release in January 2023, so no worries on buginess I actually think I've nearly caught them all!
@johnedwin + @AgentLA + @silver-crescent - Thank you all for the question! Unfortunately, to get the first 8-Bit Adventures game on Switch, it'd have to be remade in a newer engine. I am sincerely considering doing this; it's just a matter of time/money/player interest. So I appreciate you asking about it =)
@obijuankanoobie - Thank you very much for those incredibly kind words obijuankanoobie! I really appreciate it. I try to respond wherever I can.
@Wisps - Thanks for helping out in the comments Wisps! I'm really glad to hear that you think it's up your alley, and I sincerely hope you'll enjoy it. I also prefer classic exploration over waypoints myself. And your memory is spot on!
@nin10doom - Thank you very much nin10doom! If those things sound like positives to you, then I'd say we're on the same wavelength
@shadowii - Don't worry, most people didn't hear of the first game when it launched on Steam back in 2015. But it built a dedicated niche following and made enough money to make a much more impressive sequel. So that's how we got here =)
@speedracer216 - I think the main is because of how well designed and paced Chrono Trigger is. It's a bit of a game design bible for any JRPG developer. So when I say Chrono Trigger influence, not only am I referring to the team-up attacks in the game, but also the way I design and pace the structure of the game and its overall story (particularly the way the story is focused on a singular villain from beginning to end).
The Mother 3 influence is mainly the battle UI, and Shigesato Itoi's wonderful way of writing charming/witty/funny NPC dialogue =)
@the_beaver + @Tempestryke - It's a style that our artist Jerram Fahey calls "NES+". Basically, we use the NES' limited colour palette and tile size to draw the sprites. But then the difference is that we allow as many colours as we want to be displayed on a single screen, which creates this really vibrant and detailed look. So we're drawing 8-bit graphics, but with one of the limitations removed.
Re: '8-Bit Adventures 2' Looks Like A Solid Throwback To Old-School Final Fantasy
@bixente Thank you bixente - I appreciate you saying so! That's my mindset as well =)
@Slain And thank you for the kind words as well Slain! I sincerely hope you enjoy the game if you decide to check it out (there'll be a demo on Switch closer to release if you're interested too).
To answer your question, I'm very sorry, but there aren't any scan line options in the game. I did experiment with scan line effects earlier in development, but I couldn't find a way to create an effect I felt looked pleasing/authentic within the engine I was using. Sorry about that Slain - I really like scan lines too!
Re: '8-Bit Adventures 2' Looks Like A Solid Throwback To Old-School Final Fantasy
@MeloMan Thank you very much - I'm glad to hear that MeloMan! Haha, I absolutely know the feeling with RPGs - I'm in exactly the same boat XD There are reviews from the PC version on Metacritic (87 score) and OpenCritic (91 score), but it'd be amazing to see Nintendo Life give their own review too!
@boatie Yes, it's the same world (albeit heavily redesigned) and the story is connected. But I tried to design it so that you don't need to play the original.
Past events will be referenced and explained, and new characters will provide a fresh perspective for new players. I knew when I made the game that a majority of players wouldn't have any experience with the first game, and that's definitely been the case - but from players have said, it hasn't hampered their enjoyment of the story =)
@Yoshi3 No worries at all Yoshi3, it's a totally fair critique! Fingers crossed - launching on a Nintendo system has always been the dream, so I'm really hoping it connects with players. Just have to get the word out there!
@Siegdroid I would love to release the first game on Switch, but it requires rebuilding it on a new engine (and I want to bring it up to the sequel's standard). So please give me some time on that one, but I hope to make it happen!
No physical plans yet (it'll partly depend on digital sales), but I'm a huge physical collector myself, so I'll be fighting to make it happen.
@KamikazeKae Thank you SO much KamikazeKae! That comment absolutely made my day. I try to respond to as much as I can, and be present in the community - and to keep the game updated. We have Free DLC coming soon, so I hope players will enjoy that too!
@Emmerichcoal Thank you! I'm definitely working on trying to make that happen =)
@Zerra_Adventure Hey Zerra! Sorry for the incredibly long wait, but thank you so much for your patience. I really hope you enjoy it - I think it feels great on Switch!
@Slain Thank you - I'd love a physical release as well! And that's totally fair. Without giving away the plot, I'll say that there's a very unique reason for the mixture of sci-fi and fantasy, and the two elements are kept largely separate because of that reason. Think of it as two separate worlds, essentially =)
@MastaRedSnappa Oh that's fantastic to hear! Saying that you'll pick up the game is about as big a compliment as a developer can receive, so thank you very much for the kind words!
@Serpenterror Thank you Serpenterror! The first game is a lot rougher around the edges (it didn't really have a budget XD), but if you check it out I sincerely hope you enjoy it.
Re: '8-Bit Adventures 2' Looks Like A Solid Throwback To Old-School Final Fantasy
@Expa0 Wow! Thank you so much for all of the kind words, and for sharing some perspective with new players Expa0 =) The way I look at it is that the events of the first game serve as a backdrop to the second game, in the way that, say...Braska's journey in FFX serves as backdrop to that game. But I definitely take your point! I'm hoping to get a chance to revamp the first game and bring it to consoles in future.
@DennyCrane Well I still very much appreciate the kind words DennyCrane! If you want to give it a go, there'll be a demo on the eShop closer to release - just in case it clicks with you =)
@bleeflooflah Much appreciated, thank you! We wanted to try and capture the feel of the era as much as possible, so I hope it feels authentic yet modernised in some ways.
@johnedwin Thanks for the kind words johnedwin! I grew up with these games too, so I know what you mean. You can still grind in 8-Bit Adventures 2 if you want to (enemies can be respawned at will), but on-the-map battles mean interruptions to exploration happen in a more curated way =)
Unfortunately the first game can't currently available anywhere other than PC, due to the engine it was made with. But I'm definitely looking at bringing it up to the sequel's level and releasing on consoles in future!
@nin10doom Thank you! Yes, part 1 released all the way back in 2015. It was my most successful game up to that point and earned some funds, so I decided to make a sequel...which has now taken 9 years to fully complete haha.
@Wisps Thanks Wisps! You sound like a person after my own heart, so it's definitely targeted at you. Haha, you know that's a very good point! I think names become endearing after a while if people like the game, no matter what it is =)
@PinderSchloss Thank you very much for saying that you'll be checking out the game! Honestly, if I was earlier in production, I'd probably consider it. But after marketing the game for 9 years, having a ton of Youtube videos made about it, having Google recognise the game name, having the PC release out, etc. I think that ship has sailed. But at a different stage, you're probably right =) But hey, hopefully I'll be able to bring the first game to Switch in future!
@Daggot Thank you very much Daggot! It's definitely been a labour of love, and I'm thrilled to hear it's on your radar =) All credit to our wonderful artist Jerram Fahey/World_of_NoeL for the presentation!
@Greatluigi Haha, happy to be here Greatluigi (and I agree you can never have too many RPGs)! Oh man, I absolutely love DQ4. I would recommend 8-Bit Adventures if you like any of the character-driven DQ games - like 4, 5, 8, and 11 =)
@naxuu Good eye naxuu! The game uses what our artist calls "NES+".
We do exclusively use the NES' limited colour palette and draw everything at the correct size for 8-bit art. The difference is that we allow as many colours as we want on a single screen. This creates the game's vibrant, detailed look, while still paying homage to some of the limitations. So you're spot on that it's a sort of middle ground
Re: '8-Bit Adventures 2' Looks Like A Solid Throwback To Old-School Final Fantasy
@JohnnyMind Thank you very much JohnnyMind! After 9 years of work I'm nervous, but very excited to finally share the game with everyone on console
Re: '8-Bit Adventures 2' Looks Like A Solid Throwback To Old-School Final Fantasy
Developer here! Just wanted to say a big thanks to Ollie and the Nintendo Life team for sharing our game! I'm a long-time reader and watcher, so I was thrilled when I saw the article pop up on Twitter =)
@JohnnyMind Thank you very much - I'm glad it caught your eye!
@Yoshi3 @DjinnFighter You're definitely not the first people to have that thought! I agree it's not great, but I was stuck with it from the first game (it was a name I came up with back in 2012 XD). Hopefully the game's screenshots, footage, and reviews will say enough to overcome any impressions from the name, as they did on PC. I really appreciate the kind words!
@Princess_Lilly Thank you! And you absolutely can - team members can be swapped in and out at will, and character swapping is a major mechanic. There's not really an MC; it's closer to an FF6 ensemble approach =)