Epic Elf (2013)

Hello, friends!
Once again I am back with an old and classic rpgmaker game. This time the game is... Epic Elf, one of the first games I played when I discovered rpgmaker 2000, made by spirit_young that's also the author of another game I played and reviewed lots of time ago, Grissan.
I admit that for me Epic Elf 2 was a far better game, still it makes no sense starting with the review of the second chapter, so let's start from the very first adventure of this truly epic trilogy!

The game wastes no time with prologues or introductions: we play as Dagree, that's not your typical hero but an elf adventurer and treasure hunter looking for loot. For some reason humans fear the elves (maybe because he's a dark elf, judging from his appearance), except on Vitality Island, so he goes there and the adventure begins. Simple, easy almost generic, I think!
But if you are expecting a generic game, you will be wrong! Ok, this is an all-Rtp game but the characters encountered are all colorful and brilliantly characterized, and I mean all of them, not just the party members.


Dagree the elf isn't loved... but we'll find a way to pass this roadblock. They will never stop us!

But now a classic question: how is the gameplay? Well expect a classic rpgmaker system... but varied and fun! We explore the world travelling a map that's very compact and will be modified by some particular events, opening roadblocks that lead to new areas. These places can be safe or filled with enemies, and now the second classic question: random encounters or avoidable enemies. The answer is... BOTH! In most maps enemies are fought after touching them, in a particular area where there will be surprise attacks there are random encounters, but for most of the time the defeated enemies will disappear (but there are exceptions!). So how do you grind? Well you can buy monster cards in shops to summon monsters, defeat them and earn xp! The various party members will get several different abilities as they level up, but don't forget to buy equipment and rest in towns.

About combat there isn't much to say, it's the classic rpgmaker 2k system, nothing more and nothing less, but the difficulty is very well set and pretty challenging, but there are also some neat ideas like monsters that transform during combat! What else? Many abilities (you can buy spellbooks to teach spells to the various party members), and also different characters available, some of these in facts depends on the choices that Dagree will do during the adventure! That's pretty cool, I guess! And the game also introduces some abilities that can be learned to solve some problems, like for example the "boulder pushing" ability that will come handy in various situations.

Now concerning the graphics there isn't much to say: this is an old classic Rtp game, but I admit that it was done very well, with lots of attentions to the details: maps are compact but rich of details, different weather effects (snow, rain) are well used, even during battles. This looks like exactly what you will expect from a good rpgmaker game made with just the basic assets. And it's very good.


Mace attacks... and hits!

Final Verdict
Epic Elf may be an old game with pretty generic visuals, but it was really done with attention to the details and the particular care typical of some games that look like something bland and generic due to the use of the old RTPs, but they hide some real fun! Another example of this is Everlasting Journey, so do not let the lack of original assets deceive you, because this is an entertaining game of exploration, humor... and also battles, even if this is maybe the aspect that probably could have been perfected (well it's an old game made with an old engine, ok?), anyway I did not mind. This is without doubt a well done classic rpgmaker adventure!