The Logomancer

The Logomancer is somewhat unique on RMN. It's a full game posted as a completed project, which unfortunately doesn't seem to have attracted much attention, despite being one of the most innovative, polished games on the site. It's a game so personal and unique it's occasionally difficult to describe, but one that (maybe surprisingly, considering the description) also delivers everything an RPG should, and does it with style.

Story: 5/5

The Logomancer is set in a world strangely reminiscent of ours, but also unique and different. Mainly the game's focus is on a mysterious shared dream reality called "The Mindscape", and Logomancers, who have the ability to manipulate the mindscape. The setting is explored subtly, with the casual revelation of small details, and the result is a world unique not just for video games but also fantasy as a genre--with a fascinating history, culture, and lots of idiosyncrasies.

The scale of the story is also refreshingly small, very personal, and... ironically, the "Logomancer" of the story isn't the protagonist. The game is made up of ten quests that start separate, but somehow flow together into a narrative that (especially at the end) opens up to become very complex and really explores the nature of the world.

Gameplay: 4/5

The creator describes The Logomancer as "a game with no fighting", which isn't entirely true. It's definitely a game with no violence, but instead the Ace engine is used to make a fantastic, well balanced system where the balance represents values in an argument. The gameplay is complex and a lot of fun, with a strong sense of progression and a sense that each "battle" means something.

For the most part, the quests were excellently done. There were a few parts where I struggled with the puzzles, but they tended be clever (and do interesting things with RM's event system). On the other hand, there are a few strange design decisions relating to the main quest that I'm not sure about, as it's surprisingly easy just to overlook the main quest, and there were occasionally long periods of time where I felt just too lost.

Visuals: 4.5/5

The Logomancer is entirely custom, with a distinct and really great, sometimes style. I've read a lot of complaints about the art, but I think it's fantastic (with the only problem being that background sometimes seem a little too flat). Mapping is excellent. The art does a lot to transform a very good experience into a great one.

Music: 5/5

Top notch. All the music is custom, and shows the influence of everything from electronica to prog rock. There are lots of styles on display and almost all of them are done well.

Conclusion:

The Logomancer is maybe my favorite RPGmaker game is 2013 (tied with the Grumpy Knight, which I like for completely different reasons), and it's a shame it's gotten so little attention so far. It's a game that takes a lot of chances, and most of them pay off. Anyone who gives this a try will be in for a smart, unique, and very polished game, with easily some of the best writing I've seen in an RPG.