LanVodis is an experimental RPG Maker 2000 game based on a treasure hunting quest.
Of a chicken! Oh yes!

Ok, there is no real backstory aside from: you are a chicken explorer looking for the six Georbs (that are coloured orbs) hidden around in the world.
Yes, these items that the chicken (that is YOU, the player!) has to find are concealed and there is NO way to spot them, in fact the only way that you have to collect them is to find a map detailing the location and the exact tile in which you have to use interact to recover the Georb.
Each map is available at one of the temples, but the trick is that our chicken may only use one map at the time. Also these maps indicate the area and the tile, but finding the correct spot in the whole map is another matter! Luckily there are often some details (the presence of trees, snowy lands, rocks or water) that will help recognizing the place.


Oh yeah! Great news! Looks like the chicken has found the first Georb! But yes, this means that the journey is just at the beginning, to tell the truth!

But this would still be too easy! The difficult part is that its a game about exploration, so you don't have a clear vision of the world map but just of the area in which you are, and this is also modified by the terrain: mountains block your sight, and if you are inside a forest you won't be able to see the territories around you!

Luckily you can get some hints about the world talking at the various cities and villages that can sometimes help locating the nearest temple or give some indications on where you can find a ̶b̶o̶a̶t̶ ... uhm horse (that works exactly like a boat, it's used to navigate the sea so it's the same!).

The game is more or less all here, and trust me it's difficult! Ok I have an hard time navigating the map at first, until it became more and more familiar, at least for what concerns some areas! Anyway the fact that you can use one map at the time an not collect all of them and switch between them is something that annoyed me, because I was forced to 1) find a temple 2) find the related Georb, and if I was able to find another temple on the way... well good luck to remember its location!
But ok, this is a game of a peaceful land with no monsters, traps or other pitfalls (even the usual RTP purple acid rivers are harmless, and they just block the way), so I understand the use of this for some added difficulty!

Speaking about options there are none! Yes, there is just the option to save (anytime and anywhere), there is no inventory as everything is displayed on the screen interface: the Georbs you possess, the map you are holding (that has a red cross if you need to find its treasure, or a green ✓ if you already got the Georb) and of course your position and what you can see around you. Below there is also the space for text messages used for example when you "interact" with the settlements. That's all, old style, simple and compact! It's simple, oh so simple and maybe too simple for someone, but it's a choice that I personally think distinguish this game from others and still makes it a pleasure to play (as you have always all you need on the screen, no need to check menus, inventory, maps or other screens at all).

Graphically the game uses the classic RTPs both for facesets, mapping and the chicken. I don't mind this choice because mapping is very well done (RTPs are usely extremely well, it's simple but well made), anyway the music may become repetiteve after a while since... well you just walk walk walk walk walk... and listen to the music! Oh but concerning the sounds there are some dditional custom voiced parts for example when you interact with the villages. Nice, I like this!


Two Georbs found, and now I got the map of the third from the gentle lion! Oh there is a bonus if you finish the game in a short time but... nah I'll never be able to do that!

Final Verdict
̶C̶h̶i̶c̶k̶e̶n̶Q̶u̶e̶s̶t̶ ... oh wrong game, I mean LanVodis as an experiment is successful because it looks like an old school videogame, and not one that you normally see made with Rpgmaker 2000. Said this, this is clearly not game for everyone and some design choices (the lack of a way to check the whole world map even with a reduce scale of details, the impossibility to collect and use more tresure maps) makes the game harder for those players that would wish an easier experience (this game reminds to me of Ishar, a game that HAD a world map, but it displayed just the starting position of the party... then you were on your own! And yes, that was a very old game!). But for those old timers that like a different kind of challenge, something relaxing but still difficult, it's perfect. So the rating may go from 3 to 4, depending only on your personal preferences, and this is why I set the rating in the middle!

LanVodis is an interesting game that maybe would have benefit from some added options for an easier experience, but it's still a solid and original game that in my playthough showed no bugs or defects.