Blue Coral Games are back with another quickie RPG (total gameplay lasted 4-5 hours), made in an obscenely short amount of time (just 2 weeks). This is a review of the 2014 re-release, played in Hard mode.

Plot in brief
A little boy and his demon, uncle and aunt + a priest journey to a tomb "in search of immortality". This results in much adventure, combat, tension and hilarity.

Likes
- Unlike earlier efforts this game is not just about humour. There are still funny moments but they are mixed with darker tones that add depth and demonstrate a bigger range of writing styles.

- Characterization is strong as always. Each character is memorable with the no-nonsense but caring personality of Alma being a particular standout (her opinion on poetry made me laugh!). The bickering and banter between all the characters greatly enhances the game - something that is missing in other RPG Maker games I have played (including an unmentioned commercial one on Steam).

- The overall game feels more polished and balanced than previous efforts. I didn't notice any typos in the game apart from a teeny tiny one after the end credits had rolled! A big improvement and this kept me immersed in the game. The maps are adequately designed, look decent and exploring everywhere is rewarded.

- The random encounter rate in this game is thankfully low and grinding is unnecessary.

- Good originality of combat design. I always look forward to trying to figure out the combat mechanics of Blue Coral Games - you won't see any boring Fire 1/2/3 Ice 1/2/3 here! Every character has a different combat mechanic. This may be disorientating for newbies but I love it!

- I can't believe you bothered adding the backs of the characters in battle, complete with combat animations! I love this tiny detail but it is probably not worth the time to implement in future because it adds so little to the overall game experience.

- The online score/achievement system that has been implemented is a unique touch that gives completionists more things to do.

Gripes

- The game would have benefited from more detailed descriptions of the combat mechanics since they are not typical JRPG, but the lack of time may have been an issue here. I didn't realize Issac had to craft each item in combat to get an unlimited stash until very late in the game!

If you find the combat system a bit confusing I highly recommend the tips listed here:
http://rpgmaker.net/games/5132/tips/

- I am not a big fan of JRPG random battles - grinding gets tired and repetitive fairly quickly and would love to see a return of the boss-rush gameplay seen in The Grumpy Knight. Having an entire game of 1 time encounters allows you improve the game balance even more since you can predict how strong the player will be at every stage in the game.

- More puzzles/mini-games would have been great to add variety, but I'm guessing time constraints were the issue again.

Summary
A fine example of a short and fun RPG made in just 2 weeks. Anyone who thinks they can do better under the same time constraints - please notify me when your game has been completed!
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