Pointless Actions

Good day!
Today's game is Pointless Actions, a game that for some reasons (that I won't spoil, but if you played this other game you can probably guess) reminds to me of the YEA RPG I reviewed in 2020. Anyway let's go back to Pointless Actions, a game made by Mjshi (author of Someone Killed the Butler, that I reviewed earlier this year, check it out!) with RPGmaker VX in 2015, a game that's an adventure and rpg, but despite the title it's not about action in the "dynamic" sense, instead it's a game that is rather relaxing. Except for some aspects that I will mention later.

The game starts with Ralph (even if the name can be later changed), that if I am not wrong is the Rpgmaker VX database hero (like Alex was for Rm2k), that wakes up outside his house without memories. He suddenly hears a voice that is the Narrator of the story and he sets to find this Narrator and maybe also the city over the rainbow, at the same time looking for quests, battles and adventures!


You entered the wrong game, my friend! Or... wait, maybe WE ARE inside the wrong game!

Anyway, like YEA RPG this is not a serious story but a comedic adventures that parodies the classic rpgmaker games, so do not expect to find dungeons, combat and fetch quests... er... no wait, these last two elements, combat and fetch quests ARE present, even if most of the tasks and situations are totally optional and provide from little to no reward. And despite being this an adventure game, our Ralph can also get the help of other adventurers, I can say that I got two extras party members that were quite useful in combat (but they aren't controllable, we can only choose Ralph's actions) even if most battles are pretty much easy, thanks to the skills!

Oh yes, the skills! In the beginning our hero can just open doors and interact with things and people (that in most cases are useless, for example sleeping has no use and you can restore the party only paying a tavern, or eating/drinking)... aside for the standard attack, of course, but during the course of the adventure Ralph, through some particular interactions (often highlighted by blinking items), may learn how to cast black magic, throw books, confuse enemies... and something else that will be NECESSARY to complete the game and reach an ending. Ow that ending, to tell the truth it ends in media res, still it's a good conclusion I guess, even if some particular aspects will be never explained. Sigh.
Also the exact way to understand what you have to do to complete the game is pretty much obscure and it's easier watching some playthrough then trying and re-trying, even if there is a page with some hints here. But it's not enough!


Eh, luckily we are expert Rpgmaker players, otherwise it would have been a tragedy!

One reason is because the world is pretty good, and sometimes it will be necessary to do some backtracking. Our hero will have to drive a boat, destroy some roadblocks and collect some particular items needed to open the access to the last area, but to do this you will also need a particular expensive item, so you need a TON of gold. But luckily there is loot and gold scattered everywhere, and you can also steal ingredients and money from the houses, without any risk, since this is still an rpg and not the real life! There are also few shops in the final area for some accessories, while the weapon shop is available directly using any computer (that's handy!), but I suggest you to keep all the money you find for the end (except maybe some little expenses to buy quest items like the bag), you do not really need equipment until the final part. Anyway do what you want, but remember that you may always steal ingredients (generic!) to make bread (that in 75% of cases will be burnt) that can he heated in the microwave and used as a healing item (like the water that restores MP, but has to be blessed by the priest first, for some money) or sold for some gold. And remember to collect those butterflies, you will need them! Thank me later!

Visually the game is 90% RTPs (+ the addition of the Rpgmaker VX Samurai pack, yay!) and 10% rips or custom made, anyway it looks pretty much ok, maps are not terrible, and maybe the fact that this is a parody that constantly reminds of some typical rpg aspects (like Npcs that are all identical and say the same things, others that lives standing on the same spot forever, etc) can be an excuse for tolerating some weird locations, in any case most of them are well detailed and furnished, even if 90% of the possible interactions are pretty much useless. Still, better than nothing, I guess!


Persistence is The Key! To complete the game you need to learn some special skills AND collect some particular items. BUT I will not tell you which ones!

Final Verdict
Pointless Actions is a weird game: I liked the base idea and the plot, but unfortunately there are many other aspects that are meh. There is a speedrun of this game that completes it in 9 minutes and 30 seconds (uhm I needed more than two hours to finish it, but I like exploring and talking to everyone in every game I play!) because 98% of the actions are pointless actions (but of course), unfortunately it's really hard to understand the 2% of the needed course of actions, luckily at least some items that Ralph needs are explained at the right time, except for the most expensive one, and if you wasted your money, well good luck!

Ok so many aspects are good (the plot idea, combat is a breeze, and some humor and pointless interactions and tasks are fun!), and others are bad (the main quest, some plot points that are never explained and seems to be totally random), so I'll set for an average rating.