Real Tactic Package

Introduction

Real Tactic Package is a short turn-based strategy game that was created using RPG Maker 2003 and was released as part of the release something xiii event. Oddly enough I feel a bit mixed about the merits of this project. On one hand I'm a sucker for turn-based strategy games. On the other its rather obvious from the get go that RPG Maker 2003 isn't as useful a tool for creating a game of this nature as Sim RPG Maker 95 is. Though, before I dive into a brief discussion of my thoughts on the gameplay I'd like to take a brief look at the story.

Story

On the story side of things the game is extremely simplistic and is merely about a noble hero leading a small elite force to rescue a princess from an evil doctor. Though, I suppose this is okay because the game takes less then 30 minutes to beat and is meant to be more of a tech demo to showcase that a tactical battle system can be created in RPG Maker 2003. As such the story is sufficient for its intended purpose but isn't anything new or groundbreaking. About the only bad thing I can say about the story is that the ending is brief to the point of being aanticlimactic.

Gameplay

On the gameplay front Real Tactic Package lacks a lot of the common elements found in turn-based strategy games. For starters this game doesn't allow the player to pass through their own units. While, I suppose this was an aspect in older turn-based tactical games like Arc the Lad on the PS1. It doesn't change the fact that such a feature feels extremely archaic in this day and age. Another common feature this game lacks is the apparent ability to do more damage with a back or side attack. And to continue this trend the player is unable to use items during combat or to outfit their party with better equipment.

Another oddity with this game is that there aren't any menus in this game for selecting between various skills or spells for a character. Instead each unit in the game is relegated to using a particular attack or ability for the entirity of the game. Though, I suppose if you combine this aspect with the previously mentioned inability to pass through your team mates and your left with a setup that calls forth strength and weakness in equal measure. On the negative side of the scale the game feels outdated while also feeling overly restrictive considering the playable cast and enemy units lack a proper secondary purpose in combat. On the positive side of things the inability to pass through your own team mates places an emphasis on placing your units in a formation that will work to your advantage in any given situation while also allowing the player to exploit their abilities to the fullest.

Graphics

On the graphical side of things the game is merely okay in my opinion. Which is to say the game doesn't really stand out with any sort of unique flare and relies exclusively on materials found in the RTP for RPG Maker 2003.

Conclusion

Real Tactic Package is a difficult game for me to pin down how I feel about it overall. On one hand I find certain aspects of this game rather archaic, but at the same time those archaic practices help to give the game a more strategic feel then I'd expect out of a game created using RPG Maker 2003. To further add to the list of positives in my opinion the game is short and to the point as well as showcases how flexible RPG Maker 2003 can be. As such I'll give this game an overall rating of time-killer, but I'm not sure if this game would have stood up to scrutiny if it was much longer then it is. Since if the game was longer the limitations of the combat system might have become more pronounced and more frustrating to deal with.