The Eldritch Monarch
A downloadable game
This early build showcases core mechanics like sword fighting, stealth, and puzzles. Unlike a demo, which is closer to the final game, this prototype is an early development version, so expect bugs and a lack of polish. Your feedback is invaluable for the development process, so give it a try and share your thoughts!
About The Eldritch Monarch:
"The Eldritch Monarch" is a single-player adventure game designed for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and modern systems. Step into a Lovecraftian world shrouded in eternal winter. "The Eldritch Monarch" is a cinematic platformer enriched with stealth, combat, and intricate puzzles, providing both a nostalgic and modern gaming experience.
At its core, "The Eldritch Monarch" is a cinematic platformer, invoking the spirit of classics like "Prince of Persia," "Flashback," and "Another World."This movement scheme requires precision timing and strategic movement.
Combat: Engage in battles that demand precision and tactical planning. True to the genre's roots, combat is a dance of parrying, seizing openings, and strategically outmaneuvering opponents to gain the upper hand.
Stealth: A light gem indicator at the top of the screen helps you know when you are hidden in the shadows or exposed under the light. The game features a simple AI system that further enhances the stealth experience.
Puzzles: We go beyond conventional box-pushing and lever-pulling. Puzzles in "The Eldritch Monarch" are thoughtfully interwoven with the narrative, encouraging players to engage deeply with the story.
"The Eldritch Monarch" employs the compelling gameplay approach characteristic of what Tom Francis called 'information games', and what the bemused might call 'metroidbrainia'. Players explore and accumulate crucial knowledge, which persists only in their memory or notes since the game does not feature a save system. This dynamic encourages a deep exploratory experience, with each playthrough potentially unveiling new paths and deeper layers of the game world based on the accumulated understanding.
While the game will require many hours to master due to its complexity and breadth, the map's interconnected and compact design ensures that players never feel a significant loss of progress between sessions. Once players fully understand the game's world, they can efficiently navigate to the ending in about 20 minutes from a fresh start, showcasing the power and importance of the knowledge they have gained.
This prototype is a bit rough around the edges! I wasn't planning on working on it for the Kickstarter and jumped into work when I realized the mistake that was.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eldrichmonarch/the-eldritch-monarch-horror-...
Status | In development |
Author | diegzumillo |
Genre | Adventure, Platformer, Puzzle |
Tags | Exploration, Indie, Mega Drive, Metroidvania, Retro, Sega Genesis, Singleplayer, Stealth |
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Comments
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That's impressive! The graphic style is beautiful, did you really give up on the project? It would be a shame.
Thank you :) I almost gave up. After the campaign I stepped away for a while. I'm resuming development now though, and I hope to have a demo ready for the MAGfest in 2025.
Promising prototype, I hope you can finish it sometime. I also added it to my new "Gameplay of New Mega Drive/Genesis Games from October 2023 to 2024" video along with all the other newly released Mega Drive/Genesis games.
Thank you! :) I'll check the video out
About the game, I'm not sure if I'll ever continue working on it though. Who knows!
This is super cool! I think the world and general direction you have taken this is great.
Could I ask what engine you are using to make this, or is it something you did from scratch?
Also best of luck with the Kickstarter!
Thank you! Sorry I didn't see this comment sooner. The kickstarter didn't work unfortunately :~
This uses SGDK to code the game in C.
The controls are great. The tutorial is a nice improvement over 90's cinematic platformers.
Yeah, most of the games of the era relied on the manual for that. Which is why so many people revisiting retro games find them a little baffling, because they don't realize it was relying on the user reading it before playing, and who does that nowadays?
Already looking good even at this stage, can't wait to see more of it.
Thank you so much! :D
Awesome! A promising start
Thank you! Thanks for playing it.