Harlancore presents
A 16-bit science-fantasy adventure
Most of humanity has been wiped out due to an unexplained cataclysm. So what do we do when a tragic event like that happens? Why, we host a World's Fair, that's what we do! Not only that, we transform the countryside into one big live-action RPG. Such is the fate of the main character Dakota, as he is chosen to take part in this "Grand Role Playing Game Exposition". Now he must find a handful of magical cards scattered throughout the landscape and make his way to the fair.
STORY
You start the game in control of Anna, an aspiring rock and roller who dreams of one day being in a band. Summer has just begun and it's your brother Cody's birthday today. A week ago, Anna purchased a one-of-a-kind randomly-generated game from the local game store for the two of them to spend their summer playing together.
Thankfully Cody's present arrives just in time. The game is called "Dakota the RPG", and when Anna and Cody sit down to play it, you then take control of Dakota, a laid-back loner who lives in a cozy cabin deep in the Black hills, with his faithful canine companion, Idaho.
Just as the monotony of living alone is starting to take its toll on Dakota, he is visited by a strange and enthusiatic robot named Utah, who invites Dakota and Idaho to join him on a quest to find the 27 Arcana, a set of magical cards hidden throughout the realm by an Elven Princess. If they can complete the deck and deliver it to her, she will grant each of them one wish.
Along the way questions will arise, cliches will be examined, and friends will be made.
FEATURES
- Turn-based battle system as well as visible enemies (no random battles)
- Equip cards instead of gear to enhance your stats and acquire various abilities
- Multiple storylines intersecting into a single narrative, each with their own play mechanics
- A variety of pixel art styles, ranging from early console games and crpgs from the 80s to the 16-bit era in the 90s
- Cinematics similar to those found in CD-ROM games from the 90s
- Synthwave/shoegaze inspired soundtrack
Dakota the RPG is a love letter to the classic turn-based RPGs of the eighties and nineties, four years in the making. Although it's listed as "In Development", this is a complete project, consisting of the first 5 or 6 hours of what will probably be a 15 to 20 hour adventure. So think of this "playable demo" as the first movie of what will hopefully be an epic trilogy.
Download "Dakota the RPG" now from harlancore.itch.io/dakota
Full credits:
"DAKOTA the RPG"
GRAPHICS, STORY, and MUSIC
Jason Harlan
ADDITIONAL MUSIC
A Place to Reflect (Geoff Moore)
Jazz Club (JStewart)
The Magician's Sorrow (JStewart)
The Horror Returns (JStewart)
A Place Where Grass Once Grew (TheBrogrammer)
Abandoned Base (TheBrogrammer)
Intro (TheBrogrammer)
Item (TheBroGrammer)
Victory 1 (TheBrogrammer)
Victory 2 - TheBrogrammer
Drifting Through Space (Darren Curtis)
Journey's Reflection (Darren Curtis)
The Mystic Le Fay (Darren Curtis)
OpenGameArt.org tracks:
Fields Loop (Yubatake)
Main Theme (Yubatake)
Character Revived (Yubatake)
Game Over (Yubatake)
The Cave (Hitctrl)
Drifting Beyond the Stars (Hitctrl)
Searching Within (Hitctrl)
High Altitude Station (Eric Matyas)
Lunar Echo (Trevor Lentz)
For Anna 3 (Alex McCulloch)
Emotional no Tritones (Alex McCulloch)
Pondering the Cosmos (Ruskerdax)
A Different World By Night (Nihilore)
Bush Week (Nihilore)
Creative Destruction (Nihilore)
Despair (NIhilore)
Nonexistant (Nihilore)
Semantic Satiation (Nihilore)
Tangled (Nihilore)
Walks of Life (Nihilore)
Whispers Invoke Paranoia (Nihilore)
Spring Thing (Shiru8bit)
Snow City (Tarush Singhal)
Breakfast Blend (Dan Knoflicek)
Around the Fireplace (Matthew Z)
Prismatic Light (Thor Christopher Arisland)
SCRIPTS
Fullscreen++ (Zeus81)
Engine Ace Core (Yanfly)
Message System (Yanfly)
Menu Engine (Yanfly)
Move Restrict (Yanfly)
Parallax Lock (Yanfly)
Cast Animations (Yanfly)
State Animations (Yanfly)
Steal (Yanfly)
Equip Slots (Yanfly)
Victory Spoils (Yanfly)
Event Chase Player (Yanfly)
Animated Title A (Moghunter)
Battle Hud EX (Moghunter)
Battle Command EX (Moghunter)
Battle Cursor (Moghunter)
Weather EX (Moghunter)
Actor Picture CM (Moghunter)
Picture Gallery (Moghunter)
Victor Engine (Victor Sant)
Victor sFont (Victor Sant)
Custom Battle Actions (Victor Sant)
Anti Lag (Victor Sant)
Fog of War (TheoAllen)
Gameover Choice (TheoAllen)
Save Confirmation (TheoAllen)
Insane Anti Lag (TheoAllen)
Fog Screen (TheoAllen)
Animated Battlers (Galv)
Layer Graphics (Galv)
Explorer's Hud (Galv)
Menu Bars (Syvkal)
Choice Display Mode (Hime)
Mini Actors (Bentelk)
Random Basic Battle Mods (Soulkeeper)
Picture Fix (Mithran)
Camera Target (Tsukihime)
Better Autoshadow Removal (Neonblack)
Quest Log (DRS)
Bestiary (Matt McDohl)
Simple Menu Background Control (Nio Kasami)
Character Effects (Hudell)
Change Windowskin (Modern Algebra)
Thank you to all these kind inviduals who have uploaded their work to the web for aspiring
game creators to use in their projects. Without you, none of this would be possible.
Thank you so much!
