Outcasts of the Rift

The future is yours to transform in seven interconnecting storylines in this story-driven RPG. Outcasts of the Rift combines SRPG combat with exploration and puzzles inspired by adventure games and narrative games, accompanied by an elaborate plot, rich lore and vibrant illustrations. Navigate the longstanding, ever-escalating conflict between the Roncefleurais and Kikusekin Empires and those caught in the rift between as you try to prevent an imminent war, or perhaps find yourself compelled to side with one empire or the other. Explore both empires and recruit dozens of anthropomorphic animal allies into your brigade. Use the Morph Magic Scepter’s vast transformative power to reshape yourself, objects and ultimately the world!

• A single-player, story-driven, art-focused RPG combining strategy RPG combat with overworld exploration and puzzles inspired by adventure games and narrative games
• Seven interconnecting storylines with multiple choices, endings and scenarios presenting many values, worldviews and perspectives
• A thought-provoking, non-linear plot with themes of loyalty, power, bonds, maturing, change, choices and consequences
• A diverse and memorable menagerie of animal characters to recruit and bond with
• Recruit characters from opposing factions with diplomacy and strategy
• Strategy RPG combat where characters’ species and sizes influence gameplay, with dozens of classes, weapon types and skills
• Use the transformative power of morph magic to progress through puzzles and battles
• Learn more about the world’s extensive lore by interacting with it and exploring it
• Vibrant visuals illustrated with a rich and expressive art style bursting with character
• Accessible gameplay that can be enjoyed by all ages, with several difficulty modes and settings that cater to many different play styles, allowing players to make the game as easy or challenging as they want

Outcasts of the Rift is a single-player RPG/adventure game hybrid combining a high fantasy Redwall-like storytelling sensibility with gameplay inspired by a variety of sources, most notably Pokémon and Fire Emblem. 

There are two types of maps in Outcasts of the Rift: exploration maps and battle maps.

In exploration maps, you progress through the story as you travel through one location to another and solve puzzles inspired by adventure games and narrative games. Some puzzles require morph magic, while others require allies’ skills, certain items, exploring to find solutions in your environment or talking your way through situations. On these maps, you’ll gain insights on the rich lore of Roncefleur and Kikuseki. You’ll also gain experience and find valuable items that will aid you and your allies in the battle maps!In battle maps, you will face the enemy army in turn-based strategy RPG combat in a similar vein to Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics. Move your allies across the map and fight one-on-one battles with enemies. How your position your allies is key to success! Use a wide selection of skills to transform, attack, buff allies and yourself, debuff foes, inflict status ailments and more!

Outcasts of the Rift has many unique elements to SRPG combat, including:

• When the Rage Gauge is full, you can unleash an extremely powerful Rage Cloud skill. Each character has its own unique Rage Cloud skill with different effects!
• Each characters’ species greatly influences how they function in battle.
• Differences in size and weight influence units’ stats and what terrain they can cross. Species-based skills grant advantages in combat and can be used in other ways on adventure maps. Every unit feels unique, even characters in the same class!
• Terrain can aid your units’ movement or hinder it.
• Use roads to move a little farther, but you’ll be an easier target for enemies. Move through thorn bushes to take a shortcut, but you’ll take damage if you land on them. Only lightweight animals can move across ice, or move through mud without a movement penalty.
• Time of day influences how different species function.
• Some receive buffs or debuffs based on the time of day. For example, nocturnal animals receive stat bonuses at night, but suffer stat decreases during the daylight hours.
• Different animals have skills based on their species. Some animals can swim or dig to find hidden items or access hidden areas. Others have abilities that grant buffs to themselves or allies and debuffs to enemies. Each character feels unique, even characters in the same class!

Difficulty Modes

Outcasts of the Rift has Normal Mode and Hard Mode for newer or more experienced players, and three gameplay modes: Relaxed Mode, Story Mode and Veteran Mode. Relaxed Mode is a very easy mode designed for beginners or players who want to experiment with the gameplay without consequence. In Story Mode, characters that fall in battle are revived at the end of the level. In Veteran Mode, characters that fall in battle stay dead. Every time a character dies, a piece of the story disappears with them. The consequences vary from dialogue changing in conversations to not being able to recruit certain characters!You can also customize how much experience your units gain. Want to do a 0% growth playthrough? No hacking required! You can also cut your units’ experience gained in half to increase the challenge, or double it to make raising your units faster!Depending on your playstyle, you can make Outcasts of the Rift as easy or as difficult as you like. Are you struggling? Bulldoze through the game by only using your most powerful units or search for items to boost your weaker allies’ stats. Are you seeking a challenge? Restrict what units or items you use, or restrict how often you heal.
Eons ago, after a cataclysm that literally and figuratively shattered the world, the first kings of Roncefleur and Kikuseki were given three magical scepters to develop their budding nations.This is the only part of the legend that both empires agree on. Roncefleur claims that they were given two scepters, and Kikuseki seized the Morph Magic Scepter from them. Kikuseki claims they were given two scepters, and Roncefleur has tried to seize the Morph Magic Scepter from them ever since. They have fought over the three scepters for eons, pulling neighboring nations into their conflict and growing into vast empires encompassing their whole continents.Currently, Roncefleur is outraged that Kikuseki prospers with both the Light Magic Scepter and Morph Magic Scepter, while Roncefleur languishes with only the Dark Magic Scepter. Both empires stand on the threshold of war, but you, playing as Dawn, a princess on the run, have created new complications. Will you and your newfound allies be the heroes your allied empire needs, stay neutral, maintain stability, create change, foster peace or climb the ladder of chaos? Will you prevent a war, or will you instigate it?The time has come to fight for what you have or fight for what you lack.Outcasts of the Rift features seven intertwined storylines. The story progresses based on the choices you make in gameplay. You can cleanly side with either Kikuseki or Roncefleur, or walk the precarious line of neutrality in between both empires. Shift characters’ allegiances and transform enemies into allies based on your choices. You can move between storylines, but be careful. Your choices have consequences, and there is no turning back.
Outcasts of the Rift is not a tale of good versus evil, but how you, your brigade and the world develop along your adventures. A major theme is how those with diverse interests, values and perspectives can coexist or come into conflict. There are no absolute good or evil choices. No matter which side of the conflict your perspective and values lead you to, you’ll find sympathetic, good-hearted allies who fight for what they believe is right, stand up to injustice, and seek to protect and improve their communities. Outcasts of the Rift embraces and examines multiple perspectives. Like in real life, what actions are right or wrong will be relative to your own values, perspective, and place in the world.

Morph magic contains the ultimate transformative power. It can transform obstacles to solve problems, transform foes to weaken them in battle or even transform Dawn herself! Morph magic isn’t the only way to transform things. Your choices transform you, your brigade and the entire story. Each choice you make compounds upon the next. They branch out to seven storylines that introduce new locations, new lore, new plot points, new friends, new enemies and new themes. Your goals and where your loyalty lies are determined by cumulative choices. Did you make the right choices? You’ll discover that the hard way.

Recruit a vast, diverse cast of characters of different species, allegiances, cultures, religions, worldviews, fighting styles, talents, classes, backgrounds and values. Different storylines radically change the composition of your brigade, who joins or leaves, and relationship dynamics between members.With such a large array of characters in your brigade, conflict is bound to happen. Will you mediate it, use it to create change or just stay neutral?Using the right combination of diplomacy and strategy, you can even recruit characters from the opposing faction! Be careful, because choosing to recruit one character can prevent you from recruiting another. Your choices matter!The center of your brigade’s life is the camp. Bolster friendships by talking with your allies. Gain items and experience from characters doing duties around camp such as guarding the entrance, gathering water or foraging. Relax and spend time with Soufflé’s adorable nephew, Nougat. He may be too young to battle or help around camp, but if you are friends with him, he occasionally will find items for you!Depending on how you interact with your allies, you can become closer with them. However, not all the characters in your brigade like each other, and by befriending some, others will like you less.At a certain point in the story, once you have bonded enough with any character in your brigade, you can appoint it as your second-in-command!