The Tenth Line

Definitely the best thing I've ever bought for 77 cents! I had a lot of fun playing it, really digging the music, the backgrounds of the various areas, and the pixel art for all the characters. Cool stuff! The story also ended at a good moment without getting repetitive, and it's even got post-game challenges set up. Neat! I can only recommend this.

Despite being a simple game in terms of what direction it goes, I did find myself awed by the turn of events that did catch me off guard. The story is rather plentiful and nice with a universe that supports its artistic angle and atmosphere to a degree, which a lot of RPGs sort of fail at. The music and character design within this game are on point and beautiful. Always appreciate when games go beyond the conventional look for characters and create beings that are outside the anthropic space. In relation to that, I also enjoyed each location I visited with a rather inquisitive, big-eyed happiness to scan these environments. The art of this game was wonderful! I don't particularly have a favorite track this time around in regard to the music. Each and every one deserves a similar position and never feels like one didn't deserve a smile and a nod. The main complaint I 'could' say about this game always stirs back to me hating platforming, so areas such as 'The Feverlands' and 'The White Cliffs' were naturally frustrating and anger-inducing, but I can't really hold the game at fault for that. I did, however, like the mechanic of switching between different characters to perform di…

Thus far, my one complaint is that the dodge/defend mechanic makes very little sense. I'm honestly unsure how I'm expected to know which ally is being targeted, nor is there really time to anticipate the attack. It just feels like an unnecessary mechanic that wanted to be more like Paper Mario but isn't, and I worry the game is balanced around its use, where as thus far, the only option I've had is to hit A B and X at the exact same time the moment I see any movement. Going further, the tutorial mentioned that the fighting game input for super defense is on the screen, yet it isn't, nor did it tell me what the button combo is for the other two super defenses. It also mentioned that you have to hold the combo, but the tutorial didn't continue till I released the combo.

The timing aspects are not my jam, at least not the way they are handled (more Valkyrie Profile than Paper Mario). Still, if you ask me what I like most in gaming, it's JRPGs that experiment heavily with what it means to have turn-based battles. I have a big soft spot for this sort of creativity.

The Tenth Line from Sungazer Software LLC is an ambitious indie RPG that blends classic turn-based combat, side-scrolling exploration, light platforming, and character-driven storytelling into a surprisingly cohesive and memorable adventure. At first glance it evokes the era of 16-bit role-playing games with its colorful pixel art and fantasy setting, but it quickly becomes clear that it is not content to simply imitate its inspirations. Instead, it builds upon them, layering mechanical experimentation and narrative personality on top of a familiar foundation to create something that feels nostalgic yet distinctly its own. The story follows Princess Aria of the small nation of Easania, whose life is upended by a sudden attack tied to a larger conspiracy and an ominous prophecy. Forced to flee her home, she soon forms an unlikely party with Rik, a quick-witted kobold, and Tox, a powerful and sardonic black dragon. This trio immediately gives the game a unique tonal balance. Rather than leaning solely into high fantasy melodrama, The Tenth Line thrives on the interplay between its characters. Aria’s determination, Rik’s grounded pragmatism, and Tox’s dry humor create conversations t…

The Tenth Line is a cross between a platformer and an RPG, more heavily weighted towards the latter, and with a lot of new ideas to bring to the genre. You gain items all over the place but they're not consumables or even equipment, and instead are used in the game's various mechanics: - You don't gain stats from levelling directly. Instead you place items on a grid, where the type and tier of item dictates the bonus you get. This grid also unlocks new moves in-combat. - You also don't gain power from weapon upgrades, instead you merely gain POTENTIAL power, and you consume items to improve your actual power up to the new limit. - Items also get used for short-term bonuses to improve a character's unique abilities. - Touching an enemy on the overworld always results in you getting ambushed. If you attack an enemy from the front it's a normal encounter. If you attack them from behind, you ambush them. - You control three characters and move them independently, and they each have different speeds, jump heights, and special abilities. It's kind of like The Lost Vikings. - In combat, your only way to heal is to take the 'Rest' action (which also gives you the MP equivalent so you…