Ara Fell: The Legend of Dirisetsu Hollow

[Drasir-Vel]

Since i was finished with Three the Hard Way http://curlysworldoffreeware.com/viewtopic.php?t=1529, this one was next on my list.
When you start playing this game you can really see how Three the Hard Way was made as a relieving parody of these games that take themself too seriusly

Home page: http://www.arafell.com/
Direct download: http://www.arafell.com/af2k3.zip
Developer: Badluck http://www.rpgrevolution.com/member-26358.html
License: Freeware (Says so in the FAQ. part of the readme. Also, disclaimer here: http://www.arafell.com/disclaimer.txt)

You take the role of Lita LeCotta, a girl who wakes up to a day like every other day in Aloria, one of the towns that are on an island floating in the sky. She is soon to find out that she plays an important role in the destiny of the known world.

[hr]
A world floating in the sky, blessed by the hands of god and protected by the spirit of the wind... In this land of magic and beauty, three souls search for the one they would call messiah. A hero to stand against the vile forces that oppress their homeland.

Here is born the fairyblood, the red cross of damnation, whose sign foreseen in the stars must embark upon the most harrowing journey our world has ever known. A journey that will forever change the lives touched by the heroine of this story... and the lives of every man, woman and child the world over.

As the enemies of our people prepare to strike at the heart of human civilization, as the phantoms of the past arise to challenge everything we hold dear, as the flag of oppression is slowly lifted, the grand prophecy of the High Goddess is revealed.

An unwilling savior, cursed by what felt like chance, but driven by a far greater purpose. Some may call it fate while others would call it her duty. Lita LeCotta, however, knows it only as the day her life as a carefree peasant living in the idyllic world of Ara Fell ended. In its place, she carries the red cross.

[Pater Alf]

If you like playing RPGMaker games at the moment, you should really try Exit Fate. It's one of the best I've ever played!

[Drasir-Vel]

I'll be downloading it too then, along with Last Scenario Those lo-res games are ideal for playing on my small laptop computer. You can have it around many more places than a normal laptop. It's often i play these games in the bus for example.

[Drasir-Vel]

Finished this game after a short while.

One of this game's strong points is that a lot of work has been laid into
making the atmosphere and scenery as beautiful as possible.
Almost everywhere, there is a lake you can swim in,
not necessarily because there is something to reach on the oher side,
but just for the atmospheric aspect.
And that principle also refers to an ability you get at some point later in the game.

There are some bosses that are practically impossible to beat.
That, or there is some kind of ingenius strategy i haven't figured out.
I managed by buying a lot of "Angel wings",
and then, whenever someone died, it could revive them with full HP.

It's clear that the author of this game hasn't held back on the "epicness", when making the story.
Some times it may seem a bit cliché, but i try to play it as if it's the first time i see something like that,
since a developer shouldn't have a disadvantage just because he's not the first with a concept.
That is not refering to the actual game-world and background story, which is quite unique,
but to the typical "destined to be a savior" scheme. It's not new, but it works.

One thing that is a disappointment though is that the game lays up to a story that it can't complete.
That was because of the understandable reason, developers real-life,
and according to the f.a.q. that the game's systems were inefficiently coded, and too complicated to work with.
But a very good RPG nonetheless. If you aren't tired of these types of games, this one can easily be quite enjoyable.