This Paper Mario-inspired indie looks like a GBA classic time forgot

pcgamer.com:

There sure are a lot of those «wholesome» games out there, so much so that any prospective cutesy adventure has its work cut out setting itself apart with all the adorable frogs(opens in new tab) and spooky witches(opens in new tab) taking gaming by storm. Luckily for Paper Animal RPG(opens in new tab), its classic Game Boy Advance charm and gameplay really help it shine.

As covered by Gaming On Linux(opens in new tab), the Wholesome Direct alum has just about reached its initial funding goal on Kickstarter with almost a month to go. In addition to the screenshots, trailer, and extensive features outlined on the Kickstarter page, developer Cuddling Raccoons has also released a free demo on itch.io(opens in new tab).

The roguelite RPG sees you selecting your preferred avatar from a cast of cute critters, each corresponding to a classic character class (here split up as brawler, caster, and supporter). You explore isometric, procedurally generated world maps arranged into floors for each tileset, with the ultimate goal of finding your village's lost king.

The combat really calls to mind the sort of experimental tactical RPGs you used to see on Nintendo hardware, and its «grid-based but real time» system almost feels like a rhythm game. Enemies have clearly marked AoE attacks that leave you a second or two to scoot out of the way, while player attacks are limited by a recharging meter sort of like the ATB system from Final Fantasy. The result is something engaging, not too taxing, and a bit reminiscent of Crypt of the Necrodancer(opens in new tab). I could see later levels ramping up the difficulty, but as it stands Paper Animal RPG already feels like a great fit for the Steam Deck(opens in new tab) or Nintendo Switch, good