Currently on Kickstarter, Regalia – Of Men and Monarchs is pitched as a JRPG with a European flavor. It has you playing as a hero called Kay as his hopes for a personal fairy tale are dashed upon finding his kingdom left to him in ruins and his family name in masses of debt. Your task is to clean up the mess.
Apparently, doing this won’t be easy as Regalia has no healing with potions or magic. Each of the turn-based battles are part of a larger chain of encounters (inside a dungeon or similar environment) and are played in sequence, with results from one battle affecting the next. “Instead, the player is given a number of ways to shield a character from incoming damage,” according to the game’s creators. This means you’ll have to plan out strategies on the isometric grids with extreme caution, making use of the unique skills of your hero and his four companions.
Outside of the battles, you’re able to freely roam the entire world map from the start with no content gating but the one catch is that you’re only given two years on in-game time to wander – your progress is assessed every three months and if it’s not good enough you fail. You’ll find plenty of dungeons to explore for new crafting materials and treasures, with each of them having a text adventure section that influences how you advance through them.
There are also six factions to meet as part of the diplomacy system – the game allowing you to side with three of them and forcing you to rival the other three. Allying with factions brings perks such as economic benefits, new buildings, and unique party members (nordic elves, samurai dwarves, Arabian Nights-esque gnomes, and more).
You can also upgrade and construct buildings in your village to gain new villagers that offer new services such as the mighty blacksmith Gunther and his adorable dog. These villagers also have “Social Links” that you can increase by talking with them and reacting appropriately. As the Social Link with that person is increased you’ll go through five stages of unlocks that bring something new that can help in your journey – store discounts and skill mods, for example.
There are many more details on the minor parts of how Regalia – Of Men and Monarchs will work available to read about on the game’s Kickstarter. The team is hoping to raise $40,000 to develop the game.
