REVIEW : Faraway (PC)
Faraway Story, a free indie RPG created by Fantasy Factory and translated by a vgperson, casts you as the brave Pia, a young girl setting out on her own to build her shop. Sure, she had a strange dream about a live doll hurling herself off a floating island, but Pia isn’t going to let that stop her. She aspires to be a pharmacist, but more importantly, she is determined to cure the disease that has afflicted Port Fina. Except… what’s with that floating continent in the sky that no one else seems to notice? Faraway Continent has been floating over Port Fina for so long that everyone accepts it as natural as the sun and moon, but Pia is captivated.
Still, she has a new business to start, which includes combining medicines, forging new things, maintaining her store, and other responsibilities. But, tell me, what are the possibilities that Pia’s bizarre dream has anything to do with the land mass floating above everyone and the plague ravaging the town? … naaa And, anyway, Pia’s adventure is only beginning! Fantasy Factory is a charming, cheerful action RPG adventure with light-hearted charm and plenty of stuff to manufacture and secrets to discover that will keep the hours flying by despite a somewhat awkward combat system at times.
To move about, use the [arrow] keys, [spacebar] to interact, and [V] to open the menu. As Pia wanders, she will not only meet new people, but she will also find recipes for products, medication, and weaponry (what kind of pharmacist is she?!) that she can make at home and sell in her shop, providing she has the necessary components. Depending on the time of day, different areas you can visit may have different happenings, so don’t be scared to sleep in Pia’s bed to advance the time or heal up. As Pia’s journey progresses, more destinations will appear, both in town and on the world map. Pia’s ability to make various products improves as she creates more, so don’t overlook her store because her abilities influence her chances of success in making things.
[X] swings your melee weapon during the fight, but don’t remain motionless! Enemies are fighting back, and you have free movement on the battlefield. Pia will protect if you hold [C], and other talents and equipment can be assigned to shortcut slots so you don’t have to access the menu during combat. Slaying enemies earns experience and levels you up, making Pia stronger. Most “dungeons” have randomised layouts, riches, and opponents, though maps that guide you to specific spots can be found. You’ll eventually unlock the Mission Board, which allows you to take on certain tasks, and you’ll also need to manage your shop by deciding what to offer and establishing your prices daily.
Faraway Story is similar to Recettear mixed with Adventure Bar Story, especially the former, although Faraway Story’s story and characters are unique. As it occurs, the shop takes a back seat to the main adventure, giving the impression that the simulation aspects are just sort of… there, rather than a vital part of things. The numerous characters who enter your business have no personality or story, and there is no rhyme or reason to what they buy, so it’s just a matter of tossing everything on your shelves with as high of a markup as you can get away with. Nonetheless, the sheer number of crafting recipes and items is more than enough to keep any merchant busy!
Unfortunately, Faraway Story’s combat seems kludgy, not quick and responsive enough to make it something you want to get into, especially given the restricted enemy AI that renders many party members useless. Faraway Story manages to impress despite having so much going on with different elements and statistics that speak volumes about the developer’s determination to flesh out the combat and make it feel unique and challenging, not to mention the unique (and often very funny) descriptions for every single item and skill in the game.
You’ll want to take advantage of the many, many useful products and their qualities, thus focusing on Pia’s crafting is beneficial in a variety of ways.
Pia is a great heroine… she’s sweet, unsure of herself at first, but determined to preserve the village no matter what, even if the words “dark lord” make her stammer in horror. Young girls don’t frequently get the same “hero’s journey” tales that males get, and the folks who mock or disregard Pia for her worried, sincere demeanour eventually love and admire her for her hard work and achievements. The shift is so subtle and gradual that no one notices it, so Pia gradually assumes more and more responsibility simply because it’s the proper thing to do in her opinion, or the characters shift from patronisingly pampering her to looking to her for guidance and support, seems natural and pleasant. The primary plot takes a bit to get going, with the first few chapters serving as an extended instructional. Once things get going, you’ll travel to a variety of locations, meeting and recruiting various personalities. Though you may have to work a little more to get into some sections of Faraway Story than the games it was inspired by, it’s still an amazingly impressive feat, and an enjoyable game to boot. It has a strong protagonist, a fantastic sense of humour, and a massive amount of fun, action-packed RPG gameplay that goes above and beyond to improve and expand on every facet of the genre’s rules. Though some aspects of the gameplay could be reduced for ease of use, Faraway Story has so many features and experiments with its gameplay to such an extent that you’ll find a lot to dive into.
REVIEW : The Tale of Bistun (PC)
