Nadia Was Here

Overview

Developer:
Jajaben Games
Based in Utrecht, the Netherlands

Release date:
Q4, 2016

Platforms:
PC

Website:
jajaben.com/NWH.html

Regular Price:

To be anounced

Description

Nadia Was Here runs in the veins of the best RPG classics from the 8 and 16-bit era. However by changing some fundamental aspects, Nadia was Here brings a fresh, new experience. The battle system of Nadia Was Here is fast paced while maintaining a focus on strategy and character building. Players position their characters in front of the enemy they need to interact with. A charge bar next to each character indicates when they will be ready to use their skill. Each character has specific strengths and weaknesses, and making use of these imbalances is the key to winning your battles. In Nadia Was Here, it’s not necesary to grind. Characters don’t grow through leveling up. Instead, you can learn new skills during battle. By expanding your character’s skill sets you unlock new strategies that make it possible to defeat bigger enemies. Heroes and strategies can also be improved by equipping amulets. Each amulet does something different, and heroes can equip up to three amulets each.

History

Nadia Was Here originally started as a challenge for myself to create a battle system for an RPG in under 4 hours that could function as a stand alone game. The result was a battle system where all character development happens in battle. The project has grown immensely since then. A world was created, a unique art style was crafted, and a personal story was added to the game. Over four years later, the game is nearing completion, with a release set for the fourth quarter of 2016.

Features

  • Fast paced battles: the game features a battle system inspired by time management games that you haven’t experienced before in any other RPG.
  • Find your own truth: An intriguing story on a big subject told through the eyes of three unlikely heroes.
  • Old limitations, new colours: Great visual style with only 16 colors that will please your eyes and warm your nostalgic heart.
  • Keep collecting: gain more skills and become stronger during battles. Collect and upgrade powerful amulets.
  • No need to grind: your characters grow through learning new skills instead of leveling up.
  • Bosses are real nailbiters: Fight bosses in tactical battles that will have you on the edge of your seat.
  • Explore a beautiful but dangerous world: Dungeons full of secrets and exciting puzzles.


Interview with Joep Aben

By Peter Ward

 

What is your first gaming experience?

I’ve been drawn to games from a very young age, so it’s tough to say exactly. I often played video games when I visited my aunt and uncle, who had an NES. My favorite games there were “Megaman 4”, “Adventure Island 2” and “Super Mario Bros. 3.”icon

 

What got you into programming games?

Somehow I have always been more interested in creating games than playing them. I started using GameMaker when it was still in version 4.3. I’ve been using it ever since.Map

 

What development tools or coding did you use?

At the moment I use GameMaker Studio mostly. I’ve also used Unity and FlashDevelop in the past.Battle

 

What hurdles did you have making your current game?

The biggest hurdle to making “Nadia Was Here” has to be the size of the game and scope creep. Because it was such a huge project for just one person, I struggled quite a bit financing the development. I’ve only worked full time on the game for small amounts of time.Summon

 

After the completion of the game what game will you make?

I’ve got a couple of older works in progress I still really want to finish in one form or another. Most notably a metroidvania with a very interesting way of progressing through the game. I also want to make a series of smaller, more topical games. Kind of like the game equivalent of a newspaper comic.Battle2

 

What other games have you made?

I made a lot, most of them quite small. One of the games I am the most proud of is “Abandoned”, a metroidvania where you play a failed experiment trying to escape the lab he was born in. I’ve also made a number of games for various game jams. Of those I like “Orange” and “The only one” the most.Inn

 

My favourite computer was my Amiga and console the Megadrive do you have a favourite?

I’ve always loved the nintendo handhelds. I played most of my games on handhelds when I was a kid. I think if I have to pick my favourite handheld, it would be the game boy advance. The SNES also has an amazing library of games so I think it’s tied between those two.Story

 

What is your favourite retro game?

I think “Super Metroid” is the perfect game, but I think the same of “Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken” and “Golden Sun”. I don’t want to pick between those three.

 

Do you still game on the current consoles if so what’s your favourite game?

I do, though not as much as I’d like. “The legend of Zelda: A link between worlds” is easily my favorite game of the past few years.

 

What’s the worst game you have ever played?

That’s hard to say, since I stop playing anything I don’t like. The first thing that comes to mind is “Zelda II: the adventure of link”. I really wanted to like it, so I gave it a lot of chances. But in the end I just didn’t like it.

 

Finally what game or feature would you like to see on Retrogamesmaster in the future?

There have been a lot of cool retro-style games on Kickstarter lately. Maybe “Arcadian Atlas”, “Shadows of Adam” or “Tower of Samsara”?