RPG’s are no new genre to the Indie marketplace, but most of the current titles do not quite reach the potential they should. Released in Summer 2010, Aphelion can be described as the Final Fantasy of the Indie games scene. With its turn-based battle system, and customary set of annoying yet quirky characters, it’s easy to see the similarities. Episode Two: Wings of Omega promises improvements from some of the flaws in the last game, but does it deliver, or does it disappoint like so many other RPG’s in the Indie game collection.
Episode Two picks up from where the last game stopped. For fans of the previous game, this may be great, but most players who never played Episode One will likely feel a bit lost. You are essentially thrown into the story with no recap, and no idea what is going on. It doesn’t take long to pick up however. You play as Savion Mercate, a soldier from the Ereit Peacekeeper group, on the run after being accused of blowing up a secret facility. With his companions, he is caught up in a war between Earth and their brutal foes, the Crimson. As you progress deeper into the game, you get ever closer to the downfall of the Crimson. With over six hours of gameplay, Wings of Omega offers considerably more than the average Indie game, and even more than some retail games.
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There are not many Indie games on the marketplace with the depth and detail that Aphelion shows. The levelling, item, crafting and combat systems are nothing original, but the fact that the time has been taken to include them into an Indie game shows dedication from the developers, and it really pays off. That said, there is a serious lack of animations. Even with random encounters, you are thrown in with no visual warning or sound effect, and the cut scenes are very bland. There is also a lack of notification within battles themselves, and I often killed enemies without even noticing, which tarnishes an otherwise smooth battle system.
In the game there are five playable characters, each with different skills and abilities. There is easily enough on offer from this angle, but while playing the game, you will notice a lack of enemy variety. In fact, throughout the game you fight pretty much the same enemies in all environments. The story is average, and could have been improved with better dialogue and less anti-climatic points. The ending also feels very rushed.
The game graphics do their job, and are sharp for an Indie game. In a 2D world, there has been an attempt to make objects look 3D, however most of the time they just look odd and out of place. Character movement is poor as well. When you are running, it just looks like you are sliding along the floor. Many textures and objects are overused too. Just like the environment, the music in the game is very repetitive.
Aphelion Episode Two: Wings of Omega is a promising game with notable improvements on the last. There is some great gameplay, but a lack of animation and enemy variation really lets the title down. If you are a fan of Indie RPG’s, then this is a great game for you.
Final Score 6/10
Aphelion Episode Two: Wings of Omega is available for 240 :MSPoints: from the Indie Marketplace.
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