The general approach I've observed in role-playing game design is to use the classic RPG structure as a starting point; a framework that's tried and true, for the designer to wrap a story around. And that's a perfectly valid approach! But I think it also makes for a spread of RPGs today that are all just a bit too similiar. I wanted to make an RPG that was a game designer's game first. That's why this is a game that has a lot more gameplay than fluff.
For fans of RPGs, many elements might individually come as a shock--there's no NPCs, no shops, and just one town in the whole game. You gain levels in a way such that you're never forced to grind, and the battles themselves are made to go quickly and succinctly (this game doesn't waste your time). The decisions you make over the course of the game have little effect on the story, but have ramifications for your characters' abilities and what dungeons you play. The puzzles are based on spatial manipulation, and require logical thinking beyond memorization or basic lock-and-key archetypes. While I still clung onto some of the superficial bits of old RPGs that I loved like combat menus and inventories, I also worked at every turn to personalize those things or optimize them to make something that's both classic and new. In playing, all of these "weird" pieces fit together very well.
But morseo, this is a game for those who "aren't really into RPGS (anymore)." This is a pervasive sentiment, and one which I share (!!!) My goal at the outset was to make an adventure that I'd want to play--one that was fast and fun, with a good story but also good gameplay. Try it out.
Source: The Game Website.