I've been following a lot of games lately from independant developers, because the AAA titles, while still good today, have started to become a little tired (same old same old). Towards The Pantheon is one that I've followed since development began, and I was excited to see if this developer could bring something unique to the table that didn't feel so stale. So, I guess the big question is, did it pay off?

Let me just go ahead and say it- yes. It did. Big time. There was pretty much just one guy behind this game, and the great thing behind such a fact is that their individual charm shines through. Yes, TTP is an RPG, and it follows the standard turn based combat system that you'll be familiar with. I don't want to spoil too much, but I can tell you that is where most of the similarities end. The game starts off without you really knowing where it will go- is it going to be something you come away from being glad you invested time in? The more I dug into it, the more I started to enjoy it. You begin to become addicted, it's almost reminiscent of the old pokemon games I played as a kid. You want to keep building up your characters, you're anxious with anticipation at who will join your party next, and it starts to become apparent that it's a solid game. There's just something "different" about it that you can feel while going on the journey that is TTP, and even though I can't directly put my finger on it, I'd say it has something to do with the fact that it was small project and wasn't hindered by artistic restrictions you find in other games.

As I played and got a little deeper into this charming little world, I began to see subtle hints that things weren't exactly what they seemed. Unsettling hints. And then.... holy crap. About 2/3 of the way through... the game changed. Completely. Again, no spoilers, but it gets dark. You begin to explore all of the character's past- and it does it in a manner that is so intimate, so personal, that you start to feel like you're viewing these character's deep, inner-most insecurites in a way that is almost... intrusive. I've heard the expression "show, don't tell" many times in my life, and this dev knew what he was doing. At this point in the game, it became more than just that- a game- and became a work of art.

I judge the quality of most of the games I play according to this criteria: is it memorable? TTP is one of those games. I won't forget it. Because of how effectively and how personally he told each of these people's story. You need to play this game. You need to see that there are still games that aren't only about taking info from focus groups in order to target the broadest audience. Play Towards the Pantheon. I didn't regret it. You won't either.

I've been following a lot of games lately from independant developers, because the AAA titles, while still good today, have started to become a little tired (same old same old). Towards The Pantheon is one that I've followed since development began, and I was excited to see if this developer could bring something unique to the table that didn't feel so stale. So, I guess the big question is, did it pay off? Let me just go ahead and say it- yes. It did. Big time. There was pretty much just one guy behind this game, and the great thing behind such a fact is that their individual charm shines through. Yes, TTP is an RPG, and it follows the standard turn based combat system that you'll be familiar with. I don't want to spoil too much, but I can tell you that is where most of the similarities end. The game starts off without you really knowing where it will go- is it going to be something you come away from being glad you invested time in? The more I dug into it, the more I started to enjoy it. You begin to become addicted, it's almost reminiscent of the old pokemon games I played as a kid. You want to keep building up your characters, you're anxious with anticipation at who will join your party next, and it starts to become apparent that it's a solid game. There's just something "different" about it that you can feel while going on the journey that is TTP, and even though I can't directly put my finger on it, I'd say it has something to do with the fact that it was small project and wasn't hindered by artistic restrictions you find in other games. As I played and got a little deeper into this charming little world, I began to see subtle hints that things weren't exactly what they seemed. Unsettling hints. And then.... holy crap. About 2/3 of the way through... the game changed. Completely. Again, no spoilers, but it gets dark. You begin to explore all of the character's past- and it does it in a manner that is so intimate, so personal, that you start to feel like you're viewing these character's deep, inner-most insecurites in a way that is almost... intrusive. I've heard the expression "show, don't tell" many times in my life, and this dev knew what he was doing. At this point in the game, it became more than just that- a game- and became a work of art. I judge the quality of most of the games I play according to this criteria: is it memorable? TTP is one of those games. I won't forget it. Because of how effectively and how personally he told each of these people's story. You need to play this game. You need to see that there are still games that aren't only about taking info from focus groups in order to target the broadest audience. Play Towards the Pantheon. I didn't regret it. You won't either.