Platform: PC
Genre: 90s JRPG throwback

Remember Quintet, the JRPG group that made classics like Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma? The game that made you focus more on getting humanity back on track and that there’s no real focal antagonist except the force of nature and death itself? Indonesian developer stellarNull is making a game similar in concept and design with its upcoming 2D top-down title Anuchard.

You play a girl who lives in a fantasy world that needs fixing. But it’s the kind that revolves around creation and life, not so much an evil despot that needs killing. Your character is a Bellwielder who has to return lost souls home and clear an ever-growing dungeon underground. Returning souls will bring her village’s civilization back to its former glory, so there’s that one main quest to bring it all home.

What’s unique about Anuchard is its art style; stellarNull are going for the minimalist look, but with a 2D pixel art touch. Screenshots look good, but looking at it in motion does it more justice. Thre’s a lot of rustic and alien charm that’s brimming in the world of Anuchard. There are even a few nods to Indonesian cuisine here and there (like Gado Gado), especially when your Bellwielder needs to cook to boost her stats.

Gameplay is 2D action-based and requires your twitch skills and puzzle-solving knowhow. Dungeons in Anuchard will feature a lot of combat and brainteasers, though they won’t last as long as its sources of inspiration. The developers didn’t give much story details for obvious reasons, but the gameplay shows a lot of promise.

The Bellwielder can use her staff attacks that also adds in a layer of dodging and can also be used to reflect projectiles to solve switch and trigger puzzles. There’s a bit of heft when the Bellwielder uses the staff, so you’ll have to take that into account and not spam your attacks blindly, hoping for the best.

The overall feel and progression of the demo pretty reminiscent of 90s JRPG gameplay, especially with the underrated Legend of Mana, though touched up for this generation of gaming. So yeah, there will be minibosses and big bosses to cap off each dungeon you explore.

If you’re into that sort of nostalgia trip, you’ll find a lot to love here when Anuchard releases for PC later this year.