Splintered

fun little throwback, I love the smooth UI, the graphics are cute, and I look forward to getting to the randomizer chapter :)

I grew up playing the early Dragon Quest games this is based off of. Ending up playing a whole 8 minutes before I was filtered by the grind of the early game. Interesting idea for a game though! I just don't have the patience for it.

Developed and published by dotMake Studios, Splintered presents itself as a nostalgic turn-based RPG inspired by the golden era of 8-bit adventures, but it quickly proves that it has far more ambitious ideas than simply recreating the past. The story begins with a familiar fantasy premise: a kingdom has been thrown into turmoil after the murder of its king and the theft of a sacred relic by a powerful evil force. As the heir to a legendary hero, your quest is to recover the artifact and defeat the enemy threatening the realm. While this setup feels comfortably traditional, the game gradually reveals that this opening chapter is only the foundation for a much larger and more inventive adventure. The game's most distinctive feature is its unique "Splintering" mechanic, which completely reshapes the experience after the first major victory. Instead of ending once the villain is defeated, the world fractures into a new reality where important elements are randomized. Town layouts, treasure locations, enemy abilities, equipment, and other gameplay systems shift into new configurations, forcing players to approach each new cycle with fresh strategies rather than relying on memory. This design transforms replayability into an essential part of the overall experience. Every new world encourages exploration, experimentation, and adaptation, making each playthrough feel like a meaningful variation instead of a simple repeat of previous events. Combat embraces classic turn-based mechanics while offering enough flexibility to remain engaging throughout the adventure. Characters can develop through different class styles such as Paladin, Mage, and Thief, but equipment plays an equally important role in defining combat capabilities by granting new skills and magical abilities. As players hunt stronger monsters and uncover better gear, they gain passive talents and additional customization options that allow for a wide variety of character builds. The randomized nature of enemy abilities also ensures that battles remain unpredictable across multiple runs, requiring players to constantly rethink tactics instead of relying on a single dominant strategy. Exploration benefits greatly from the game's procedural design. Familiar locations rarely remain exactly the same for long, encouraging players to carefully search every area rather than rushing through content they believe they already know. Hidden secrets, altered treasure placements, and changing encounters reward curiosity while making each journey feel unique. The retro-inspired pixel art successfully captures the charm of classic console RPGs, while the soundtrack complements the nostalgic presentation with music that reinforces the fantasy atmosphere. Although the visuals intentionally remain simple, they effectively support the gameplay without sacrificing personality or clarity. Splintered also offers a generous amount of long-term content beyond its main storyline. Multiple challenge modes introduce entirely new ways to experience the game, including options that increase difficulty, reduce available information, or encourage more demanding styles of play. Customizable randomization settings further expand replay value by allowing players to adjust how dramatically each new world changes. These systems provide a strong incentive to return even after completing the main campaign, especially for players who enjoy mastering game mechanics and discovering new combinations of equipment, abilities, and strategies. What ultimately makes Splintered stand out is how successfully it blends old-school RPG traditions with an innovative progression system that constantly reinvents the adventure. It respects the structure of classic fantasy role-playing games while introducing mechanics that keep exploration, combat, and character development feeling fresh over multiple playthroughs. Although players looking for a completely linear experience may find the constant world changes challenging, those who appreciate experimentation and replayability will likely find plenty to enjoy. DotMake Studios has created a thoughtful RPG that embraces nostalgia without becoming constrained by it, delivering an experience that feels both comfortably familiar and refreshingly original. Rating: 8/10

魔改造ドラクエ1です。 1章は普通にドラクエで退屈かな～と思いきや2章以降、徐々にカオス化で牙をむいてきます。ウォッカ5リットルくらい呑んで作ったドラクエとして評価したいです。こっちも酔っ払いながら楽しみましょう。 ラダトームの町が毒の沼に覆われていてもロトの剣の性能が鉄の槍くらいの性能になっていても怒らない方向けだと思います。

2026/04　v110a　全実績解除済み 一言でいうと「すごくバランスが荒いDQ1ライクなローグライク要素のあるRPG」 FC時代レベルの荒さなので、昨今の丁寧すぎるゲームばかりやっているとしんどいかも。 1周目（1章）は乱数要素なし。ここでゲームの流れを覚える。 2周目（2章）から乱数要素あり。マップがランダム生成されるようになる。 3周目（3章a）からさらに荒くなる。同じ名称のアイテムなのに全く違う特性のついた武具になる。 4周目（3章b）～6周目（5章）まで行くと本編クリア。 そして…… ミドラの試練とかいう、とても面白くてバランスがめちゃくちゃ荒いゲームモードが醍醐味となる。 乱れる攻略順序や地形に苦しめられながら攻略することになるのだが、 大体どんな乱数引いても120分程度あればクリアできるから不思議である。 乱数頼りに見えるかもしれないが、 フラグ管理やストーリー等、非常に丁寧なゲーム作りをして下さっていることが分かる。 全体的には大満足なクオリティ。 ただ、やっぱり乱数がキツいと敷居が高く感じるよネ （ゲームスタート→いきなり強敵エンカ→不意打ち→即死 　＋死んだらデータ消去のコンボを5連で喰らった感想）

Supporting an Indie game with a positive review! Anyone that grew up with NES and the Amiga will enjoy this original Dragon Warrior-like homage. It's simple, but has some depth, Highly recommend a Dagger crit Dexterity build, It's really fun! You get to hear that classic, satisfying crit sound over and over. I'll look forward to future games from this creator.