July 22, 2020 - Our Kickstarter is Live! Please check it out.Hello! Back in 2016, I started a little untitled roguelike project
right here on TIGSource. That became a full-fledged game called Tangledeep, which launched on PC in 2018 and Switch on 2019. It turned out to be a modest success, enough so that we're now working on a second game in the same universe. It's at the point where I'd love to share what it's all about and talk about development.
Puzzle Explorers: A Tangledeep Story combines falling block puzzle gameplay with an ATB-style JRPG battle system, plus other unique puzzle and town-building gameplay. There is a full story with lovely sprite and anime-style art, along with a fantastic soundtrack. With multiple difficulty settings, you can choose a more story-driven experience OR push your puzzle and tactical skills to the limits.
Sign up to our newsletter to hear the latest news about the game!LATEST Playable BuildsThese are still EARLY ALPHA builds, so please keep that in mind! The full story is nowhere near done and many features are not implemented yet.Download for PCDownload for OSXDownload for LinuxExciting Puzzle BattlesPuzzle Explorers has
real-time combat where you (and eventually, your party) face off against up to 3 monsters at once. While monsters and your allies take turns attacking and using special abilities, the main character - Mirai - controls the flow of battle on the
puzzle board.
By clearing lines, you'll deal damage to a monster with a regular attack. Clear multiple lines at once for much more powerful blows. Some monsters may use
charge attacks which can be interrupted with these strikes, which makes it important to weigh the state of your puzzle with the battle scenario.
There are plenty of other battle features as well that become unlocked over time. For example, monster attacks often
mess with your puzzle board by removing blocks, swapping your tiles, speeding up the game, and more! But you can also strike back harder by connecting
link crystals in blocks, which can be cleared for combo multipliers.
It's a ton of fun!
Solving Puzzles in the Ancient RuinsIn contrast to the high-energy battles, you'll also come across
ruins which can be rebuilt for rewards. To do this, you must drop the right blocks in the right locations. Though these puzzles start out easy, they can be quite tricky... and equally satisfying to solve!
Mining for ResourcesYour home base in Puzzle Explorers is the town of
New Riverstone. Here is where you'll meet a host of charming characters, buy items, and go on quests. A big part of the game is
building and upgrading the town, which involves both fighting battles and seeking
resources.
To gather resources, you'll talk to Hagan the Miner and play in Mining Mode. This is a sort of arcade-style, time-attack puzzle where you have 2 minutes to get all the resources you can.
To get resources, you must
clear lines with those resources. Clearing lines also increases the
Resource (blue) gauge. When it fills up, Hagan will throw more resource blocks on to the map. The faster (and more) you clear, the faster you'll find more resources. You might even find some special treasure chests.
New RiverstoneYou can move freely through town like a 2D platformer, which is a big change from the original Tangledeep's turn-based movement!
But the more interesting thing to discuss here are the
Town Upgrades. As you gather resources and defeat bosses, you'll collect dozens of resource types and key items which can be used to purchase items or equipment, as well as build up the town and progress the story.
Several NPCs have their own role in town, and by giving them the resources they need, they'll be able to expand. It's not all about combat!
The FlowstoneUnlike other falling block-style games, you have the ability to choose what pieces are in your "bag" using the power of the
Flowstone. You must have 8 different pieces, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages.
For example, small 3-piece blocks may be convenient, but they are slower than larger 5 and 6-piece blocks which may work against you in Battles. Also, some blocks contain
link crystals which help you deal huge damage in battle when combined carefully.
Elemental BlocksYou start out by only dropping "Flow" blocks, which deal straightforward damage. You will later find:
Fire blocks that deal damage-over-time, and are a better use of small clears;
Ice blocks that freeze an enemy and prevent them from acting; and
Lightning blocks that scale even higher with bigger clears, and can deal AOE damage.
Monsters can also have elemental strengths and weaknesses, so using the right element at the right time is really important.
Character ProgressionAs you defeat monsters, you'll gain XP and eventually level up, allowing you to boost your Health, Attack, or Defense (your choice each level.) But there are other ways to power up as well.
Consumables can be purchased in the shop - things like
Food that restore Health in battle,
Bombs that break enemy armor, and
Shields that absorb attacks will all come in handy.
There's also a
Magic Flask that transforms your current piece into a super powerful 5x1 block - great for getting out of a tough spot or dealing a battle-ending finisher. Beyond that, you'll also be able to get equipment for your eventual allies, helping them be even more effective in battle.
Story and CharactersWe don't want to give away too much about the story just yet, and we're still working on it. What we can say is that it's very character-driven. Whether it's our hero, NPCs, party members, or antagonists, we want each one to be memorable, expressive, and interesting.
Picture a lush & verdant world that was lost to time for many millenia and only recently re-discovered by denizens far beneath the surface. New frontiers are being explored every day, but much is still unknown. Without great empires and civilizations, towns, clans, and kinships form in unexpected ways.
Although some have banded together to live in harmony - like the town of New Riverstone - others prefer to take the fruits of labor by force. Tales of roving pirates and mighty fleets abound. But nothing is as simple as it seems!
Good-natured and energetic, the portagonist
Mirai tries to see the best in everyone. She arrived in New Riverstone a couple years ago with no memory of her past life before that. After finding the Flowstone within ruins on the island, she is able to manifest Flow into physical constructs which allow her to build and modify existing structures, so long as she has enough resources on hand to work with. As her story unfolds, she will come to learn that even with her newfound power, not everything in life that’s broken can be easily put back together.
Vivian - A young member of a pirate crew. While prone to hot-headed stubbornness, she is fiercely loyal to those she cares about. Treated as disposable deadweight by some of her crewmates, Vivian has been bullied into participating in activities that their captain would not approve of. Through her interactions with Mirai, Vivian finds the courage to stand up for herself, even if she must stand alone.
Marcus - The military outcast. Marcus serves in a low-ranked position, and is soft-spoken and reserved. He tends to think first before taking action. He joined the military not out of love for country, but for his fascination with Relics, the ancient technology excavated from various underground sites around the world.
Borras Crimm - The infamous pirate captain. As the captain of the Scarlet Tusk, Borras Crimm is the most wanted man in the world. Strong-willed and decisive, he will take any and all measures necessary to secure the wellbeing of his crew. Normally not one to attack innocents despite his reputation, his desperation to save his starving crew sends him on a collision course with Mirai and the people of New Riverstone.
Victoria Cerule: driven, calculating, and possessed with a strong sense of justice. Cerule quickly ascended to the rank of captain at a young age. Despite her reputation as a fierce combatant on the seas, little else is known about her.
The Dev TeamOur team consists of:
Andrew Aversa / zircon (that's me!) - Lead programmer, design + audio contributor
Andrew Luers / OA - Lead artist, designer, composer
Molly - Artist/animator
Scott / FenixDown - Lead writer
Steve / MoonLapse - Designer
There are also several art contractors contributing, since as you can imagine, there is a TON of art in this game from gorgeous pixel backgrounds, to characters and monsters, portraits, sprite FX, etc.
What's Next?We're continuing to implement more of the story, polish up gameplay, improve UI, and add new mechanics. If this all sounds interesting, please
sign up to our mailing list to hear more about Puzzle Explorers development.
Let us know what you think!
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