Summary
- Conquer the stars in this adventure RPG where you jump from planet to planet.
- Fight strange creatures and bosses in active turn-based combat.
- Beyond Galaxyland is released tomorrow for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One!
Tomorrow’s launch of Beyond Galaxyland marks the end of a personal journey that is much older than the six years it took me to develop the game itself. In fact, my fascination and love for the turn-based RPG genre began back in the late 1990s, with one game in particular: Square’s iconic Chrono trigger.
I have very fond memories of watching my cousins play the game on their consoles as a child. It helped break new ground and – along with a small number of its contemporaries – laid the foundation for the genre for years to come. So when I developed the game, I knew Beyond Galaxyland that it was important that I understood what made this game so special to me 20 years ago.
First, it has a great story… who wouldn’t want to experience a fantasy time travel adventure to prevent the end of the world? And second, it has impeccable pacing – despite being a turn-based RPG, a genre usually known for sprawling campaigns, Chrono trigger is only 15 hours long. It also has a depth behind its apparent simplicity and shows that more does not always mean a better experience for players.
These two pillars were crucial and inspiring for me. I knew I wanted to tell a great and epic story, while at the same time making sure Beyond Galaxyland had a similar pace to my favorite game, while the running time was perhaps closer to that of a movie (or a mini-series on TV).
Therefore the story of Beyond Galaxyland is divided into two parts: the story that takes place before our hero – high school student Doug – and his newly formed group of friends return to [redacted] and fight [more redaction]and then, when history sees them take up the fight to [even more redaction] in a brave attempt to save the earth. (You didn’t think I was going to give away some of the game’s most important story elements in this post, did you?)
Turn-based RPGs are perfect for stories like this. In addition to the RPG classics of the mid to late 1990s, I was also influenced by some classic TV series and movies: Alien, Aliens, Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy… Actually, this list could go on forever. I wanted it to feel epic and cinematic, mixing lighthearted humor with serious moments and themes, but at the same time I wanted to make sure that Beyond Galaxyland was fast-paced: as such, it is a game without filler, level grinding or artificially drawn-out storylines.
Another childhood favorite that inspired me is the original Final Fantasy VIIthat I think gets the pace of combat right: the combat in the game is fast, snappy and rewarding. This is something I Beyond Galaxylandand always give things my own touch. Beyond Galaxyland features an active combat system that requires players to press the attack button every time they strike their enemies, and time their defense when they themselves are under attack. Because of this, players also have the option to capture any creatures collected throughout the adventure (including some of the 25 bosses scattered throughout the zoo-like collection of planets that make up Galaxyland itself) and then unleash them on their opponents.
Above all, I hope Beyond Galaxyland not Only feel like a nostalgic experience for players. When I set out to make it, I wanted to push the boundaries of this genre in a direction that would have evolved if more people had seen it. Chrono trigger what I saw at my cousins house over 25 years ago: Beyond Galaxyland is fast and compact (for the genre) and avoids grinding gameplay. It also combines gameplay from other genres, including puzzles and platformers, photography, and even retro-style racing!
Don’t get me wrong, I Do I want this game to also bring nostalgic feelings to those who fell in love with these classic games, just like me. It’s a bit contradictory, but I hope Beyond Galaxyland feels both familiar and new, innovating within the confines of this classic genre. Most of all, I hope it transports players to another world, as all of these games have done for me.
Beyond Galaxyland
United Label
17,99 $
14,39 $
Beyond Galaxyland is a 2.5D intergalactic adventure RPG set among the stars, inspired by classic science fiction films. Take on the role of high school student Doug, who is whisked away to “Galaxyland” – a zoo-like solar system – on an epic mission to save Earth itself. A journey like no other awaits you in this brand new take on the beloved RPG adventures of yore. You’ll race through teeming jungles, neon-lit cities and cybernetic casinos, with each new planet filled with fascinating characters, diabolical enemies and many other surprises. Accompanied by Doug’s guinea pig – the pistol-wielding Boom Boom – and a sentient robot named MartyBot, you must team up to defend the world against an all-powerful entity known only as “The End” before it takes over the universe itself… No pressure. A bold new take on the classic science fiction adventure! Experience firsthand all the excitement and thrills of a retro sci-fi adventure in an all-new take on the fish-out-of-water tale that puts you right in the middle of the action! Laughter, loss, danger, and friendship—Beyond Galaxyland has it all and more, bathed in a dazzling layer of neontastic pixels. Explore a solar system of extraordinary worlds. From the blizzard-swept plains of Arcos to the tropical jungle canyons of Erros, from the neon-buzzing cities of Neo to the arid sand dunes of Xalm, explore a cosmic collection of unique worlds, each with its own quests, environmental puzzles, and otherworldly characters. Defeat cosmic enemies in tactical turn-based combat. Engage in strategic turn-based battles against a wide range of galactic nemeses with time-reactive defense gameplay to minimize damage. Each party member has a set of unique abilities, but to give yourself an extra tactical advantage, you can secretly scan your enemies before battle to find out their strengths and weaknesses. Experience epic boss battles. Each planet has its own dangers, but none are as dangerous as the epic bosses you’ll encounter on your alien travels, including giant space dragons, carnivorous flowers, and the all-knowing bionic behemoth Mother Brain. Capture enemies to use in battle. Successfully capture the many weird and wonderful creatures you encounter to release later in battle. Each of these has a set of exclusive abilities. Will you manage to conquer the last one?
