Hybrid RPG & Visual Novel Title “Ignis Universia” Launches Kickstarter Campaign!

A unique indie game caught my attention so I thought I should tell you about it. Ignis Universia is being described as a hybrid RPG and visual novel offering. The creative team just launched the game’s Kickstarter campaign. From the promo material that has been shared, I’m interested in playing it.

From indie developer Random Potion (that’s a good name!), the Kickstarter campaign for Ignis Universia: Awakening of the Erudite Empress is seeking to reach $55,277 in initial funding. What I appreciate is that the team has released a demo so potential backers can get to experience what the final product will likely offer. 

The upcoming indie game is supposed to blend your usual fantasy RPG with visual novel elements. I have to say that there have been times during my visual novel sessions where I thought about how exciting it would be if I could see the characters move around or do certain actions without simply reading a lot of text. Ignis Universia might just give me what I want.

“I’m excited to continue the story and have the ability to flesh out the characters from the original game. The battle system also gets an overhaul and a lot of added depth, something I’ve already done with previous games like Rimelands and Trulon, both of which received a lot of praise for their combat mechanics,” shared Arto Koistinen, Lead Designer. “Funding the game via Kickstarter gives us a direct line to the players and complete creative freedom, which is useful when dealing with a game as quirky as Ignis Universia. Transparency and communication are important to us and we’ll be in contact with the backers throughout the project.”

When it comes to gameplay, you will get to explore a variety of surroundings, interact with NPCs and solve tricky puzzles. Each of the Chosen Sisters has unique powers to help you progress through the story.

We have:

• Silvanna Shadow – Rogue (Sarcastic and often angry)
• Mordina Birthright – Mage (an ex-Cleric)
• Eleanna Nutseeker – Healer (a talented Druid who was raised by squirrels)
• Princess Zena – Warrior (she loves cake)

The battle system has a unique turn order system for you to utilize. This means you can assign the characters’ turn order, but each turn slot comes with an attached element giving the character strengths, weaknesses, and a special ability. With the battle system based on synergies, by using the proper strategy (and luck) you can go activate powerful combos against opponents.

The game’s supposed to be rewarding and not frustrating. There’s no need for you to grind or learn complex systems to enjoy it. However, you will need to strategize. Battles can also be replayed.

Furthermore, the characters do break the 4th wall. The story will parody or reference the RPG and visual novel genres, music, etc. It’s supposed to be a “quirky love letter to classic JRPG and Visual Novels.”

You can get a taste of these features in the promotional trailer. I like the overall character design and color choices. Everyone looks quite cute. The game will also have summons. I mean, look at that corgi Cerebus named Derperus. I want it!

Now, I have to say I didn’t see a lot of Visual Novel aspects in the trailer. I was expecting to see some kind of a branching choice system. Maybe the game will have that in the final release. Let’s see.

As for Random Potion, founded in 2017, it is an indie studio that hails from Tampere, Finland. Having released The Dark Eye – Book of Heroes, the team is set to release the next commercial title, Ignis Universia on PC and Nintendo Switch.

At the time of writing this post, the campaign (visit here) has raised more than $3,000. There are around 28 days left in the campaign. I hope the team reaches its goal. The perks include mini-figures of the four characters, Art Book, being part of the game as an NPC, and more. The team’s looking toward a Spring 2022 release date.

You can get the approximately 1-hour long demo from Itch.io.

Ignis Universia: Eternal Sisters Saga DX is also free for you to enjoy on Steam. Released in December of 2020 and serving as a predecessor to Ignis Universia: Awakening of the Erudite Empress, it also features RPG and Visual Novel elements presented in pixel art.

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(via press release)

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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