EmptyEnd is about the story of a group of teens getting trapped into a “limbo realm” that was created through a crumbling picture book. The Protagonist Vleugel meets a mysterious boy named Nemo in this doomed world, and gradually learns its secret.
In the first play through, you may find the game to be short. This is because the game is designed with multiple playthroughs in mind, and every playthrough unlocks different storylines and clues to finding the truth. Find and piece together the real reason behind the dying world and the character backstory!
Niconico-DIY-Game-Fes Award – RPG Maker Award Winner
*Currently, the game is only available in Japanese.
- What made you create this game?
So it all started out when one day I got REALLY bored at my job. Looking to take a small break, I started daydreaming and writing down notes of my thoughts.
“A short but serious story, taking place in a dying world would have been nice…” was what first came to my mind, and I began elaborating on that.
- What is the must-see point of this game?
While obviously the story and system are important, I personally am most proud of the assets I have made for this game! The map, the character sprites and portraits, and static images – they are all made by myself and totalling up to more than 50 in numbers!
- What are your favorite games / games that inspired you?
Pokemon, Story of Seasons (aka Harvest Moon), Rune Factory, Yotsume God -Reunion-, The Prison Boys, etc.
I also play a lot of free games too!
- What do you prioritize when you create games?
I would say attractive backstories and solid worldbuilding is what I would prefer to focus on. My wish has always been making vivid, believable worlds and giving them an atmosphere that naturally draws people into them.
- Could you tell us about the advantages of using RPG Maker?
That will be being able to make games without programming knowledge. All it needs is a leap of faith and boom – you are now a game creator. This is very helpful!
Bits by bits, the story changes with each playthrough – this is the sort of interactive storytelling that is only available to video games, and is arguably more engaging than other types of medium. The more the player plays, the more he/she learns about the characters and their backstory, the more empathy you feel for them. The attractive artwork of this game does the story great justice too. Despite the peaceful and cute looking front end, the dark and cruel nature of the truth lurks just right under the shadows.
The Title screen of this game is very engaging.
While there are many, many things worth mentioning in this game, the Title screen – being tied directly to the first impression of a game – is certainly some of the best we have seen. You can sense the amount of symbolism and thought the author has put into its design. Please absolutely consider pausing at the title for a while and have a look at the feathers, the lighting, and the protagonist Vleugel’s face – you will certainly get this unique “this game means business!” feeling for sure too!
