RPG Maker WITH review

RPG Maker WITH review

As a seasoned gamer with decades under my belt, I approached RPG Maker WITH with a mix of excitement and trepidation, having never dipped my toes into this particular series before. What I found was a game that, while packed with potential, seemed to have missed the mark when it came to onboarding newcomers like myself.


As someone new to the RPG Maker series, which has been in existence since the late 1980s, I ventured into RPG Maker WITH an optimistic yet unassuming mindset. After a few hours that left me utterly baffled, I managed to create a simple forest trail, a character to traverse it, and a chest to open. However, I was completely at a loss as to what I was actually doing.

That RPG Maker WITH doesn’t open with a tutorial is mind-boggling. You can find one, of sorts, in the Maker Plaza, which allows you to wander around and interact with things in a little JRPG village to see a tool tip on the command used to generate it. But unless you’ve a photographic memory, this is utterly useless as a guide.

As a gamer, I’m excited about the concept of creating an expansive game world with diverse terrains, characters, challenges, dialogue options, and battles – even intricate dungeons! However, it seems that this tool might require some prior experience to fully utilize its potential, making it a bit challenging for newcomers.

RPG Maker WITH review

The fundamental layout initially presents as a blank canvas, featuring a primary character, devoid of any specific terrain or predefined settings. Unfortunately, there’s no option to customize a particular biome or select presets out-of-the-box. However, I did successfully obtain one free village template, but filling it up was quite challenging. As a novice, the entire process didn’t seem instinctive at all. It’s straightforward to lay down tiles and deposit a treasure chest; I even added an innkeeper and composed some conversation.

Initially, I found myself struggling with aspects such as battles and critical events because they were unfamiliar, and the absence of a basic guide or walkthrough felt strange. Although I understand the concept of learning through practice, my lack of prior knowledge about this series or game development left me feeling confused. Regrettably, it didn’t get easier right away. Despite eventually adding some creatures and a guard character, I didn’t find enjoyment in the process.

The Nintendo Switch version doesn’t make it better. Playing on a larger screen enhances the ability to notice details, but it requires mouse and keyboard controls for optimal play. One frequent criticism leveled at its predecessors is the repetitive nature of the creations due to the similar viewpoint and sprites. While there are numerous tiles and character models to choose from, the overall perspective and art style remain consistent across different creations.

RPG Maker WITH review

After constructing a waterfall with a treasure chest nearby, protected by two gooey slimes, I faced numerous attempts filled with exasperation to make them budge. By the time I figured out how to instigate a battle scenario, I found it challenging to devise any engaging or strategic approach for it. The spectacle of opening the chest with a radiant, shimmering animation felt insufficiently satisfying as a reward.

When it comes to creating battle scenarios in a game, you have various methods to choose from. These range from intense, 2D face-offs, to more casual exchanges of blows. However, one issue that arises is that the process for implementing these designs isn’t always clearly explained.

As a seasoned gamer, diving into this new game feels like stepping back in time to my old school JRPG days. Yet, despite its nostalgic charm, it’s hard not to notice the sense of deja vu. For those who have played these games before, the similarities will be striking.

RPG Maker WITH review

The game has an abundance of menus and sub-menus, many of which I didn’t discover until I had been playing for several hours. It feels like nothing here is self-explanatory, usually requiring trial and error to figure out if something works. This might just be a reflection of real-world game design, but in this context, it’s more annoying than charming.

This tool is ideal for novice game creators or those curious about game development, but it requires a good amount of patience and time as it’s essentially self-teaching (or you can learn from others by downloading and modifying existing public creations). However, if you’re expecting extensive tutorial support to get started, you might find yourself underwhelmed.

As a fresh gamer diving into RPG Maker, I found myself initially overwhelmed. It appears that while it’s packed with tools, the platform seems to favor seasoned users, potentially leaving newcomers behind. This gives the impression that it might not be as feature-rich or beneficial as it truly is.

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2024-10-04 16:16