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Rakenzarn Title

Rakenzarn Tales title screen

Rakenzarn Tales (also known as RT for short) is a fanmade RPG that features numerous crossovers from different franchises.

Story

The story involves two characters: a detective student named Kyuu from Detective School Q and recently graduated high-school student Kyros Tazanuki. They stumble upon a mysterious book that transports them to an alternate world where every fictional character from the real world is real. Characters include ones from Nintendo, Sega, Square-enix, and Nippon Ichi along with anime and cartoon characters. Kyros and Kyuu, since they're from the real world, are able to recognize these characters and befriend them. Eventually, they join a group where they would work alongside them (a guild for Kyros and a detective agency for Kyuu).

Unfortunately, they soon discover a mysterious phenomena that's slowly spread across the world. The effect warps the environments and the monsters have become more aggressive than normal. If nothing is done, the entire world will be destroyed. After giving it some thought, the two decide to help to restore Rakenzarn to normal. And so, their group sets out on a journey to purify Rakenzarn with the aid of various characters befriended along the way while, at the same time, trying to find the way back home.

However, unbeknownst to Kyros or Kyuu, the book contains a dark history and has a mysterious connection with him, which may endanger his very existence.

Chapter List

Gameplay

Players can choose between the two main characters, Kyros and Kyuu. Each has their own storyline and quests while sharing the same basic world and party members. Rakenzarn consists of seven continents. Each continent has different regions to explore while meeting characters from many series. In addition to canon characters, there are several original characters from different authors as well. Each scenario has their own safehouses, acting as headquarters for the party. In Kyros' Route, the safehouse is the Nutsy Guild. In Kyuu's Route, it is the Konosuke Detective Agency.

Like your typical RPG, players can explore through various towns and dungeons. They can talk to the NPCs for basic conversations or to gather information regarding the game's world/lore and interact with objects of interest such as opening chests. In addition to exploration, there are many puzzles to solve. Some of these puzzles are mandatory to proceed the main story but some are optional. Solving the optional ones will award players with new areas to explore or rare treasure.

The game also features a Critical Choice system. There are times where the player is confronted with different choices via the dialogue tree. This ranges from simply answer questions to taking certain actions. The choices will affect how the other party members relate to the lead via the Affinity system. This also affects the interactions with other characters and offer different outcomes for certain scenarios and character recruitment.

Battle System

The game utilizes RPG Maker's default battle system and Yanfly's Ace Battle Engine. Players bring four party members in battle but the main character will always be present. Aside from the standard Hit Points (HP) and magic points, here called Rune Points (RP), characters can also build up Soul Points (SP), which can be used for secondary functions. Party members have the basic commands in the following:

  • Attack: Deals a basic normal attack.
  • Guard: Blocks against enemy attacks and restores some RP. It can also guard against ailment infliction.
  • Skill: Unique skills that deal large amount of damage and unique buffs/debuffs, which cost Rune Points. When a skill is used, the chosen skill will go under a cooldown for a certain amount of turns.
  • W.Skill: Short for Weapon Skills, moves that are unique to equipped weapons. These skills are basic in terms of damage, buffs, and debuffs. They cost less RP and have a lower cooldown.
  • Soul Break: A powerful attack unique to each party member. Costs 100% of Soul Points.

The party members have their own strengths and weaknesses. They can be defined by their types:

  • Adept: Balanced. Good at everything, the best at nothing.
  • Spellcaster: Uses offensive spells. They are vulnerable to physical attacks.
  • Supporter: Uses healing and buff spells. Almost no offensive capability.
  • Speedster: High speed stat and can hit multiple times, but low offense.
  • Fighter: Focuses on inflicting damage and weakening enemies.
  • Technique: Good at striking weak points, but lacks offense otherwise.

Party members are also defined by their elemental affinity. There are eight primary elements and a ninth non-elemental. Each element has an advantage over another. By exploiting an element's weakness, it can deal bigger damage while the opposite deals less damage. The elements' advantages and disadvantages are:

  • Fire -> Wind -> Earth -> Water -> Fire
  • Light -> Dark -> Thunder -> Energy -> Light

Party members also have their unique and specific traits. With this in mind, players will need to figure out a proper set-up with the party - which party members synergize well with each other - and equipment customization to get the advantages over the enemies.

Kyros and Kyuu are different from the rest of the party members. While they can use W.Skills, they can't learn new Skills from leveling up due to their inexperience in actual battle. To increase their effectiveness, the players need to either train under various masters throughout Rakenzarn or use a precious relic to instantly learn new moves. Their unique class, the Arxus, has the uncanny ability to wield all weapons. In Kyros' case, he's able to wield all weapons and can switch them midbattle. For Kyuu, he is restricted to one weapon type that is exclusive to an Arxus, but can switch spheres that grant him different skills.

Assist

A different kind of party member is the Assist. Unlike the playable ones, Assist party members come in form of Assist Cards, essentially functioning similar to summons. By equipping these to a party member, they gain the "Assist" command.

Party Recruitment

There will be a total of 90 playable party members. A few party members join over the course of the game's story while others have to be recruited by the player. Recruitment can be as varied as finishing an elaborate quest or by simply talking to them. Be aware that depending on how the story goes, it can affect their recruitment, as certain choices can make their recruitment easier or harder, each variant offering different rewards.

Party Affinity

Both playable and assist party members have an Affinity feature. By bringing party members to battle, players can raise their overall affinity by winning battles or, in the assist party members' case, using their skills. Players can interact the party members at the headquarters, usually learning more of their backstory in Rakenzarn which granting various stat boosts. When their affinity level reaches high enough, players can unlock their Personal Quests. Completing their Personal Quests will net players more rewards and additional skills for said party members.

Quests

Throughout the adventure, you will be given some quests and jobs by various people in Rakenzarn. While most quests are optional, there are some that are related to the story. Quest completion not only grants various rewards, but can also unlock bonus endings depending on how many are done.

Romance

Players can also date various girls from different series. This will not affect your alignment but it will reward you with an 'epilogue' moment. There are three romance options shared to both Kyros and Kyuu, but they mostly have different romance options.

Development

Rakenzarn Tales was first conceived by Dark Kyu sometime in 2007. Gradually developing over the few years since, it took off with the use of RPG Maker, spending a few years before going public with Version 1.1.

Release History

  • Version 1.1: April 25, 2013
    • Version 1.2.1: June 15, 2014
    • Version 1.2.2: November 11, 2014
  • Version 2.1.1: October 14, 2015
  • Version 3: October 5th, 2016
  • Version 4: July 10, 2018
    • Version 4.1: March 23, 2019
  • Version 4.1.1: September 25, 2021
  • Version 4.1.2.: February 4, 2022
  • Version 4.1.3: July 15, 2022

Gallery

Trivia

  • Rakenzarn Tales was originally a fanfic before it was heavily refined and turned into an actual RPG Maker game.
    • Its original title was simply "Rakenzarn", then "Rakenzarn Stories."
  • The game's creator hints that there is an overarching plot on works beneath all the arcs and story.
  • In September 2015, all of the arcs were supposed to be ready, spanning into 10 story arcs. However, the director had a line of better ideas that will fit into the game's lore. As a result, he had to rework all the arcs except the Morning Glory, the Veryl Tournament, and the side arcs.
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