Beloved Rapture is a game I’ve been eagerly anticipating for quite some time since it is a throwback to classic, turn-based RPGs promising a narrative centered around bonds and LGBT undertones. Admittedly, what first drew me to Beloved Rapture is how pretty it looks and the developer’s descriptions of its story and gameplay mechanics. Recently, I had the chance to try the new version of the game’s demo on Steam. While the demo has some unfortunate glitches, overall, I found it to be a positive experience that only makes my anticipation for Beloved Rapture that much greater!
The demo covers the beginning prologue of Beloved Rapture and the entirety of the first chapter before giving a snippet of the second chapter’s plot. I won’t go into much detail concerning the story, but Aiden’s darker quest in the prologue certainly hints at exciting things to come. Johan’s first real foray into adventuring as he comes of age in the first chapter is also full of nostalgic callbacks to many introductory segments of classic RPGs. In contrast, at the end of the first chapter, the tragic twist astutely sets up his reasoning for wandering from his home. I’m curious how his and Aiden’s paths will ultimately connect later.
Beloved Rapture‘s demo begins by prompting you to choose between two difficulty modes: Classic or Story, with Story being the easier option. You then decide how you want battles to play out: Active, where enemies will continue to make moves while planning a party member’s turn, or Wait, where enemies don’t act until you finish your turn. Battles play out similarly regardless, though you’ll need to think quicker on your feet if picking the first option!
Enemies are visible on the field, and approaching them initiates a turn-based battle scene with classic-styled options of Attack, Spells, etc. Attack generally deals weapon damage to an enemy, but attacking three times during a fight raises the special Relica gauge, charging a unique weapon attack that deals massive damage when utilized. Spells give you access to magic abilities, while Defend restores some health but cannot be used for restoration consecutively. You need to use other commands to reset Defend’s restorative ability. I didn’t find the turn-based battles overly tricky in the early stage of the demo. I also appreciated the character fine-tuning and customization that you can configure. Your characters’ stats increase upon leveling up, but you also earn extra points to distribute manually, allowing you to tailor them to your liking.
If you’re familiar with traditional RPG setups, you’ll quickly pick up Beloved Rapture‘s gameplay. I didn’t miss a step in getting my bearings by navigating through the prologue and some of the tutorial elements from the first chapter. Throughout the demo, you’ll wander impressively detailed areas with plenty to see and interact with. Several water spots are swimmable, and Johan even dives to get items underwater. There are also rope ladders and planks leading to out-of-the-way crannies where you might find some coin or a treasure chest, or jump down certain cliffsides to make your way quickly through the terrain. One of the early dungeons features a puzzle with weight-sensitive tiles you must manipulate to advance. There’s even an obligatory fishing minigame!
Unfortunately, the fishing minigame also reminds me of the hiccups I encountered during my demo playtime. First, I had to put the demo on my Steam Deck to circumvent a false anti-virus notice that cropped up when I tried to put the game on my computer. This installment proved problematic as the demo runs better with keyboard settings. It’s still playable on the Steam Deck, but it required a lot of trial and error on my part to figure out the controller configuration.
Another strange glitch I encountered cropped up after the demo was updated. I couldn’t use the directional controls, and Johan walked upwards regardless of where I tried going. However, turning off the Steam Deck and restarting fixed this glitch, and it only occurred once. Another error occurred whenever I attempted the fishing minigame, causing the entire demo to shut down whenever I pressed the action button. It happened every time I tried it, so I never caught a single fish. I opted to forgo the minigame to see if the rest of the demo worked. The demo did work for the most part afterward, although there was a glitch where the music only played one screeching note for a while following a battle. Leaving where it happened and getting into another fight fixed that noise problem. There’s also a point where Johan decides to head home or hang out longer with a friend. However, choosing to extend the visit with his friend always caused my game to crash, so I had to pick another option to advance the story and successfully finish the demo.
Still, despite those hiccups, there’s a lot in the Beloved Rapture demo to be excited about even at this early stage: the battle system, area maps, and quest log are all thoughtfully designed, the narrative is intriguing, and the party member characters seem likable for the little time we spend with them. The pixel graphics are stunningly gorgeous, and I love the artwork used to denote essential plot characters. The soundscape is lovely, too, with many tracks that harken back to classic, traditional RPGs of yore while still having their own distinct sound.
My time with the demo for Beloved Rapture has left me eagerly anticipating the full game’s release later this year. Despite the glitches and issues that I hope will be resolved for the final product, the demo has already shown a lot of potential. With the right amount of polish, Beloved Rapture has the makings of an RPG that could truly shine!
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