Publishers of Stray Made Something CRAZY

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a critically acclaimed magnum opus of a turn-based JRPG that became well-liked and well-received by critics and fans today. But what if I told you that the publishers of Stray has brought on a small team that has developed a charming turn-based JRPG that is similar to the critically acclaimed turn-based JRPGs, but has a musical twist? Let's jump right in.

I'm back with a brand new post regarding a game that I came across that I heard it became so dang gorgeous. And no, I'm not talking about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Expedition 33 became a critically acclaimed turn-based RPG that sold 8 million copies and having its first anniversary today. Many people see Expedition 33 as an indie or AA game inspired by the turn-based RPG era of Final Fantasy games that became worthy of winning Game of the Year at the Game Awards last year. However, if you're a fan of Expedition 33 or any other turn-based RPG, there is good news for you.

Annapurna Interactive, the publisher of Stray, has brought on Iridium Studios and made something that is gorgeous. Iridium got to work on their project. And what they made is an absolutely groundbreaking masterpiece of a turn-based JRPG. Picture this; a turn-based JRPG that is a combination of Expedition 33, Honkai: Star Rail, Grandia Xtreme, Wild Arms 4 and Ar Tonelico. Seems like a weird and uncanny creation of combining together five turn-based RPGs into one, don't you think?

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is People of Note. People of Note is a turn-based JRPG where musical performances meet thrilling combat. The game's female protagonist is Cadence, a pop singer who realizes that playing solo is not enough to make the judges impressed since she was shut out by the Noteworthy Song Contest, so Cadence travels across the world of Note in search of her new friends to form a band. However, corruption is brewing in the distance. The Harmonic Convergence is set to wreak, or play havoc, with the world's musical energies and the forces of musical evil are working behind the scenes to bring disruption to Note's natural harmonies. That's where Cadence and her musical allies come in to stop the vile forces of music evil and ensure music itself has a brighter future.

People of Note's turn-based combat has a glorious twist that never before seen in any other turn-based RPGs: each battle is an interactive musical performance with evolving combat conditions and genre-bending mashup attacks, akin to the mashup attacks in Wild Arms 4 and Grandia Xtreme. Each character has their own arsenal of abilities that involve the timing of attacks like in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Time it right and you'll deal appropriate damage to enemies. Each enemy has a weakness, so exploit it to deal even more damage. There is a cresendo gauge that fills up as enemies grow stronger and battles get more intense. That's where music increases its tempo and things heat up.

The game had a demo that had to be taken out upon its full release in a way to focus on post-launch patches. And maybe they can bring the demo back one day. Of course, the big selling point of Expedition 33, Honkai: Star Rail, Ar Tonelico, Wild Arms 4 and Grandia Xtreme is the concept of having four characters in turn-based combat with a musical twist and timing of a button press and mashup attacks. I never played Expedition 33, but I played Honkai: Star Rail, Wild Arms 4, Grandia Xtreme and Ar Tonelico. Well, Ar Tonelico Qoga for the PS3. That's not a turn-based RPG like the PS2 releases.

People of Note is now available on PC and consoles, so go check it out.