Pillars of Dust

OVERVIEW

Remember the good ol' days? Yeah, we all do. But nostalgia can obscure the truth: old RPGs were oftentimes poorly paced, cryptic, and cumbersome. Pillars of Dust is here to evoke the essence of the classic car trip portable RPGs while streamlining the experience with modern convenience. Want an RPG you can sink your (long) teeth into, but don't have the time or desire to sink in 70-100 hours? Pillars of Dust is made for you, my friend.

PLOT

The Allurigan Empire was an advanced civilization built over millennia, long before the present day.  Apparently, in an instant, the Empire fell, and the technology, knowledge, and wealth of Alluriga was lost.  None now living remember how Alluriga met its fate, but the reminders of that lost civilization remain in the form of ruins scattered across the wild countryside.

Now, humanity has rebuilt itself, although most do not dare to visit the remnants of Alluriga.  The population centers of the new world lie to the south of the former empire. But as long as questions remain about the end of Alluriga, and as long as the thirst for exploration dwells in the hearts of man, there will be those who decide to search for treasure and secrets amongst the ruins.  Our story begins with the journeys of two men from very different backgrounds who set out for Alluriga, knowing that they will come back with untold wisdom or never come back at all.

The two young adventurers’ paths begin to intertwine as they find themselves chasing the same clues through the ruined cities, temples, and catacombs of the fallen Allurigan Empire.  Will they find their true destinies? Or will they be lost in the sands of time, like the many who passed through before them?

FEATURES

- Split scenario gameplay. Choose whose scenario you want to complete first, or play the entire game only as one brother. The heroes' quests overlap, so actions in one player can affect another. No two playthroughs are exactly the same.

- Fast, strategic battles. Active time bar based fights with an emphasis on careful decision making. Oh, and status effects don't suck.

- Swappable secondary character, swappable player skills. Create a party that suits your play style, or the weaknesses of the boss you're stuck on. 

- Engaging world building. The mantra is "show don't tell": the game world will be revealed through environment clues, NPC hints, and various other information. No lengthy cutscenes or browbeating plot development here! Use your imagination, dammit!

- Retro stylings, modern convenience. Get your dose of pixel art and chiptunes without wandering through the countryside for 10 hours or consulting GameFAQs for the meaning behind the cryptic Engrish dialogue.