I recently got a chance to play through an hour of Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands, thanks to a review copy provided by Five Houses.
You can find my gameplay in the video below:
Pros:
- Top notch presentation.
- Unique turn-base battle mechanics.
Cons:
- None.
Overall:
Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands is a turn-based JRPG-style game where you play as a rock band.
The top-notch presentation immediately jumps out as the character designs are great and resembles something you might see from the Cartoon Network. Every NPC in the first town are unique with their own looks and personalities.
The hand-drawn animation and rock-based soundtrack also add a lot to the package. Despite being an indie game, Deathbulge is a visual and audio feast.
The game also offers an interesting take to the active time battle system. Although your party has three members, only one can be active. The other two will stay in the reserves, recovering Hype (which is this game’s version of MP).
Both you and the enemy have an active time battle bar that can be afflicted with status effects such as burn or haste. To win fights, you need to know when is the best time to swap characters, in addition to manipulating the ATB bars to gain advantages.
With a fantastic presentation to go along with a deep and strategic combat system, Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands is a must play for any JRPG fan.