The following blog post acts like a personal journal and carries the thoughts of Elder Prince, founder of Blossomsoft Games.
Going back to the 2008 game again is a riot – memories are hitting me like a nostalgia hurricane!
My respect for the game has reached new heights, especially after grappling with some self-inflicted shame for a while (and holding off on placing it on the Steam store).
Tuning into TheDailyMoggle’s YouTube playthrough jogged my memory on the entire plot, an essential watch to ensure nothing is overlooked in the Mandela Edition. Hats off to this YouTuber, who happened to be a regular reader of my blog in the good old days, for flawlessly preserving the essence of the game. I was amazed at the details I had forgotten. It almost felt like watching a game from a different developer.
Admittedly, I went through a phase in the 2010s where I dissed my own creation, and looking back, folks were right to call me out. I used to think using RPG Maker was cheating somehow, like I didn’t deserve the success. While I still think it merits a Triple-A Reboot Edition with my own toolsets, there’s a certain artistry in this RPG Maker version that can’t be ignored. Crazy to think it sold for 20K USD right after launch and nearly hit 100K USD over the years.
The plot twists still got me, and I’m genuinely proud of the dungeon designs and the overall pacing of the game. The dynamic dialogues among the characters truly enrich the overall experience. I thought I had all the twists figured out, but some details caught me off guard when I expected serious plot holes.
Revisiting the game I made fifteen years ago is a great joy. Plus, I’m spicing things up in the latest Mandela Edition – the perfect way to celebrate the 15th Anniversary!
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