Welcome to the colorful and unpredictable world of Athens. Athenian Rhapsody releases May 14 on Xbox One & Series X|S systems, and with it, the chance to build your very own Rhapsody! Inspired heavily by a mixture of retro RPGs, choose-your-own-adventure books, and numerous other inspirations, Athenian Rhapsody is a unique blend of traditional RPG mechanics, player-focused narrative and exploration, and surprises such as varied minigames and a unique online system. No playthroughs will be the same – find out why in the brand new launch trailer above!
The world of Athens is weird, highly unusual, and filled with a host of surprises. Along the way, you’ll meet tons of friends (and foes)! As you navigate the world in your own unique way, you’ll decide how you want to interact not only with those you meet, but also the world itself. As the world shifts and you interact with denizens, you’ll begin to flesh out your very own rhapsody. You can meet 16 potential party members, all with tons of depth – the very world will change depending on who you have in your party when. Plus, every single enemy can be fought or befriended! You’ll also find smaller friends and foes to commune with, and find tons of unlockable outfits to deck yourself and your party out with.
The game also features a unique combat system, which mixes traditional JRPG-esque turn-based combat alongside real-time bullet-hell elements. However, that’s not all! The game throws a monkey wrench in this formula by introducing a vast assortment of distinct ways of battling through an eclectic mix of unique minigames. This may include playing basketball, cooking, dancing your heart out, working out, playing old arcade games, drawing pictures, and more! And that’s not even mentioning the unique conversations and personalities of each enemy you can find throughout the game.
As you explore Athens, you’ll come across tons of different biomes, all with their own unique feel and residents (both friendly and not)! Not only will your party members play a role in how you explore these biomes, but so will the choices you make throughout the game and how you interact with those around you. You’ll find yourself in situations that range from odd (such as fighting an arrogant fly) to utterly bizarre (helping out in an Italian restaurant). What other secrets does the world of Athens hold? You’ll have to explore every nook and cranny to find out!
Last but not least, what’s up with that online system we mentioned? The complexity and deep variety of the game’s design means no two playthroughs will ever be the same. As you wrap up each playthrough of the game, you’ll be awarded your very own “rhapsody”, something of a unique memento that contains your player character and each and every nuance of how you experienced Athens. These rhapsodies can be collected and viewed, but also traded to friends! Collected rhapsodies can also be stacked/combined to give them additional effects. Plus, some rare rhapsodies exist, which may grant special in-game bonuses or allow for unique experiences to pop up in game.
Developed by Nico Papalia with co-development help, porting assistance for Xbox, and publishing by Top Hat Studios, Athenian Rhapsody is launching May 14 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, with a 15% launch discount until May 28th.
Athenian Rhapsody
Top Hat Studios, Inc.
…anyway, Athenian Rhapsody is a super-fresh, one-of-a-kind comedy RPG in which you’ll explore the World of Athens! Your goal is to build your very own Rhapsody – the story of you (the player) and your epic tale in this world. You’ll be faced with many challenges, and you’ll have to fight (or hug) your way through the world by either battling, or awkwardly trying to make friends with your opponents through esoteric knowledge, abstract jokes, memory games, and other strange and funny interactions.
If you want more of the meat’n’cheese, well feast your eyes upon these rather dry feature descriptions, written by someone who’s probably a little bit boring:
– Each character in the world of Athens has a bold personality, and a large amount of depth for you to discover. You can choose to adventure with whoever you’d like! There truly is a favorite for everyone to bond with, I promise.
– This world has no shortage of intense battles with opponents that range from weird, wacky, tough, cute, and outright goofy!
– On your journey, you may face mind-bendingly difficult challenges such as “Spell Richard” and “Carry A Feather” throughout your Rhapsody. Would you dare come face to face with the infamous 3×3 slide puzzle?
– Many characters will switch up the tactics of battle, you’ll be faced with various minigames based on the scenario you find yourself in.
– This game is fast paced, action packed, and full of zany and ironic humor that anyone can have a nice laugh at.
– You will NOT run out of things to do. If you do, you probably haven’t seen the sunlight in quite some time!
– Nothing substantial in this game is up to RNG. You choose your pathway from start to finish, creating an extremely specific pathway which’ll then be recorded – this is your playthrough’s Rhapsody, a narrated story of your journey through Athens! When you come to the end of the line and reflect upon your Rhapsody, could you say you did your best?
– You’ll be able to share Rhapsodies between your friends. Share, combine, read through, and maybe even delete your friend’s Rhapsodies!
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