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Game Mechanics
Pikamoon is an RPG with a particular focus on exploration, strategy, and combat.
Pikamoon is split into two major modes: an offline campaign mode and an online multiplayer mode. Currently, our focus is solely on the offline mode, with multiplayer to come later.
Players will be able to explore the beautiful world of Dreva alongside their Pikamoon companion. Players can enter this world either with a partner PFP, or with an official PFP NFT from Pikamoon (released later this year).
The game features a gripping main story that pits the player against the 13th God, a malevolent entity seeking to reshape the world. Players must travel the open-world environment, assemble the ultimate team, battle powerful bosses, and challenge the Gods themselves if they’re to have any hope of saving Dreva…
Gameplay is divided into two distinct sections: exploration and battles. Exploration takes place in real time, allowing the player to travel across Dreva. Players can uncover hidden areas, talk with NPCs, purchase items
Battles are turn-based fights between your Pikamoon and the opposing Pikamoon. Each Pikamoon has its own move set which can grow and evolve from experience gained in combat and specialized items. Players can also use items to help shift the tide of battle, either healing their injured Pikamon or boosting their stats to ludicrous levels. When a Pikamoon runs out of health, they need to rest for a few hours to recover (never dying, don’t worry).
Players can battle NPC trainers to obtain Pika, which is used in the in-game marketplace to purchase assets like health, weapons, transport, and more!
Gameplay Progression is primarily tied to defeating Guardians, powerful residents of the world of Dreva, and winning tournaments. Guardians can refer to several different figures, from faction leaders to dark forces seeking to destroy the world. Players will need to defeat these Guardians in order to progress the story, gain access to new locations, and acquire new items. In terms of narrative, these actions will also boost the player’s renown throughout the world. In-universe, the player is a “new visitor” to this realm. They are chosen to embark on a quest to save Dreva, but they also need to prove themselves throughout the journey.
In order to defeat these Guardians, players will need to capture new Pikamoon. This will add variety to their party selection, and allow them access to new tactics and moves that can help them attain victory when it was impossible before. As they grow in power over the course of the story, the player will eventually be able to challenge the Gods themselves…
Pikamoon is designed to be playable by all ages. The offline version of the game will not feature mature content of any kind (things like excessive violence, gore, swearing, sex, just to name a few). That doesn’t mean we’re not going to tackle mature topics or darker situations, just that they must be handled carefully and with respect to our audience.
For this situation, we need to imagine we’re dealing with a player who has never picked up Pikamoon and who has not played a similar game. As we’ve discussed in gameplay articles, the game’s initial missions are designed to carefully ease the player into the world and its mechanics. The below game flow should serve nicely for this purpose:
- First exploration: The player journeys from the starting area to the Earth Regions. There’s an NPC encounter introducing dialogue, but that’s all.
- First battle: A simple one-on-one fight with Regent Urda, showcasing the game’s turn-based combat.
- Second exploration: Shift in atmospherics. No battles, but this journey from the Earth Regions to the Water Kingdom should feel a little tenser.
- Second battle: Slightly more complex fight with Empress Splendir, introducing strengths and weaknesses.
- Third exploration: Journey from the Water Kingdom to the Flame Empire. First encounter with a Wild Pikamoon. Player obtains a Boost and a Capture Device from a Flame Empire fortress.
- Third battle: Slightly more complex battle with Blaris of the Third Flame. introducing support moves and battle items.
- Fourth exploration: Journey from the Flame Empire to the Thunder Collective. Another encounter with a Wild Pikamoon, this time allowing the player to capture them.
- Fourth battle: A final battle against Stormchaser, implementing all of the previous information and ensuring the player knows what they’re doing.
IMPORTANT NOTE: For players on their second playthrough/players who know what they’re doing, there should be an option to skip the tutorial.
Last modified 8mo ago