Elements II: Hearts of Light
Details: Video game
Developer: Soul Catapult
Publisher: New Reality Games
Platform: Microsoft Windows
Genres: Indie game, Early Access
Description: "What of their descendants? What of the other Saints? The full story has yet to be told..."A mysterious little girl. An insidious plot to resurrect a great evil. The legend of a faint and fading hope. And a band of young heroes desperate for answers. Fans of the original will discover enhanced gameplay, a more beautiful world, a deeper party system, and darker mysteries. To everyone else... welcome. Set 360 years after "Elements: Soul of Fire," an age of political unrest and religious intolerance forms the backdrop for the next chapter in the story. The start of a brand-new chapter in the Elements saga! New approachable "Easy Mode" for beginners Highly customizable gameplay system Comprehensive enemy encyclopedia Quest-tracking interface Quick menu shortcuts all across the keyboard Craft weapons, armor, and jewelry Build your friendships to learn skills and combos Learn new magic by equipping shards that you find Elemental strengths fluctuate with the days of the week Moral attributes determine the growth of your statsA message from the developer:"Originally conceived over 15 years ago, the Elements series tells a story of hope, love, and unity while exploring the full range of human emotion and psychology. Personal empowerment is also a central theme, and it's my hope that people can be encouraged and inspired by the morals and allegories presented.Each installment is an epic in and of itself, consisting of no fewer than 20 main characters and sweeping quests through massive worlds. All of the writing, art, and design is done by myself, with my father and I collaborating on the music. The first game took seven years to create, from 2006 to 2013. I knew the sequel might take a long time as well (especially because I'm redoing all the graphics), and I didn't want to lose the audience from the original, so I struggled to find a way to sustain interest during the development process.For awhile, I considered releasing "E2" episodically, which would've been a technical nightmare (hence why I didn't do it). After some discussion, my publisher and I determined that Early Access is the best option, given the scope of the project and long-term commitment involved.It's always been my desire to have a personal relationship with fans of my work, and I'd hope that the hands-on aspect of Early Access would facilitate that. In addition, as with "E1," I've included a Sketch Gallery with over 70 pieces of artwork, so you can see how my ideas and personal style developed over the years.Release-wise, I would like to aim for two or three updates a year over a period of two or three years (or until the game is finished), consisting of successive "chapters" in the story; usually comprised of the next island to be visited. I feel this is better than more frequent, but smaller updates; in addition to allowing myself more "breathing room," so to speak (very important), there can be a sense of completeness to each "chapter" this way, while still leaving you to wonder what might happen next... kind of like continuations of a serial drama, or even "episodes" if you will (only you're not being charged for each one).The message of Elements has the spark to ignite a movement. The nature and scope of that movement, and whether or not it gets ignited in the first place, is wholly up to those who receive it.I hope you will support me in realizing the full extent of my vision, the vision I've dreamed of since my childhood. You'll be taking part in something truly special. Thank you.With all the love in my soul,~ Jeremy Zink"
Developer: Soul Catapult
Publisher: New Reality Games
Platform: Microsoft Windows
Genres: Indie game, Early Access
Description: "What of their descendants? What of the other Saints? The full story has yet to be told..."A mysterious little girl. An insidious plot to resurrect a great evil. The legend of a faint and fading hope. And a band of young heroes desperate for answers. Fans of the original will discover enhanced gameplay, a more beautiful world, a deeper party system, and darker mysteries. To everyone else... welcome. Set 360 years after "Elements: Soul of Fire," an age of political unrest and religious intolerance forms the backdrop for the next chapter in the story. The start of a brand-new chapter in the Elements saga! New approachable "Easy Mode" for beginners Highly customizable gameplay system Comprehensive enemy encyclopedia Quest-tracking interface Quick menu shortcuts all across the keyboard Craft weapons, armor, and jewelry Build your friendships to learn skills and combos Learn new magic by equipping shards that you find Elemental strengths fluctuate with the days of the week Moral attributes determine the growth of your statsA message from the developer:"Originally conceived over 15 years ago, the Elements series tells a story of hope, love, and unity while exploring the full range of human emotion and psychology. Personal empowerment is also a central theme, and it's my hope that people can be encouraged and inspired by the morals and allegories presented.Each installment is an epic in and of itself, consisting of no fewer than 20 main characters and sweeping quests through massive worlds. All of the writing, art, and design is done by myself, with my father and I collaborating on the music. The first game took seven years to create, from 2006 to 2013. I knew the sequel might take a long time as well (especially because I'm redoing all the graphics), and I didn't want to lose the audience from the original, so I struggled to find a way to sustain interest during the development process.For awhile, I considered releasing "E2" episodically, which would've been a technical nightmare (hence why I didn't do it). After some discussion, my publisher and I determined that Early Access is the best option, given the scope of the project and long-term commitment involved.It's always been my desire to have a personal relationship with fans of my work, and I'd hope that the hands-on aspect of Early Access would facilitate that. In addition, as with "E1," I've included a Sketch Gallery with over 70 pieces of artwork, so you can see how my ideas and personal style developed over the years.Release-wise, I would like to aim for two or three updates a year over a period of two or three years (or until the game is finished), consisting of successive "chapters" in the story; usually comprised of the next island to be visited. I feel this is better than more frequent, but smaller updates; in addition to allowing myself more "breathing room," so to speak (very important), there can be a sense of completeness to each "chapter" this way, while still leaving you to wonder what might happen next... kind of like continuations of a serial drama, or even "episodes" if you will (only you're not being charged for each one).The message of Elements has the spark to ignite a movement. The nature and scope of that movement, and whether or not it gets ignited in the first place, is wholly up to those who receive it.I hope you will support me in realizing the full extent of my vision, the vision I've dreamed of since my childhood. You'll be taking part in something truly special. Thank you.With all the love in my soul,~ Jeremy Zink"
