One Fenix Down Developer Hopes To Bring RPGs Back to '90s Roots

The developer of the indie game One Fenix Down, Regalcraft Games, is hoping that its upcoming new title will bring RPGs back to their '90s roots.

More and more players are becoming nostalgic about the 1990s as the years go by and One Fenix Down is looking to take advantage of the situation. Regalcraft Games emphasized that the upcoming title is a tribute to classic RPG games such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest.

One Fenix Down Honors Classic RPGs

One Fenix Down Developer Hopes To Bring RPGs Back to '90s Roots — Solo developer RC Dunn, also known as Regalcraft Games, is taking inspiration from '90s RPGs to bring One Fenix Down to gamers worldwide.
(Photo : RC Dunn, Regalcraft Games / Screenshot taken from Steam)

One Fenix Down is a turn-based RPG game that follows the titular protagonist, Fenix, who is the son of the "fabled" hero of Torloria. He gains powerful special abilities and must use them to "protect fate."

RC Dunn, the solo indie developer behind the upcoming RPG, talked about the game's combat design. He said that he wanted to eliminate the "golden triangle" that has become more common in modern RPGs and MMOs.

This was a reference to a team that is primarily reliant on a tank, healer, and damage dealer. While he said that this was not an inherently bad formula, he wanted to tap into his own niche set of players who appreciate the nostalgic take on the formula in One Fenix Down, according to GameRant.

In most RPG systems, character classes are present and there is almost always a variation of warrior, mage, or range archetype. In Final Fantasy, there are Dragoons, mages of varying colors, and many others.

In Regalcraft Games' One Fenix Down, players will have teammates like angelic seraphims, who have the power to health but can also use offensive magic. On the other hand, there are rangers, who can become archers or some sort of tank/melee fighter.

Another class in One Fenix Down is the thief, which can deal massive damage using daggers or simply stand from the back and shoot with their crossbows.

The protagonist, Fenix, is the Hero who learns his abilities by being hit by enemies' magic spells, among other characters and classes that you encounter along your journey.

Mixing Up the RPG Formula

One Fenix Down is expected to be released for PC players via Steam in 2025 and was started as a passion project nearly a decade ago. The game will feature three difficulty levels and is filled with elemental magics, martial arts, and 14 playable party members, said RPGamer.

The story of the game begins seven years before the main events, where the Kingdom of Torloria has found itself under siege by the bestial Goa Empire. Many heroes have sacrificed themselves in order to defend themselves from continuous attacks.

Dunn's upcoming game is set to run for about 40 hours and the solo developer plans to release a Kickstarter and demo in the early summer of this year. Early screenshots of One Fenix Down showcases which titles inspired its visuals.

Even the game's UI for its combat menu is familiar to RPG fans as it is reminiscent of early Final Fantasy titles. Dunn noted that One Fenix Down is a slower-paced, 2D grand epic adventure that may have a little bit of generic lore, according to DualShockers.