Bloomtown: A Different Story is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated titles of 2024. This game is the result of a collaboration between Lazy Bear Games & Different Sense Games, with production overseen by Twin Sails Interactive. It features a captivating blend of storytelling, social features, and monster taming, reminiscent of the Persona series but set in a pixel art-styled 1960s America.
The game follows a group of youths dealing with a dark mystery, evoking atmospheres similar to those of Stranger Things or The Goonies.
As in the acclaimed Persona series, the social aspect is crucial. Players will need to maintain and develop relationships with NPCs and allies to unlock new bonuses and features, which will evolve based on the choices and actions made during exploration.
The narrative and social dynamics are well-integrated, and I initially feared that the combat system might be marginal, as often happens in games that mix various elements. Fortunately, this is not the case with Bloomtown.
The combat system, also inspired by the Atlus series, offers a balance of complexity and challenge. Players can exploit strengths and weaknesses, alternate skills to trigger combos, gain attack bonuses, and capture demons to accompany the Guardian that each character has.
The game’s demo particularly impressed me, both for its technical level and the richness of the game world, which includes numerous NPCs to meet, homes and structures to explore, and a dynamic and challenging combat system.
Bloomtown: A Different Story is currently in development and slated for release in the third quarter of 2024. In the meantime, I highly recommend trying out the demo if you’re a fan of JRPGs. Below you’ll find an overview of the game on the Steam page and my Gameplay First Look.
ABOUT THIS GAME
Bloomtown: A Different Story is a narrative JRPG mixing turn-based combat, monster taming and social RPG set in a seemingly pleasant 1960s Americana world.
Play as Emily and her younger brother Chester sent on their summer holiday to their grandpa’s cozy and quiet town. May be too quiet… Children starting to disappear, nightmares getting more real… Something’s not right, especially for a 12-year-old girl with an adventurous mind!
It is up to you to solve this mystery and free Bloomtown and its inhabitants from a glooming fate!A TALE OF TWO WORLDS
Bloomtown is a quiet and cozy American town with its cinema, grocery shops, library, parks…
But this is only a façade! A demon world is growing on the underside, children are disappearing, and it is up to you to save the town!A DIFFERENT STORY
Embark on mysterious adventure to save the townspeople from their own demons: Fear and vices have taken monstrous life form in the Underside.
Follow Emily and her group of friends, figure out the mysteries of the mystical disappearances and save Bloomtown’s inhabitants souls!TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
In the turn-based tactical battles against giant demons and dungeon bosses from the Underside, Emily is not alone! Use each character abilities and strengths to come out victorious. Summon your own inner demons as well as the captured ones to set up devastating combos.
TAME DEMONS FROM THE UNDERSIDE
During combat, catch weaken creatures to add them. With loads of creatures, level-ups, unique skills and a fuse system, create hundreds of synergies and your own demon-hunting squad.
A SUMMER HOLIDAY ADVENTURE
Explore the town’s secret areas, strengthen your physical abilities at the gym, gain pocket money working at the grocery store, make resourceful friends or do some relaxing gardening. You decide what is the most useful for your adventure.
