This is definitely what I’ll be playing over the weekend. Banquet for Fools is an RPG that I could shower with every positive adjective I know. Developed by Hannah and Joseph Games— the same persons behind well-known titles like the recent Mechajammer and Serpent in the Staglands— Banquet for Fools shares its game world with the latter.
Now, while this isn’t a turn-based game but rather an RTwP (real-time with pause), you know how it goes— when a game really grabs me, it inevitably ends up on these pages. This one has me hooked because of the impressive freedom of action it promises, thanks to its rogue open world, untracked quests, and some intriguing combat mechanics like the use of battle songs. Let’s dive into some details.
About the In-Game Story
Banquet for Fools is an open-world, party-based RPG set on the mysterious and dangerous island of Invimona. You and a party of four custom-generated companions are tasked with investigating the sudden disappearance of an entire farmstead’s inhabitants, just as tensions between rival settlers grow. The island, once abandoned by an ancient civilization, has been reclaimed by the Volling people, led by a lord seeking to cultivate a rare spice. But with the island cursed and haunted, danger comes not only from jealous neighbors but from the land itself.
Invimona is a place rich in history, with its ancient gods shunned and replaced by pagan practices. However, the old deities haven’t fully faded away, and the island is dotted with statues where their presence can still be felt. Though the Volling have embraced paganism, the gods may still listen—and intervene—but only for those they deem worthy. As you explore, you’ll uncover these gods’ hidden powers and choose how to engage with them, balancing their boons against the costs they demand.
As a member of the lord’s guard, you lead your companions across the island, encountering farmers, scribes, artisans, and more as you seek clues and aid. Every companion is unique, with their own stats affecting dialogue, interactions, and even how they bond with each other over the course of the journey.
The island is also home to grave robbers and other criminals, forcing you to make moral choices: do you kill enemies outright, or do you stun and capture them, sending them to Exile Island where the dead gather and punish those sent to its shores? Either way, your choices impact your party’s standing with the various factions and villages you encounter.
Combat, Magic, and Songs system
Combat in Banquet for Fools unfolds in a pausable real-time system, allowing you to manage tactics mid-battle. Each character has a range of skills—combat, pagan magic, rogue abilities, and even music—that can be customized and improved over time. You control one companion at a time, but can switch between them freely, allowing you to take advantage of your party’s formation and abilities. Critical strikes can expose vulnerabilities in enemies, while rally attacks let you combine your companions’ strength for devastating blows.
Magic in Banquet for Fools draws from pagan traditions, allowing you to create custom spells by etching runes in blood, tethering your magic to the world. You can shape spells to suit your needs, drawing from three main schools—Fauna, Vines, and Spores—each with its own unique effects. As you grow stronger, you’ll be able to create more powerful spell variants and combine them with other skills for diverse tactical advantages.
Your companions can also turn to music as a form of combat support. Songs can be configured to trigger automatically during specific battle moments—when enemies fall, when a companion is near death, or at the start of combat. You’ll need to manage which songs to memorize and how they fit your party’s needs, making sure to match them with the situation at hand.
An Open Rogue World
The game’s rogue mechanics add another layer of choice. You can bend or break the laws you’re supposed to uphold, stealing items from shops, sneaking into places you shouldn’t be, or even avoiding combat entirely. Crime doesn’t go unpunished, though, and committing illegal acts raises bounties on your head, affecting how locals treat you. Still, you might find that a bribe can smooth over certain transgressions.
Traveling across Invimona’s varied terrain requires resourcefulness, and you’ll often find yourself far from any town or outpost. The island’s remote wilderness can be unforgiving, so having a field kit allows you to craft essential supplies on the go. You can make arrows, darts, and elixirs by scavenging materials from the environment, turning found objects into crucial resources in the midst of your adventure. Your trusty pack-boro, who accompanies you on the journey, can carry not just supplies but even a boat to help you navigate the rivers and seas that crisscross the island.
As the lord’s guard, you’re not just investigating mysteries but also performing vital duties. Many of the island’s settlers have problems of their own, and you’ll find yourself tasked with solving disputes, assisting with day-to-day troubles, and maintaining order. But in a land so deeply unsettled, order is a relative term, and your approach to justice—whether strict, lenient, or somewhere in between—will shape the relationships you form with the island’s inhabitants.
Developer and Release Date
Banquet for Fools is developed by a small two-person team, known for their previous work on Isle of Bxnes, Serpent in the Staglands, and Mechajammer. The game is going to be released in Early Access on the 30th of September 2024 on PC via Steam, with many of its core systems—combat, spells, rogue abilities, and crafting—already implemented, but you can already try the demo available. The team is focused on expanding the world, adding new maps and content, and balancing based on player feedback, below the announcement trailer.
