Every time a new indie RPG game comes out, I hear a lot of the same complaints from folks. "Another Chrono Trigger rip-off? Why won't developers play other games?" Believe it or not, there are many folks out there developing weird and unique indie RPGs right now. One such game is Hymn to the Earless God, whose team is running a Kickstarter for the next two or so weeks.
Developer Kasey Ozymy's previous game, Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass, was a big and meaty Earthboundlike with a sharp edge and plenty of secrets to find. Earless God goes weirder, combining the alien environments of the Lennus series (known in the US as Paladin Quest) with the multiple protagonists of Saga Frontier. It's a game about insects, but not the cute ones from Hollow Knight or Bug Fables. These are hateful little freaks that eat each other to survive and regard kindness as an aberration.
As he's grown as a game developer, Ozymy has learned how to fold narrative into mechanics rather than spelling everything out to the player through dialogue. Individual stories present differing incentives that transform the dynamic of play. The "fighter," Pox, is encouraged at every opportunity to kill and consume just to keep himself above critical health. The "healer," Capella, is vegetarian, and can't eat other bugs (but she can eat plant enemies!) These characters and the world they inhabit are further developed by Innosaryn's animated sprites. Not to mention Ozymy's music, which perfectly sells the "every bug for itself" horror atmosphere.
A demo is currently available on Steam. Having played through what's available, it's clear that the team has plenty more to do before they achieve their goal. The vibes, though, are already immaculate. I don't know if Earless God will reach its fundraising goal, if only because games where you play as the villain can be hit or miss when it comes to sales. Personally, though, I can't help but root for it. Why aren't there more games like this? Ozymy could have kept making Earthboundlikes for the rest of his career. Instead he and his team are building upon a SNES title with ideas that (as far as I know) have never once been touched by other indie devs. This is how you do it, folks.