Video Game / Bolt from the Blue
You are the collective of the heart. You are love in its truest, most unyielding form.
Bolt from the Blue is an in-development RPG project by solo dev RAKURAIKOU (aka Len). It is meant to be a Bravely Default pastiche and an affectionate nod to the JRPG genre with an emphasis on meaningful worldbuilding.
The High Fantasy world of Luxos is said to be forged by four almighty entities known as the Beastlords. After creating Luxos, the Beastlords peacefully lived alongside all other lifeforms, quietly governing the natural processes within the realm.
The story opens with Raiden, a friendly amnesiac who washed up on the shores of Ikoron and was taken in by the Cielicano Royal Family. By an interesting trick of fate, she serves as attendant to the passionate princess who can't seem to wield her aspect, Araceli Fuentes de Luna. One day, Castle Cieliso is suddenly attacked by a mighty force, forcing Raiden and Araceli to flee with the visiting Pyrusian noble and prospective heir Saffron Infiaco. The three find their desparate escape aboard the Frostfarer, a skycraft piloted by none other than Cole Fulrisk, a pirate notorious for her solo success.
Araceli is determined to return to Cieliso and take back her kingdom from the unknown assailant. Meanwhile, Saffron strives to prove himself a worth successor to his noble house, and Cole is just here for the ride. On top of everything else, it seems a mysterious group of people are targetting Raiden for a reason they refuse to disclose.
Bolt from the Blue will probably be in development for a very, very long time.
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This game provides examples of:
- Action Initiative: Units in battle act according to a formula based on AGI, with highest generally going first. Some skills will always occur at the start or end of the round, however. Additionally, ENDURE will always occur at the start before any other action.
- After-Combat Recovery: Cael resets to zero after every battle, even if the character ended the last battle with caelism.
- An Aesop: Whatever it is, you don't have to do it alone.
- Arc Villain: Each chapter of the game features a particular antagonist (or rather, a pair of antagonists).
- Color-Coded Elements: Aspects are represented by a single color (or pair of colors). The current Keepers happen to have their palette based around it.
- Defeat Means Friendship: The character arcs with Nox Noctis ultimately result in Raiden befriending each member after a heated battle.
- Elemental Powers: Aspects. In general, each person can only control one, as granted by a Beastlord, with the exceptions being Keepers and those with a certain type of talisman.
- Gods Need Prayer Badly: The Champions require offerings of light to persist in the realm and grant miracles. However, they aren't necessarily "gods," and are not nearly as powerful as the true "god-like" beings in Luxos (the Beastlords).
- Horned Humanoid: Drasci and alcerians are this.
- Turn-Based Combat: Bolt from the Blue's battle system operates on a turn-based format. Each character is guaranteed at least one action per turn, unless their previous action causes their CL to max out, in which case the character cannot act until it has depleted to a certain amount.