The main character is an alcoholic knight. All this in a pixelated JRPG…

The name of the game itself is just an accent away from the Hungarian historical name of the Slovakian region (Felvidék), but the indie RPG set in medieval Hungary, of which a demo is available on Steam, has an interesting style and concept. Our protagonist is Pavol, a heartbroken knight who turns to alcohol and is tasked with investigating the arson of a nearby castle in the Slovakian mountains in a story set in the 15th century. Violence rages between Catholics, proto-Protestant Hussites and Ottoman Turks, and something supernatural is happening that somehow involves Pavol’s estranged wife.

Alongside Pavol is Matej, a straightforward monk with whom they make a good couple, and the two are a report to Jozef. He’s a local nobleman who mostly seems confident and calm…and then, when it comes to playing cards or board games, he starts nagging the couple to play. (He’s like Roman from Grand Theft Auto IV when it comes to bowling.) Then there are the soldiers, the peasants, and the townspeople. They all have unusual jobs and one-liners. Fortunately, we don’t have to learn Slovak (but we can play in that language), because the English localization is available, and not in bad quality.

The isometric medieval environment and realistic sprites are reminiscent of the classic Baldur’s Gate style, but with a unique color palette and PS1-style pre-rendered scenes. The visuals are intentionally unusual, but the soundtrack is provided by Czech band Marcel Gidote’s Holy Crab in a prog-rock style (which sets it apart from the era). However, there’s no XP, no leveling up, so there’s no grinding and you have to think about how to win the fight at every turn. You’ll always have the tools to win, but it’s up to you to find the right way to use them.

The Highlands will be released on Steam on March 29th, and the demo is already up on Valve.

Source: PCGamer, Steam