Edbound (video game)

It is a video game idea by rcmero. It is based on the fanfiction of the same name.

Gameplay
Edbound features many traditional RPG elements; the player controls a party of characters who travel through the game's two dimensional world, which is composed of villages, cities, caves, and dungeons. Along the way, battles are fought against enemies, after which the party receives experience points for victories. If enough experience points are acquired, a character's level will increase. This increases the character's attributes, such as strength, defense, and health. Rather than utilizing an overworld map screen like most console RPGs of its era, the world is entirely seamless, with no differentiation between towns and the outside world. Another non-traditional element is the perspective used for the world. The game uses oblique projection, while most 2-D RPGs use a "top down" view on a grid or an isometric perspective.

Like EarthBound, Edbound does not utilize random encounters. When physical contact occurs between a character and an enemy, the screen dissolves into battle mode. In combat, characters and enemies possess a certain amount of hit points (HP). Blows to an enemy reduces the amount of HP. Once an enemy's HP reaches zero, they are defeated. If a specific type of enemy is defeated, there is a chance that the character will receive an item after the battle. In battle, the player is allowed to choose specific actions for their characters. These actions can include attacking, healing, or the use of items. Characters can also use special PSI attacks that require psychic points (PP). Once each character is assigned a command, the characters and enemies perform their actions in a set order, determined by character speed. Whenever a character receives damage, the HP box gradually "rolls" down, similar to an odometer. This allows players an opportunity to heal the character or win the battle before the counter hits zero, after which the character is knocked unconscious (although if the counter reaches zero as the battle is won, it will be set to 1 instead and the character will survive). If all characters are rendered unconscious, the game ends. Because battles are not random, tactical advantages can be gained. If the player physically contacts an enemy from behind, the player is given a first-strike priority. However, this also applies to enemies, who can also engage the party from behind. Additionally, as Ness and his friends become stronger, battles with weaker enemies are eventually won automatically, forgoing the battle sequence, and weaker monsters will begin to flee from Ness and his friends rather than chase them. While most RPGs up to the mid 1990s primarily utilized swords and other traditional weapons, the characters in Edbound use less conventional weapons such as baseball bats, yo-yos, and frying pans.

Currency is indirectly received from Ness' father, who can also save the game's progress. Each time the party wins a battle, Ness' father deposits money in an account that can be withdrawn at ATMs. In towns, players can visit various stores where weapons, armor, and items can be bought. Weapons and armor can be equipped to increase character strength and defense, respectively. In addition, items can be used for a number of purposes, such as healing. Towns also house several other useful facilities such as hospitals where players can be healed for a fee.

Playable characters

 * Ed
 * Edd
 * Eddy
 * Edna
 * Ness
 * Paula Polestar

Non-playable characters

 * The Gourd
 * Timber the Dark Shard
 * Pokey Minch

Story
The story begins when Ness is awakened by a meteorite that has plummeted to the earth near his home, whereupon he proceeds to investigate the crash site along with his pet dog, King, and next door neighbor, Pokey, who later on asks if Ness could help find his little brother, Picky. After arriving, Ness encounters an alien named Buzz Buzz, who informs Ness that he is from the future where a hostile alien, Giygas, dominates the planet. Buzz Buzz instructs Ness to embark on a journey to defeat Giygas in the present, because he is too powerful in the future. Ness then proceeds to seek out eight "sanctuaries," to unite his own powers with the Earth's and gain the strength required to confront Giygas. Buzz Buzz then asks for help from the Eds. Eddy refuses to be a part of the adventure until Starman Junior attacks Ness and the Eds. Buzz Buzz sacrifices himself to protect the lives of Ness and the Eds. Dying, Buzz Buzz gives Ness the Sound Stone, an item that is vital to the completion of his quest, and summons the fourth Ed (Edna).

Ness and the four Eds proceed on their quest through a variety of locales, including the towns of Onett, Twoson, Threed, and Fourside, an icy land called Winters, an oriental land called Dalaam, and a dream world called Magicant. As they go on their journey, they encounter a variety of characters, including the other three chosen ones, Paula, a blond girl from Twoson, Jeff, a book-smart boy from Winters, and Poo, a young prince from Dalaam. There are several enemies that they encounter in EarthBound, including Giygas' army of Starmen. The group often runs into a blues band called the Runaway Five, helping them out and being helped out in return. Throughout the game, Ness and the four Eds run into Pokey and the Gourd, who had joined with Giygas to take over the world. Ness eventually activates all of the "Your Sanctuary" locations, travels to Magicant, and defeats his "Nightmare", which represented all of the evil hidden away in Ness' heart, unlocking his true power. Jeff's father, Doctor Andonuts, creates a device that will allow them to travel to the past to battle against Giygas - however, they are forced to transfer their souls from their bodies into robot bodies, as organic material can't withstand the warp through time. Of course Eddy was not satisfied with his robot body. In the past, they encounter Giygas and Pokey in a giant spider mech, who informs Ness and the others that Giygas has consumed so much evil power, that his mind was completely destroyed. Pokey then activates a device called the Devil's Machine, which causes Giygas' body to manifest itself into a physical form. After defeating Pokey, the machine turns off, revealing Giygas' true form, a swirling, spirit-esque mass. It utilizes attacks that Ness and the others can't even comprehend, and speaks in a confused babble. Paula and Edna then pray reaching out to a variety of people on Earth, such as their family and friends, who all pray for their safety, and eventually, they reach out to the player, whose prayers defeat Giygas. Pokey escapes into a time warp, and Ness and company manage to have their spirits returned to their bodies, and they all return to their homes. After the credits, Picky gives Ness a message from Pokey, daring him to come looking for him.

Trivia

 * Fourth wall breaks are frequent in the game because they are also frequent in Earthbound.
 * Like in Earthbound, some of the character's names can be named. The only character names that cannot be edited are the names of the four Eds.