OFF remaster review — An RPG Maker classic that’s taking another swing

RPG Maker has been a legendary source of games since the early 2000s, providing us with indie titles that have left a mark on the industry. This is despite only being made by one or two people, and with the limitations of what RPG Maker has to offer. For those who don’t know what RPG Maker is, it’s an RPG engine that allows developers to create games without the need for extensive coding. They’re provided with pre-made assets like maps, menus, sprites, etc., so creating games on a smaller scale is more accessible. Renowned examples include Corpse Party, Mad Father, and Ib, spawning the genre of Japanese RPG horrors, which was a massive trend used by YouTubers back in the day—nothing was more iconic than PewDiePie’s playlist of all these great classics and more. However, that’s not to say that RPG Maker has come and gone. Today, its games are still having a resounding impact, from Omori to Lisa: The Painful and Fear and Hunger. All RPGs, yes. But all are so distinct and creative that they’re held up as pinnacles in their genre. For a long time, I’ve been an RPG Maker nut, but if you decide to ponder its catalog, you may be slightly overwhelmed by how many games there are to try.

One that slipped my attention was OFF, a 2008 French indie RPG that was developed and published by Mortis Ghost and his small team. It’s been quite a while since then, but now their new publisher, FanGamer, has treated us to a remaster that makes it widely accessible to a modern audience. With this arrival, fans can look forward to an all-new battle system, new areas, and hidden bosses fronted by Mortis Ghost himself. We even have new inclusions for the team, like the legendary Toby Fox himself, composing multiple tracks for the remaster. For those who didn’t know, Toby Fox’s inclusion isn’t that surprising due to OFF being sourced as a major inspiration for Undertale. If you look through forums, you’ll see neat facts like Papyrus’s design being inspired by the first boss of OFF and Sans’ character being drawn from OFF’s guides Zacharie and the Judge. If you’ve played Undertale, you’ll definitely need these links when you play through OFF. But that’s enough about context; let’s actually talk about OFF and what it has to offer.

OFF is characterized by its stark and simplistic visuals, disturbing character designs, and a unique and foreboding plot that all combine to make the player’s short time with the game unsettling. You take control as The Batter, and you’ve been given a very straightforward mission; you must purify the world from evil. From the start, The Batter’s actions are directly linked to you, as guiding NPCs will refer to the name that you are asked at the start. You meet The Judge, a very creepy-looking kitty that speaks in a very roundabout way. He’ll act as your guide that pops in and out of the main areas. After a brief tutorial, The Batter will embark across 4 different zones to purify their tyrannical bosses, edging closer to the Queen that presides over the world. Along the way you’ll purify specters that are plaguing the zone residents, the Elsens. The Elsens are placid NPCs that can’t seem to think on their own and act like cogs in a machine. If they begin to panic and get out of control, they turn into a different enemy type, the Burnt, and it’ll be your job to put them down.

The inhabitants of the Zones were all uniquely uncanny and provided a balance of comic relief and an unsettling realization of how the world is run. Each Zone acts as an industry that the Elsens run, from mines to a sugar factory. As you purify each one, they’ll provide different pieces of history linking to their 4 elements. The first one you learn about is how the world’s infrastructure is made from metal harvested from cows. Don’t worry, it gets much weirder, but I’ll let you see it for yourself. OFF’s greatest feature was its world-building and slow descent into madness as you scurry along to put an end to it. Character designs are monstrous and its sound design is unsettling. These features pair well to drive you through your quest, but as you get further in, OFF does a great job in making you question your actions. Like Undertale, OFF emphasizes the consequence of the player’s choice to follow a game’s instruction. You’re not given much information on why the world is why it is, but you just know you feel wrong about it. OFF is constantly bypassing The Batter and talking to you, with a conclusion that has you reflecting on the mission you’ve been soundly obeying.

All of this is told in neon-colored environments and through classic puzzles that were surprisingly fun but often confusing to get my head around. From the start, you’ll realize that you’ll need a pen and paper to write a lot of number sequences and odd graphics that will be used in a few rooms down. The puzzles are nothing too intuitive but definitely have you paying attention to your environment.

OFF also has your classic RPG battle system, with random encounters that are blessedly not too annoying and don’t occur that frequently. My biggest problem with OFF lies in its battle system, because there’s not really much to it. I never found myself strategizing to defeat a boss, and battles were often just chipping away at health. They definitely get harder as the game goes on, and the game provides the player with unique MP-type moves that can do a bit more damage, but nothing past that. You have your main attacker, The Batter, and three cronies that you pick up along the way. These add-ons provide a supportive role, curing your ailments and buffing your attacks. The game also has a weakness system that I felt like I never truly exploited. You have smoke, meat, plastic, and metal attacks, but again bosses can simply be won by using your best attack. Overall, I never blinked an eye at OFF’s combat, as it felt like a means to an end, with 99% of the player’s focus going to the story and world surrounding its gameplay.

There are a few things to note with this new remaster, especially the battle system. Now, combat resembles old Final Fantasy games with an ATB system—when your little character’s gauge fills up, you can execute an action. They’ve also added a bit of depth by having a charged gauge that, when filled, executes a bigger attack and other quality-of-life features that you’ll definitely notice if you’ve played the original. You’ll also get some neat cosmetic features, like art for each zone that fills in the background of the game and a few secret bosses in the post-game. Arguably, its biggest difference from its original is a new soundtrack, as prior composer Alias Conrad Coldwood decided not to work on the new remaster. These new renditions of old songs were a highlight of my time with OFF, as they really added to the uncanny atmosphere with slowed-down jazz tracks for enemy encounters.

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