After 12 years of dedication and development, Karaclan Studios has released ‘VED’. Published by Fulqrum Publishing, this hand-drawn RPG offers a fresh perspective on the genre, blending roguelike elements with turn-based combat. Its focus is on storytelling and decisions that impact your journey.

Set in the world of Velet, VED follows Cyrus, a young man from a small village who heads to the bustling city of Micropolis, hoping for a fresh start. Set in two parallel worlds, one vibrant and alive, the other dark and dangerous, he finds his actions in one world ripple into the other, drawing him into a web of rival factions, ancient mysteries, and cosmic stakes. The game focuses on tough decisions, exploring interconnected worlds, and whether Cyrus can shape his own destiny or if it’s already written.

From the very first moments, it’s clear VED isn’t just about gameplay – it’s about immersion and its chance to tell its story. The hand-drawn art style feels like panels from a graphic novel come to life, with stunning visuals that set the tone for every scene. Dialogue choices, branching paths, and emotional moments are front and centre, making every decision feel significant. You’re not just playing Cyrus’s story; you’re crafting it.

Throughout your journey, you will stumble upon points of interest scattered worldwide. As you encounter these world events, the d20 system boosts your strength, dexterity, and magic attributes based on your decisions upon interaction, though these attributes don’t directly impact combat.

They serve more as a narrative tool than a gameplay mechanic. Conversing with people during the cutscenes also has a similar mechanic, where your choice of dialogue determines how that character feels about you – do they respect you, or do they fear you? These choices directly impact the story, allowing for a good amount of replayability depending on what choices you make throughout the game.

The turn-based combat is quick, but strategic. The combat arena is divided into four sections, allowing you to move around during battles. Each ability shifts you a certain number of squares to the left or right, requiring you to plan ahead for your next move. Collecting energy from victories unlocks new spells and abilities, enhancing the combat system and providing more strategic options for key battles. Although enjoyable, I thought of the combat system as a way to break up the storytelling as there is a lot more of that than anything hands-on. If you’re looking for a heavy-hitting RPG, this might not quite hit the mark for you.

The dual-world mechanic feels like flipping between pages in a graphic novel where the artist decided to redraw every scene in a darker or lighter tone. Each of the two worlds is distinct, but together they form a cohesive and fascinating setting. The way dialogue is presented, alongside expressive character portraits and lush backdrops, draws you in like you’re flipping through pages of a high-quality fantasy comic.

The sound design in VED plays a key role in shaping the game’s atmosphere. The combat music can occasionally feel repetitive, and some voice lines may seem a bit off, these issues do not significantly detract from the overall experience. The sound design still contributes effectively to the immersion and mood of the game.

VED is perfect for players who love narrative-driven games or want something that feels like an interactive graphic novel. The combat and world mechanics are there to support the story, not overshadow it, so if you’re more into storytelling than stats, this one’s for you. It’s a narrative-driven experience that prioritizes storytelling, atmosphere, and moral choices over pure mechanics, making it stand out in a genre full of number-crunching and grind-heavy battles.

Written by: Emily France