Initial Daydream

Initial Daydream is an RPG made by James Gameboy in Pulp. It released on December 1st, 2023 on Itch, and it went to full 1.0 release on April 16th, 2024.

Features:

1-3 hours of gameplay
Turn-based combat
In-game control over random encounter rate and money
Options to change player stats, starting money, and strength of enemies from the main menu
VAST, LIVING OPEN WORLD
18 musical compositions
Over 20 different enemies
Fully illustrated intro (by ladycelery)
Four post-game Super Bosses with an extra ending

Plot:

Initial Daydream focuses on the Choosed One and their journey to help the monarchs of the four kingdoms (Ghoulliard, Altantis, Uiskei, and Goo) deliver presents for the Annual Royal Gift Exchange. To do this, you'll need to circumnavigate the world, fight monsters, solve puzzles, and meet all kinds of new friends. And after you've delivered all the gifts? There will be a big party! And I'm sure nothing unexpected will happen, like a real threat beaming in from space!

Gameplay and Controls:

RPG fans will feel right at home in the 1 on 1 turn-based battles. Head to the shop in town to upgrade your Attack, Health, Restore, Speed, and buy pozhns (pronounced "potions") and new abilities. You'll also find abilities hidden around the world, and you might get stat boosts from talking to the right people! The A button is used for talking to people and interacting with objects throughout the world, and for advancing menus. When not in battle or a cutscene, you can press B to open the Status page, showing your stats, abilities, pozhns, and key items. From here, you can press A to open a menu to use a pozhn, change the encounter rate, or Save and Quit. Press B from the Status page to Save and Continue.

Original Score:

The Initial Daydream Original Score is available on Bandcamp and all major streaming services. All of the music was written by James Gameboy, and some of the tracks are reworkings of tracks from previous James Gameboy titles such as Cropbuster, Goo Game, and Distill, My Beating Heart! More information can be found on the Bandcamp page.

Accessibility and Content:

Initial Daydream does not use the crank and is entirely exploration and turn-based. Encounter rate can be changed, from high to off. There are no timing based elements. There is no level scaling, so you can grind your way out of any boss fight if you so desire. This game contains fantasy violence and many references to alcohol.

Castle Ghoulliard
Mosquito Fight
Vampire Mansion
Candela-Brawl Fight
The Town of Altantis
Castle Altantis
Skellyfish Fight
Distillery Castle
Sleepy Choosed One