Adam Gryu, the developer behind the successful indie game A Short Hike, has shared updates about an RPG project inspired by Paper Mario that is currently on hold. Although Gryu considers this game, titled Untitled Paper RPG, to be more or less canceled, he released a free demo on Itch.io that provides between one and two hours of gameplay, giving fans a glimpse of his work in progress.
Canceled, but it is possible to play everything that has been done
The development of the RPG began after the announcement of Paper Mario Color Splash in 2016, which motivated Gryu to create a title inspired by classic Nintendo role-playing games. However, in 2018, he decided to put the project on hold and dedicate his time to developing A Short Hike, which became an unexpected success. Despite the positive reception of his hiking game, Gryu has revealed that the process of creating the RPG became difficult and overwhelming, leading him to lose motivation.
In a post on Itch.io, Gryu explained that the RPG faced several challenges, including an overly ambitious scope, a lack of a compelling narrative, and a combat system that turned out to be not fun. “I started to lose the joy I felt while working on it,” he commented. Although he currently does not plan to return to the project, he left open the possibility of resuming work in the future.
Although Gryu is working on an MMO titled Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival, he is also developing other games without a clear definition of which one will be finished first. The demo of the RPG, which includes art and characters from various developers, highlights aspects of his work that Gryu considers both proud and embarrassing. However, the developer prefers to share the demo rather than let the project be forgotten.
