Developer: Kadokawa Corporation, Enterbrain
Publisher: NIS America
Platform: Switch, PS4, PS5
Tested on: Switch
RPG Maker WITH (PS5) – Review
Only last month we took a closer look at RPG Maker WITH’s release on Nintendo’s hybrid Switch console. This development tool proved to have all the right ingredients to start brewing your own unique game, but it was sadly not directed toward budding developers. Instead, RPG Maker WITH expected potential buyers to already know how everything worked, as there is not a single tutorial in sight when starting a (new) project. Now, with the release of the PlayStation version of RPG Maker WITH, we were curious to see what had changed and if our opinion remains the same. As we have already covered this creator tool extensively, we will only delve into our opinion about the new platform release. If you want to read our original review, be sure to check it out by clicking here.
Truth be told, not much has changed since we had a first look at RPG Maker WITH. The software is still great if you want to make your own game, and the Maker Plaza function is still quite cool if you wish to look at other projects and potentially use a few assets here and there. It’s all quite interesting if you know how everything works, but if you’re a total beginner, you’re still left in the dark. Luckily, more guides are popping up online, so if you’re a beginner, you can probably still find your footing. While a pure text-based tutorial would probably not have been the ideal solution, a short interactive tutorial would have been an amazing introduction to this software. It would be great if you could make a small area, program a few NPCs, go through battle functions, and so on, with the software holding your hand. It would not only explain the basics, but it would motivate beginners to commit to creating their own game project after already building their own tiny (tutorial) project.
It’s clear that the software is aimed at bringing developers together, as the software has cross-platform support. We were able to access the earlier-released projects that were already available on the Nintendo Switch version. This does bode well for the software’s longevity, as the eventual pool of finished projects will only grow this way. As it stands now, however, there are only a handful of finished and fully functional projects showcasing what RPG Maker WITH can actually do. There are quite a few janky unfinished downloadable games on Maker Plaza as well, with an old-school Pokémon clone being the most egregious example here. The latter has been published, but it has no real functional gameplay outside of being able to run around in a few small enclosed areas.
Conclusion
If you’re already familiar with what RPG Maker WITH has to offer, thanks to your experience with previous iterations of this game-creation software, then our score might seem a bit low. This is mainly because RPG Maker WITH is, in fact, great software, but it’s not catered to budding developers or hobbyists trying to create something amusing during their spare time. Nonetheless, RPG Maker WITH has a lot of potential, even though not much has changed since our original review of the Switch version. The software is solid, but it currently lacks proper tutorials, and the Maker Plaza content is currently still rather slim pickings. The addition of an interactive tutorial here would already do wonders to reach a broader audience.
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