In 2020, Dreams Uncorporated released Cris Tales, a turn-based RPG with a striking visual style and an unique take on well-trodden ground. The game's use of time-based mechanics – including specific fights occurring at different moments in time all at once, was a risky experiment, but one that ultimately paid off in the end.
Now, Dreams Uncorporated is back with Prisma, another ambitious RPG with a different twist: Instead of playing with time, Prisma is more interested in messing with perspective. We had a chance to check out Prisma in action in a hands-off press demo, and what we saw has us looking at turn-based RPGs in a whole new way…and that's the entire point.
Alma friends are here
Prisma follows the story of Alma, who is given supernatural powers thanks to an old camera containing a relic known as a Prism Shard. The shard transports her to another dimension, which is inhabited with parallel universe versions of Alma herself. Each Alma edition has a specific personality, ability set, and other unique features, and the Almas you meet can become part of your traveling party.
On the surface, this seems like an ordinary RPG with a multiversal story stapled onto it. The distinct visual style of Cris Tales also returns for Prisma, though this version has definitely seen some enhancements from that previous game. The game notably shifts between the cel-shaded look and a more manga-themed look in certain scenes, and that juxtaposition helps both visual styles stand out.
Prisma will play out in a branching storyline, based on decisions made by Alma during certain events. These decisions line up with the personalities of the main Alma's companion Almas, and she can strengthen her bond with any of these alternate Almas depending on the decisions she makes in key moments. Seven separate Almas will join the party, and the developer says only four of them can maximize a bond with the main Alma in one playthrough, so in order to see everything, you'll need multiple playthroughs.
Say cheese!
Alma will do battle with other rival Almas throughout Prisma, and battles will play out in standard turn-based RPG fare. Enemies are based heavily in Latin American folklore, and some of them are NPC characters that rival Almas corrupt into monsters like fiery demons or massive gorilla-like creatures.
What makes Prisma's battle system unique is the Filter system. Alma is watching these fights play out through the lens of her camera, and as her allies deal damage to their opponents, the camera's battery meter will charge. When it's full, Alma can activate one of her camera's special Lenses, which not only changes how the battle looks, but they will also directly influence attacks based on how the perspective of the fight changes.
The first example shown during the hands-off demo was the Fisheye lens, which rounded the edges of the screen and compressed the action into a single circular view. When this lens is activated, ranged attacks will curve if aimed a certain way, which allows them to attack multiple enemies at once, including those in the back line.
Another example was the Shattered lens, which, as the name suggests, placed a cracked-glass filter over the battle. Any attacks that were fired directly into the crack in the glass would "splinter" and turn into three attacks, once again opening up multiple enemies at once.
This is a super unique way to power up a team during a battle, as it messes with the direct space of the battle and how we the player perceive it. It's a natural evolution of Cris Tales' time-based mechanics, and one we're looking forward to exploring more next year.
Just a snapshot
Our preview ended after the look at the battle system, and it offered just a taste of what to expect from Prisma as a whole. We're left with plenty of questions: Why is everyone Alma? How does the camera possess the ability to manipulate the world like that? What other filters await?
We're excited to learn more from Dreams Uncorporated in the future, though currently Prisma does not have a set release window. Let's hope the shutter speed on this camera is quick.
