Cathy Goes Flipside (FREE Playable Demo)

SPECIAL NOTE:

For the time being, I'm taking the demo down so I can make some big changes to it, including an update that will add twice as much content and playtime! I'm very excited for y'all to see Black River City!

I hope to rerelease the demo, with some fixes and changes and the aforementioned new content, early in 2025 -- or sooner!

Welcome to the Flip

Cathy, shy and well-meaning, comes across a phone-stealing crow who leads her on an Alice in Wonderland style adventure into a weird world of mushroom people, 80s movie references, and uh... cosmic horror. 

But the fun kind.

If you're into it, why not tag along on Cathy's journey into the unknown?

Overview

Cathy Goes Flipside is a traditional JRPG made in RPG Maker MZ. This demo is right from the beginning of the game and covers two chapters for about two hours of play time for the average player. Its main gameplay focus is story and exploration. While combat is in the game, it's in a very early state and isn't fully balanced or feature complete.

This project started out as a more passive visual novel style experience and was really a kind of short story project made as a gift for my wife. It is full of things that delight her and as I worked on it, we realized it might delight others and was so much fun to work on that it kept growing until it felt like something we should share.

While it is an RPG Maker game, it's almost fully custom. Art, writing, and general game design is all me. Music and SFX are currently open source placeholders but I'll probably keep a lot of what I have as long as it works and add credit once selections are final and a credits sequence is added to the project.

Future of the project

The plan for the game is pretty much complete, with scope and content mapped out for 2-3 more chapters in addition to what's already in the game or being worked on currently. By the time it's done, Cathy Goes Flipside will be somewhere between 6-8 hrs long. It should be done by early 2025 at the rate I'm going but it'll depend.

There is more I'd like to do with things like UI, systems, etc but that'll depend a bit on whether this project stays on RPG Maker or moves to a new engine. In the meantime, I'm hoping this stands out among other RPG Maker games for its unique identity and aesthetic.

UPDATES/CHANGELOG:

• v1.1 minor fixes
• v1.2 minor fixes, made text boxes more consistent but there's still more work to be done there.

Tips for a Fun Demo Experience?

1. Listen to Turtle Mama's tips at least once.
2. Once it unlocks, use SAVE in the main menu as often as you remember!
3. Use items to offset attrition between fights.
4. Use special attacks often. If you run out of SP, use Guard.
5. Don't skip too many fights or you'll wind up underpowered.
6. Equip new gear ASAP. 
7. Use brute force if you're having trouble, the mechanics aren't too complex.

Most of this IS explained in the demo. If you're no stranger to JRPGs, this game should make complete sense to you and will probably be pretty easy.

Licensing and Housekeeping

Please note, by purchasing and downloading this product, you are agreeing to the following licensing terms:

What You Can Do:

• Play it and tell all your friends!
• Let me know how you liked it!

What You Cannot Do:

• Resell the original or any modified version.
• Host the original on any website without express permission from the author.
• Use the assets or derivatives in logo, trademark, or service mark.
• Use these assets for AI anything, generators, code-based art tools, or NFTs.

I am aware that there are streamers who specialize in RPG Maker games and itch demos but I'd appreciate a head's up if you are one of them and were looking to feature this game.

Contact & Support/Feedback

Feedback is important! I want to hear what you think. Please, keep it kind and constructive.  

Major story changes are unlikely but suggestions are welcome. Right now my primary focus is on getting the game out there and seeing how people vibe with it.

You can reach me through email or by commenting right here on itch.