The lone JRPG in SGC’s Indie Heaven, Hoven the Sages Spinel is sure to please fans of the genre.

Hoven the Sages Spinel is a brand new JRPG-influenced title from Bradley Elam of Hoven Indies. While the Sages Spinel was featured at SGC 2014, I didn’t get a chance to actually sit down and experience his work until this year’s event.

The core backbone of the game was structured within RPG Maker VX Ace; this already gives Hoven the Sages Spinel a “classic” feel, sitting somewhere between Secret of Mana and Mother 2/Earthbound. While I couldn’t experience the story in full- Hoven is well over 12 hours in length- I was still able to get a firm grasp of the story, and get surprisingly invested in my short-lived quest. You play as Bradley Silver, a young boy following in his father’s footsteps to restore the Sages Spinel, and use the sacred gem’s power to seal away the dark sage Maluma.

During my time at SGC 2015 with Hoven the Sages Spinel, Elam ensured me that he created Hoven as a “family friendly” title, containing no offensive language or questionable content. As the JRPG genre continues to inject exponential fanservice into its titles, Hoven is a refreshing, lighthearted reminder of what the JRPG used to be- an epic quest entirely driven by the story and characters, not one supported by the crutches of innuendo.

Hoven the Sages Spinel is currently available on PC through the Hoven Indies itch.io page for $10.00. The title is also listed on Steam Greenlight, though an official Steam release has not been secured.

Image courtesy of Hoven Indies