Stories of Bethem: Full Moon (v1.7.0)

A cursed father, an ominous forest, and a kingdom hiding far more than it first reveals give this pixel-art action RPG its old-school pull. You play Khoma, a young villager forced into a dangerous journey after the Blue Witch leaves his father under a spell. Reaching the Red Witch means crossing the broad land of Bethem, gathering mysterious Oneiric Objects, and learning to use magic rather than relying on courage alone. The tone balances earnest fantasy stakes with oddball humor, colorful characters, and plenty of deliberately strange detours.

Combat unfolds in real time, with Khoma fighting monsters while gradually expanding his arsenal of spells and useful abilities. Exploration drives nearly every hour: towns offer side quests and clues, overworld routes conceal secrets, and dungeons combine enemy encounters with environmental puzzles that demand attention to switches, blocks, hazards, and newly learned magic. Spells do more than deal damage, as they also unlock paths that were previously inaccessible and encourage revisiting earlier regions with new options. Costumes grant additional powers, while monster auras can be collected for the museum, giving completion-minded players reasons to search beyond the main quest’s roughly 20-hour route.

Bethem stands out through its sincere affection for 16-bit-era adventure design, especially games in the vein of The Legend of Zelda, but it avoids being purely nostalgic by leaning into an unusually playful and surreal cast. Its world rewards poking into corners, talking to everyone, and treating seemingly minor tasks as potential leads to equipment, collectibles, or another bizarre story beat. Puzzle dungeons offer a satisfying challenge without turning the experience into an unforgiving retro relic, although players who dislike backtracking may find the exploration-heavy structure demanding. Stories of Bethem: Full Moon suits fans of colorful action RPGs, dungeon puzzles, and steadily growing magical toolkits, particularly those who want a single-player adventure with character instead of a relentless combat grind.