Long Journey to Darkness

Author's Note: This game is based on two things, the Playstation era of games and that I've noticed my ideas taking a turn for the gloomy. Don't be fooled by the title, it's supposed to be a more "happy-go-lucky" sort of experience.

Story:
You're Space Captain James Carmen, on a mission to stop "The Darkness" on the edge of the universe with your crew. However, on the way, you have to stop for refueling every so often. This requires interaction with whatever alien lifeforms are on the planet. Not every planet will be willing to give in so easily. Be prepared for battles, both mentally, and physically, as you go on your Long Journey to Darkness...

Captain Carmen, the main character.

Gameplay:
An RPG with 3D backgrounds and 2D characters overlapped on it. You can explore the world around you, solve puzzles and fight enemies.

An example of the overworld.

During Battle, instead of standing completely still during battle, you can jump around to 4 predetermined spots using the D-pad. If an enemy does an attack, you might be able to avoid it before it hits you. You can also swat whatever is coming at you in case something goes above your jump height. Sometimes, you can both jump and swat while in the air for an Ultra-Volley, which does great amounts of damage to your enemy.

The battle system. Note the d-pad buttons on the ground.

Another element of this d-pad movement is incorporated into status ailments. Becoming dizzy reverses d-pad movement. Becoming paralyzed will make you stay in the last spot you were on until it wears off.

Eventually, you'll  get partners who also use the d-pad. Think of it like coordinating two pong paddles at the same time with only one joystick. This allows you to things like juggle projectiles with your partner for Volley-Combos, which, if used in tandem with the Ultra-Volley, can do incredible damage to your foe.