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Factsheet

Genre Turn-based tactics, JRPG, Metanarrative
Developer Studio Massimo Gauthier inc.
Platforms PC (Demo coming soon to Steam and Itch.io for Windows and Linux), additional platforms TBD
Release Date TBA
Price TBA
Website https://www.dioramabreak.com
Steam Page https://store.steampowered.com/app/3932580/Diorama_Break
X https://x.com/studiomassimog
Discord https://discord.gg/4gVZXqVHmA
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/studiomassimog.bsky.social

Description

The all-new special JRPG DIORAMA BREAK! Guide the Hero on a journey to Change the World! Listen to their thoughts, listen to their fears! Speak to them with kindness and they might not come to hate you. That’s right, this is the ONLY (tactics) JRPG where YOU can talk directly with the world below. Choose your words with care.

Pitch

Diorama Break is a JRPG that focuses on two main pillars:

  • A science-fantasy narrative with meta elements woven into every facet, where the player interacts directly with the party and sees their attention and care towards them rewarded. “What would a serious RPG world look like if your presence in it was a fact of life for the inhabitants, and the protagonists talked directly to you?” Inspired by games like OneShot and fiction like Worth the Candle.
  • A unique tactical turn-based battle system that synthesizes elements of tactics games like Fire Emblem and (more specifically) Into the Breach, with mechanics inspired by fighting games such as frame advantage, footsies, and attack interruption.

Features

  • Direct conversations with the hero, who will respond to your treatment in kind.
  • Expertly composed world-class hand-crafted traditionalist pixel environments and animations.
  • An innovative turn-based grid-based time-and-space-based tactical battle system where actions take place over multiple turns. Time your moves carefully to slip past your opponents’ defenses.
  • Intuitive yet deep character customization for combat.
  • Explore varied and fantastical biomes and settlements
  • A narrative with layers.
  • A fleshed-out cast of supporting NPCs.
  • Accessible controls and gameplay.
  • High quality software backend; built on top of a custom 2D game engine for maximum performance and ease-of-use.
  • Unlimited window scaling.

Videos

Screens & Logos

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About the Team

Diorama Break is an idea I (Massimo) have had since 2018. As of late 2023, this had been an entirely solo project, but I began working with other artists then, and eventually recruited a full team of contractors and entered into full development for a vertical slice demo in December 2024. I currently serve primarily as the Director, Programmer, Game Designer, and Writer on the project and am heavily involved in all other aspects of development, on top of running the business side of things.

The game is developed using my own custom 2D engine created using the ODIN language and libraries/tools like SDL and FMOD.

Studio Massimo Gauthier inc. is the entity through which I (Massimo Gauthier) and my creative collaborators on the projects I direct interact with institutions, but it is not a wider-public-facing entity.

You can learn more about the studio here: https://studio.massimogauthier.com

You can learn more about me here: https://portfolio.massimogauthier.com

In addition to me, the team is primarily made of the following talent:

Contact

You can contact me via the following:

  • Email: studio@massimogauthier.com
  • Discord: @Massimog