PSX-Style Mecha JRPG Made in RPG Maker MZ Stuns Fans

Ever seen a 3D mecha JRPG and thought, "No way that was made in RPG Maker"? Well, Lie of Caelum: Spirit is here to blow your mind. This PSX-style sci-fi mecha JRPG recently pulled in over $100,000 in extra Kickstarter funds, thanks to its stellar art, music, and the promise of a game inspired by Xenogears and Phantasy Star. But the real shocker? It was built in RPG Maker MZ, the 2020 version of the classic engine.

If you've played RPG Maker games before, you know they tend to be flatter, simpler, and more static. But Lie of Caelum: Spirit is anything but. The developer, Classi5ed, has shown off 3D open-world exploration both in and out of a mech suit, with seamless transitioning between the two. There's even a racing minigame with fast mech movement, plus a card game and fishing minigame, making this a true JRPG experience. One Twitter user summed it up perfectly: "3D mech combat in RPG maker????? God's strongest programmer."

The Kickstarter campaign asked for $34,000 and ended up drawing over $147,000. The game promises 60+ hours of main campaign, 20+ hours of meaningful side content, and multiple arcs that dive deep into the main cast's identities, philosophy, and conspiracies surrounding Caelum. It's an evolved version of Lie of Caelum, a smaller, free game released on Steam by Classi5ed in 2022. While primitive in comparison, you can see the early seeds of what Spirit would become.

So how did they do it? Exactly how it was made, we couldn't tell you. But RPG Maker MZ's appeal is that it lets anyone dive in and start making a real, playable game without needing advanced technical skills. Lie of Caelum: Spirit is showing what's possible when you also have that technical skill. The engine's Steam page says, "Making an RPG is as easy as putting in the stats for your heroes and villains, drawing up some maps, and using a simple eventing system to drive the story to its finale!" And that's pretty accurate for most users.

Lie of Caelum: Spirit is currently only listed on Steam, but it smashed a Kickstarter stretch goal for Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox ports. It's also apparently coming to GOG. This detail is barely touched on in the Kickstarter campaign, which makes the achievement even more impressive.

All of this is actually an evolved version of Lie of Caelum, a smaller, free game released on Steam by Classi5ed in 2022. It's primitive in comparison, but you can see the early seeds of what Lie of Caelum: Spirit would become: an extremely promising RPG that grabbed me in under a minute.

Will you be picking up Lie of Caelum: Spirit when it launches? Let us know in the comments!