A Demon Hunter’s Guide to Passing Finals - A 2D RPG

📍 Layton, UT (US)

🏷️ Video Games

🎮 A Demon Hunter’s Guide to Passing Finals

A story-driven, anime-inspired 2D JRPG video game — playable right now

Demo👉 https://joelheath42.itch.io/a-demon-hunters-guide-to-passing-finals

A full-length indie RPG about friendship, legacy, trauma… and trying to pass your exams while literal demons roam the world.

This is a video game.
This is a JRPG.
And you can play the demo today.

🕹️ Playable Demo Available Now (PC)
🛠️ Built in RPG Maker MZ with extensive custom systems

Demo 👉 https://joelheath42.itch.io/a-demon-hunters-guide-to-passing-finals

Game Trailer

What Is A Demon Hunter’s Guide to Passing Finals?

At its core, this is a full-length JRPG built in RPG Maker MZ — heavily extended with custom systems developed specifically for this project.

Not marketplace templates.
Not placeholders.

These are real systems written, tested, broken, rewritten, and integrated until they worked together.

You’ll find:

18 distinct magical affinities with layered strengths, weaknesses, nulls, and rare absorption effects

• A deep crafting system built around metals, monster drops, and experimentation
• Dynamic weather cycles that affect visuals, ambience, and events
• A playable demo that already contains nearly an hour of content

This project grew into an interconnected ecosystem — not a single mechanic or gimmick.

The Simple Pitch

“And you thought finals were hell.”

Riku Kurogane enrolls at Kaito Onimaru Academy for Supernatural Warfare carrying a family legacy most people would rather forget.

His parents were once celebrated demon hunters — until everything went wrong.

Riku isn’t trying to be a hero.
He’s trying to survive school.
To make sense of what his family left behind.
And to avoid becoming the thing everyone quietly expects him to be.

The academy has its own secrets.
And some forces are paying far too much attention to Riku’s existence.

Systems That Drive the Game

Elemental Combat (18 Affinities)

Combat is built around a multi-layered elemental framework. Every element has multiple strengths and weaknesses — not just simple rock-paper-scissors logic.

Each element includes:

• several weaknesses
• several resistances
• null interactions
• and rare absorption effects

The result is combat that rewards experimentation, preparation, and understanding — not just raw stats.

Crafting That Isn’t Optional

Crafting isn’t filler content here — it’s core progression.

Weapons, armor, accessories, potions, stat boosters, specialty items, and even EXP items all use handcrafted recipes built around:

• specific metals
• elemental essences
• monster drops
• rare and ultra-rare materials

Every recipe uses a consistent structure, and every ingredient has a purpose. Progression is tied to what you learn, what you hunt, and what you choose to invest in.

Weather & Environment

The world changes around you.

Weather cycles are randomized and persistent, affecting:

• lighting
• ambient sound
• visual effects like heat haze
• event triggers and time-based interactions

It’s subtle, but it matters. Locations feel different depending on when — and how — you arrive.

Monsters, Bosses, and Variants

Every elemental group includes:

• standard enemies
• rare encounters
• mini-bosses
• full bosses
• shiny variants
• final and secret bosses

Each has unique mechanics and full illustrations. Shiny variants aren’t just palette swaps — they’re designed to feel rare and meaningful.

A Playable Demo — Right Now

Most JRPG Kickstarters ask you to imagine the game.

We don’t.

The playable Demo can be found here: https://joelheath42.itch.io/a-demon-hunters-guide-to-passing-finals

The demo already includes:

• The opening story arc.
• Combat and progression systems.
• Crafting previews.
• Dynamic weather.
• Shops that expand as you level.
• Core plugins running together in-game.

This project isn’t starting from zero.
It’s already deep into development.

Why You Can Trust This Project

What’s already complete:

• A fully playable demo
• The full 18-element combat framework
• Custom weather and environment systems
• Crafting backend
• Dozens of original plugins
• Over 1,000 implemented items and materials
• Extensive monster and boss databases
• Story and lore scripts
• Multiple finished maps

This game exists.
We’re not pitching an idea — we’re expanding something real.

Why We’re Making This

My name is Joel Heath, and together with my wife Christine, I co-founded Ash Born Interactive.

We started this studio because our family needed a viable path forward.

I live with autism, a significant trauma history, reduced executive function, dissociative episodes, and ongoing disability challenges. Traditional work paths didn’t hold — but building this game did.

This project gave me:

• Structure
• Purpose
• A way to keep going

We’re raising four kids, three with special needs. This game isn’t just creative work — it’s our attempt to build something honest, sustainable, and meaningful for our family.

At its heart, this game is about fighting your demons — internal and external — and choosing who you become when the world expects you to fail.

Roadmap

2025–2026

• Story expansion and final arcs
• Full card battler implementation
• Complete crafting recipes
• Shiny variants
• Balance and polish
• Additional custom plugins
• Final soundtrack and art polish
• Cutscene animation & voice acting (stretch goals)

2026

• Full release
• Post-launch updates
• Endgame and DLC content

Risks & Mitigation

• The demo already exists
• Core systems are implemented
• Development is structured and documented
• Monthly updates and transparency
• Community feedback during development

The biggest risk is time — but the foundation is stable, tested, and already built.

Why Your Support Matters

• Backing this project helps us:
• Bring in additional technical support
• Commission more art and animation
• Improve sound design and polish
• Expand the card battler
• Add voiced cutscenes
• Support a family building a sustainable future

This game is our dream.
Your support helps make it real.

👉 Click Notify Me on Launch
👉 Share the campaign
👉 Back us on Day One

Thank you for being here. Truly.