A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky

A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky was my first complete game.  It was an overly ambitious, full-length RPG that I had no business making with my rudimentary understanding of game development at the time, but it still has its charm.

The mechanics are pretty by-the-numbers rpg maker, the mapping is generally not detailed enough, and the graphics are RTP with an occasional edit, but the writing mostly holds up and some of the songs are great--even if they're MIDI.  If you're willing to overlook the simplicity of the battle system and the rough-around-the-edges aspects of the game, there's enough here to legitimately enjoy.

The story starts with Mint and Ivy, two sisters who are grappling with the death of their father.  They live on a barren planet, so barren that they've never run into any people outside of their immediate family.  But, there's a rope hanging next to their house.  It's always been there.  It goes up and up and up, so far that it disappears into the clouds.  With their father dead, their attempts at foraging falling short, and the world filled with dangerous monsters, they have no choice but to climb the rope.  What awaits them, above the clouds?

Features:
-Original music
-Character-centric storyline
-40+ hours of gameplay
-Different equipment sets that modify the ways characters play
-A crafting system featuring over 100 pieces of unique equipment
-LOTS of side quests
-Recruit an odd assortment of townspeople and pass legislation to develop your own village
-Raise a pig to compete in the Pig Arena and win prizes
-New game+ feature that includes multiple bonus endings--a mechanic I blatantly stole from Chrono Trigger