Hounds - Of The Meteor

As an independent project, development is ongoing. The developers release updates, patches, and demo builds to their supporters on platforms like Patreon and Subscribestar. Because of the ambitious scope—combining complex tactical AI, survival systems, and high-quality art—development has been a slow but steady process.

The game has garnered a cult following within the niche of adult tactical RPGs due to its high production value compared to many other titles in the genre.

Setting: Alternate-history Meiji Restoration period (late 19th-century Japan). The crumbling Tokugawa shogunate is being overthrown by imperial forces, but shadow wars rage between assassins, secret societies, and foreign powers.

Protagonist: Ken Shirogane (a name evoking “sword” + “white metal”). A young, cynical swordsman who wields the “Meteor Blade” —a legendary, demon-cursed sword forged from a fallen star. The blade thirsts for blood and gradually corrupts its wielder. Hounds of the Meteor

Plot Engine: Ken is a rōnin (masterless samurai) who hunts down monstrous, supernatural outlaws called “Maggots” —humans mutated by exposure to residual “meteor energy” or dark arts. These creatures are not mere demons but tragic victims of the turbulent era. Ken is aided by a scrappy child sidekick, Mai, and a mysterious female doctor, Asuka, who seeks to cure the Maggots.

Major Arc: Ken discovers that the meteor that forged his sword also seeded multiple shards across Japan, creating other cursed blades and Maggots. He must collect or destroy them, all while resisting his own descent into becoming the very monster he hunts.

1. Tactical Combat The core gameplay loop revolves around turn-based tactical combat on grid-based maps. The system draws heavy inspiration from classics like Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem, but with a slower, more deliberate pace. Battles are lethal, requiring careful positioning and resource management rather than brute force. As an independent project, development is ongoing

2. Survival Elements The game integrates survival mechanics into the tactical framework. Characters must manage resources like food, medicine, and morale. Injuries sustained in battle persist, affecting a character's stats in subsequent missions. This forces the player to make difficult decisions about risk versus reward—sometimes retreating is the only viable option to keep the party alive.

3. Visual Novel Elements Between battles, the game shifts to a visual novel style for storytelling. Players explore the narrative through dialogue, make choices that impact the story's direction, and manage relationships within the party. These segments are fully voiced (in updates where voice acting is implemented) and heavily detailed.

Common misconception holds that the "Hounds" arrived inside the meteor that struck the Wastes. The truth is more terrifying: the meteor was a vessel, or perhaps a summons. When the star-rock fell, the Hounds were waiting in the atmosphere, descending like spears of shadow to greet the impact. | Beast | Element | Weakness (Normal) |

They are not dogs. They are not wolves. We call them "Hounds" only because of their relentless pursuit capabilities and their pack coordination. In reality, they are biological mechanisms designed for one purpose: sterilization.

| Beast | Element | Weakness (Normal) | Weakness (Enraged) | |-------|---------|------------------|--------------------| | Cragworm | Earth | Electric | Corrosive | | Ashwing | Fire | Water/Ice | Electric | | Volticore | Electric | Corrosive | Fire | | Glacierback | Ice | Fire | Earth |

Special boss: Meteor Sovereign (endgame) – cycles elements every 30 seconds. Requires a Shifter to constantly adapt.