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So here's a rarity from Doujin Circle, Roots, that I've been tracking down for many years now and finally found for purchase: "The Marionette Antique". While Roots has been operating since 2001, they quietly ceased operations in 2016 after 15 years and are best known for "Memories of Solomon's Key", "Ultimate Labyrinth Daedalus" and "Magic Musketeer Mami☆Mami Musket". Released in 2006, it is the first game in a mini-series along with "Pumpkingdom Halftype" and "Pumpkingdom Halftype2", but as those were essentially demos, "The Marionette Antique" is one of Roots' most comprehensive works. With more than 150 rooms and lasting several hours, TMA looks like a Metroidvania on the surface (complete with a sprawling map, various weapon types, kinds of gear, unlockable abilities, etc.) but its primary element is puzzle-solving, with the action serving as more of an end to justify the means. It is officially labeled as an Action-RPG.

The game has a plot, but the bulk of it takes place prior to the game's start and is outlined in its digital manual. The player takes the role of 16-year-old Mari Saionji, a slightly peculiar girl from Minato-ku, Tokyo. Mari has particular tastes in clothes and fashion with a Victorian flair and with her birthday on the horizon, she decides to treat herself at her favorite accessory shop on the outskirts of the city. The shop has some new items on display today, but one catches Mari's attention in particular... a ring with a deep silver luster and a mysterious aura. As if being beckoned, Mari feels an almost divine intervention echoing in her head as she checks the price and checks her purse... the ring is expensive, but Mari knows she has to have it, and the ring looks like a perfect fit. Just out of curiosity, Mari tries the ring on, but as soon as she does, the area is enveloped in darkness and she loses consciousness. When she comes to, she awakes in an unknown underground world where she encounters a sentient piece of armor or "knight" who mistakes her for the witch of legend, Marian. Mari doesn't understand what's going on, but she may be the reincarnation of Marian and she knows she needs the knight's help to find her way home...

The game, as mentioned before, gives off the initial impression of a Metroidvania; you are allowed to explore freely although the game isn't exactly what you'd call non-linear (as each main area has ten orbs which need to be found to access the boss area and go to the next main area), but the game has many optional areas as well as bonuses unlocked with "Secret Words". Mari can not do much directly, but she can control the knight in her service with the rings she acquires and can gain access to different weapons, tools or accessories which expand the options at her disposal. Each weapon has their own levels, cooldowns (squatting and items increase weapon recovery), pros and cons and can be leveled up to Lvl.5 by reaching fairies who will do so for a price. However, the goal is to find ten orbs in each area and these orbs only reveal themselves when you eliminate all the enemies in said room, so the puzzle comes in trying to figure out how to dispatch each one. Some are hidden pretty well or require you to find an alternative route just to get to them, and Mari is also fragile... she dies in a single hit but can be revived once if she has a green crystal (Time Distortion)... if not, you have to restart from your last save.

Save points are pretty common, but the further you get into the game, the more spread out they become, so the game gets more difficult as tougher enemies are introduced and less save points are available. While the game was released in 2006, it has the feel of considerably older computer titles with a strong MS-DOS vibe in terms of the presentation and framerate (with a few outliers). The game doesn't have too much variety in the music tracks available with a little over a dozen, but they're all appropriate for the game's look and overall vibe (Roots doesn't really disappoint here, look up "Memories of Solomon's Key" and "Ultimate Labyrinth Daedalus" if you need proof). Overall, while there are more impressive Doujin works out there, the game is a bit of a hidden gem among Doujin Action/Adventure/Puzzle games. This is a video getting through the first area and showing a separate snip with an upgraded weapon. You can find the game at:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/mtiuft7w3sq8lo1/Marionette+Antique.7z/file

Enjoy.

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