Alcahest

About

Alcahest is a top-down action RPG from 1993 that splits its story into eight distinct stages. Each stage requires gathering items to advance and ends with a boss fight. After defeating certain bosses, the hero Alen unlocks elemental powers tied to four Guardians. These abilities reshape the way you approach later challenges. You’ll also meet five companions across the stages, including a wizard, a knight, and a shape-shifting dragon. While you can’t control them directly, pressing specific buttons lets them attack or use special moves during battles. The game stands out for its structured progression and team-based combat. Each ally joins at fixed points in the story, offering timed support rather than full party management. Developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Square, it’s a lesser-known but polished example of early 90s action RPGs. Its blend of item-driven stage goals and elemental power scaling gives it replay value despite its short length.