The update, released quietly by the one-man army known as TowerBoyGames, introduces the long-awaited "Echoing Memory" system. Previously, you judged based on current actions. Now, you can literally walk through a character’s past trauma. This makes the central mechanic—choosing between Justice (execution/banishment) or Mercy (redemption/pardon)—agonizingly difficult. What’s New in Version 0.3? TowerBoyGames has a reputation for listening to its community, and v0.3 addresses the biggest complaint of the previous alpha: lack of gameplay variety. Here is the breakdown of the major features in this build: 1. The "Echoing Memory" Mechanic In v0.2, you read a dossier and made a choice. In v0.3 , you live the crime. When you approach a sinner, you are pulled into a voxel-based flashback. You witness the theft, the murder, or the betrayal from the NPC’s perspective. This adds a layer of subjectivity that is unnerving. Did the farmer kill the noble out of malice, or was the noble about to poison a well? You decide. 2. Dual-Combat System TowerBoyGames has implemented a split system. For those who choose Justice , you enter a punishing, stamina-based souls-like duel. For those who choose Mercy , you enter a "Soteriological Debate" (a fancy term for a tense dialogue tree where you must convince the guilty to forgive themselves). Both systems are brutally hard. Miss a parry in Justice, and you die. Choose the wrong dialogue option in Mercy, and the NPC commits suicide out of guilt. 3. The Sanity Bar Version 0.3 introduces a Sanity mechanic for The Adjudicator . Killing the innocent (even by accident) or sparing the irredeemable causes visual glitches, ghostly whispers, and eventually, gameplay alterations. At low sanity, your "Justice" sword becomes a "Mercy" shield, swapping your controls. It’s a brilliant, if frustrating, metaphor for moral decay. Gameplay Experience: The Torture of Choice Let's talk about a specific scenario in By Justice or Mercy -v0.3- .
You encounter an NPC known only as The Cinder Woman . She burned down an orphanage. Open and shut case, right? Justice seems the only answer. However, using the new v0.3 memory mechanic, you discover that her child was inside that orphanage, being tortured by a corrupt headmaster. She set the fire to end her child’s suffering, not realizing she would immolate 12 other children. By Justice or Mercy -v0.3- By TowerBoyGames
8.5/10 – A brilliant, broken masterpiece of guilt. The update, released quietly by the one-man army
In an indie gaming landscape saturated with mindless shooters and loot-driven grindfests, finding a title that genuinely challenges your conscience is rare. Enter By Justice or Mercy -v0.3- By TowerBoyGames , the latest build of a narrative-driven RPG that is quickly carving out a niche for fans of difficult choices and psychological horror. Here is the breakdown of the major features in this build: 1
Version 0.3 polishes the rough edges of a diamond in the rough. The new memory system ensures you can never dismiss an NPC as a simple villain. TowerBoyGames has managed to do what AAA studios rarely attempt: make the player feel genuine regret.