Play Hyaku no Sekai no Monogatari - The Tales on a Watery Wilderness (Japan) Online

Hyaku no Sekai no Monogatari - The Tales on a Watery Wilderness is a Japan-exclusive NES game from 1990, developed by Irem. It arrived late in the console's life, offering a quiet, atmospheric role-playing experience that feels distinct from many of its contemporaries.

You guide a young hero through a flooded world, navigating screen by screen across islands and towns, engaging in turn-based combat with monsters. Your main goal involves seeking out elemental spirits to restore balance to the land, which requires careful exploration and conversation with villagers. The game emphasizes menu-driven actions and puzzle-solving over intense action, moving at a deliberate, sometimes slow pace that rewards patience. Wandering its damp, melancholy landscapes feels like stepping into a half-remembered storybook.