Hidden gems are concealed around every corner, remaining unnoticed as your head swivels among vast expansion of booths at PAX East. Though if you have keen eye and a reality that demands the fuel of fantasy, the Prodigy booth is your destination. There isn’t any eye-popping attractions that will lure you to them, just the pure drive for imagination reels you in. An indie game that successfully achieved their Kickstarter goal for $100,000 in just three days, displaying the potential impact this game can have. Titles such as Skylanders and Disney Infinity have influenced the creativity found in Prodigy by the use of characters, only these games appeal to a more mature audience.
With 21 days left to exceed the already impressive feat of clearing $100,000 in 72 hours, Prodigy has projected itself into an elite class of successful projects. The Prodigy Kickstarter is oriented around a community that wants a new class of interactive gameplay. The Kickstarter pursues the goal of creating a pre-alpha mode for players to branch out to. From there, Prodigy strives toward a closed-to-open beta, with a launch on the PC around late 2015. Plans to extend the game into new modes, aside from the main campaign, is presented and achievable if tentative goals are reached. If you’re interested in getting a leg up on the competition before the release of Prodigy, check out some of the bundles that are available on their Kickstarter page:
Venturing into new territory that provokes the use of both tabletop gaming and video games to a mature audience can be an obstacle that’s hard to overcome. But through relentless community connection, Prodigy blends the essentials of both of these outlets to a game that is inviting to all the parties. The figurines that have been featured thus far are crafted with extreme precision to relay an authentic feel to conventional fans of tabletop games; comparable artsmanship to characters that would be found in Warhammer or Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition.
The playing field in which you create your domain is an interactive board where you can strategically place your characters, relinquish certain powers, and unlock your progress and achievements with a single ring. With a single swipe across the board, the player can log into their accounts to an interface that displays progress and achievements. As the launch grows closer, Prodigy will present other characters that are larger in size and also rarity, for those of you who are collectors. Tying in the virtue of card games, this title has several ability cards (such as power, will, and wisdom) to maneuver through objectives through your own 
initiatives. These elements serve to impact your decisions as you wander through the campaign, amplifying the personal attachment to Prodigy.
Tactical planning is required in this game as you determine which characters to play and which cards to enhance your character’s performance. It’s comparable to playing a game of chess, just this time you’re controlling mystical creatures. As each move is performed, a cut scene brings your actions to life as they transition to the actual battle. This RPG solely focuses on decisions and bringing these decisions to light as you watch the fantasy feud unfold.
The release still remains at a distance, but the energy Prodigy and the Kickstarter have been circulating has evolved into a frantic hype. Aspiring to a goal like $100,000 is a challenging feat for any indie developer. Hanakai Studio not only surpassed that goal in little to no time, but doubled down on their project’s strengths – its charisma and creativity – to raise the bar on both their fundraising campaign and the genre as a whole.
