Game Groups > Relics series

Relics, which is Bothtec's best known work in Japan, started as a game based on the idea of Yoshihiko Takei, an employee of Bothtec who was later responsible for marketing games developed by Bothtec and Quest. An action-adventure game with a possession mechanic where the players are surrounded by mystery as they try to find out what had happened, why they are navigating through underwater ruins and what they need to do. The game received a release on the Famicom Disk System with the possession mechanic simplified and the gameplay altered due to hardware limitations. Over a decade later, Bothtec remade the original game as an Action-RPG inspired by games like Diablo and followed it with a sequel titled Relics: The 2nd Birth. A third Action-RPG game was under development, as well as an Xbox exclusive sequel going back to the side scrolling roots of the original game titled Relics: The Absolute Spirit. The Xbox game was going to be the first game of the series to receive a worldwide release. Due to Bothtec's bankruptcy, the Xbox sequel was cancelled in 2004 and development of the third RPG game was handed over to Nihon Falcom. Due to the lack of rights to use the Relics name, the final game, while keeping all the terms used in the Relics series, as well as the connection to the series universe, had to be renamed as RINNE.