GiggleForce Announcement and FAQ

A few days back, I announced a project I've been working on with a handful of friends called "GiggleForce". Reception so far has been beyond what I could have imagined: to some it might not seem like much, but I haven't really gotten this kind of response on a game in a while.
Maybe that's because I've been focusing mostly on smaller web games for the past few years? Maybe it's because people just like the superficial Earthbound look? I dunno, but I'm glad people seem to like it.

Render of the game's protagonists by Topple: the game's main concept artist

In short:
Giggleforce is a parody of the "Quirky Earthbound-inspired RPG" subgenre. You play as a recently-let-go everyman: Guy Parker, a provocative young wrestling enthusiast: Dani Shapel, a masked serial killer: Robert Pilkington, and an ex-stuntman: Jickie Choon. These four unwittingly end up hunted by an obsessive cult hellbent on making sure they can't bring to fruition a prophecy that would prevent the rise of their utopia.
!FAIR WARNING!
Giggleforce features a lot of crude humor and adult subject matter. There's no shame in being uncomfortable with this kind of content, but I would recommend against playing the game if this sounds unpleasant to you.

I've gotten a fair few questions and comments about the project, and seeing as how I've been mostly silent about it thusfar I figure now is as good a time as any to answer them:

RELEASE / DEVELOPMENT
Q: When will the game release?
A: At the moment, there is no set release date.

Q: Will this game be released on platforms like Steam? How much will it cost?
A: GiggleForce will only available on Gamejolt as freeware. Certain scenes absolutely require the use of copyrighted assets.

Q: Where can I follow this game?
A: I post monthly updates on the game in the Unique Indie RPGs Discord server.
I try to post semi-regularly on Twitter, though as GiggleForce is largely a comedy game I might go dark when I'm working on sequences that are better experienced blind.

GAMEPLAY / GAME DESIGN
Q: Can you rename the party members?
A: Yes, at the beginning of the game, you are able set unique names for all the main party members, as well as a few words that appear in dialogue ala the favorite food/thing in Earthbound.
Temporary party member names can't be set, with one exception.

Q: Are there any other party members?
A: Yes! At the moment there are 5, but there could be more:
Karlov Smitovski: A sweet and endearing foreign man who guides Guy and Dani in the ways of his tribe of Elvis impersonators, who he struggles to fit in with.
Rosa Witt: One of countless true-crime fanatics, Rosa is utterly enamored with Robert Pilkington.
Dubya: An unfortunately-named monkey sold to you for a mere 20 dollars. If you truly hate George Bush, you can change his name.
Sir Buffcoat, the Lion of the Codlands: A legendary knight from a snowy land to the north. He seeks to bring an end to the tyrannical rule of the sinister and illusive Green Wizard.
Sergei: Sir Buffcoat's squire and pack-mule.
Earl F Brown: You like the name? His mother does too! An obnoxious fourth-wall breaking public defender once employed by the Church of Scientology who hasn't lost a case yet!

Q: How long is the game going to be?
A: I'm aiming for something around 9 hours in length, but I may cut or add content that changes that.

Q: How bad is the "crude humor and adult subject matter"?
A: It's hard to really give specifics without spoiling some of what I consider the game's best moments, but personally, I feel like it's about on par with something like Da Ali G Show.
Characters cuss, there's nudity in certain sections, and the player can take pills to cure status effects.

MISC
Q: I thought you were working on a sequel to Beetle Ninja? When is that coming out?
A: Admittedly, Beetle Ninja 2 was mostly born out of the over-enthusiasm I had for the original game. The project has lingered on in development hell for about 3 or 4 years now, and while bits and pieces of it are still technically impressive to me, I wouldn't hold your breath expecting it to release.

Q: Who's who?
A: Guy is the man in blue with the yellow tie, Dani is the red-haired girl in the yellow jumper, Robert is the guy with the metal mask, and Jickie's the guy with the boxing glove and the wifebeater.

Q: Is this set in the same universe as Beetle Ninja or Where the Moon Goes at Night?
A: GiggleForce is very much a separate continuity from my earlier games.

Q: What are the main influences of the game?

A: Aside from the obvious Earthbound and Conker's Bad Fur Day influence, Blues Brothers, The Book of Mormon musical, and Bare Faced Messiah are probably the most influential pieces of media on the story.
Aside from those: Jesus Christ Superstar and Fallout New Vegas inform some of the dialogue writing, and I try to draw as much from Monty Python, old school SNL, An Idiot Abroad, and The Muppets as I can without it feeling too obnoxious.