Initially released for the PC-98 in 1996, Corpse Party used RPG Maker to create an interesting story-based game that replaced combat encounters with puzzles and presented a horror experience that would go on to shape the approach many subsequent RPG Maker games would take.
RPG Maker games have existed as a niche since 1996, and they don’t show any signs of dying or becoming less popular with their audience.
The mysterious nature of both Yume Nikki and its developer made it an important game in building up popularity of the growing RPG Maker scene both in Japan and overseas.