Infusing WarioWare-style microgames into an irreverent turn-based RPG may seem like a stroke of genius, but unfortunately, the concept ends up being a chore the deeper players work through the experience. Couple that with a meandering story, strange player progression, and aggressive difficulty spikes Knuckle Sandwich comes across as a flawed labor of love. The eclectic soundtrack will at least keep your head bobbing in its more trying moments.
Full Review: https://neoncloudff.wordpress.com/2023/12/29/now-playing-december-2023-edition/
Full Review: https://neoncloudff.wordpress.com/2023/12/29/now-playing-december-2023-edition/
Okay, I'm not sure how to start this review, because I absolutely adore this game, but it has its slew of problems that prevent me from calling it perfect
Let's start there. The gameplay is unintuitive. You're constantly getting bogged down by the limited inventory space. They give the bosses health bars, but the fights almost always end before the bar is depleted, so why bother giving them health bars in the first place? The final area has enemies with attack that takes out a fat chunk of your health and is completely unavoidable. and they make you do MATH.
But oh my god, this game's charm is through the roof. The visuals are like nothing I've ever seen, from things like fun battle backgrounds to oddly smooth sprite animations to full 3D models of the protag and Busdriver. And it's the same with the audio too. This game's soundtrack is spectacular, almost every song is something memorable. Songs like VS Nout and Meet Your New Coworkers been stuck in my head for weeks now.
The story is nonsensical. Like, I get that people like to make the joke "quirky earthbound inspired RPG" to describe games like these, but games that get this descriptor, like Undertale and Omori still have a meaningful and structured story. But this game is weird from head to toe, and the story reflects that. It doesn't feel like you're part of the story, it feels like you're getting dragged around by it. (Which also kind of reflects the protag's feelings I feel). But somehow I still found myself falling in love with the characters HARD. They're all so normal despite the world they live in being so, so weird. Except for the burger boss of course, that guy is just weird all around. I can't describe to you how happy Dolus' oddball shtick makes me.
I'm not really sure how to end this review. I'm so in love with this game's world and its characters and, even though the game itself could use some improvements, it's an experience I won't forget and already find myself wanting to replay.
Let's start there. The gameplay is unintuitive. You're constantly getting bogged down by the limited inventory space. They give the bosses health bars, but the fights almost always end before the bar is depleted, so why bother giving them health bars in the first place? The final area has enemies with attack that takes out a fat chunk of your health and is completely unavoidable. and they make you do MATH.
But oh my god, this game's charm is through the roof. The visuals are like nothing I've ever seen, from things like fun battle backgrounds to oddly smooth sprite animations to full 3D models of the protag and Busdriver. And it's the same with the audio too. This game's soundtrack is spectacular, almost every song is something memorable. Songs like VS Nout and Meet Your New Coworkers been stuck in my head for weeks now.
The story is nonsensical. Like, I get that people like to make the joke "quirky earthbound inspired RPG" to describe games like these, but games that get this descriptor, like Undertale and Omori still have a meaningful and structured story. But this game is weird from head to toe, and the story reflects that. It doesn't feel like you're part of the story, it feels like you're getting dragged around by it. (Which also kind of reflects the protag's feelings I feel). But somehow I still found myself falling in love with the characters HARD. They're all so normal despite the world they live in being so, so weird. Except for the burger boss of course, that guy is just weird all around. I can't describe to you how happy Dolus' oddball shtick makes me.
I'm not really sure how to end this review. I'm so in love with this game's world and its characters and, even though the game itself could use some improvements, it's an experience I won't forget and already find myself wanting to replay.
Millennials gonna love the dialogue in this game 😰
I waited like 5 years for this game, and I'm not giving up on it, I'll come back too you eventually,
I swear, even if it take like 5 more year, I'll do it, I'll finish you!
I swear, even if it take like 5 more year, I'll do it, I'll finish you!
QUE PIKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
This game oozes character in an incredible way. I think the difficulty of the game gets in the way of the story though. Love the humor here.
there's a bug where the game plays faster if your monitor has a high refresh rate
so i played the whole game on 2.5x speed
and honestly? it ruled. more games should be 2.5x faster than they should be
so i played the whole game on 2.5x speed
and honestly? it ruled. more games should be 2.5x faster than they should be
This game should have been good but its just not remotely entertaining to play in the moment. It needed to come out 6 years ago.
I think it was really the combat it was just so frustrating. It felt like the enemies did more damage during their mini game attack than when you do yours. Also coming back a few months later to write this and I don't remember much about this game at all. It's very sporadic and imo not worth the price point. I wanted to love it but I think the RPG aspects were poorly thought out and end up being overly difficult as some enemies end up just being damage sponges even after you feel you've overleveled. Anyways has potential but it's safe to say that Andy might as well bring the knowledge from this game to another.
real tough one to rate, seems that's a common thread. It's stylish as fuck and I love the minigames battle system (not perfect, but infinitely more engaging and interesting than "hit attack and hope you don't miss"). There's just a sense of missed potential with this game. tldr i did really like it, it's artistically inspiring, it does a lot of things well...which just makes the shortcomings more obvious.
Your character never seems to be able to make any choices, and with the extremely limited inventory there aren't even many decisions to be made regarding battles, you either get good at the minigames or you don't. grinding seems pointless, since non-boss battles award you a pittance of Fortune Coins (if any!) and my level capped out before I beat the game. Normally in games like this I enjoy looking for little hidden items or character actions, but the stuff you do find seems inconsequential (found a new goblin? well you don't get to choose which one comes out during battle and they all behave the same...) or just fills up your inventory with garbage. Would've loved to see more side-quests, optional content, branching paths, character relationships, and for a game with this much love and charisma it's heartbreaking that in the end it's a pretty bland story, and digging any deeper yielded more frustration than awe.
Your character never seems to be able to make any choices, and with the extremely limited inventory there aren't even many decisions to be made regarding battles, you either get good at the minigames or you don't. grinding seems pointless, since non-boss battles award you a pittance of Fortune Coins (if any!) and my level capped out before I beat the game. Normally in games like this I enjoy looking for little hidden items or character actions, but the stuff you do find seems inconsequential (found a new goblin? well you don't get to choose which one comes out during battle and they all behave the same...) or just fills up your inventory with garbage. Would've loved to see more side-quests, optional content, branching paths, character relationships, and for a game with this much love and charisma it's heartbreaking that in the end it's a pretty bland story, and digging any deeper yielded more frustration than awe.
a bad rpg that's all style but no substance, which often lampshades how tedious it is. A plot that feels like it was taken over by a different writer after the first few acts. Your party doesn't matter, your skills and character build feel like they don't matter, there's a lot of tedious puzzles and backtracking. The game's finale drags on for way too long with twist villain after twist villain while I was begging this mess to just end already. Made me frequently ask how the dev could make so many terrible design decisions at every step.
It's just alright, which is a shame because the idea and aesthetic are great. The combat was the biggest
disappointment for me, as many minigames felt downright unfair.
disappointment for me, as many minigames felt downright unfair.
#5 of 2023
Absolutely delightful. A holistic vision of a familiar and psychedelic world. I felt immense amounts of intent and love poured into Knuckle Sandwich, and cackled at the way it revealed itself. Even the flaws are interesting!
Also, Dolus is my boyfriend.
Absolutely delightful. A holistic vision of a familiar and psychedelic world. I felt immense amounts of intent and love poured into Knuckle Sandwich, and cackled at the way it revealed itself. Even the flaws are interesting!
Also, Dolus is my boyfriend.
this game makes me feel like an australian
One of the most surreal RPG games I have ever played, it's like a mixture of the traditional RPG gameplay like the Mario & Luigi series and the Wario Ware series with the micro style minigames.
Having both of those games being mixed together and being served as a burger, make's it so good that you can't just stop eating it!
Having both of those games being mixed together and being served as a burger, make's it so good that you can't just stop eating it!
i might go back one day just to confirm my suspicions but the age old adage, "if the game's not fun, why bother?" is having me uninstall.
knuckle sandwich is an obvious labor of love with pleasant spritework/visuals and a great ost. that's all the praise i've got for it though. the worst thing that can happen as a "quirky earthbound-inspired rpg" developer is for a quirky earthbound-inspired rpg enjoyer to play your game.
on paper the idea of playing warioware-like minigames to spice up the monotony of rpg combat sounds awesome. in practice, it makes for even MORE tedium. get ready to play the same space shooter minigame multiple times even only in the first 3 hours. but i could stand a lack of variety if basic battles weren't unnecessarily drawn out because of this mechanic.
and i could also stand mediocre battles and gameplay if the writing carried its weight, but it doesn't. an interesting conceit is instantly tossed out for chaotic plot point after plot point, introducing seemingly unrelated characters and ideas that don't stick around long enough for you to develop any sort of attachment to. i fully admit that because i have not finished, this could change. but based on other reviews who share my sentiments even a quarter of the way through the game, i'm not optimistic it will.
simply put, i don't find it funny or charming on a base level, regardless of the overarching plot. it doesn't feel sincere; this feels like an rpg written and designed by someone who doesn't like or play rpgs. sweeping in with the promise of delivering your audience from the notorious tedium of jrpgs... but having padded battle times, mechanics that inspire even MORE tedium than your average rpgmaker grind game, a mind-bogglingly small inventory system (even smaller than earthbound's--that's crazy) requiring constant management, overcrowded dungeons that imply exploration will be rewarded (but it won't!), every kind of annoying dungeon puzzle you can think of... well, i don't know. feels like at some point you tapped out and were just going down a checklist.
knuckle sandwich is an obvious labor of love with pleasant spritework/visuals and a great ost. that's all the praise i've got for it though. the worst thing that can happen as a "quirky earthbound-inspired rpg" developer is for a quirky earthbound-inspired rpg enjoyer to play your game.
on paper the idea of playing warioware-like minigames to spice up the monotony of rpg combat sounds awesome. in practice, it makes for even MORE tedium. get ready to play the same space shooter minigame multiple times even only in the first 3 hours. but i could stand a lack of variety if basic battles weren't unnecessarily drawn out because of this mechanic.
and i could also stand mediocre battles and gameplay if the writing carried its weight, but it doesn't. an interesting conceit is instantly tossed out for chaotic plot point after plot point, introducing seemingly unrelated characters and ideas that don't stick around long enough for you to develop any sort of attachment to. i fully admit that because i have not finished, this could change. but based on other reviews who share my sentiments even a quarter of the way through the game, i'm not optimistic it will.
simply put, i don't find it funny or charming on a base level, regardless of the overarching plot. it doesn't feel sincere; this feels like an rpg written and designed by someone who doesn't like or play rpgs. sweeping in with the promise of delivering your audience from the notorious tedium of jrpgs... but having padded battle times, mechanics that inspire even MORE tedium than your average rpgmaker grind game, a mind-bogglingly small inventory system (even smaller than earthbound's--that's crazy) requiring constant management, overcrowded dungeons that imply exploration will be rewarded (but it won't!), every kind of annoying dungeon puzzle you can think of... well, i don't know. feels like at some point you tapped out and were just going down a checklist.
i think i like this game
incredible start, great core loop( sorta? ), good tunes, fun mini sections and bosses, but the last third dragged and failed to live up to expectations.
kept going in weird new directions different than what it was going for up to that point which got tiring and unfun. when i realized i only paid $7 by backing early on kickstarter it bumped it up to a mid review but for a while i kinda hated it !!
incredible start, great core loop( sorta? ), good tunes, fun mini sections and bosses, but the last third dragged and failed to live up to expectations.
kept going in weird new directions different than what it was going for up to that point which got tiring and unfun. when i realized i only paid $7 by backing early on kickstarter it bumped it up to a mid review but for a while i kinda hated it !!
Knuckle Sandwhich is a JRPG developed by Andrew Brophy and the game is his own attempt at a love letter for video games. It stars a silent protagonist, moving to Bright City to find a job, only to have Weird Shit constantly happen. You also commit a murder. Fun. What adventures await our Protagonist as he solves the mysteries of Bright City?
Combat was fun and was the standout part of the game for me. KS uses a take on Paper Mario’s Action Command battle system, and this one uses Wario Ware inspired microgames to determine if you’re successful or not on Attack or Defense. Usually these games last anywhere from 3-8 seconds, which gives a lot of room for battles to get to a point where they can drag, and it has for some players. But for me and my playthrough I didn’t really have that problem, even with the bosses most fights ended pretty quickly (thanks, Goblins!), and some cases TOO quickly (thanks, Gobilins!).
I’ve also seen complaints about the minigames getting to repetitive, but for the most part the "repetition" didn't really hit me. There’s a decent variety of mini games from the attacking enemies, and most of them were as enjoyable as playing a Microgame in Warioware complete with the difficulty of the Minigame going up when you succeed at one, so it kept the challenge fresh and engagement fun. There was a fatigue towards the end of the game, namely from the fact there's not a lot of variety in your own party's attacks and bosses and enemies attacks start to repeat, but luckily the game was in the final stages so it wasn't too hard for me to finish up.
On to the plot which is...fun? I’m not sure how to describe it. The game starts off running, combining a decent sense of mystery, supernatural and quirky comedy all assisted by an assortment of charismatic characters throughout, that kept me entertained and wanting to see what came next throughout the middle parts. And while it kept me entertained, the onslaught of new faces and details each chapter, while only hinting at answers started making the plot drag a bit, only for everything to be explained with a dump of information and twists in the last hour.
Though this is still saved by the fact that Bright City is just kind of a vibe. While there’s not a TON of secrets that’ll keep you busy for hours, there’s a fair bit of world here to explore and interact with that just feels comfy. I do wis there was more to do and see, more lines for the NPCs or even more secrets to find to flesh out the world, but whats here is enjoyable, and I’m sure there’s plenty of people who will get more out of it than I did.
This game is a bit of puzzling one to talk about. I think it’s a standout game, but I don’t think it’s a great game. Brophy's talent is apparent as it's sper easy to get drawn into the combat and world here I do get and even empathize with a lot of disappointment in this game, but I found the overall GBA cadence of the storytelling and gameplay to be comforting and enjoyable.
Combat was fun and was the standout part of the game for me. KS uses a take on Paper Mario’s Action Command battle system, and this one uses Wario Ware inspired microgames to determine if you’re successful or not on Attack or Defense. Usually these games last anywhere from 3-8 seconds, which gives a lot of room for battles to get to a point where they can drag, and it has for some players. But for me and my playthrough I didn’t really have that problem, even with the bosses most fights ended pretty quickly (thanks, Goblins!), and some cases TOO quickly (thanks, Gobilins!).
I’ve also seen complaints about the minigames getting to repetitive, but for the most part the "repetition" didn't really hit me. There’s a decent variety of mini games from the attacking enemies, and most of them were as enjoyable as playing a Microgame in Warioware complete with the difficulty of the Minigame going up when you succeed at one, so it kept the challenge fresh and engagement fun. There was a fatigue towards the end of the game, namely from the fact there's not a lot of variety in your own party's attacks and bosses and enemies attacks start to repeat, but luckily the game was in the final stages so it wasn't too hard for me to finish up.
On to the plot which is...fun? I’m not sure how to describe it. The game starts off running, combining a decent sense of mystery, supernatural and quirky comedy all assisted by an assortment of charismatic characters throughout, that kept me entertained and wanting to see what came next throughout the middle parts. And while it kept me entertained, the onslaught of new faces and details each chapter, while only hinting at answers started making the plot drag a bit, only for everything to be explained with a dump of information and twists in the last hour.
Though this is still saved by the fact that Bright City is just kind of a vibe. While there’s not a TON of secrets that’ll keep you busy for hours, there’s a fair bit of world here to explore and interact with that just feels comfy. I do wis there was more to do and see, more lines for the NPCs or even more secrets to find to flesh out the world, but whats here is enjoyable, and I’m sure there’s plenty of people who will get more out of it than I did.
This game is a bit of puzzling one to talk about. I think it’s a standout game, but I don’t think it’s a great game. Brophy's talent is apparent as it's sper easy to get drawn into the combat and world here I do get and even empathize with a lot of disappointment in this game, but I found the overall GBA cadence of the storytelling and gameplay to be comforting and enjoyable.
The charm and creativity is also its biggest setback. The story is just...really bland and uninteresting. But I see immense potential here, just maybe not as an RPG.
A labor of love, for better and for worse.
Really wanted to enjoy this. I have a lot of fondness for any indie product, particularly one as ambitious as this. The gameplay is incredibly elaborate, with WarioWare style minigames personalized for hundreds of enemy types. Charming character design. Extreme detail put into all sorts of chance dialogue and encounters. Beautiful pixel art, fun music. A visual spectacle.
But the story... leaves me cold. Protagonist arrives in a new city, gets a miserable job, and follows the pathway flags of the plot. The character goals, the wider stakes, the motivations of the characters... it just kind of blends together into following directions. I have always adored stories where one hapless protagonist is dragged into an increasingly stressful and absurd series of circumstances against their will. But the silent nature of the protagonist means they don't get to really react to the world around them. Undertale works a lot because of how much the cast kind of projects onto Frisk. Characters in Knuckle Sandwich kinda go "damn, that was crazy. Don't really know your deal btw, let's get drinks when you're free." That in itself would be compelling, but the characters never get that chance to get drinks and let personalities shine. Events occur, in an order, without much heart in them. The dev team clearly cared about what they were making- all the effort and craft demonstrates that love for this genre and game! But its hard to feel the foundational beating heart in the story to propel the narrative. Characters follow the plot checkpoints when their personalities should be driving the plot forward on its own.
It sucks because I really do enjoy the gameplay but when I've committed nine hours, am only half way through, and I still don't care about the characters, I'm just sort of... done. I couldn't invest myself in someone's silly little world and its hard to tell if they failed me or I failed them.
Really wanted to enjoy this. I have a lot of fondness for any indie product, particularly one as ambitious as this. The gameplay is incredibly elaborate, with WarioWare style minigames personalized for hundreds of enemy types. Charming character design. Extreme detail put into all sorts of chance dialogue and encounters. Beautiful pixel art, fun music. A visual spectacle.
But the story... leaves me cold. Protagonist arrives in a new city, gets a miserable job, and follows the pathway flags of the plot. The character goals, the wider stakes, the motivations of the characters... it just kind of blends together into following directions. I have always adored stories where one hapless protagonist is dragged into an increasingly stressful and absurd series of circumstances against their will. But the silent nature of the protagonist means they don't get to really react to the world around them. Undertale works a lot because of how much the cast kind of projects onto Frisk. Characters in Knuckle Sandwich kinda go "damn, that was crazy. Don't really know your deal btw, let's get drinks when you're free." That in itself would be compelling, but the characters never get that chance to get drinks and let personalities shine. Events occur, in an order, without much heart in them. The dev team clearly cared about what they were making- all the effort and craft demonstrates that love for this genre and game! But its hard to feel the foundational beating heart in the story to propel the narrative. Characters follow the plot checkpoints when their personalities should be driving the plot forward on its own.
It sucks because I really do enjoy the gameplay but when I've committed nine hours, am only half way through, and I still don't care about the characters, I'm just sort of... done. I couldn't invest myself in someone's silly little world and its hard to tell if they failed me or I failed them.
This is such a cool game. I wish it was good.
Like, there are so many banger moments and I love the surreal vibe, but the archaic inventory management, scattershot storyline, and Super Paper Mario tier level design holds it back significantly.
Still, the surreal nature, endearing main cast, and the absolutely bonkers battle system keep this game in the green for me.
Like, there are so many banger moments and I love the surreal vibe, but the archaic inventory management, scattershot storyline, and Super Paper Mario tier level design holds it back significantly.
Still, the surreal nature, endearing main cast, and the absolutely bonkers battle system keep this game in the green for me.
AKA We need to call Earthbound clones something else because this is Something Else
A solid Earthbound-like with minigame combat and a bizarre aesthetic. A fun romp but not quite enough to hold my attention to the end.
A solid Earthbound-like with minigame combat and a bizarre aesthetic. A fun romp but not quite enough to hold my attention to the end.
Tries to cram every single quirky gameplay mechanic into one towering sandwich - cool in principle, hard to digest