Ah, one of the old "this game would be a 10 if it didnt play like poop carpaccio" games. Pathologic type game, very narratively challenging and impressive ludonarrative synchronicity. There's a lot of game journalism buzzwords you could describe middens with that make it sound very smart, and it is a very smart game, but it's not a game that you need to analyze for 100 hours to find its obscure symbolism compelling. Like some of the best surrealist works, it's got a semi-surface level to latch onto and invites you deeper into its bizarre complex of themes and ideas rather than throwing you into the deep end and just assuming you'll be interested because it's weird. I'd be lying if I said the visuals didn't do a lot of the heavy lifting, but that's just because it is a fucking gorgeous game. Like, El Shaddai visual design. Jack King Spooner tier visual design.
It takes a lot of cues from OFF but instead of OFF's needlessly frustrating gameplay, the gameplay in middens is... fine. It gets the job done. It's as basic as rpgmaker combat really gets, but that does tie in with the game's themes. If killing was insanely rich and rewarding it wouldn't really work with what it's going for.
IDK I could go on about why I like the themes clicking together and exploring the rift and shit but it's a free game and it takes like 3 hours to finish. You should give it a go. It's got a lot of meat on its bones.
It takes a lot of cues from OFF but instead of OFF's needlessly frustrating gameplay, the gameplay in middens is... fine. It gets the job done. It's as basic as rpgmaker combat really gets, but that does tie in with the game's themes. If killing was insanely rich and rewarding it wouldn't really work with what it's going for.
IDK I could go on about why I like the themes clicking together and exploring the rift and shit but it's a free game and it takes like 3 hours to finish. You should give it a go. It's got a lot of meat on its bones.
Putting aside the "dev is a very bad guy" stuff, because he isn't profiting from downloading a free game, I think Middens is an interesting but very flawed game. Its artwork is amazing and the dialogue and world very intriguing, but it falls flat as a game pretty hard. It's trying to be a Yume Nikki-like exploration game, but with actual RPG combat. This is fine but you're never really told what to do, which in truth is as simple as "kill 20 guys and get to the endgame lol". You can run around forever without realizing that and be very confused, and probably die a lot along the way, or know about it beforehand and end the game kinda fast-ish. I think some manner of tighter level design would greatly help Middens as a game, but I can't help but feel that its confusing nature fits the setting extremely well. Ultimately, I think it's worth playing.
Oh, Middens, I wanted to like you so bad. This game is the definition of aesthetic to me. It's just stunning. The visuals are trippy and bizarre, like a more painted Yume Nikki. In fact, I think this game would've been better without the combat. A lot of RPG Maker games are plagued by being way too easy. However, this one swings in the exact opposite direction.
It's got the same open world exploration thing as YN, and in a game that looks like this, you WANT to explore, because you never know what you're gonna find around the corner. However, it's very hard to tell whether or not an overworld entity is an enemy or an NPC. Cutting the combat from this game might've been enough to save it, but we'll never know. Is there linear progression to this? Is there an actual story with an endgoal? I don't know, because every time I play it, I go exploring, get my ass beat by some stupid strong enemy, and then I give up because I felt like I was punished for exploring in a game that very obviously wanted to encourage exploration.
It's got the same open world exploration thing as YN, and in a game that looks like this, you WANT to explore, because you never know what you're gonna find around the corner. However, it's very hard to tell whether or not an overworld entity is an enemy or an NPC. Cutting the combat from this game might've been enough to save it, but we'll never know. Is there linear progression to this? Is there an actual story with an endgoal? I don't know, because every time I play it, I go exploring, get my ass beat by some stupid strong enemy, and then I give up because I felt like I was punished for exploring in a game that very obviously wanted to encourage exploration.
In an endless sea of carbon copy exploration games made in RPG Maker (really all just glorified walking simulators), Middens is the only one, to this day, that failed to make me fall asleep on my keyboard. Turns out all one had to do to make these work was to add dialogue, proper diagonal movement and a simple, yet not braindead turn based combat. This game is essentially everything I was expecting to get out of Yume Nikki, after pretty much everyone and their mother was hyping that game up non stop a few years back.
a game i really wanted to like but ended up disappointed.
the visuals and story as sorta interesting but do not a lot to stand out amongst muuuch better alternatives (such as ETCETERA or other yume nikki style games). the rpg maker combat is not JUST rpg maker combat...... ok it is but with the added bonus of literally not needing to be there at all.
it's just not an experience i would ever want to go back to.
the visuals and story as sorta interesting but do not a lot to stand out amongst muuuch better alternatives (such as ETCETERA or other yume nikki style games). the rpg maker combat is not JUST rpg maker combat...... ok it is but with the added bonus of literally not needing to be there at all.
it's just not an experience i would ever want to go back to.