Once in a while, I will come across a game that exists beyond the standard gameplay genres already defined. They have the potential to be incredible experiences that hold me for hours, the only thing that could pull me away being some important task (like eating).
Loop Hero met that potential, in the beginning. Its genre is impossible to define. Itโs a card/deck builder, but also an idle game, but actually not an idle game since constant attention is required. Gameplay wise, it's truly unique. The story aspect was also given attention. I was genuinely intrigued by the storyline and where it was going.
I never did satiate that curiosity, as I quit midway. Loop Hero suffers from being too long in the worst way possible โ grinding. As such, it's hard for me to think of who would enjoy the entire game. Not to say that it's bad, but who would want to sit through all that grinding? Maybe thatโs you, only you can say.
๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ
You play as the Hero (probably) trying to restore and save the world after the Lich decided to pretty much annihilate all of it, including all memories. This can be achieved by simply walking in circles. As I said, it is a fairly interesting story, with a unique setting. Saving the world is nothing new, but restoring it from almost nothing, that I havenโt seen before. There is a variety of characters, some of which you recruit, others you fight.
Overall, it gives meaning to your actions and it ties into the gameplay quite well. The game would be worse without it.
๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ
Now that I think about it, I can throw rouge-lite and RTS into the list of genres this game almost is.
You have your character, the Hero, however you donโt control him. They simply walk endlessly in circles on a road, stopping every cycle at a camp to heal. Why? Because on this road monsters spawn. Thatโs a good thing since thatโs when the actual gameplay begins. When the Hero slays a monster, you get a card or equipment.
The equipment is pretty straightforward. If it's better than what your character already has, then you switch it. There is some strategy when it comes to special abilities some weapons and armour have. The cards are where the real strategy is. They can be a wide range of things โ meadows, mountains, vampire mansions, spider nests, and so on. These buildings and terrain can be placed either next to the road, or somewhere in the oblivion. Each one serves a different function, like the mountain gives more HP or the vampire mansion that spawns vampires on the road.
All of this creates a fascinating game of balance. You have to put more monsters on the road so that you can get more loot. Loot, which will prepare you for when the enemies become more powerful. However, too many monsters will mean your character loses more health than they can gain back.
The grind comes from the other aspect of Loop Hero, the camp. There, everything youโve put down is converted into materials, used to upgrade the camp. These upgrades give you more cards and progress the story. Unfortunately, the amount needed at one point becomes too much. It ends up requiring multiple runs, that turn out practically identical, to make any meaningful progress.
In conclusion, I wish this game was shorter.
๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐๐ฌ/๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฅ๐
Loop Hero employs a simplistic 2D pixel artstyle. I think it works well enough to convey what has to be conveyed. The character portraits especially have given quite a lot of detail.
The sound effects have to be given praise โ they fit very well into the pixel artstyle of the rest of the game.
๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ซ๐/๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Even as simplistic as the presentation is, there is still some atmosphere.
The feel it gives off reminds me of those old consoles, like GBA. Something you would find on there.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ค
I heard the ost being described as what you would hear in Castlevania. While I havenโt played any of them, I can definitely imagine it, given the retro and almost 8-bit nature of the music. That is to say, it fits with the theme of the game and I think even on its own it's damn good.
My favourite part is โEntropic Rhapsodyโ.
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ
Did you know, most of the titles of the various songs in the ost are references to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Loop Hero met that potential, in the beginning. Its genre is impossible to define. Itโs a card/deck builder, but also an idle game, but actually not an idle game since constant attention is required. Gameplay wise, it's truly unique. The story aspect was also given attention. I was genuinely intrigued by the storyline and where it was going.
I never did satiate that curiosity, as I quit midway. Loop Hero suffers from being too long in the worst way possible โ grinding. As such, it's hard for me to think of who would enjoy the entire game. Not to say that it's bad, but who would want to sit through all that grinding? Maybe thatโs you, only you can say.
๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ
You play as the Hero (probably) trying to restore and save the world after the Lich decided to pretty much annihilate all of it, including all memories. This can be achieved by simply walking in circles. As I said, it is a fairly interesting story, with a unique setting. Saving the world is nothing new, but restoring it from almost nothing, that I havenโt seen before. There is a variety of characters, some of which you recruit, others you fight.
Overall, it gives meaning to your actions and it ties into the gameplay quite well. The game would be worse without it.
๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ
Now that I think about it, I can throw rouge-lite and RTS into the list of genres this game almost is.
You have your character, the Hero, however you donโt control him. They simply walk endlessly in circles on a road, stopping every cycle at a camp to heal. Why? Because on this road monsters spawn. Thatโs a good thing since thatโs when the actual gameplay begins. When the Hero slays a monster, you get a card or equipment.
The equipment is pretty straightforward. If it's better than what your character already has, then you switch it. There is some strategy when it comes to special abilities some weapons and armour have. The cards are where the real strategy is. They can be a wide range of things โ meadows, mountains, vampire mansions, spider nests, and so on. These buildings and terrain can be placed either next to the road, or somewhere in the oblivion. Each one serves a different function, like the mountain gives more HP or the vampire mansion that spawns vampires on the road.
All of this creates a fascinating game of balance. You have to put more monsters on the road so that you can get more loot. Loot, which will prepare you for when the enemies become more powerful. However, too many monsters will mean your character loses more health than they can gain back.
The grind comes from the other aspect of Loop Hero, the camp. There, everything youโve put down is converted into materials, used to upgrade the camp. These upgrades give you more cards and progress the story. Unfortunately, the amount needed at one point becomes too much. It ends up requiring multiple runs, that turn out practically identical, to make any meaningful progress.
In conclusion, I wish this game was shorter.
๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐๐ฌ/๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฅ๐
Loop Hero employs a simplistic 2D pixel artstyle. I think it works well enough to convey what has to be conveyed. The character portraits especially have given quite a lot of detail.
The sound effects have to be given praise โ they fit very well into the pixel artstyle of the rest of the game.
๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ซ๐/๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Even as simplistic as the presentation is, there is still some atmosphere.
The feel it gives off reminds me of those old consoles, like GBA. Something you would find on there.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ค
I heard the ost being described as what you would hear in Castlevania. While I havenโt played any of them, I can definitely imagine it, given the retro and almost 8-bit nature of the music. That is to say, it fits with the theme of the game and I think even on its own it's damn good.
My favourite part is โEntropic Rhapsodyโ.
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ
Did you know, most of the titles of the various songs in the ost are references to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.