The one thing I knew about this game before going in was how challenging it was and how this challenge created a schism between those who have played this game. By the end, the game had won me over to the side of liking it but only just barely as I had to go through a lot of pain to get to that point.
For starters, the presentation is downright gorgeous with stellar pixel art displaying a very hostile and abandoned world. Creeping around the ruins of civilization you know nothing about and has been gone for god knows how long is an aesthetic I find very appealing. Each area of the game feels very distinct from itself offering new creatures and obstacles to encounter which refreshes the gameplay loop a little bit.
Where my main concerns for this game lie is in its said gameplay loop which requires you to be at certain in-game levels in order to reach the next area. This would not be that bad on its own but the lack of solid directions lead me either to dead ends or down dangerous paths that resulted in my death numerous times. After a while, it felt like the game was wasting my time by throwing enemies at me out of nowhere and forcing me to grind to a higher level only to be killed out of nowhere again. I understand the game is trying to replicate the harsh environment a creature like the "Slugcat" would have to endure but many times my appreciation of this detail was clouded by my rage of dying over 10 times in one area.
I have a lot of respect for this game whether it be because of its aforementioned stellar presentation, impressive enemy ai, and ecosystem, or even its cool ambient soundtrack. I wish I could love this game more but I found its gameplay infuriating one too many times for me to even want to go back and play the other characters. That being said I would still recommend this to those who want to see a unique type of game that has not been replicated yet. I am glad I was able to experience it despite my misgivings about it.
For starters, the presentation is downright gorgeous with stellar pixel art displaying a very hostile and abandoned world. Creeping around the ruins of civilization you know nothing about and has been gone for god knows how long is an aesthetic I find very appealing. Each area of the game feels very distinct from itself offering new creatures and obstacles to encounter which refreshes the gameplay loop a little bit.
Where my main concerns for this game lie is in its said gameplay loop which requires you to be at certain in-game levels in order to reach the next area. This would not be that bad on its own but the lack of solid directions lead me either to dead ends or down dangerous paths that resulted in my death numerous times. After a while, it felt like the game was wasting my time by throwing enemies at me out of nowhere and forcing me to grind to a higher level only to be killed out of nowhere again. I understand the game is trying to replicate the harsh environment a creature like the "Slugcat" would have to endure but many times my appreciation of this detail was clouded by my rage of dying over 10 times in one area.
I have a lot of respect for this game whether it be because of its aforementioned stellar presentation, impressive enemy ai, and ecosystem, or even its cool ambient soundtrack. I wish I could love this game more but I found its gameplay infuriating one too many times for me to even want to go back and play the other characters. That being said I would still recommend this to those who want to see a unique type of game that has not been replicated yet. I am glad I was able to experience it despite my misgivings about it.