I've got that, In should check it out
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“I Just Think They're Neat.” Like What You are Playing
- Thread starter Becksworth
- Start date
I had my eye on "False Skies" (2022, itch, Steam) for a while, but the time finally came for me to play it this week. I wanted a brisk and classic RPG, and it's been delivering. Got its hooks deeper in me than any indie RPG in recent memory, and I haven't even gotten far enough to interact meaningfully with the class system that is apparently its crown jewel. It's hitting the sweet spot of balance where you have to vary your tactics in order to win fast, and resource attrition is an active concern. The GBC-inspired aesthetics extend to super-fast animations and terse story events, but not so far as to burden you with low-info UI or peephole-viewer exploration.
Is it really all that special, or did it just happen to catch me when I was in the right mood for it? That I can't tell yet.
Is it really all that special, or did it just happen to catch me when I was in the right mood for it? That I can't tell yet.
I don't know when I'll get around to playing it, but these two phrases forced me to insta-buy it. Thanks for the heads up, I'd not heard of it!
This is more "like what you were playing four months ago?", but on the topic of Steam GB SaGa-likes, I really enjoyed my time with The Secret of Varonis (steam link). It's a pastiche of all three games, with towers, elemental shards, missing family members and all that, and there's an obvious love for the source material throughout.
MrBlarney
(he / him)
I've been playing quite a few things off of the back of the Spring Steam Sale, but I wanted to make note of a couple of games with bits that I've found interesting.
Cryptmaster is presented as a dungeon crawler, but as you commit every non-movement action through typing, it's really more a word game. It puts a heavy emphasis on riddles and other wordplay puzzles, which I sometimes don't feel smart enough for. (Fortunately, there are plenty of sliders to nudge to make the experience easier, and even the smallest of advantages have been big for making sure I don't fail every single treasure box or skull riddle.) The big wow point of the script / voice acting taking into account a very large range of inputs has felt true to the hype. For a couple of the story-based riddles, I put in alternative answers that were accepted, with the questioner going "I was thinking of X, but I guess Y works too so it's my loss." That's some real good feels there.
Nine Sols is a wildly different type of game, a 2-D Souls-inspired exploration platformer, in a similar vein as Hollow Knight. And, befitting its subgenre, it's very difficult. So much so that, after being stuck on the first boss for a while, I ended up using my ability from that first region to explore the second region and a good portion of the third region to get stronger. But as part of that exploration, I got a bunch of items for upgrading my arrows and healing pipe, but had no bow or vendor for equipment upgrades. I actually ended up beating the second boss before returning back to the first one, and it's kind of funny that it was the single roadblock to getting access to my bow and pipe upgrades. Also, that I spent all of my money on other things before going back to that first boss, and now I have lots of stuff to spend money on, but none of it on hand. Ah, but I do have the rest of the third area to finish exploring, so I'm sure I'll get those upgrades eventually.
Cryptmaster is presented as a dungeon crawler, but as you commit every non-movement action through typing, it's really more a word game. It puts a heavy emphasis on riddles and other wordplay puzzles, which I sometimes don't feel smart enough for. (Fortunately, there are plenty of sliders to nudge to make the experience easier, and even the smallest of advantages have been big for making sure I don't fail every single treasure box or skull riddle.) The big wow point of the script / voice acting taking into account a very large range of inputs has felt true to the hype. For a couple of the story-based riddles, I put in alternative answers that were accepted, with the questioner going "I was thinking of X, but I guess Y works too so it's my loss." That's some real good feels there.
Nine Sols is a wildly different type of game, a 2-D Souls-inspired exploration platformer, in a similar vein as Hollow Knight. And, befitting its subgenre, it's very difficult. So much so that, after being stuck on the first boss for a while, I ended up using my ability from that first region to explore the second region and a good portion of the third region to get stronger. But as part of that exploration, I got a bunch of items for upgrading my arrows and healing pipe, but had no bow or vendor for equipment upgrades. I actually ended up beating the second boss before returning back to the first one, and it's kind of funny that it was the single roadblock to getting access to my bow and pipe upgrades. Also, that I spent all of my money on other things before going back to that first boss, and now I have lots of stuff to spend money on, but none of it on hand. Ah, but I do have the rest of the third area to finish exploring, so I'm sure I'll get those upgrades eventually.
Becksworth
Aging Hipster Dragon Dad
Just hopping on to say if you haven't seen Zexion yet, it's hella good.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3392510/Zexion/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3392510/Zexion/
Seconded. I've been waiting for a Metroid-ass Metroid style of experience that hasn't decided to just be like "hehe dark souls but in space". And while Rebel Transmute was certainly a fun cool time despite that, Zexion is ACTUALLY just a dang ol Metroid and I mean that as the highest of praise.
Been playing Astrea: Six Sided Oracles. The game that answers the age old question of “What if Slay the Spire had dice instead of cards?”.
Turns out; “changes up the flow of gameplay quite a bit”; there’s mechanics where you have to either damage yourself or heal enemies in order to access/prevent higher damage attacks, rewarded dice can vary between safe options with lots of good but weak abilities or few, but poweful ones, lots of ways to build synergy with decks, managing helper units. Really extensive reworking of some tried and true mechanics.
Most importantly, one of the dice Abilities is called “Shark Onslaught” that calculates damage based on how many dice with the name “Shark” you have in your deck.
Video games are amazing.
Turns out; “changes up the flow of gameplay quite a bit”; there’s mechanics where you have to either damage yourself or heal enemies in order to access/prevent higher damage attacks, rewarded dice can vary between safe options with lots of good but weak abilities or few, but poweful ones, lots of ways to build synergy with decks, managing helper units. Really extensive reworking of some tried and true mechanics.
Most importantly, one of the dice Abilities is called “Shark Onslaught” that calculates damage based on how many dice with the name “Shark” you have in your deck.
Video games are amazing.
AI Limit is probably my favourite example of the "let's just copy From's homework line by line" school of design. Bloodborne-esque aggression mechanics meet further emphasizing of a quicker pace in taking stamina out of the equation, and instead tying all special actions like weapon arts, magic, parries, blocking, buffing and advanced dashing maneuvers to a "sync rate" gauge that fills when you get hits in and empties out when spending it on said verbs or when getting hit yourself. It's both streamlined and conducive to using what you have whenever you have it, and on-the-ball play means you always have more options available to you to respond to any situation. I was surprised by the level design being actually pretty solid in fashioning three-dimensional spaces with interesting enemy placements, versatile stage hazards and optional nooks and branches that you could actually miss if not being thorough; this is the aspect that Souls clones struggle with the most so any gestures toward explorational intricacy is noteworthy. I wouldn't highlight the game's post-apocalyptic self-actualization yarn told through bogus religion and technological monster mayhem in a positive sense, but that it happens amidst Tsutomu Nihei megastructures gives it a certain architectural gravitas that the written word doesn't. At a glance the game might remind one of other genre tracings like the interminable Code Vein, but it thankfully doesn't descend to the depths of its brand of sexualization; yes, the major players and hardest bosses are all anime sword babes, but leotards, midriffs and high heels are about the extent of the game's exploitative tendencies. Dress-up for the protagonist exists but is fairly limited--I still valued it for what was there. At around 23 hours for the most complete and optional exploration-adjacent ending, it's also shorter than standard for the formula, which comes appreciated.
Nope. A percentage of crystals (the souls equivalent currency) from your total are deducted on death, with said percentage determined by an accessory that governs that value, the percentage of crystals you gain from each enemy's base value on defeat, and how quickly your sync rate restores on hit.
4-So
Spicy
I reached Chapter 4 and stopped for the night but I'm pretty sure South of Midnight will be my GOTY. I know I'm biased as a Cajun and native son of south Louisiana but it's a stunning work. Every frame, every song, every name, every accent - I was not prepared for a relatively small team of devs from Montreal to hit me in the face with my own culture.
When I was reading a piece of in-game lore and the letter was signed with the surname Guidry, I just sat for a solid minute, delighted that it was used (and delighted because I know how to pronouce it correctly). Same deal with seeing the word couyon. How did they get the Cajun English correct? Who consulted on this game? My wife watched me play and commented that some of the characters sound like people in my family. And I haven't even really talked about the music, which is not only great but pieces together narrative bits. The songs are telling a story.
The combat parts can get repetitive and unvaried but when the game has done so much else right, it feels almost petty to bring up.
I can already tell this game will get another playthrough after I've finished and had time to digest it more, and if you know my tendency to very rarely revisit games, you know that's no faint praise.
When I was reading a piece of in-game lore and the letter was signed with the surname Guidry, I just sat for a solid minute, delighted that it was used (and delighted because I know how to pronouce it correctly). Same deal with seeing the word couyon. How did they get the Cajun English correct? Who consulted on this game? My wife watched me play and commented that some of the characters sound like people in my family. And I haven't even really talked about the music, which is not only great but pieces together narrative bits. The songs are telling a story.
The combat parts can get repetitive and unvaried but when the game has done so much else right, it feels almost petty to bring up.
I can already tell this game will get another playthrough after I've finished and had time to digest it more, and if you know my tendency to very rarely revisit games, you know that's no faint praise.
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
I didn't have time to start this last night but am so excited to start it. I'm really glad to see this.
Arco absolutely rips and I can’t believe that it seems like basically no one played it. I think maybe it doesn't do a great job of selling itself in screenshots and video, but it's utterly unique (elements of CRPG and RTS and SRPG and bullet hell) and has a really compelling story of (thus far after two acts) tragedy and revenge.
Arco is one of those Best Games That Nobody Ever Heard Of games
Promise Mascot Agency is billed as a management sim, and it is one, but the actual moment-to-moment gameplay is far more taken up with open world exploration and it's chock-a-block full of bits and bobs to drip you dopamine. There are:
I do like how you can start seeing a difference in certain parts of town and your headquarters as you buy upgrades and develop stuff, too, more people-silhouettes showing up to make things seem more lively.
The music is good, but doesn't really compare to Paradise Killer, sadly. And some of the characters are pretty fun.
I do like it, hence why I'm posting here, but if you're not into that kind of open world thing-finding (I am very prone to distractable exploration and collection in games so it works for me) you might not find it to your taste.
- Piles of money scattered around
- Signs for the mayor to destroy
- piles of trash to clean up
- sins to dispel
- mountain spirits to chase down to upgrade your truck
- destructable gates you unlock later (the cannon also lets you collect most of the above from range)
- shrines to clean
- hero cards to find
- subcontractor mascot cards
- city plans
- business upgrade plans
- nail paint for Pinky
- Mascot merch
- fishing spots
- Campaign rally spots
- Vending machines
- fast travel phone booths
- Side quest items to collect for people
- music tracks to unlock
I do like how you can start seeing a difference in certain parts of town and your headquarters as you buy upgrades and develop stuff, too, more people-silhouettes showing up to make things seem more lively.
The music is good, but doesn't really compare to Paradise Killer, sadly. And some of the characters are pretty fun.
I do like it, hence why I'm posting here, but if you're not into that kind of open world thing-finding (I am very prone to distractable exploration and collection in games so it works for me) you might not find it to your taste.
I put a little bit of time in MMBN 3
I think I love Battle Network.
The wild thing about this series is that the story is pure gradeschool but the gameplay is total postgrad. It's such a destabilizing combo; you'll be cruising along through a sat-am adventure and suddenly a random encounter will stomp you flat or a boss will brick wall. You've really got to be liberal with your saving or a surprise game over will cost you a hefty chunk of time. But the robustness of the battle system gives you so many options and approaches and contains so many hidden synergies that it feels like a work of genius. There's always a smarter or more efficient way to deal with a tough encounter. I'm also impressed at the way the system balances prep and execution. It's almost always better to build a stronger deck, but you can also succeed with bad cards if you're quick on the draw. But man, the game will really tax you if you take that route. Feels so good either way though, besting a boss because you out-strategized them or because you pulled through in a clutch. Pure satisfaction. These games really are the poster child for wide as a tea cup deep as the sea.
I think I love Battle Network.
The wild thing about this series is that the story is pure gradeschool but the gameplay is total postgrad. It's such a destabilizing combo; you'll be cruising along through a sat-am adventure and suddenly a random encounter will stomp you flat or a boss will brick wall. You've really got to be liberal with your saving or a surprise game over will cost you a hefty chunk of time. But the robustness of the battle system gives you so many options and approaches and contains so many hidden synergies that it feels like a work of genius. There's always a smarter or more efficient way to deal with a tough encounter. I'm also impressed at the way the system balances prep and execution. It's almost always better to build a stronger deck, but you can also succeed with bad cards if you're quick on the draw. But man, the game will really tax you if you take that route. Feels so good either way though, besting a boss because you out-strategized them or because you pulled through in a clutch. Pure satisfaction. These games really are the poster child for wide as a tea cup deep as the sea.
It has happened with individual games, but Mega Man Battle Network and (traditional) Pokémon are the only two franchises where I always knew (well, "always" after playing at least one) that the "main campaign" was perfunctory silliness, and the "post game" was going to be where I could dig in. There is a very zen feeling in treating everything before the credits as some kind of tutorial before finally getting to battle QuickMan.Exe V3.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Battle Network love! How nice.
MMBN 3 is, imo, the best game in the series. Certainly from a plot point, because it has actual character growth and some decent world building, even inside all the saturday morning goofiness.
And yeah, the battle system is absolutely great. I always played with an alphabet soup folder, and focused more on busting, with one or maybe two strong chips per round. Worked well, I always enjoyed just busting enemies away (or having access to Guts Style, which is focusing on buster usage, and makes that more viable).
Lokii, I will mention it once more: If you enjoy Battle Network, and want more, play shanghai.exe. I'm now at the last boss, and, aside from MMBN 3, it's probably my favourite BN game. MAYBE aside from 2, which I also love. But it's absolutely great, aside from some weird difficulty spikes. I mean, it's generally harder than the regular BN games, but should be doable if one is good enough to make it through BN 3. It's free!
Also, don't play Battle Network 4. It's not a good game.
MMBN 3 is, imo, the best game in the series. Certainly from a plot point, because it has actual character growth and some decent world building, even inside all the saturday morning goofiness.
And yeah, the battle system is absolutely great. I always played with an alphabet soup folder, and focused more on busting, with one or maybe two strong chips per round. Worked well, I always enjoyed just busting enemies away (or having access to Guts Style, which is focusing on buster usage, and makes that more viable).
Lokii, I will mention it once more: If you enjoy Battle Network, and want more, play shanghai.exe. I'm now at the last boss, and, aside from MMBN 3, it's probably my favourite BN game. MAYBE aside from 2, which I also love. But it's absolutely great, aside from some weird difficulty spikes. I mean, it's generally harder than the regular BN games, but should be doable if one is good enough to make it through BN 3. It's free!
Also, don't play Battle Network 4. It's not a good game.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
I know nothing about Touhou. It's a BN game with Touhou characters, and has storywise completely standalone. You should feel right at home.
Also, I would love to read more of your thoughts, as you play through the series. Just saying, if you post, I'll enjoy reading it. I'm always interested in people talking about BN.
I do hope, you will have fun with 4.
Hmm, I'm curious, how much of the postgame of BN 2 did you do? Did you do anything? Did you actually know that there is a postgame?
Also, I would love to read more of your thoughts, as you play through the series. Just saying, if you post, I'll enjoy reading it. I'm always interested in people talking about BN.
I do hope, you will have fun with 4.
Hmm, I'm curious, how much of the postgame of BN 2 did you do? Did you do anything? Did you actually know that there is a postgame?
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Honestly, 3s postgame is like the one from 2, just more. If you like one, you should like the other, and vice versa. Basically, a new area, a few new bosses, a few puzzle battles, new jobs, stuff like that.
3 has a bit added world building,but it's not much. And you still have to fill out the standard chip library.
To be more honest, I think people (including me) look at these postgames with a lot of nostalgia, from our teen years, where longer games were better by definition, and where filling out a list was more fun. And we didn't have access to more BN, so an extensive postgame was great.
This sounds pretty negative, but I still think it's a good postgame. If you want more BN3, a few more bosses, and so on, you should have fun with it. But in your case, if you weren't interested in 2s (having access to the next game anyway), I would guess that 3s won't be too interesting for you either.
3 has a bit added world building,but it's not much. And you still have to fill out the standard chip library.
To be more honest, I think people (including me) look at these postgames with a lot of nostalgia, from our teen years, where longer games were better by definition, and where filling out a list was more fun. And we didn't have access to more BN, so an extensive postgame was great.
This sounds pretty negative, but I still think it's a good postgame. If you want more BN3, a few more bosses, and so on, you should have fun with it. But in your case, if you weren't interested in 2s (having access to the next game anyway), I would guess that 3s won't be too interesting for you either.
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
I started South of Midnight. My wrist is still messed up so I couldn't play for long but damn do I want to play more.
Didn’t really care for Blue Prince, but Ruins of the Restless just came out and it’s kind of the same deal except a dungeon crawler instead of MYST, and I am here for it.
Similar basic premise; you have to assemble a dungeon, room by room, from a deck of randomly assigned chambers each day. Then after you’ve placed them all, you have to explore the dungeon you’ve built; which rapidly becomes more labyrinthian and which plays against the *really strict* time limit you have to work with, and trying to track down where, in the impenetrable gloom, a boss monster is hiding.
Leveling up is a real risk v reward thing since leveling up bashing monsters doesn’t boost your stats any; it just adds more potential rooms to draw from each day; actually making your guy stronger depends on what rooms you’ve placed. Some offer only temporary buffs for that run, others persist and can be repeated but take precious time off the clock while you use them.
You can’t really waste time grinding either since each run that ends without at least taking out a mini boss advances a persistent timer and once it’s full; game over (and it hitting certain thresholds gives you randomized curses that tend to be *really* bad)
I’ve barely scratched the surface and I am loving it
Similar basic premise; you have to assemble a dungeon, room by room, from a deck of randomly assigned chambers each day. Then after you’ve placed them all, you have to explore the dungeon you’ve built; which rapidly becomes more labyrinthian and which plays against the *really strict* time limit you have to work with, and trying to track down where, in the impenetrable gloom, a boss monster is hiding.
Leveling up is a real risk v reward thing since leveling up bashing monsters doesn’t boost your stats any; it just adds more potential rooms to draw from each day; actually making your guy stronger depends on what rooms you’ve placed. Some offer only temporary buffs for that run, others persist and can be repeated but take precious time off the clock while you use them.
You can’t really waste time grinding either since each run that ends without at least taking out a mini boss advances a persistent timer and once it’s full; game over (and it hitting certain thresholds gives you randomized curses that tend to be *really* bad)
I’ve barely scratched the surface and I am loving it