To analyse. The pixel herald

A new post-apocalyptic ARPG

dungeon is the first job from the Russian studio Laughter games in collaboration with the publisher Small construction. and is described by its creators as a sci-fi pixel art RPG / action game with a deep storytelling. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, we can finally profit dungeon in our game consoles. But … is he really up to the task?

If you want to stand out, let it be completely

The plot of dungeon begins when, in the universe, converge the seven versions of planet earth due to a mysterious cataclysm. This causes the eradication of most living things. But from the Void (because the Void is Void and nothing can affect it … just because) between the realities arises a Herald, a being half-human, half-god, and whose mission will be to recover the nuclei of each of the worlds to build a new reality in which existence can continue.

During the trip, he will accompany us at all times Vidicus, a flying eye which will know how to advise us and teach us to navigate in the landscapes and to face the many dangers. In purely narrative terms, Undungeon shamelessly copy a Disco Elysee (besides the way it visually presents the dialogues and their decisions), benefiting from a depth and philosophical pretensions that in my opinion detract from the rhythm and do not reinforce the virtues that the game already has on its own merits , like his mechanical and its dynamics combat system. A better mix in this regard would have greatly improved the gaming experience.

Additionally, the main story will sway like a distant echo as we begin to delve into the sub-plots (this is not a negative aspect in itself) adventure. These present a better structure, in my opinion, since they manage their time much better to tell us about the enmities, debts and miseries of these unfortunate people who survived the Holocaust. To make us, in a way, participants of history, dungeon includes a system from karma, but it is very basic and its repercussions mainly focus on relationships with traders.

Discount, which is gerund

At the mechanical level, the fight is the spine of the dungeon. We have an melee attack button and another of dodging. Both mechanics have an improved version, which will be loaded if we leave the button pressed. We will also have the ranged attack with stab weapons and the possibility of using explosives… Which obviously causes area damage. The satisfaction of fighting is really good. Every blow … is felt.

Regarding enemies, there are two types: Ordinary, or generic, and bosses, whose stats increase every time they deal damage to us. It’s fantastic, because it supposes A challenge and a fight centered on strategy once the bosses have reached their full potential. It is advisable to defeat them without suffer no harm, or, perhaps, as little as possible. Although a warning, he can sometimes despair.

Because? Because if they kill us, we will have to start with the last carrier that we have activated, thus losing all we have achieved on the way … unless we have activated one of the Mirrors which are scattered throughout the world and which serve as a point of safeguard. Personally, this aspect roguelike I was not excited.

Anatomy lesson

In dungeon we’ll be able to customize our character more or less completely. Among the options we will have the team, It’s made of mask / bathrobe / claws and the consumables, that we will acquire merchants who travel the world in exchange for material that our enemies release when they die.

Our character, the Herald, can replace your organs damaged by new ones (we will do this more than we think, because organs will be our first defense against enemy attacks). We will build bowels and these our statistics will improve. Also heart becomes the nerve center of our to construct, because we will define the word that we will acquire and that they will provide to us offensive and defensive advantages in combat.

The options to build the Herald they are huge and, at times, we will feel overwhelmed by the posting of information. But, in a way, part of the grace of any ARPG is precisely that, dressing our character with the best statistics available, to the nearest millimeter, because every tenth counts in the fight. Or not?

Freeze you … no. Him – Art

dungeon It is presented to us in a zenithal perspective in which I would like to emphasize the movement of sprites. Very fluid and realistic. the character design is original and dark, and the the scenarios are full of details, although more than responding to an artistic strategy, it gives the feeling of having been placed at random everywhere on the stage, without positioning itself in a defined model or shout at one simple question of good taste.

Regarding the sound section, the video game does not stand out precisely. Clothing themes minimalist, electric and with echoes of the eighties. None are saved after turning off the console. In turn, sound effects meet, without further ado, not being noticed in any way but not even going to the point of disrupting the trip.

Verdict

dungeon it’s a Modest ARPG, with a partially open world, which sins a lot of things, but no want to entertain. His universe, its history, is entertaining, but unfortunately we can only enjoy it in English, so many players will decide don’t take the bandwagon. Its biggest appeal is its low starting price, and now we can even take advantage of it in Xbox Game Pass, so if you are very fan of ARPG I invite you to give it a chance, no matter its size.