So, the price to amount of game ratio, in my opinion, is a little steep... If you can grab this on sale it's ideal. However, this is definitely one of those games that is "not just a game." Will it present you with challenges? Yes. Will it be entertaining... yes, very. Will it wow you with it's colors and music? Surely it will. But where this game shines is not just the fact that it is a fantastic game, but that it tells a fantastic message: Loss hurts, and can even cripple you. But life goes on, and though you hurt you can still live. This game allows the player to peek into the thoughts of someone experiencing great loss, and how it affects them mentally, physically, and emotionally. I recommend this game to anyone who has experienced loss, or anyone who wants to learn to sympathize with others who have. This game is not only a piece of art. It is also an emotional experience.
This game's story is both creepy and beautiful at the same time. Ultimately there is no dialogue, so what the full story is we may never know. But the game definitely seems rooted in Japanese/Chinese lore at its roots. It reminded me a lot of Spirited Away (a Studio Ghibli film) in how it's characters looked and acted. The developers did a great job at making the player feel the urgency of the need for escape. It's you verses large creatures you can't fight. There is only flight, and it needs to be precise in order to be executed properly. I admit that I freaked out a couple of times because I didn't think I'd make it out of a specific situation, and I felt genuine relief when I succeeded. The graphics are wonderful, and the soundtrack is perfect for the game. (I purchased the soundtrack because I loved it so much). Some people have complained about the length of the game... But I personally thought it was just right. You can only scare someone but so much before the story starts to lose it's appeal. And I was engrossed in this game from beginning to end. I literally couldn't put it down until I was done. I ended up staying up till around 3 in the morning because of that urgent need for escape I mentioned earlier. I couldn't go to sleep knowing that I'd leave the character in a horrible situation. That's rare. I gave this title 5 stars because that's what it deserves. I haven't played any of the DLC, and honestly I don't really intend to. I feel fulfilled with this story line. This game was a wonderful, short, frightening experience.
First, when I hear the phrase "deck building" it means that I can build a deck. Now, elements of that are here, for sure, but understand that the cards you build your deck with are all given to you by chance. It's random every run, and the deck you slowly build will die when your character dies. Now, I actually enjoy the concept. That's why I got the game. HOWEVER... This has been done before, and in my opinion it was done better before. The IOS and Android game "Night of the Full Moon" does what this game attempts to do, but on a much greater scale. There's an actual story in Night of the Full Moon that I just don't see in Slay the Spire. That's ultimately why I removed a star. It's not that the game isn't fun. It's actually quite addictive. However, to keep me coming back again and again there needs to be more than just a "reach the top of the tower" type of story. I don't feel I know any of the characters. I don't feel the weight of what it means to reach the top, other than it's the biggest item on the checklist. The music is ok... It's nothing to write home about. I probably won't buy the soundtrack. Over all, this game definitely scratches an itch for the right people. That's why it's still a great game. But, I would love to see future DLC (or even a FREE UPDATE...) which includes more characters, and possibly some more story-like incentive for dumping hours into multiple runs. (Maybe more back story as to why these characters feel the drive to reach the top of the Spire? That would be great. And maybe a cut-scene or something when you complete a floor to show story progression?) I enjoy this game, but I feel I've reached my fill until new content is released. I'm not a completionist, so I'm personally not driven to play over and over again until I've merely unlocked pictures of all the possible cards you can get by chance if you play long enough. This game needs more meat on the bones. Again, great concept, and fun, just not great. Get it on sale.
Ok, I just bought this game yesterday. I've been meaning to try it out for a while now and just grabbed it on sale. This game kept me up past midnight and I was scared to death! I haven't had a game actually cause my adrenaline to kick in for a long time. This game did that. You're in a forest that's overtaken everything. You don't know why. You don't know how. But there's a doctor that wants you dead. And so does practically everything else apparently. Very immersive atmosphere. Sound effects are spot on. Wind rustling through the trees, rain pouring all around, leaves crunching under your feet. Perfect music, awkward silence, and suspenseful darkness. The first night I had my character barricaded in the first house with a lamp nearby and a piece of wood with nails sticking out of it was my crafted weapon. The generator was humming in the other room and I was praying that the gas I hat put in earlier lasted through the night. It was pitch black outside of the house, and I could hear footsteps, boards creaking, and voices. And then there was a banging sound. And then the FREAKING DOOR OPENED BY ITSELF! I ran over and closed it and backed into my corner again. I'm telling you, when that crescendo of the sunrise music reached it's peak and the light came in through the cracks in the boarded window I was genuinely relieved. Night two wolves broke into the house and I had to fight for my life. This game is eerie, abrasive, and stressful. In short: I love it, and I can't wait to play more.
First, the price-point is perfect. $4 for an album? You've paid more for 9 full length songs before. Second, the songs are ambient in nature. While playing the actual game I heard these sounds and tunes playing in the background and I loved it. I had to buy the album. Now every time I hear these melodious songs I am taken back to the time when I played the game itself. I recall the depth of the story that I loved and worked through and pondered over. This is worth the full cost. This is a great sound track. If you enjoyed the game at all then you won't regret having these tunes at your disposal. The songs make for a great drive to work, I can tell you from experience. It's very soothing and relaxing. Great job Joel Corelitz!
The main goal of this game is STORY TELLING. This is not a Survival Horror game. Yes, there are some random elements of that genre thrown in for suspense, and even a little bit of First Person Shooter (very brief). Everything you do changes what you are able to do in the future. Your choice of leveling your abilities with skill points changes how you can interact with characters throughout the game. It also determines whether or not you are strong enough to turn a rusty wheel or if you need to go find a tool to help you do it. Are you good at spotting hidden objects? Or will these things elude your grasp. Some objects won't appear unless your ability to spot hidden objects is at a certain level. The graphics are top notch, and the game is linear enough that I was able to run it with all the graphics settings on high without it glitching out all the time. (And I don't have the strongest computer out there) The story, of course, is strongly influenced by H.P. Lovecraft's writings. If you haven't read them you might not fully appreciate some of the elements within the game. The game assumes to a certain level that you will enjoy the story because of familiarity with the works of Lovecraft. However, if you go into the game with the understanding of what you are actually getting yourself into then you should still have a great experience. The mechanics work great. When your character is in tight places he gets panicky and the screen starts to blur. When you come across a crime scene you get to "recreate" it using your investigator skills. I actually felt the weight of some of the choices I was forced to make, and that's rare for me also. This game was hugely misunderstood when it came out. I don't think people really grasped that they were investing in a story, not a thrilling shooter with jump scares all over the place. If you want a good story then play this game. It does everything it says in the descriptions, so I gave it what it deserves: 5 stars.
I got this game on sale... along with the first two Call of Juarez games. This one is BY FAR my favorite of the series. Honestly after playing it I don't think the original price is too high, though. It's a great buy, and a steal on sale. Take on the roll of an old bounty hunter who spends the whole game telling half-truths about his grande past adventures. You are essentially reliving his adventures, the truths and the lies, as he recounts to his bar-mates what all he accomplished in his youth. The voice acting is super entertaining and has actually made me laugh out loud at times. So much cliche, but so believable because I imagine everyone knows someone who is an exaggerator, and the main character definitely plays the part well! Not only does the story shine, but the game-play as well. I usually am not one for First Person Shooters, but a western theme is the perfect format for one. This game has grabbed my attention in the worst way. I found myself up till 2:30 a.m. playing this gem. The movement is fluid. Linear levels, but you don't feel claustrophobic at all as you are usually given a wide range of movement within them. The accuracy of the shooting is great as well. Top all that off with great music, sound effects, and a pretty powerful upgrading system, and you have a winner here that does everything promised by the store-page. That's why I gave this game 5 stars. If a game does what it claims then it should be given a good rating. This game excels at it's mission. Give it a try and you won't be sorry.
So, the elephant in the room is that on the preview video it starts off by saying "Special Edition"... Yet the version here on GOG is not the special edition at all. It's the original. No DLC here. For instance, the DLC contained a non-lethal take-down option so that you can incapacitate enemies for a time. This is not available in this vanilla version of the game. However, I still gave this game 4 stars, because despite that this game is freaking amazing: First, this 2D platformer is all hand-drawn anime-style characters and backgrounds. The cut scenes are animated and amazing as well. Second, the controls are fluid. I used a controller and didn't have any issues. Third, the game-play is fantastic. You actually FEEL like a ninja while playing. You can obviously take your enemies out silently, but the option to just slip past them unseen is also rewarded. There are tons of collectables and abilities to unlock which your character keeps as permanent upgrades. Also there are multiple outfits to unlock which push your character towards a specific type of game-play. For instance, if you like stealth, complete 3 stealth challenges and unlock the Stealth outfit. You can't equip a sword with this outfit, but your footsteps are silenced and you can carry more distraction items in your arsenal. It's tough, but so much fun. (That's just one of like 6 or 7 different outfits you unlock) Finally, the story! I can honestly say I was not expecting the ending, and that says a lot. I'm usually pretty good about those sort of things. The end-game choice is a tough one to navigate and threw me for a loop! I highly recommend this game, even though it's not the Special Edition. I will say that if the game had been what was actually advertised I would have given it 5 stars for sure.
I just finished the final ending this morning... and wow. This game is full of funny moments and great story telling. You feel like you're playing an old school adventure game, all the while learning and experiencing multiple "endings." Each ending progresses the world timeline, but the world rarely changes, but does occasionally change ever so slightly. Some of the funniest parts are how they explain the fact that nothing changed for the player. (Example "hero moved to a new town, which happened to look exactly the same as his old town.") Lots of items to find and use, each causing unique endings when brought to the right person, or used on the right person or creature. Many laughs along this wonderfully pixelated road of adventure. And, again, the ending is something else altogether. And, they just added a bunch of end-game content with a recent update! More to discover! I highly recommend this game.
First off: I see so many people leaving reviews complaining about the "agenda" behind this game... what game doesn't have an agenda somewhere? And secondly, how is this post-apocalyptic world any different than a zombie apocalyptic world? Bottom line is that the normal way of life ended, and the world was changed. It's fictional people. Chill and enjoy the story. You're fighting giant sea creatures for goodness sake. Second, I'm having a blast playing this game so far. Only boss battles, with some obstacles thrown in along the way. Beautiful pixel art and atmosphere/music is spot on. The difficulty level is high, though, so this may deter some gamers. But if you like a challenge then you might very well enjoy this one. Controls are great. I'm using keyboard and mouse and everything is running smoothly. Ok, so the story... It's not all that immersive and deep... Aside from you are immersed deep under a water ravaged future world that has been destroyed by... "global warming." I understand this may be a turn-off for many, but give this game a chance and I think you'll be surprised. It's peaceful, relaxing, a little eerie at times when the dark surrounds you, and so far the bosses I've encountered have both freaked me out and intrigued me. Some have actually made me jump. Great fun to be had, and great challenges, too. Don't let the global warming thing bring you down. The world had to get covered by water somehow, they chose to say it was global warming. Just enjoy the world they built and the game play and you won't regret it. I haven't. I recommend this game and give it 5 stars because it delivers on all it's claims within the description, and it was done well.
