This fun cRPG dungeon blobber has the fundamentals down pat. Pros: * Grimdark setting and art that ooooozes style * Huge gameworld * Crafting and non-combat skills * Interesting character system with exp levels, skills, perks, and level-up card bonuses * Unique magic system with tons of spells * Streamlined combat system that is deep yet intuitive and approachable * Heavy metal music * The mandatory puzzles are 'solvable' with a little thought, none of those ****ty adventure-game style puzzles that make no sense Cons: * ?!?None?!? Haters gonna hate! * The optional magical square puzzles are a little hard, especially before you figure out what to do * Optional missions for the town don't give great directions about where the target area is I see some reviews on here about the game being too hard -- People are running out of food and water an hour or two into the game and are feel like they are unable to heal. That's not the case at all, especially if you read the material the game presents to you (in a short and straightforward PDF manual). I'll admit that I burnt my first character and had to restart too. If you stick with it and save-scum just a little, you'll find a cRPG that oozes style and doesn't penalize you like those _other_ party-based blobbers, where you find out halfway into the game you made your cleric wrong and have to start over from the beginning. The setting and art are creepy as Hell. Character progression is rewarding, and since you have one character there's no need for micro-managing a whole team's stats. There is a compelling story about pulling humanity's fate out of the gutter, but don't expect the NPCs to be deep fonts of exposition that have pages of dialogue. That's one area that the sequel could really shine in. Much love for this game.
It's not just any game that can turn your life upside down. My wife and kids ask me daily to be sure to check in on our lonesome shade. I tell them "It's only been a week, there's still 393 days left!" but they say "But he is so lonely... go check up on him to make sure he's okay" Clearly the game is not for everyone. If you don't enjoy art or memorable experiences, or if you lack even a shred of patience, maybe you should try one of the dime-a-dozen action games instead. But... the Longing? It's a piece of art. It's an experience. A magnum opus maybe. But it's won't give instant gratification ala Call of Duty. There's no hurry. Slow down. Relax. Enjoy. Walk down long, labyrinthine, corridors. Befriend columns and the odd arachnid. Struggle with existential questions. When I think about all the trash games I've bought, this certainly ain't one of 'em.
Kenshi is a length open-world survival RPG sandbox game. There are no level-ups or hitpoints, but there are skill levels and body-part-specific health levels which range from broken to 'missing limb' (which can be replaced with prosthetics). It's almost more of a simulation than a game! The initial challenge is very high, you will be scraping by doing things like scavenging, trading, mining, or fighting starving bandits, all just to afford the most basic of supplies. Ultimately, you will found a town and recruit up to 30 characters that you control in the same way as your player-character. You can assign AI orders to your characters to help automate almost all jobs including food, crafting, and defense. One thing to keep in mind is it is OK, even necessary, to be defeated in battle. Sustaining injuries helps raise your stats making your characters even beefier in the next battle. Healing after a battle is slow and kind of a pain, but can be sped up by building camp beds or resting in an inn. If you are defeated, you might even be enslaved and made to perform forced labor. Overall, this is a real gem that has been in development for 7 years, didn't disappoint, and shouldn't be overlooked.
