The characters are charming – can you believe this is a game with genuinely compelling NPCs? They make the world feel alive.Īnother asset is Phoentopia: Awakening’s aesthetics. The game has enjoyable writing, plenty of variety, and secrets to find. So much so, my wife and I have sunk over 40 hours playing, and not just for an informed review. I can’t shake the sense that it does not respect my time.Īll this said, there’s a ton in this game that I do admire. While I kept waiting for that feeling to dissipate, it’s clear that what I’ve seen is what I get. Phoenotopia: Awakening is long, but much of it is excessive grinding to pad the game. What benefit does it bring? On the contrary, it feels like a waste of my time. That’s fundamental for a big game like this in 2020. Just be sure to use every save point, as some of the gaps between these seem much more random than thoughtful.īesides the grinding, there’s no map. Some feel needlessly long and involved, but they’re often preferable to combat. That’s not to say it’s all fighting, as puzzles abound. One such fight has zero recovery time meaning one hit equals three or four that are unavoidable. But I do give credit to the devs for acknowledging that the original implementation missed the mark.Īre bosses better than the regular enemies? Not remarkably so. This initial misguided choice feels shoehorned in, adding nothing positive to the experience. For instance, you can disable the stamina drain, but for regular attacks only. Patched accessibility options fix some, but not all of these, and they really should have been the default, to make the game more streamlined and polished.
Heck, you even need to purchase extra inventory spaces! I’d suggest it’s a misplaced priority for a small indie team and results in a terrible amount of grinding for needed coins to get required upgrades. If I could impress one point upon the devs, it’s that “Punishing” is no guarantee that the challenge is rewarding. Combined with your low health, I started jumping past the surprisingly powerful enemies. Not helping matters, your starting bat isn’t exactly the biggest or strongest weapon out there.
Having to equip first is silly, and the devs eventually recognized this by patching in the option. Also, change it so you can simply click to eat instantly from the menu. Accessibility options allow you to slow the cursor down. Cooking can increase the potency of health items, but the quick time event setup can also lead to some disastrously burnt dishes. The latter two can present some real challenge if you aren’t careful, and you’ll find yourself searching for some health or a spot to save. Town traversal, overhead map exploration, and dungeon delving make up the gameplay’s triforce – sorry, couldn’t resist. Many characters allow the story to advance in satisfying ways, even if it’s a little slow to get going.
I’ll crib from Nintendo’s game page – “Join Gail, a simple villager, who must heed the call for adventure when a great star ship appears in the night sky and abducts all the adults.” It’s less about lengthy monologues and more about quick dialogue. Unfortunately, it introduces new missteps all its own, making it tough to give the broad recommendation I initially hoped.Ī narrative-driven game, Phoenotopia is ripe for spoilers. 50 hours for completionists.An adventure in the mold of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Phoenotopia: Awakening emulates what made the title work while jettisoning some of its missteps. A main campaign length estimated at 30 hours of playtime. Over 60 original songs ranging from mellow piano and orchestra to raging synth/metal rockers and bagpipes! An achievement system, with 33 badges to earn, for players seeking extra challenge and replayability. A world brimming with secrets! Find 33 Energy Gems, 55 Heart Pieces and 111 Moonstones. Fight against over 50 different enemy types and 12 boss encounters. Fly with rocket boots! Blast with bombs! Play the flute! Over 10 different weapons & tools with which to combat enemies and solve puzzles. A narrative-driven single-player adventure filled with charming characters, vibrant towns, and dangerous dungeons. Little does she know of the grand adventure before her, the evil lurking in the shadows, and the role she will play in the fight for Earth’s very existence! As the new oldest member of her fragmented community, she must set out to solve this great mystery. Join Gail, a simple villager, who must heed the call for adventure when a great star ship appears in the night sky and abducts all the adults.
0 kommentar(er)
