This feels like games such as XCOM, FTL, or Binding of Isaac where if the game has more time to be developed and an expansion is ever released, it could be something really great. Personally I think the game is cool but the constantly chugging framerate and the "trapped by teleport" bug has turned me off. Just because Cryptark doesn't tutorialize enemies this way doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad game, and I feel like in this genre in particular there is a whole sub-genre of "Elitist Games" that has been established since the PS1 or Dreamcast. So, I think the game has a fairly large hump at the beginning and it's not the most friendly to new players. Constantly restarting campaigns brings back nightmares of XCOM Ironman Impossible for some of us ) There's also the crushing feeling of loosing a mission, which I think just encourages new players to restart the campaign since they probably feel they're way too behind after one loss. ![]() There's the time limits, which seem like a big deal to a new player but eventually you realize they give you more than enough time to finish a mission and you're more than likely to net $10K or more for finishing under time. If you see a lone enemy you need to take the opportunity to experiement with it, but again, in most games that will happen the very first time you encounter it. What's most likely to happen as you enter a system room is you'll be totally overwhelmed and loose a bunch of health. Many of the enemies have shields or armour that turn on and off, so you need a moment to study the animations and time your attacks. ![]() ![]() In Cryptark, new players will enter rooms full of multiple new enemy types, who are spawning drones, rushing you, pushing you around, shooting you from almost off-screen, etc. This is a subtle version of tutorializtion that occurs in almost all games. Here's my attempt to put a finer point on the issue: most games introduce enemies one at a time so you can acclimate to them easily. For a bullet hell fan, I can see the appeal, but what about everyone else? It then throws this strategic planning out of the window and just dumps collosal swarms on your head wherever you go.Īlthough Cryptark initially encourages strategy, any plans beyond the first few levels soon devolve into "fight or flight" tactics, forcing you to either spend vast amounts of money on heavy weapons and ammo, or run from the rapidly-growing, screen-filling swarms of enemies in a desperate scramble to reach and destroy the core before your armour runs out or you lose track of your ship amidst the crushing masses of drones. The initial levels serve to ease the player into the game, getting them used to the kind of gameplay it offers, blending strategy with combat as the player plots a course through the alien wreck before making their way to the objectives. I'm not just talking about casual gamers, but regular games fans who expect a solid challenge without being overwhelmed.Ĭryptark seems to be aimed solely at elite shooter fans. I know that there are plenty of players who thrive on the excitement of ever-growing challenges, always looking for something that will push their skills to the limit, but surely some games should accomodate others as well. I seriously doubt Doom would have fared nearly as well if all players were forced to play it at Nightmare difficulty. I'm tired of playing a few levels of a new game and then smashing my controller in frustration. I expect to be challenged, but I also want my games to be fun. Posts simply linking to or mentioning games will be removed, especially in relation to "roguelike-likes".It would appear that Cryptark is one of a growing number of "elitist" games, by which I mean games which accomodate elite gamers only. Video reviews/plays of "roguelikelikes" will be removed. Limit (self-)promotional material to once per three months, especially when not relating to traditional roguelikes. ![]() Whether it's ADOM, IVAN or (arguably) Dwarf Fortress, let's talk about it!
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