Exile's End for Vita, PS4, Wii U
I saw a trailer for this game and it looked awesome at the time. This is another digital-only game that looks a lot like a game from our yesteryear. Cool intro scene, cool music, cool graphics. So I plunged and bought it on that alone, even though it had somewhat lower ratings than other similar games (e.g. Axiom-Verge, Shantae).
So, like I thought, the music and cut scenes are wicked. But man, the gameplay itself is just utter bullshit. I have never been so mad at a modern game before this. And it's a damn shame because if the problems were worked out, this could be a genuine classic. I feel like the developers wanted to be outright unfair. So let's review the problems:
1. The first several levels, all you have to fight with are rocks that you must find and they are extremely scarce.
2. Everytime you throw a rock, you lose it unless you go pick it up again.
3. The throw of the rock has horrible angling and is annoying when you miss most of the time.
4. The rock doesn't even hurt the enemies except the very first slimes you encounter. Everything else seems to be immune to the rocks. So you learn quickly to jump over enemies and therefore your only weapon is useless.
5. You fall a lot and until you get an upgrade, you will fall... then die... a lot. Not in a fun way either.
6. There is no saves, just continue from the last area you were in. If you die and continue, you only have the life remaining from before. In 2 levels in, I found 1 life refill. As a result, I am always on low health and nothing can improve it.
7. Sometimes when you continue, you start on a screen where you are fired at and if you have low health... you die. Meaning, the game is ALMOST broken.
8. The game is maze-like from the beginning and gets worse in level 2. Which makes it like a Metroidvania, especially since you can't go further until you get certain upgrades. Funnily enough, the developers said this IS NOT a Metroidvania game but an homage to early 90's Amiga games. As if they are too cool to be a Metroidvania style game.
On the other hand, the music and cut scenes are awesome and the map system is very good. The story itself is also awesome. It really saddens me that such a cool concept wasn't mastered in the end. It is a unique situation in that this game had all the potential to make for a game that could be unforgettable.
Don't get me wrong... I am willing to play thru and give the full game a chance. Maybe I am overjudging a masterpiece? I don't know... what's others thoughts?
Here's a video perfectly demonstrating the problem. Great opening followed by a bunch of cheap deaths:
So, like I thought, the music and cut scenes are wicked. But man, the gameplay itself is just utter bullshit. I have never been so mad at a modern game before this. And it's a damn shame because if the problems were worked out, this could be a genuine classic. I feel like the developers wanted to be outright unfair. So let's review the problems:
1. The first several levels, all you have to fight with are rocks that you must find and they are extremely scarce.
2. Everytime you throw a rock, you lose it unless you go pick it up again.
3. The throw of the rock has horrible angling and is annoying when you miss most of the time.
4. The rock doesn't even hurt the enemies except the very first slimes you encounter. Everything else seems to be immune to the rocks. So you learn quickly to jump over enemies and therefore your only weapon is useless.
5. You fall a lot and until you get an upgrade, you will fall... then die... a lot. Not in a fun way either.
6. There is no saves, just continue from the last area you were in. If you die and continue, you only have the life remaining from before. In 2 levels in, I found 1 life refill. As a result, I am always on low health and nothing can improve it.
7. Sometimes when you continue, you start on a screen where you are fired at and if you have low health... you die. Meaning, the game is ALMOST broken.
8. The game is maze-like from the beginning and gets worse in level 2. Which makes it like a Metroidvania, especially since you can't go further until you get certain upgrades. Funnily enough, the developers said this IS NOT a Metroidvania game but an homage to early 90's Amiga games. As if they are too cool to be a Metroidvania style game.
On the other hand, the music and cut scenes are awesome and the map system is very good. The story itself is also awesome. It really saddens me that such a cool concept wasn't mastered in the end. It is a unique situation in that this game had all the potential to make for a game that could be unforgettable.
Don't get me wrong... I am willing to play thru and give the full game a chance. Maybe I am overjudging a masterpiece? I don't know... what's others thoughts?
Here's a video perfectly demonstrating the problem. Great opening followed by a bunch of cheap deaths:
Comments
Thanks for the review. I was thinking about this one, but now I can quietly pass it by.