Now that the 1st semester is in the rearview mirror, it's important to reflect on what I've done, and what is in store for me in the future. I feel that I've made impressive improvements when it comes to certain aspects of myself and my performance. I've been able to wrap my head around this unbelievable situation we all find ourselves in, and what I need to do in order to continue moving forward. But what have I achieved? A very good question. Nearly every aspect of what has developed this past school year and year as a whole has helped me learn how to roll with the punches. The teacher announced 5 separate packets due tomorrow? Oh well. The government continues to spiral out of control due to severe systematic incompetency? Oh well. Regardless of the challenges, things do look better for the future, with developing vaccines and a new administration, both of which are things I continue to mention, as I do truly think these are important factors into moving forward together. Now in regards to art, I am still moving very slowly, but at least I am moving. It's still an uphill battle in many ways, but the point of it has changed in a few ways. Plenty of people believe that what I am doing is great, and that I'm doing a great job at that. But a lot of the point is what I can do for myself, what can I really to make something that makes me happy? It's a question I'm slowly finding answers to, and I hope to answer soon. Now in terms of class, we're finally getting around to what I was waiting for, the Unity game engine. From what I have been able to test, I've had quite a lot of fun with it already, mainly by playing around with the tutorials available. I don't really have too much to say about the experience, as we have yet to start a full unit on the topic, but my hopes are high. It's great to finally work in something that has been responsible for a countless number of iconic games. And I'm done, not too different from the previous recaps huh? I feel it's still essential to make these every once and awhile so that my thoughts can be smoothly transitioned into writing, and in turn, easier to assess. Again, hope is important, and I still have plenty of it. And for the first time in awhile... I have nothing else to say
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Rougelikes are fun Ok, with that out of the way, I should probably explain my point here.
I've gotten around to playing a good number of games as quarantine has slowly trudged along, some of which taking much longer than others. A number of these games have been rougelikes, so I'll start with the one I've been putting the most time into recently. Risk of Rain 2. Developed by Hopoo Games, Risk of Rain 2 immediately stands out from other rougelikes by being 3D, which are very rare to come by in the first place. This attempt to bring the genre into a new dimension pays off flawlessly, with a charming art style and beautiful world structure, Risk of Rain 2 manages to create an infinitely re-playable experience, and a crushing challenge for those who wish to complete it. The Experience In regards to gameplay, RoR 2 uses the trademark feature of many rougelikes, permadeath. Meaning that dying at any part of the story will result in the player starting all the way at the beginning of the game, most likely left with some bitter feelings. This wall presented to the players creates a gameplay experience highly focused on precision and management of resources. That being said, the other main gameplay mechanic is the use of an enormous selection of items, which can be picked up in crates throughout the game. Throughout the course of the run, you can pick up hundreds of items to enhance your abilities, some of which can be used together in a strategic way to create the ultimate character. For example: you could pick a heavy character with a very slow but powerful rifle shot. And now let's say that you then pick up a good number of items that increase your rate of fire. You now have an unstoppable semi-automatic machine gun, enjoy. This ability to mix and match allows the player to create an almost unstoppable force of nature out of a small guy in an astronaut suit. This ability to learn the inner-workings of the game means that every action to reach the end of the story is up to you, and the only permanent upgrade is what you can assess about every enemy, location, and weapon, items and more. Being able to wrap your head around these things is extremely rewarding, and can make you feel almost unstoppable. But sadly, that kind of mindset can be your downfall. As it is completely possible to blow through the first level with ease, but then get annihilated on the next stage. This is the game's what of teaching you to constantly keep your guard up, keep picking up items, and never find yourself at a disadvantage, as it almost always spells death. Art Direction/Audio As I said earlier, the art style is very pleasing, with vibrant colors and a number of unique characters with their own interesting designs and stories. The game as a whole is striking and shines at every corner. The game's lack of a clear story is made up by the sheer enjoyment that the gameplay and visuals bring as a whole, which is impressive when you consider the sheer number of enemies that can fill your screen at once. The audio design is also topnotch, even if there is no spoken dialogue present. Each enemy has a specific cue to go with it, metal scraping, wood breaking, unholy screeching, you name it. These little details are not the main point here though, as the music takes home the trophy in the long run. The vibrant soundtrack matches every point of the game it was designed for. Calm, slow music in open fields and any moment outside of combat, and fast paced almost anxiety-inducing beats during the heat of battle. The music all follows a very extraterrestrial theme, as the entire point of the game is to locate a missing scout ship on a hostile moon. Every song carries a feeling of isolation, an unshakable feeling that this world is extremely unfamiliar, and that any of its inhabitants can cut your run short, whenever they want. Stability/Technical Features A feature that I neglected to mention was the use of online and local multiplayer, meaning that you can gather a group of 4 to brave the alien wilderness together. The use of an online mode in a rougelike is practically unheard of, but I wouldn't know for sure. That being said, it's performance both in and out of online went perfectly. I personally played this on the Nintendo Switch, which has an online mode notorious for being.....meh. The fact that this mode went so well on the Switch was extremely impressive, and goes to show the sheer amount of love and effort put into this little indie title. Verdict Despite having finished the main story, my time with this masterclass in visual, audio and technical design is far from finished. The story may be lacking, but it still manages to create a foundation for a nearly unending experience, as players continue to throw themselves into the fray in with the hope of finally surpassing the challenges the game offers. And being able to reach the end after countless attempts is just as satisfying as the rougelike formula intends. 10/10 Image source: Risk of Rain 2 Surprise Launches on Steam Early Access (ign.com) |
AuthorI have a passion for creating things, and hopefully one day those things will be video games. You can check over on this blog if you wish to see any updates on my work or other subjects. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent those of Durham School of the Arts or Durham Public Schools.
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