I like strategy. I like base-building. I like bronze-age warfare. I can go either way on tactical RPG: it’s only interesting if all of the battles are hand-designed, well-balanced, and substantially different from one another. Too many tactical RPGs make me fight what is essentially the same battle over and over, which is a waste of my time.
But you’ve already lost me at “roguelite”. Sorry, not interested.
Hi! The other partner here :) First of all thanks for the review. I cannot put enough how these replies mean for me and for us...
For your concerns about the battles being repetitive I also having that anxiety while developing the game :) But from the play-tests I can see a light for the AI logic and overall challenge it provides.
I would love you to test when we publish the game :)
And for your last remark; why roguelite dealbreaker for you? I'm really curious about that because in my mind I envision the game with experimental and incremental progression like Slay the Spire or binding of Isaac maybe, which were fun I believe.
Love to hear from you again and thanks for your reply again :)
OG
To me, rougelite games are defined by the following characteristics:
None of that is appealing to me. I like worlds that are worth committing to long term memory. I like challenges and loot to be balanced, and I like being able to plan ahead using the foreknowledge of what the challenges and loot are going to be. I like being able to see the good end of the game on my first run. I like long, epic games. I like putting the game away after my first run and starting a new game.
I never played Binding of Isaac, and based on its gross-out themes, I probably never will. I’m barely aware of Slay the Spire, although I’ve heard the name before. But I think I’ve played enough roguelikes and roguelites (ADOM, FTL, Dicey Dungeons, Darkest Dungeon) to know that they’re not my cup of tea.
The one roguelite I played recently that I actually enjoyed and played all the way to the end (of the plot, without all unlocks) was Desktop Dungeons. I liked how it balanced its random map generation with the most non-random combat system ever: I could calculate exactly how each battle would end, down to the last hit point, before even starting the fight.
