Finished story mode of Crypt of the NecroDancer (PC)
This game is "rhythm" genre mixed with "roguelike" genre.
When I first played it I thought they took a dart board full of video game types, threw two darts and made that game. The "disco floor" mechanic was trippy and strange, and it looked like a somewhat decent roguelike with an unfitting rhythm mechanic shoehorned in. Background: I do like roguelike games (Mystery Dungeon, Dungeon Crawler) and rhythm games (DDR, Stepmania, FF Theatrhythm) always just separate.
After a few levels I got into it and saw it was built from the ground up to be a rhythm game. Even the controls, all set as combinations of arrow keys, are geared so that they can be played with a dance pad. The gameplay and story are tightly integrated around the music themes. The rhythm game-ness adds an action mechanic where there wouldn't ordinarily be one, and there are gameplay elements ("multipliers") built around this mechanic. Every other roguelike I've played has been strictly turn based and I have to slow myself down because I'm freaking out at one thing or another. For this, it's the opposite problem where you have to make quick decisions and develop the right reflexes and it ends up being really rewarding.
(do not watch if you have epilepsy)
https://youtu.be/TH08jpNNcFg
The graphics use that usual pseudo-old-school-not-really resolution mixing to a level that is pretty offensive. I've come to just tune it out. I seem to be the only person who cares about this so at this point I'm tuning it out for my own personal wellness. #selfcare
The end of the game is involves a pretty tough zone with a combination of two bosses. I attached the replay of my run of the zone!
Comments
- Using Cadence the main character.
- Starting eq: normal broadsword + apple, purchased at Diamond Dealer
- The start was pretty rough. Made a bunch of mistakes, in one part I fell into a trap with no way of getting out except bombing myself.
- Wasted a bit of time on shop purchase, item indecision
- Dead Ringer went well.
- Necrodancer did me a solid and killed an ogre for me
- I always kill my multiplier for black skeletons.
Time: 11:33 Score: 432
Besides Cadence I finished zones 1+2+3+4 with Dove, I'm looking forward to playing a few of the other characters also 🙂
*there is an option in the game's menu to turn off the "Disco floor" if there is a chance of it causing problems