Steam] Gutsy adventure at home in the cold winter! Exploration-type action game playable on PC

Gutsy adventures at home in the cold winter! Exploration-type action game for PC

1. a must-play game! Dead Cells" is a 2D action masterpiece that can be played indefinitely, in which players repeatedly die to become stronger.

Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
Genre: Action
Release: Aug 7, 2018
Price: 2,480 yen (1,488 yen until 1/6/2022)
Copyright: (c) 2018 Motion Twin

What can I say, the author is a big fan of games with randomly generated elements and elements that can be played over and over again. The thrill of playing a game that unfolds differently each time you play it is one thing, but the value of being able to play it over and over again is what draws me to it. Dead Cells" is one such "can be played over and over again" type of game.

This is a 2D side-scrolling action game. It is characterized by vivid graphics drawn with dots, and retro game lovers may be excited by this visual alone.

Now, the protagonist of this work is a "cell" shaped like a slime. These cells have the ability to take over the bodies of the dead and manipulate them at will, and the player controls the "warriors" that are born in this way. Incidentally, the title of this title, "Dead Cells," means "dead cells" and represents the main character himself.

The player's objective is to escape from the mysterious prison where the game takes place by controlling a warrior who is possessed by dead cells. The basic controls are attacks, jumps, and forward rolls, which can be described as orthodox for an action game.

There are two types of attacks: weapons and skills, each of which can be equipped with two items dropped from enemies or treasure chests along the way, or purchased at stores. Weapons include melee weapons, ranged weapons, and shields. Skills include grenades, which explode when thrown, and traps, which automatically attack enemies when placed. Weapons can be used continuously, but skills require a coold time before they can be used again. Rolls are basically for evasion, but they can also be used to advance through narrow passages or to attack enemies near doors by rolling through them, making them a useful action in any number of ways.

The structure of the stages in this title is based on the so-called "roguelike" system, which changes each time you play. Not only the stage structure, but also the weapons and skills that appear, as well as the placement of enemies, all change each time you play, so you can enjoy a completely different game development each time you play. You can play the game over and over again without getting bored.

I mentioned that the game can be played over and over again, but this game is designed with a high level of difficulty, so it is assumed that the game will be played over and over again. Enemies are numerous and fierce, there are many damage traps along the way, and opportunities for recovery are quite limited in the early stages of the game, so it is often the case that you are easily beaten right from the start. Moreover, once the game is over, all items and money acquired up to that point are lost, and your progress on the map is reset, meaning you have to start over from the starting point, no questions asked. This is also a system unique to the "roguelike" genre.

However, not everything is lost. By giving special currency called "cells" to certain NPCs along the way, you can unlock new weapons and skills that drop during the stage, as well as elements that make your exploration more advantageous, such as "increasing the number of times you can use recovery medicine" and "inheriting a portion of your gold when you die," but once you unlock these elements, the game is not over. Once these elements are unlocked, they are not lost even if the game is over. In other words, the more you play the game over and over again, the easier it gets and the closer you get to clearing the stage. This "swamp" game design, in which the more you play, the more fun the next round becomes, is the most appealing aspect of the game. Unlocked items and skills are displayed in flasks hanging at the start of the game. This is a neat touch that stirs the collector's spirit.

The more you play, the more you accumulate, not only the elements you unlock. Although it is invisible, players will feel their skills steadily accumulate experience as they play the game over and over again. The feel of the action in this title is stylish and speedy. This is why when you are beaten, you are beaten easily, but when you are able to move forward smoothly with well executed actions, you will feel a great sense of exhilaration. The fundamental pleasure of action games, "it feels good to control the character," can be fully enjoyed in this game, which is also an indispensable aspect of this title.

With its exhilarating action, various random elements, and exquisite game balance that is not unreasonable despite its high difficulty level, "Dead Cells" is a game full of charm, or rather "magic," that once you get hooked on it, you will just keep playing it over and over again. If you are interested in this game, please play it and get addicted to it.

2. intoxicated by the beautiful and dark worldview! Hollow Knight", an authentic metroidvania with a high level of difficulty

Hollow Knight " (Team Cherry)
Genre: Action
Release: Feb 25, 2017
Price: 1,480 yen (740 yen until 1/6/2022)
Copyright: (C) 2017 Team Cherry

Suddenly, ladies and gentlemen, are you good at "Insects"?　When I was a child, I didn't have any problem with them, but as I grew older, I began to find their peculiar "I don't know what they're thinking" feeling eerie, and I became somewhat dislike insects in general. Hollow Knight" is a game in which such "insects" appear.

This is a 2D side-scrolling action game. It is characterized by its unique graphics with a beautiful yet dark mood. It has a fantastic atmosphere, somewhat like that of a foreign picture book, and the visuals are sure to appeal to those who love it.

The setting of this work is the underground kingdom of "Harounest," which once enjoyed a period of prosperity. The story of this work is that the main character embarks on an adventurous journey to uncover the ancient secrets hidden in the heart of Harounest. ...... The underground world is inhabited by a variety of insects, but they are all somewhat humorous and cute, without the creepiness and weirdness that are characteristic of insects. So even those who are not fond of insects, such as myself, can play this game without any worries!

The basic controls of the game are simple: jump, attack, and heal.

The attack is a close-range attack wielding a nail instead of a sword. I felt that the choice of the "nail" as a weapon and the size of the main character and his enemies were well done.

Recovery is done by consuming "souls," which are obtained when enemies are defeated. However, in order to obtain souls, you have to fight enemies, and of course, fighting enemies also entails the risk of losing your life, so there is always a risk and reward involved. This is a truly exquisite game design that always involves risk and reward.

The greatest appeal of this work is, without a doubt, the "fun of exploration. One of the characteristics of Metroidvania is the game's ability to gradually expand its scope of exploration by acquiring new items and abilities. This title, "Hollow Knight," succeeds in sublimating this characteristic into an even more thrilling and interesting exploration through the high level of difficulty of the game itself. As I mentioned briefly, this is a very challenging game.

To begin with, the fact that you can recover at any time using souls is the flip side of the fact that the difficulty level is tough if you cannot recover at any time. In this title, money called "geo" is needed to buy maps and release functions useful for exploration, but if you lose all your lives and the game is over, you forfeit all the geo you have painstakingly collected. If you lose all your lives and the game is over, all the geos you have collected will be forfeited. You will be left penniless, so battles with enemies and exploration are always exciting and thrilling.

Because of the high difficulty level of this title, the hardest stage is at the beginning of the game when you have no abilities or useful functions. Even if you finally buy a map after accumulating geo, it is not enough to know where you are.

Furthermore, the map does not indicate where the save points and recovery points that you have already discovered were! This is because, in fact, in order to have them displayed on the map, you have to purchase a map extension in Geo. However, as mentioned earlier, if you get hit by an enemy before you reach the store, you lose all your geos. It may seem like an egregious system, but the fun comes when you succeed in expanding the functionality of the map and gradually become more comfortable in your exploration. Even if it is a small step forward in terms of the game, the high level of difficulty provides a great sense of accomplishment.

During the course of your adventure, you will learn a variety of skills. These skills are the essence of "Metroidvania," as they greatly advance the game's strategy and allow you to explore new areas that you could not reach before. For example, the "Spirit of Vengeance" skill, which allows the player to release bullets using souls, can be used for long-range attacks, making it possible to destroy enemies that block the way and do not accept melee attacks, opening the way to new areas.
There are also other items called "charms," which provide various benefits when equipped. However, the amount of charms that can be equipped at one time is limited, so players will always have to think hard about which ones to equip during their adventures.

In this way, "Hollow Knight" offers numerous power-ups that can be acquired along the way, providing players with new and exciting experiences that will keep them exploring.

The huge boss battles are also an integral part of the game. Hollow Knight" features more than 30 different bosses, each with a different appearance and attack style. Needless to say, the bosses' attacks are fierce, and if you are not careful, you will be killed in a matter of seconds. The key to success is to learn the attack patterns of your opponents and watch their moves carefully. This tingling sensation, reminiscent of the "Dark Souls" series, which is synonymous with high difficulty action, is one of the elements that make this title so much fun to play.

Hollow Knight" combines atmospheric graphics, challenging action, and a challenging exploration element to create a superb metroidvania. If you like the genre or are a confident gamer, give it a try.

3. full of elements that will make retro gamers go gaga! Phenotopia," a 2D action-adventure game with dot-drawings

Phenotopia " (Cape Cosmic)
Genre: Action
Release: 2021/ 1/21
Price: 2,000 yen (1,400 yen until 2022/1/6)
Copyright: (C) 2021 Cape Cosmic

Whether you are a member of the NES generation or not, many of you may find games with dot-drawings appealing. I am one of them, and "Phenotopia," which I will introduce to you here, is a game that is sure to be a hit with those people.

Phenotopia" is a 2D action-adventure game. The first thing that catches the eye is the vivid graphics drawn with dots. The characters and backgrounds are all drawn with beautiful dots, and the quality is so high that you can't help but be enchanted. Even the detailed facial expressions of the characters are beautifully expressed with dots. In addition, the animation quality of this title is also very high, and players' eyes are delighted by the slimy movements of the characters. Unfortunately, the screen shots do not do it justice, so we encourage you to search for videos and see for yourself.

The main character of the film is a young girl named Gail. One night when she and her children were out at the edge of the village, a large spaceship suddenly appeared in the sky and the villagers were kidnapped. As the leader of the remaining children, Gail sets out on an adventure to save the villagers. ...... is the story of this film. The game, which you might expect to have an idyllic atmosphere starting in a rural farming village, develops into a surprisingly mysterious and epic story that will keep players gripped and intrigued.

The game is basically played in a side-view style, but upon exiting a village or dungeon, the player is taken to a world map with a bird's eye view.

This is one of the features of Phenotopia. In addition to the beautiful, nostalgic dot graphics, the world map is reminiscent of the good old RPGs, which will tickle the hearts of retro gamers no matter how hard they try. This system, which allows players to decide where to explore next, may take time and effort, but it gives players the exciting feeling of "I'm adventuring in a vast world! This system may take time and effort, but it is sure to give players the exciting feeling of "I'm adventuring in a vast world!

The action in this title covers the basics for an action game, such as attacking with weapons, jumping, dashing, grabbing and throwing objects, and using equipped items. However, the control peculiarities are quite strong. Attacking and dashing consume stamina, and cannot be used unnecessarily in rapid succession. Dash-jumping does not allow changing direction while jumping, and braking is not as effective. These actions, which take some time to get used to, are reminiscent of the controls of retro games, and some players may find them both difficult and nostalgic.

Incidentally, the options "No Stamina Consumption for Normal Attacks" and "Stamina Recovery Speed Up" can be set, so if you feel the game is too difficult, we recommend turning these options on.

One of the major features of this title is the abundant puzzle-solving elements. In the world of "Phenotopia," a wide variety of puzzles await the player, including situations where the player must obtain keys in order to advance, situations where the player must figure out how the traps work, situations where the player must make full use of items, and situations where the player's accurate and speedy jumping skills are put to the test. The feeling you get when you finally solve a puzzle after a lot of trial and error, using your fingers and your mind, is beyond description. The feel of the game is reminiscent of retro-style puzzle-solving games such as "The Legend of Zelda" series, and I felt that those who love this type of game will find it irresistible.

Phenotopia" has nostalgic and beautiful dot pictures, exhilarating action with a strong sense of control, and a large amount of riddles to solve, making it reminiscent of "the action adventure games I was crazy about back in the day. This is a recommended game for retro gamers and non-retro gamers alike.

There's a danger of your holidays being wiped out because you're having too much fun exploring ......!

So there you have it, three recommended titles.

Casual games and smartphone games that can be played quickly and easily are fun, but it's also nice to sit at home in the cold winter and play a full exploration-type action game. If you are interested in any of the titles introduced in this issue, please take the time to play them on your days off. However, please note that I will not be held responsible if you find that your holiday has been wiped out by the sheer amount of fun.

Author: Nero Hyakkabe

Freelance writer who buys too many games. I currently have more than 300 games in my stack. Also a novelist. Author of "Yubisaki Kaidan: 140 Scary Stories" (PHP Kenkyujo), "Goa-ken: Unrated Edition" (Kodansha), etc.

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