I decided to make something that's just not me. Buy a game on release day! OMG, I know!
You probably guessed what game I bought. Seriously, everything else worthy of release was moved to a different date anyway...
After playing the game for 10 hours or so, I collected some thoughts I'd like to share with you!
Games have layers, like an ogre
Before the release day came, I decided to make a recap of what happened in the first part. Imagine my surprise on learning that there were more than 2 endings. I dug deeper, and it was even worse... I learned facts I did not remember. I finished the game, and yet some of those facts were new to me...
Did I really play the game? Why did I miss it? And knowing that... why did I enjoy the game anyway?
With little cutscenes, little text, and many notes one has to make (which I didn't), the game still has a lot to offer.
The joy of exploring that map, and the joy of gitting gud!
Top Metroidvania design.
To be honest, I saw most of the story in a sort of environmental storytelling, made some conclusions on the way, then forgot about them. But enjoyed the game nonetheless.1
My conclusion?
Games are about doing; telling the story is second fiddle (maybe even third). Give the player something engaging to do on the way, and you will have more than just scrolling through dialogue in your game.
I guess that would explain the popularity of crafting/survival games lately.
Breath of the Map
I saw it in Hollow Knight, I'm seeing it in Silksong, but I also remember seeing it in Breath of the Wild.
The art of making a map.
The joy of exploration comes from setting limitations on how the player can use a map (and triangles when viewing stuff).
In both Hollow Knight and Breath of the Wild, you have a map where you will need to get skills to reach new places. A map so big, and the amount of pins so small - that you will look at the map, look at your pins, and realize - you have no idea why you put that in the first place, so you need to check it out.
And fuck pin diversity! Make the pins so they hardly represent anything. If you do it well, players will love to backtrack over that map. I know I do!
Levelling up, balancing the game, and such...
There's no levelling up in Hollow Knight. Just so we're clear. You can wear different equipment2 and crests in Silksong.
Nobody levels up, there's no grind (well, you can grind for currency), you have to learn your enemies3, and sometimes you can gear up.
And man, does that make me happier than grinding for experience points!
So much for my recent procrastination research session.
I can only hope that I will finish Silksong before Trails in the Sky Remake is released. But no pressure ;-)
I wonder if that would be my experience with Dark Souls games...?
similar to badges in Paper Mario, which I played recently. Is the answer to balancing an RPG in an equipable item-based progression?
Imagine a turn-based strategy where you have to learn your enemies more than level up above them?