Scalari.net

So I got this game this weekend. I was lured by a cute pink-haired ninja. The reviews all said something like “Okay, not great. Hard as hell.” I agree with the first statement. It’s not great, but it’s pretty good. There’s some humor in there. Not Ha-ha funny but it’s cute.

The game does start out really hard. I think I died in the first 15 minutes. But it was hardly impossible. In fact after some minor grinding I was able to stay alive no problem.

The game is all random dungeons, which is something I’m into oddly enough. If you die you lose all your stuff and return to the hometown. It’s semi-turn-based, meaning you can move around in real time but the enemies only move when you move. If you stand still, you’re safe. So when I get mobbed by 4 monsters I can still take the time to check my inventory for aid.

And really, what I found, the key to the steep difficulty lies in the items. You’ll find random stuff scattered all over the levels. Weapons, talismans, healing items, etc. Talismans are interesting, because they can be used or you can stick them to your weapon. So there’s a talisman that lets you teleport back to town, or if you stick it to your weapon then you won’t lose it if you die. Using the right items at the right time can really help you out when you’re in a pinch, which in reality is most of the time.

A funny example is the Fire pill. I found it and the description said “Magic pill that holds fire within” or something generic like that. So I assume it’ll make me do fire damage so naturally I eat it to see what it does. The cute little Izuka sprite throws the pill up in the air and gobbles it with a smile. Num num. Then she suddenly bursts into flame! DEAD! Game over!

What I was supposed to do was to throw it. You can throw pills and make enemies swallow them. I threw the fire pill at one of the bosses and it was really devastating.

The game in general is otherwise very straight-forward. But for some reason that’s really what I feel like playing right now.