cyclomantis 最近的评测

2.3 hours to get 100% completion. As a first title for a new studio, technically, I think it's very promising! Gameplay feels a bit frustrating tat times, but these feel like growing pains and not real problems - I'd be surprised to see that the next title from this studio has these same issues. Things like the ability to run or a fast travel wouldn't go amiss, especially since there are so many sidequests, requiring so much backtracking (I'd wager 1/4-1/3 of that 2.3hr playtime was due to backtracking), nor would a "skip dialogue" or "skip cutscene" button be unwelcome. Ultimately, though, these are small issues in the face of a competently put-together game. Puzzles and mechanics are intuitive, even if combat has some... problems (well, maybe I'm just bad at figuring out the combat of this game). The art style is charming and adorable.

The reason I say I wouldn't recommend it, however, is that the writing was bad enough that it overshadowed the charm of the experience. I wanted to enjoy this game, I really did, but around every corner was a pop culture reference or a joke about modern culture that will severely date the game (COVID references, a character dropping uwu and owo, just to name a few). The references are very shallow, such as quoting the entirety of the "what did you say about me" copypasta, or an NPC that's clearly a riff on a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure character just... hanging around, completely distracting from the experience. Once or twice, it might have been fine, even funny, but when almost the entire game's comedy relies on memes and references, it becomes grating (pun not intended). It changes the tone of the game from charming and cheeky to cynical and trite - less "aw, isn't it funny that you're a criminal turnip?" and more "el oh el, look at how online we are."

All the same, I do think this studio's future releases are something to look forward to. I hope that their future titles are able to move past this highly referential comedy style, because there's genuine heart and charm - especially in the visuals - that I hate seeing overshadowed by such aggressively derivative writing.