Xenon Valkyrie+ Is A "Rogue-Lite Platformer For Hardcore Gamers", Lands On Switch 1st January

Hmmm, might try the demo but on the fence based on their description

Randomly generated = thumbs down. Let’s stop using this a a crutch for game design. Or lack there of.

Seems like more and more rogue-lites appear every month, yet only a few are unique and original.

Oh, this looks great! I'll be heavy into Smash/my backlog for the next few months, but this is going on my wishlist!

@Gen0neD agree with you. Not a fan of rogue likes. Miss actual levels designed with a purpose

It looks decent enough, but if I had a dollar for every time "roguelike," "retro," and "difficult" were used to describe an indie game, I'd be rich by now.

@Gen0neD You are aware that Randomly generated levels are actually more difficult to develop right? And its a massive tool in game design to increase playability so someone doesn't just go through the motions of any one playthrough

Just waiting for the inevitable physical release from Play-Asia.

@Zeldadom truthfully, I did not know that, but what I don’t like about them is that they rob the player of the awesome sense of mastery. When you can wing through a level unscathed, because you put countless hours into timing the entire game. To the point where your movements are rhythmical, bordering on musical. It’s a synergy that randomly generated levels can’t provide. Dead Cells comes close (and I do love that game) but having a game sculpted by humans, just seems more difficult than have the cpu take the wheel.

@Gen0neD
I feel like you don't really get the point of why "randomly generated" is good for some experiences.(Rip Chasm)

I really wouldn't want to go on a long winded rant but basically it depends on the experience the dev wants to convey. The actual process behind level generation is pretty complex, depending on how they go about it. World generation though is its on can of words that I don't have much experience with(Don't Starve, Minecraft).

Creating rhythm and flow is a hard task to do with roguelikes/roguelites (there's a difference) because flow is based upon teaching the player its mechanics and eventually at a point of mastery, reaching a zen-like state.(I'm sure I read something on that some where.)

I'd highly advise everyone who is interested in game design to watch Mark Brown, especially this video-
https://youtu.be/Uqk5Zf0tw3o

Oh and as far as worlds go- https://youtu.be/TgbuWfGeG2o

You can tell it's for hardcore gamers because it has pixel art and waifu in it!

I've been gaming since the NES and I don't remember playing any games where the characters on screen were dang near microscopic.

Would have been a lot more interested if things were larger and the character in-game looked at least a little like the illustrated version.

@Kal_ nope I get it. Which is why I mentioned Dead Cells. It’s not a hard concept to understand, but not all are going to appreciate it. As the 9 ♥️s on my original post demonstrates. There may be (and I probably just can’t think of one) a AAA game that effectively employs, random generated levels. But for the most part, this technique seems relegated to the indie sect. If it’s more difficult to implement randomly generated levels, therefore more time consuming and time = money (which is something indie studios just don’t have) why wouldn’t they save themselves the time and money and just make a tailor made game. There’s gotta be a reason why so many of them use it and larger studios don’t. Which is why it does seem like a crutch to me.

I like that art design. 😏

I like the pixel art and use of color.
I hate roguelites and randomly generated levels.
Pass.

@Gen0neD
The reason why roguelikes use procedural/random generation lies in the name. Roguelike which is "Like Rogue". Rogue being a game released in 1980 and as since then created it's own genre. Being roguelikes( Like Rogue) and roguelites( Borrowing elements traditionally associated with the genre but not really emulating them.)

Really no other game would have a need for procedural generation other than games like Don't Starve, Minecraft, and No Mans Sky. Sure RNG exists in almost every game but Bethesda wouldn't make Fallout procedurally generated, that'd be a nightmare. Ugh, thinking about a Randomly Generated 3D RPG world would give me nightmares. And Bethesda wouldn't want that either(Just using Bethesda as an example, Fallout 76 isn't helping much) as it be just too hard to create a system for 3D based Procedural Generation.

And another thing too lies in the story. Yes Roguelikes have some story but it's usually relegated to visual elements, some convos, and outside material. Frankly it'd be way too hard to tell a cohesive story with Random Generation. Usually games with PCG are meant more about gameplay than anything else.

I do wonder why people hate randomly generated levels so much though. Probably because if it does a good job, then no one can tell.

I played the PC version long ago, it's patterned after Spelunky but obviously doesn't stack up to that. Not very surprising though, Spelunky is a very lofty goal to aim for.

PEGI 7 with box art like that?

No wonder lil kiddies are watching anime meant for older people.. makes it look like they're made for kids when most of it isn't suitable.

Sees cute anime girl thumbnail, clicks, sees rip-off SNES style graphics for actual gameplay.

Meh.

I have this on Vita so no compelling reason to double-dip. If you’re sitting on the fence though, I’d say it’s worth $5-$10, no more than that. It’s a decent game and all but there’s so many better titles just like it on the Switch these days.

I read "Hardcore gamers" and I immediately think of 12 year old boys( no offense )...

@ilikeike
If I had a dollar for every game mistakenly labelled a roguelike I'd be a few dollars short of being as rich as you

Tried the demo. It sucks.

Next!

Another Rogue-lite? Pass.

The genre is like the WW2 FPS and Guitar Hero craze of saturation already. Let’s move on already.

So I just tried the demo. One particular meme can probably sum up my thoughts about it: "I expect nothing but I'm still let down."

Eh, I enjoyed its demo a fair bit and its rogue-like elements never bothered me much, honestly.

I'll probably buy the game later down the line, but not at launch since I'm going to be busy with Christmas, Families, Holidays, and Smash around that time.

Ohh this looks neat!
Going on my wishlist

@Fake-E-Lee Yeah, I got to the boss, 'cause I liked the level up-mechanics quite a bit. But when his HP-meter went into -10 instead of dying by 0, and he killed me by one-hit, I also said: "Nope, that's too freaky. Or kinda broken." :-/

Now I'm playing Fire Emblem Warriors instead.