Official Site: http://www.terraria.org/index2.html
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
Source: Youtube Channel demilogic
After 100+ hours, everything that could be done seemed to have been done. And then a huge update was talked about all year long and people got excited. I wasn't going to be excited until it was downloaded onto my computer and I was already playing it. I would have never guessed how much time I was going to spend playing Terraria or how much fun I was going to have when I first bought it. Along with all the free updates that the developers keep giving to the players, it's perhaps one of the best purchases I have ever made on Steam. With the new 1.2 update launching last night at 12AM EST, many players got to re-experience Terraria in a totally new way. Besides having new weapons, biomes, enemies, items, bosses, etc., there also has been changes in game mechanics and world creation details that improves the game even further. Backgrounds have been redone to look nicer but have been optimized so that it doesn't lag the game anymore. There's seriously a LOT of new changes and improvements. It's no wonder so many people were excited about this. I barely scratched the surface of what has been changed and added from the 3 hours I played last night.
Terraria is an open-world Action-Adventure game that can be played online with friends if someone creates a server for it. There is no particular goal, but there is plenty to explore and a lot to do. It's $9.99 on Steam and a really good deal for what is offered.
Showing posts with label Terraria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terraria. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Thursday, July 28, 2011
GameLight Review - Terraria
Official Site: http://www.terraria.org/
Buy it on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
Source: Youtube Channel demilogic
Developer: Re-Logic
Distributor: Steam
Platforms: PC
Release Date: May 16, 2011
Genre: Adventure, Indie, Action, RPG
Pros:
-World is randomly generated which makes exploration for each new world different
-Lots of items, equipment, tools, weapons, materials and content
-Non-linear, you can play the game anyway you like. It's a sandbox-like game.
-Multiplayer provides many ways of playing including Role-Play, Player versus Player, and Co-op
-New content is regularly added to the game
Cons:
-Gathering the needed materials can be a grind
-Setting up Multiplayer can be a hassle and has some lag sometimes
-You'll have so much fun that you didn't realize the sun is already up
Terraria is exactly the type of game I need after a long day's work and competitive gaming becomes to frustrating to play. Terraria has a good balance between relaxing gameplay and fast-paced action. There is no ultimate goal set for the player, so the player is free to choose what they want to do. Some like to build incredible buildings like art pieces, some like to explore and fight monsters, and others like to compete against other players. When a world is created, it is randomly generated and allows the player to explore, gather materials, and fight monsters in an on-going adventure where in-game time affects the gameplay and new content is regularly added like an online game would for their MMORPGs. It is easily explained as a 2D version of Minecraft with more combat and exploration along with the building but has its own special aspects that makes it unique and captivating. For $10, you can easily get 50-100+ hours out of playing Terraria and even more if you play with friends or other people online.
Graphics
The developers decided to go with a retro pixel art style as their main medium. Because of this, the game runs very smoothly even on the highest resolution. The game captures the nostalgia of classic 2D games through its pixel-based sprites, some platforming, and even costumes referencing to many 2D retro games such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. The decision to stick with pixel-based sprites also makes it easier for the developers to create new content and quickly add them to the game. It's also an easy way for players to be able to quickly determine the environment around them due to its simplicity in color contrast and differences. Even with the classic pixel art, the game still has some lighting effects, particle effects and such which gives it a bit more modern feel. I couldn't imagine the game in using flash-based vector art or 3D models in a 2D environment. It would lose its unique charm without things looking so retro. All the measurements are block based which makes it easier to program randomly generated worlds. All that's missing is having even more content for the game to expand its library of things to collect and do. Graphics: 10/10
Audio
Here's where it gets a bit weird. The music in Terraria are composed of orchestral sounding instruments, 8-bit soundchips, and some electronic drums and synths. It sounds awkward at first, but it quickly fits in the game. The music is actually very imperative to the gameplay. It signifies cues throughout the game to let the player know what's going on. There's music to tell when it's day time, when it's night time, when the player is 100 meters below the surface, when they're in a corrupted area, etc. Each track is about a minute long, and they might get annoying to some people (I like it). I can't say I love it, but the music is catchy, memorable, and works rather well with Terraria. The sound effects are the usual "swoosh" and "bang" of swords and guns with a few recordings of the player going "ow" or "splat" after the player dies. You will probably hear "splat" a lot in the beginning as it's not an easy game. The music and sound effects aren't stellar or mind-blowing, but they really work with the game and more than satisfactory. Audio: 8/10
Gameplay
Terraria turned out to be a lot harder than I thought, which made me like it even more. The game challenges the player to adapt to situations, even if the player is free to do what they want. I didn't know too much about building my own structure, so I spent most of the time in the beginning flattening lands, gathering wood, and killing slimes. When night came, I experienced the difficulties of not having a house to protect me and was slaughtered by zombies and floating eyeballs 7 times within the night-time in-game. So much of the gameplay is about exploring, learning from mistakes, venturing off to unknown territories to gain new items and materials, and making the game what the player wants out of it. I like the exploration and fighting aspects of the game, but I also like some of the more leisurely tasks as well. So in the game during daytime, I collect materials and build my house. At night, I forge new weapons, decorate my house, go outside to fight bosses, and organize my backpack. When I feel ready, I journey off underground or off to the sides of the maps to more dangerous areas to see what I can find. The player has a ton of things they can do: mine, build, craft, fight, explore, hunt for treasure, PvP, Role-Play, etc. The reason why it's called a sandbox game is that the world is the player's sandbox, and they can do what they want in it. It has the exciting aspects of finding new weapons like in Phantasy Star Online (one of my favorite games) and exploring new areas that are really dangerous like in Demon's Souls (became one of my favorite games). The player can also choose to play on "Hardcore Mode" which really tests the player's ability to play safely and smart and not die. Normally, a player would lose half the money they carry if they die, but in Hardcore mode, you lose EVERYTHING and your health goes back to the default amount max capacity. I will try that one day. Aside from the fighting, exploring, and finding treasure, gathering certain ores (mainly hellstone ores) can be a drag and take hours to get the amount needed for the equipment you want. And if you play Hardcore mode, it'll just make you want to cry. I hope the game continues to expand. Gameplay: 9/10
Replay Value
There are 3 different world sizes (small, medium, large) to create and the positions of areas and items each time a world is made. The developer is also trying to create enough content so that it allows players to create character builds to have varying play styles. Along with multiplayer, PvP, hardcore mode, and starting new characters, the game can last quite a while. For those who mainly play until they've found all the secrets in the world and items, it gets to a point where there's nothing more rare or stronger to get anymore. So the game isn't perfect for constant replaying, but it's great for those who can be creative in how they play. Replay Value: 9/10
Overall
I can't express enough of how great of a game this is. It's a mix of casual with a bit of hardcore with a lot of unexpected surprises. It's relaxing to gather materials and build structures but it's also exciting fighting bosses and spelunking deep into caves to find treasure. There are things the developers can do to improve the game such as adding more content, making multiplayer more accessible to the players, and continue to expand the game, but it's enough now to fully enjoy the game in its present state. For $10, you can spend dozens of hours that you'll continue to have fun with compared to many $60 games that you might spend 7 hours to complete and toss aside (though not all retail games are like that). What'll be even better is if you can get a few friends to play as the game truly shines during multiplayer. I haven't been so captivated by a game since I played Demon's Souls (spent 80 hours on that thus far). Terraria is truly a compelling game that no one should miss out on. Overall: 9/10
Buy it on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
Source: Youtube Channel demilogic
Developer: Re-Logic
Distributor: Steam
Platforms: PC
Release Date: May 16, 2011
Genre: Adventure, Indie, Action, RPG
Pros:
-World is randomly generated which makes exploration for each new world different
-Lots of items, equipment, tools, weapons, materials and content
-Non-linear, you can play the game anyway you like. It's a sandbox-like game.
-Multiplayer provides many ways of playing including Role-Play, Player versus Player, and Co-op
-New content is regularly added to the game
Cons:
-Gathering the needed materials can be a grind
-Setting up Multiplayer can be a hassle and has some lag sometimes
-You'll have so much fun that you didn't realize the sun is already up
Terraria is exactly the type of game I need after a long day's work and competitive gaming becomes to frustrating to play. Terraria has a good balance between relaxing gameplay and fast-paced action. There is no ultimate goal set for the player, so the player is free to choose what they want to do. Some like to build incredible buildings like art pieces, some like to explore and fight monsters, and others like to compete against other players. When a world is created, it is randomly generated and allows the player to explore, gather materials, and fight monsters in an on-going adventure where in-game time affects the gameplay and new content is regularly added like an online game would for their MMORPGs. It is easily explained as a 2D version of Minecraft with more combat and exploration along with the building but has its own special aspects that makes it unique and captivating. For $10, you can easily get 50-100+ hours out of playing Terraria and even more if you play with friends or other people online.
Graphics
The developers decided to go with a retro pixel art style as their main medium. Because of this, the game runs very smoothly even on the highest resolution. The game captures the nostalgia of classic 2D games through its pixel-based sprites, some platforming, and even costumes referencing to many 2D retro games such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. The decision to stick with pixel-based sprites also makes it easier for the developers to create new content and quickly add them to the game. It's also an easy way for players to be able to quickly determine the environment around them due to its simplicity in color contrast and differences. Even with the classic pixel art, the game still has some lighting effects, particle effects and such which gives it a bit more modern feel. I couldn't imagine the game in using flash-based vector art or 3D models in a 2D environment. It would lose its unique charm without things looking so retro. All the measurements are block based which makes it easier to program randomly generated worlds. All that's missing is having even more content for the game to expand its library of things to collect and do. Graphics: 10/10
Audio
Here's where it gets a bit weird. The music in Terraria are composed of orchestral sounding instruments, 8-bit soundchips, and some electronic drums and synths. It sounds awkward at first, but it quickly fits in the game. The music is actually very imperative to the gameplay. It signifies cues throughout the game to let the player know what's going on. There's music to tell when it's day time, when it's night time, when the player is 100 meters below the surface, when they're in a corrupted area, etc. Each track is about a minute long, and they might get annoying to some people (I like it). I can't say I love it, but the music is catchy, memorable, and works rather well with Terraria. The sound effects are the usual "swoosh" and "bang" of swords and guns with a few recordings of the player going "ow" or "splat" after the player dies. You will probably hear "splat" a lot in the beginning as it's not an easy game. The music and sound effects aren't stellar or mind-blowing, but they really work with the game and more than satisfactory. Audio: 8/10
Gameplay
Terraria turned out to be a lot harder than I thought, which made me like it even more. The game challenges the player to adapt to situations, even if the player is free to do what they want. I didn't know too much about building my own structure, so I spent most of the time in the beginning flattening lands, gathering wood, and killing slimes. When night came, I experienced the difficulties of not having a house to protect me and was slaughtered by zombies and floating eyeballs 7 times within the night-time in-game. So much of the gameplay is about exploring, learning from mistakes, venturing off to unknown territories to gain new items and materials, and making the game what the player wants out of it. I like the exploration and fighting aspects of the game, but I also like some of the more leisurely tasks as well. So in the game during daytime, I collect materials and build my house. At night, I forge new weapons, decorate my house, go outside to fight bosses, and organize my backpack. When I feel ready, I journey off underground or off to the sides of the maps to more dangerous areas to see what I can find. The player has a ton of things they can do: mine, build, craft, fight, explore, hunt for treasure, PvP, Role-Play, etc. The reason why it's called a sandbox game is that the world is the player's sandbox, and they can do what they want in it. It has the exciting aspects of finding new weapons like in Phantasy Star Online (one of my favorite games) and exploring new areas that are really dangerous like in Demon's Souls (became one of my favorite games). The player can also choose to play on "Hardcore Mode" which really tests the player's ability to play safely and smart and not die. Normally, a player would lose half the money they carry if they die, but in Hardcore mode, you lose EVERYTHING and your health goes back to the default amount max capacity. I will try that one day. Aside from the fighting, exploring, and finding treasure, gathering certain ores (mainly hellstone ores) can be a drag and take hours to get the amount needed for the equipment you want. And if you play Hardcore mode, it'll just make you want to cry. I hope the game continues to expand. Gameplay: 9/10
Replay Value
There are 3 different world sizes (small, medium, large) to create and the positions of areas and items each time a world is made. The developer is also trying to create enough content so that it allows players to create character builds to have varying play styles. Along with multiplayer, PvP, hardcore mode, and starting new characters, the game can last quite a while. For those who mainly play until they've found all the secrets in the world and items, it gets to a point where there's nothing more rare or stronger to get anymore. So the game isn't perfect for constant replaying, but it's great for those who can be creative in how they play. Replay Value: 9/10
Overall
I can't express enough of how great of a game this is. It's a mix of casual with a bit of hardcore with a lot of unexpected surprises. It's relaxing to gather materials and build structures but it's also exciting fighting bosses and spelunking deep into caves to find treasure. There are things the developers can do to improve the game such as adding more content, making multiplayer more accessible to the players, and continue to expand the game, but it's enough now to fully enjoy the game in its present state. For $10, you can spend dozens of hours that you'll continue to have fun with compared to many $60 games that you might spend 7 hours to complete and toss aside (though not all retail games are like that). What'll be even better is if you can get a few friends to play as the game truly shines during multiplayer. I haven't been so captivated by a game since I played Demon's Souls (spent 80 hours on that thus far). Terraria is truly a compelling game that no one should miss out on. Overall: 9/10
Friday, July 15, 2011
VGCulture - Terraria is a time eater
What's happening to me now with Terraria is exactly the reason why I stayed away from Minecraft: I can't stop! Minecraft was a bit easier to resist since I didn't know too many people who would play it along with me. For Terraria, I know one other friend who's played over 100 hours. And after reaching 12 hours of gameplay after one week, I am convinced that 100 hours is not enough.
Source: Youtube Channel demilogic
I was up pretty late last night playing Terraria, and I spent the first hour just tearing down my dirt wall since I realized that NPCs don't come into your house unless you have a stone wall or anything sturdier than that. I think what makes the game so captivating is that it's relaxing yet still challenging and fun. I don't have to deal with online players, competitive gameplay, or intense graphics to enjoy playing a game. It's also the exploration part of the game that's so compelling as the more deeper you go into the world, the more dangerous it becomes with the chance of more rewards. It's so satisfying to play at my own pace and participating a on-going time-frame that affects the gameplay. It reminds me a lot of the MMORPGs I used to play where I didn't have to go to a specific spot to do something or grind in an area for long durations. There is some grinding in terms of finding materials to craft items, but I've never been so excited about crafting new equipment in a game as this one (okay, that's a lie. I was super into forging new weapons in Demon's Souls). The game is even more fun playing with a friend and fighting bosses together and experiencing crazy shenanigans in caves. On Tuesday, I said that dying in the game didn't penalize you. But I was wrong. I found out that you lost half your money that you're carrying when you die. I like it more like that. It gives me more of a reason to stay alive and be more weary in combat. And of course, there's my obsession with weapons in this game. I don't have much except swords, a spear, and a bow. But later on, there's light sabers, shurikens, and firearms that you can use. Out of all the games I bought during the summer sale, Terraria was probably the best one and I'll probably get past 100 hours of gameplay sometime near the end of summer. If you haven't checked the game out yet, do it now (it's totally worth it!): http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
Things that add up to the time spent playing the game:
-Collecting
-Fighting
-Exploring
-Crafting
-Designing
-Experimenting (yup, lots to do in the game)
Source: Youtube Channel demilogic
I was up pretty late last night playing Terraria, and I spent the first hour just tearing down my dirt wall since I realized that NPCs don't come into your house unless you have a stone wall or anything sturdier than that. I think what makes the game so captivating is that it's relaxing yet still challenging and fun. I don't have to deal with online players, competitive gameplay, or intense graphics to enjoy playing a game. It's also the exploration part of the game that's so compelling as the more deeper you go into the world, the more dangerous it becomes with the chance of more rewards. It's so satisfying to play at my own pace and participating a on-going time-frame that affects the gameplay. It reminds me a lot of the MMORPGs I used to play where I didn't have to go to a specific spot to do something or grind in an area for long durations. There is some grinding in terms of finding materials to craft items, but I've never been so excited about crafting new equipment in a game as this one (okay, that's a lie. I was super into forging new weapons in Demon's Souls). The game is even more fun playing with a friend and fighting bosses together and experiencing crazy shenanigans in caves. On Tuesday, I said that dying in the game didn't penalize you. But I was wrong. I found out that you lost half your money that you're carrying when you die. I like it more like that. It gives me more of a reason to stay alive and be more weary in combat. And of course, there's my obsession with weapons in this game. I don't have much except swords, a spear, and a bow. But later on, there's light sabers, shurikens, and firearms that you can use. Out of all the games I bought during the summer sale, Terraria was probably the best one and I'll probably get past 100 hours of gameplay sometime near the end of summer. If you haven't checked the game out yet, do it now (it's totally worth it!): http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
Things that add up to the time spent playing the game:
-Collecting
-Fighting
-Exploring
-Crafting
-Designing
-Experimenting (yup, lots to do in the game)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
GameLight - Terraria
Official Site: http://www.terraria.org/
Source: Youtube Channel demilogic
Terraria is a game I HAVE to talk about. This was recently part of the Steam's Summer Sales and was featured on the last two days of the sale (if you scroll down, you can see them in the images). It's a phenomenal indie developed game that mixes the sandbox aspects of building with exploration and action/adventure of side-scrollers. To give (a possibly bad, but helpful) example, the game is like the new generation Castlevania series in that you can freely travel around the world within the game, but everything around you can be manipulated, gathered and recreated like in the indie developed game Minecraft (an equally fun and compelling game). Terraria is often compared to Minecraft as the "2D version", but I think the difference is drawn in that Minecraft has more of a building and social aspect while Terraria is more of exploration and combat. The game doesn't have a tutorial and pretty much plops the player right into the world that is randomly generated. I started off the game like I did in Minecraft and walked around while cutting down trees and picking up dirt blocks. I had to leave when I first started and came back only to find myself being at night in the game where everything is hard to see. Suddenly, I start seeing zombies and flying eyeballs close in on me and eat away my life while striking them only scratches a piece of their health off. I was in danger, I didn't have a strong weapon, and I didn't have shelter. I had died 6-7 times in the span of that one night in-game time, and that was enough to teach me my first lesson: build a shelter. Thinking about it, I could've built a barricade around me with dirt blocks and waited out the night. But I think that's something I like about the game: you learn how to play by learning from your mistakes and experiences (like in Demon's Souls!). Yes, the game can be a bit intimidating since everything seems kind of confusing, but it was the main attraction in that I could die as many times as I want and the most that will happen is that I get brought back to the spawn point (which is probably bad when playing on large planets). It made exploration fun and exciting. There is so much that can be experimented with. Later, I joined a friend and I started learning more about how the game works. There are deep caverns underneath that you can dig into and collect ores to craft items and equipment. I learned how to make a shelter and protect myself from the monsters at night and how to create weapons so that I have an easier time fighting when I need to. The combat can be anything from easy killings to insane challenges, especially the bosses:
Source: Youtube Channel NeptuneYT
If you like sandbox-like games where you have a lot of freedom of what you want to do as well as classic 2D action games, then you gotta check this game out: http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
Source: Youtube Channel demilogic
Terraria is a game I HAVE to talk about. This was recently part of the Steam's Summer Sales and was featured on the last two days of the sale (if you scroll down, you can see them in the images). It's a phenomenal indie developed game that mixes the sandbox aspects of building with exploration and action/adventure of side-scrollers. To give (a possibly bad, but helpful) example, the game is like the new generation Castlevania series in that you can freely travel around the world within the game, but everything around you can be manipulated, gathered and recreated like in the indie developed game Minecraft (an equally fun and compelling game). Terraria is often compared to Minecraft as the "2D version", but I think the difference is drawn in that Minecraft has more of a building and social aspect while Terraria is more of exploration and combat. The game doesn't have a tutorial and pretty much plops the player right into the world that is randomly generated. I started off the game like I did in Minecraft and walked around while cutting down trees and picking up dirt blocks. I had to leave when I first started and came back only to find myself being at night in the game where everything is hard to see. Suddenly, I start seeing zombies and flying eyeballs close in on me and eat away my life while striking them only scratches a piece of their health off. I was in danger, I didn't have a strong weapon, and I didn't have shelter. I had died 6-7 times in the span of that one night in-game time, and that was enough to teach me my first lesson: build a shelter. Thinking about it, I could've built a barricade around me with dirt blocks and waited out the night. But I think that's something I like about the game: you learn how to play by learning from your mistakes and experiences (like in Demon's Souls!). Yes, the game can be a bit intimidating since everything seems kind of confusing, but it was the main attraction in that I could die as many times as I want and the most that will happen is that I get brought back to the spawn point (which is probably bad when playing on large planets). It made exploration fun and exciting. There is so much that can be experimented with. Later, I joined a friend and I started learning more about how the game works. There are deep caverns underneath that you can dig into and collect ores to craft items and equipment. I learned how to make a shelter and protect myself from the monsters at night and how to create weapons so that I have an easier time fighting when I need to. The combat can be anything from easy killings to insane challenges, especially the bosses:
Source: Youtube Channel NeptuneYT
If you like sandbox-like games where you have a lot of freedom of what you want to do as well as classic 2D action games, then you gotta check this game out: http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/
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