There are, of course, new curios and traps to discover as you would expect, but Court missions deviate from the standard affair in much more interesting ways.Īside from immediately removing one hero from the fight, the Fanatic always surprises the party when he appears, shuffling the lineup. It’s a whole new dungeon, set of ruined opulence and corruption, complete with an “aristocracy as bloodsucking vampires” theme (a message I can get behind). The titular Crimson Court is present in the form of an all-new area to explore. There is a dark imagination at the core of The Crimson Court an admirable (if somewhat disturbing) dedication to finding new ways to twist the knife. It finds fiendishly original methods of ratcheting up the pressure as you juggle the physical and mental health of your heroes, along with the management of the Hamlet.
It warps familiar mechanics in new and unexpected ways. It takes the building blocks of the dungeon you know and stacks new, bizarre architectural tortures on top of them. This game sunk its hooks into me that deeply.But, while all of these additions represented incremental improvements, The Crimson Court represents a sea change.
It’s a disheartening feeling that should make you stop playing immediately, yet there I was, so angry and fascinated at the same time, willing to try again one more time. If a single meltdown in a difficult encounter can ruin your whole expedition, imagine what it feels like to have five in a row in the same battle. They can also earn a positive outcome and heal up, though it’s less common. When their white gauge is complete, your hero can have a meltdown, losing most of their HP. Things get more complicated when you add the stress system, the signature core mechanic of the series. But they can also frustrate you when you deal one less point of damage than you need and receive an unexpected counterattack. The battles feel like puzzles, making you feel great when you succeed with your party in one piece. I spent hours experimenting with the best combinations for my playstyle, trying out new things every time. As you get to know your cast, you dive into the thrilling experience of learning who goes well with whom, in what position, and against which creatures. The combat system is hard to master but incredibly satisfying.
0 kommentar(er)
