CrossCode

Chato, o que deixa o jogo pior é o design dos mapas

除了解谜完美无瑕的游戏

An absolute masterclass of puzzle design and combat. Some criticize the game for the games puzzles, both their constant presence in the game and their difficulty. However I argue that this is not an issue with the game itself, but the fact that the combat is so good, that the game fails to make it clear that it is a Zelda-like puzzle game first and foremost. If you do not enjoy puzzles, you will likely not enjoy Crosscode, but if you do, what's here is some of the greatest puzzle design in gaming. You will also be treated to some damn good combat which most of the time incorporates puzzle solving into its design. The side-quests in this game are mostly all fantastic and some of the most unique I have ever seen in gaming, especially in the games latter half. The game is rich with secrets and if you enjoy collecting things, Crosscode has one of the most engaging maps to explore for collectors. Crosscode doesn't have a "crafting" system per se, but it has a trading system where you pay a fee alongside some materials to obtain items or equipment, functionally acting like a crafting system. Not only does this make obtaining materials more rewarding, it also adds something new to search for as some the market fronts are hidden within their towns as well. Finally the story, I wont spoil it, but aside from a small Ludonarrative issue, Crosscode is one of the most "human" games I have ever played, you don't really feel alone when you are playing this even though it is a single player game, and the narrative is as amazing and beautiful as it is heart wrenching. Overall, Crosscode is an amazing indie gem and I strongly recommend this game to any puzzle enjoyer. Some criticism: -The games narrative choices result in a separation of the game world you play in and the actual narrative itself, meaning that when the game finally shows its cards in the latter half, having long stretches of gameplay that isn't important to the story can feel weird. It can lead to the actual games story looming at the back of your mind instead of being the focus of everything you do during that stretch. -The isometric artstyle does not mix well with the top down perspective, and makes it difficult to determine altitude. This is surprisingly very important as the game has a decent amount of verticality to it, meaning that puzzles using this verticality can be particularly frustrating. -The game has a fairly slow start. In a way I haven't really seen before. The intro and the newcomers area are literally a perfect introduction to the game and what's to come. However immediately after the tutorial dungeon, you are put into what is most likely the most mediocre point in the game, and it kinda drags on. It doesn't help that the first few quests which you'll obtain there are (while still better than most video game side quests) the least interesting quests in the game and could undersell the quality of the games side quests all around.