[h1] FOG...just wow [/h1]
How can I introduce such a title? It's no easy task, that's for sure. There's so much to be said about it but, at the same time, I can't put my finger on where or how to begin. From it's unique and charming art style to it's very much needed take on the roguelike genre as a whole. Innovative, wild, random and full of personality. This is the type of game I want to see. So...let's go ahead and disect it to the best of my ability.
[h1] Near Vanna [/h1]
What will probably first catch your eye is the visuals of the game. Making use of Unity, the title decides to create a unique set of worlds that can only be described graphically with an example, think of it as some sort of...Soda Drinker Pro. But it goes beyond that simple comparison (which I honestly think underestimates this game itself, but there is no easy way of describing it). It's the subtle, and not so subtle, details that contribute on making FOG's world on of the most interesting to look at and revisit, something that many roguelike games tend to forget.
We can talk about the NPC's and bosses designs, making use of distorted photographs of human faces and colorful textures that all together give some kind of uncanny feel to it all. Which is specially clever given that these "angels" of sort are pretty much our only shelter on this mad, mad world. Speaking of angels, the symbolism in this game is pretty clear from the get go. Risking to get myself on the terrain of self interpretation a bit much, although one could argue it's one of the game's intentions, I think it's important to also shed light on what FOG might be trying to communicate regarding on how it interprets the afterlife...or, something...you'll see what I mean.
So, we got earth and ten circles of...hell? Heaven? Nirvana? It's hard to tell...and maybe that's intentional. I like to think of this world as a mashup of many religious concepts with the objective of either giving a more bizarre approach on how it all may work or maybe portraying the ridiculousness with which some ideas have been incrusted on the beliefs of so many people. The skill tree, for example, all parts from the image of an apple as a direct reference to the forbidden fruit. The amulet is depicted as a crucifix. And each level is named after a sin of sorts.
[h1] 0 haloes gained [/h1]
Gameplay wise, we also have tons of things to discuss. FOG's core behaves as a roguelike. With each death throwing us back to the previous level. And each complete level awarding us with experience plus 10 haloes, the game's currency, if we found the hidden gray man on the scenario...more on that later. Experience is used on the very well designed skill tree, where we can improve many stats like recoil, attack, move and reload speed, lifesteal, critical hit chance and many others. At the time of writing this review, the maximum level you can achieve is 50. This ultimately means that we can not max out the entire tree and it's designed in a way which makes us think about our decisions on which abilities we want to level up. It is an amazingly well crafted system that ties directly onto the items we can equip.
Haloes, on the other hand, are the currency used to buy all of the items available. This ranges from a full armor set, to different weapons, spells, and many other objects which are meant to upgrade or change the behaviour of certain aspects of our character. Maybe it's a small boost to one of the previous explained skills, maybe we are talking about a very powerful weapon but with a clear downside to it. The twist that comes with these items is that they are all random. We spend 10 haloes to buy an item from a certain type and what stats come packed with that item are up to the game. And while this may seem a bit harsh at first given that getting haloes is not such an easy task, we quickly realize that it's not really about getting the best items. More so about learning to play with what you get and adapting to the different builds.
That is the key component of FOG's amazingly fun yet simple gameplay. The different builds that you can think of and that the game is willing to give you. You may chose to have a very high chance of explosive damage but a rather tame weapon. Maybe you compensate the obvious downsides of a melee choice like an axe with an absurd amount of movement speed and lifesteal. Maybe you use a totem which allows you to focus more on the objectives rather than the enemies themselves. The game wants, and will, force you to adapt, think and vary the style of your playthroughs. Yes, it is true that you will eventually find a powerful enough weapon that most other items become trivial and your use of the skill tree may be less restrictive, but that's when the high replay value of this game really shines.
Given that you can find the gray man on all levels, you guarantee yourself 10 haloes per scenario which translates on one item per level. This progress, intentionally, may seem a bit slow. But once you beat the game, you are rewared with 50 haloes. This, from what I can tell, is done in order to encourage the player to go on a shopping spree and test out different equipments. And it does wonders to the game on the long run. FOG is simply, a different kind of roguelike. A very much needed one. On which going for long and extensive runs is not really the point, but rather focusing on the way you play around and face situations on a rather short experience. It is a very fresh addition to the genre in that sense, and I think many other great games could learn a lot from it.
[h1] The way of the fetus [/h1]
There are other comments to be made, but I will try to be as brief as possible. Starting with the soundtrack, or rather the lack of one. It is an...interesting choice, that's for sure. While having a glimpse of what this game may sound like is something I crave for. I dont think FOG needs music. I would say the silence and sound effects are part of what this game is. If you really can't stand the monotony of it, you can always play something in the background.
It may take you a couple tries to understand how some aspects of the game work. And I understand how the lack of any guides can be a bit underwhelming for you. But, then again, I believe the fact this game remains unknown just improves it's quality. It's up to you to learn it's ways, it's up to you to find all gray man locations, It's up to you to learn how the items work. I was actually considering making a guide for some basic information, but I'm conflicted. I want to help newcomers get the hang of things but I also would like to keep the mistery of it all, and allow people to figure stuff on their own.
[h1] Play FOG [/h1]
I kept on debating if maybe I was attributing a little too much to this videogame. And you know what, maybe I am. But the truth is, I think Happy Art Club knew what they were doing. It has a very unique style that goes beyond what a lot of people may consider just a sh!tpost or an amateur's game. Given the aesthetics and the gray man himself, there's a clear inspiration from LSD: DREAM SIMULATOR. And witnessing that such a piece of art is still being used as a reference by so many talented people warms my heart.
In the end, this game is simply exceptional and a lot of fun. Happy Art Club have stated that they are already working on new weapons and spells. And having read the many update logs and changes that this game has gone through already, I can't wait for what's to come. Not only on FOG, but from Happy Art Club in general. If anyone from the team gets to read this, thank you! I cannot express how much I was in the need for a game like FOG and I wish you a great future on the gaming industry if that's what you are aiming for.
Oh, and the game is really cheap, just give it a go already.
Thank you for reading.
