[h2]Save Home[strike]Mother[/strike]Land from the devils or whatever those thing are.[/h2]
Homeland is a very charming game that stands out a lot. You can see the attention to detail, both in the little secrets behind the walls and in how many guts are going to fly out of the corpses.
I can say that this is one of the best platform games I've ever played, it mixes DOOM-style combat with platform elements very well. The only thing that spoils it would be the Knockback, if a monster hits you, you hit the moon in seconds.
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This review was submitted for [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44762845/][i]Arcane Burajiru™[/i][/url]
[i]Analise em Português [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/ArcaneBrazil/discussions/0/4364625713983600499/#c4364625713983854539]aqui[/url][/i].
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[b][u]Story[/u][/b]
There is no correct explanation within the game, but you can understand that you, your girlfriend and your best friend decide to go out clubbing(?), when you get there you are attacked by strangers, your best friend dies while your girlfriend is kidnapped. After confronting the kidnapper, you discover that your girlfriend is very important and the world you live in is no longer the same...
A simple story, but one that fits perfectly here. I normally complain about the lack of explanation within the game, but in here it makes perfect sense, the world has been invaded by demons or whatever they are, so there would be no way of explaining exactly why all this is happening.
[b][u]Gameplay[/u][/b]
Homeland is more of a metroidvania than a platformer, and you realize this when you defeat the first boss and start exploring the world, realizing how rich in detail everything is. Lots of secrets to discover, as well as kittens to collect.
I recommend using a controller, as movement is only done using the keyboard, but you'll be able to play the game just fine using the keyboard, it's all a matter of getting used to the controls, as well as the combat.
I say this because some of the monsters are quite unique, having different ways of attacking, but fortunately many of them are easy to get used to and get the hang of. The bosses are also very easy to get used to, and you may not die more than three times.
It's strange how I spend 16 minutes trying to get past a place where there are several small platforms, but the boss doesn't even last 5 minutes lol.
Apart from a few minor problems I encountered, such as the first boss disappearing or the shotgun bullets sometimes disappearing when you go to another stage, the game has almost no defects. The only 'problem' that bothered me throughout the game was the Knockback.
I had to go back a few times because of it, as I always fell off a platform, boat or elevator because of the Knockback. A devil attacks you and you fly to the moon, it doesn't get in the way to the point of being unplayable, but you will lose a lot of time with it.
[b][u]Graphics[/u][/b]
What stands out the most are the pixelated graphics. You get the feeling that you're in a real world, rather than something that's been created for a game - the attention to detail here has gone a long way. Every place you visit has a heavy atmosphere, forcing even more tension into the place, even though the graphics don't help much in the immersion.
The world is very well constructed, you really feel like you're in a post-apocalyptic place. The pixelated graphics are well done, as are the enemies, each of which has a different fighting style; I can say that at the moment I haven't seen anything reused or similar between the enemies.
[b][u]Audio[/u][/b]
Another one that really stands out apart from the graphics is the beautiful music and sound effects, which really help to maintain the mood of the environment or against the bosses. I never really notice the music while I'm playing, but in many parts of the game I did, because at times there's that calm before the storm.
The ones that attract your attention the most are the suspenseful, fast-paced ones, which set the mood nicely when you're facing multiple enemies or bosses. Talking about the music, it's a shame there's no soundtrack available on the game's page, maybe someone can extract it since the game was made in Pixel Game Maker MV.
[b][u]Verdict[/u][/b]
Homeland offers more than it should, showing how every game should be in terms of atmosphere, world-building and enemies. It's nothing fantastic, but for the price it offers, it's gone to infinity and beyond! If you like metroidvania or platform games, it's well worth putting on your radar.
Now... The price is very generous on my coin (BRL), even at full price. It depends heavily if it's worth it or not for you. The dev said it has 2.5h of content, but so far I think I'm not even close to finishing it. If you are the type of $1 for 1 hour, then it's better to wait for a promotion. I'II update this when I complete the game.
[b]Score:[/b]
8.2/10
[b]Strong Points:[/b]
+ The world is rich in details.
+ Satisfying pixelated graphics.
+ All of the enemies/bosses are unique in combat.
+ Music and sound effects are essential to the game.
+ Kittens :)
[b]Weak Points:[/b]
- Exaggerated knockback.
- Movement is a bit awkwardly.
- No achievements :(
- There are no save slots.
[b]Note:[/b] Negative points do not affect the final score. Some have been placed here because they are not very important/necessary themselves.
As with all reviews, this is my opinion on what I thought of the game. If you find it interesting, I recommend you buy and play it to see if it's worth it or not.
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