Path of Achra

ggame neds better difficulty scaling, cycles jus make enemies stats bigger. id say to copy the blights and boon system from cube chaos, makes for more emergent and dynamic difficulty that isn't just stat checks regardless da game is fun, satisfying, maybe make the message history log a little easier to scroll up and down quickly, maybe other quality of life changes there like jumping to last turn/next turn, i quite enjoy reading that log just to see what all is going on. art isnt amazing but i dont think its as bad as i have seen other reviews say, it could use a little work but it has a charm to it. i like the music, and sound effects

Roguelike that expects you to break it. Once you understand rules and mechanics, it's really fun to craft different builds. Graphics looks simple, but it becomes white noise after a while Worth full price, Merchants Guild approved

I achieved some good build but man, my brain fuming. It's a really nice theory crafting game.

No idea wth is going on half the time. But its oddly satisfying. Once you kinda of get the basics it becomes very fun to mix and try different specs and builds. Its fast, its stimulating and its just all around a good game if your into roguelikes. Just be aware...you will have to do some reading in game to find out what things do.

It's good

This game is crack. Path of exile, underrail, stoneshard players, all beware. this is build theorycrafting and execution distilled into absolute glory.

[i]Path of Achra is a turn-based, sandbox-logic rogue-like, centered around building your character and facing increasingly-tougher enemies. Like most people, I heard about it from Sseth, and I am glad for it.[/i] [h1]Flows[/h1][list] [*]The main draw of the game, is testing the combinations of Race, Class, Deity, Skills and Prestige Class for creating the most broken combination possible. Going through the spreadsheet is not an obstacle for enjoying the game, it [i]is[/i] the game, and your enemies are just there to test the synergy of your build. Add to that choosing the appropriate equipment (by no means a clear-cut choice), and you have a recipe for infinite experimentation. [*]Speaking of infinity, EVERY skill is infinitely scalable through leveling it up. For example, you may pick the Astral element "Asi Malak", which gives you + 1 attack range at the cost of 6 skill points, + 100 damage randomly distributed to 3 enemies at any range. That's at rank 1. At rank 5, you will have +5 attack range and 500 damage randomly distributed. Technically, you could only level up this one skill and physically hit enemies from across the entire map while randomly killing 3 things per attack. [*]The chains that can be created by those combinations are insane. For example, Skill A can trigger damage upon you taking a step and skill B can trigger upon enemies around you receiving damage, applying a buff that increases your future attacks. Now imagine a skill C that makes you take a step every time you inflict damage around you. The chain reaction, essentially a series of "while X" or "when X", "do Y", is the highlight of the game. Path of Achra does not try to balance itself, it gives you a very simple format and actively challenges you to break the game. [*]It is entirely possible to kill yourself through those chain reactions. Most elements have a simple self-damaging effect that deals 25 damage to you (which compared to your total life could be less than 1%), in exchange for doing something else. If you miscalculate, you could end up triggering said self-damage enough in a single turn to kill yourself. And I love that. [*]ALL the information is available to you right from the start. After the first 2-3 maps, you can choose which maps you will visit next, seeing the available loot they have along with the enemies they contain and all their abilities. Making idiotic choices that will lead you to face a fire-breathing mini-boss that can KO you before you have even had a turn, because you wanted the chest-piece that enhances your Martial Element build is entirely possible (and your fault). [*]Each fully charged prayer you have is a revive upon consumption. Each prayer has a different trigger for gaining a charge, and you have 3 unique ones per chosen deity. In other words, you have to choose between casting a powerful spell (potentially triggering a powerful chain reaction) OR keeping said spell completely unused so that you can be revived if you mess up. [*]After each playthrough, you gain access to the next cycle. Each cycle gives enemies a random stat bonus & potentially an ability, and in return it increases your experience rate, so you can level-up and acquire skills faster. In other words, the more you progress in the game, the faster you get to test out the insane combinations you have theory-crafted. [*]The game actually has plenty of lore and uses poetic language, if you are interested in that sort of thing (I wasn't, mostly because playing mad scientist with the character builds cuts the interest in the setting's conventional fantasy).[/list] [h1]Flaws[/h1][list] [*]Path of Achra intentionally uses minimal graphics, and I get that it doesn't need high resolutions, but good lord those are way too minimal. The map and sprites are genuinely ugly to look at, not to mention tiring for your eyesight. [*]So far I have only managed to make the tree transformation build work... Out of 10+ potential transformation builds. [*]Steam achievements are bugged. I am in the 11th Cycle of Revelation, and I have zero achievements to show for it. [*]Once your build has been proven to work, progressing through all the maps to complete your playthrough can get tedious. I mean, there is a chance you will encounter an enemy that will very specifically counter your build, but for the most part it's a grinding slog.[/list] [b]Thumbs Up for purchase, IF intellectual stimulation is enough to bring you joy on its own. Path of Achra gives you all the room for experimentation you could ever want, in a deceptively simple package that lets you focus on said experimentation.

This is great