Thursday, January 28, 2016

It ain't no trick to get rich quick.

Soon, The Nintendo 3DS will release (Man, how long ago did I start this entry? October?) recently added Heist, the next installment of the Steamworld series, to the eShop, following the success of Steamworld Dig: A Fistful of Dirt, which followed the lukewarm reception of Steamworld Tower Defense. If that reads as a somewhat odd collection of games to refer to as franchise, remember that the first three "Mario" titles had him working with cement, explosives, and handling pest control in the sewers.

After a second playthrough of Dig, I went ahead and bought Steamworld Tower Defense. It is not an easy game, nor is it a fun game, but I'll... I'll... get bored enough to play it again at some point. Maybe. 

They've also developed a mobile app about ants, but my phone don't do dem things, so my rare craving of formica fun will just have to be satiated with another session of SimAnt.
Check for spiders.
I love the variety Image & Form are working with in this series, though I wouldn't be surprised if their next project was a sequel to Steamworld Dig. It's an underappreciated platformer that clearly improves upon its inspirational title, Motherload, with a main character who is already game hopping with playable appearances in Runbow and the upcoming Hex Heroes. A sequel seems like a natural step in the southern direction to me.
Dig revolves around the new face in town (doesn't it always), Rusty "Dig Them" Taizotron the Terrarian, as he picks his way through rocks, explosives, cooling fans, more rocks, moonshiners, vases, grass blocks, boogers, Electric types, and China to unearth the secrets left by Uncle Joe at his mining operation in Tumblrton, a dusty hub of three who purchase your buried treasures, provide items and upgrades, and frequently repost dank memes. I think one of them is meant to be a reference, considering the Metroidvania setup, but that may just be coincidental.
"Hey, baby! How 'bout I beat this game in under an hour and you show me what's under that suit afterwards?" 
"What if I whisper Justin Bailey into your audio receptor?"
Gameplay is basically a digging puzzle that won't horribly punish players for how they wish to explore, though you might have to blow yourself up and temporarily lose your spoils if you're not careful. They can be retrieved, and there's plenty more where that came from. Believe me, it's not a big deal. Still, you'll probably want to create a path that makes it possible to return to the surface, because you can't dig while in midair, and there's a 100-item world limit for ladders, lamps, and teleporters, unless you screw with the coding a little. Other than that, there's no single correct path to choose. 
Except down. Always try to go down.
There are various caves to visit that may help to progress the story, providing Mega Man X enhancements, such as a one-handed Hadoken and a drill that will pierce the heavens. Others are just additional areas offering a break from the main objective to earn better-than-average loot through bits of specific platforming and digging patterns. It's like those detours from Diablo 2, except for the platforming, the digging patterns (or any form of problem solving), and the better-than-average loot, because that's usually just a shiny treasure chest filled with disappointment and gold pieces possessing an inflation rate that rivaled the Zimbabwean dollar.
"So, what can I get for a thousand pieces of gold?"
 "How about a hundred pieces of gold?"
"DEAL!"

Once your slots are filled and the light source is nearly depleted, it's best to have Rusty return to the surface where he can recharge and have his junk exchanged for hot, sweaty cash. Most of the time, that's it! The whole thing is simple: in and out every five or ten minutes. Wanna risk being left in the dark, because you believe you can pocket one more gem without tunneling into trouble? Sure, go for it! Enjoyment can be had in short bursts or through long sessions, and it's possible to finish the whole thing in under three hours an hour thirty minutes.

The music is lame. Appropriate for the setting, but nothing really stands out. Rusty's Overture is the only track of any merit, and even it just sounds like a generic western song. I'm going to assume my opinion here is the most popular one, too, because you can buy the entire soundtrack for only $0.99 on Steam. You still have to own the game to get it, but there shouldn't be any regret making in that purchase.

Once you're done with Dig, I recommend further supporting Image & Form through Steamworld Heist. It provides numerous weapons, music by Steam Powered Giraffe, collectible hats, and boss-es. Plural. Minor Dig spoiler there. 

If you're searching for a short title to add to your Four in February challenge, look no further than Gone Home! Dig's good, too, but Gone Home is super quick. I mean, you can knock that shit right out, and it'll be three to go! Boom!

Anyway, there was a bit of a slow start with SW Tower Defense, but with the modest success of Dig and the strong praise for Heist, it looks like this franchise is really starting to pick up some, ahem, steam? ...Ha. Ha?
CAN. YOU. DIG... up something more creative to end this embarrassment?
Also, did anyone not expect a reference to this scene in The Warriors?!
I'm so disappointed in me right now, Jerod. Just had to fucked it all up again. Sometimes, I don't even know why I am you.