To stick with the African theme, I’ve played Beautiful Desolation. I wish they’d called it Average Looking Desolation and invested some of the saved effort into a better plot instead. I think it still would have been pretty enough and much more enjoyable to play. As it were, you get a checklist of three items to procure, each granted for solving the dispute between two (or more) opposing factions. In true isometric RPG tradition, this inevitably means the total obliteration of one (or more) of said factions. Oh wait, it’s supposed to be an adventure game …
Coupled with an ending that I did not see coming, both the journey and the destination were hardly worth the effort. Which is a bit of a shame, as it was off to a good start: it has an interesting premise, the presentation is top notch, and there’s lots of potential for narrative greatness. Unfortunately, that’s where it utterly fell flat for me. But if causing havoc to communities that may or may not deserve it is your thing, you really shouldn’t miss out!
For now I’m done with adventure games. I took a peek at Crusader Kings III, and I think I might spend a little time with that. Not sure if it’s the right type of game for somebody like me, who doesn’t really harbour great ambitions, as there aren’t any inherent goals except those you set for yourself. But the emergent narrative that arises from simulating all those different characters and their interactions already provided some memorable moments. What more could I ask for
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