Zorba the Hutt
Arcane
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2012
- Messages
- 1,865,661
The review the Codex staff didn't want you to see! Read it before it disappears into the Strong Museum basement!
Every Codexer worth his Kwanzanian salt - at least those who've been around longer than the Trump thread - knows of Mr Blakemore's heroic, but ultimately doomed efforts to save the controversial Stones of Arnhem project and the wider Australian gaming industry. A more select group of gentlemen study his origin story, featuring generous helpings of Drano and the reactivation of ancient DNA. His time in the US military, as a lantern-jawed uberPrivate leaving a trail of broken athletic records and jealous superior officers in his wake, was followed by a period of quiet contemplation as he lived under a NYC bridge. He quoted Nietzsche to reporters and dominated street fights against overwhelming odds, aided only by his titanium bones and superhuman strength.
Naturally the backward Australian corporate scene struggled to contain his genius after the sad demise of Sir-Tech, with a succession of Powerpoint-wielding corporate drones sabotaging the work of this lone crackerjack. Preferring meetings and social climbing to elegant lines of perfect code, they knew not what they had in their midst. Until it was too late. 'Twas ever thus, at least since the hordes of Sapiens spearchuckers invaded the Iberian Peninsula and kept the surviving Neanderthals as beautiful, talented slaves.
And for decades the legendary Grimoire development cycle trundled inexorably onward, the Jodorowsky's Dune of RPGs - only without the fatal dependency on millions in Melonhead financing. This "Wizardry 8 killer" with over 600 hours of gameplay taxed even Cleveland's mighty abilities, generating envy, mockery and release date jokes from Usenet to QT3, through various Grimoire forums and survivalist communities, until Mr Blakemore at last found a permanent home in the welcoming embrace of Codex Prosperland. But alas, even here the mobs of doubting Sapiens began to gather, grunting in primitive terms of their pitiful Indiegogo 'donations' and short manboon lifespans. And yet all was not lost. For Cleve was about to shock the gaming world with a surprise multiplatform release. No, not the RPG to end all RPGs, for Grimoire is still beset by the final fractions of the last remaining microissues, but something different, something unexpected. Something beautiful. The hidden Gem of 2016. Daredevil Donut Lad.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I'm pleased to report that first impressions were generally positive. DDL may be temporarily unavailable in the Android Store, but for the PC master race the Filedropper link works like a charm, mercifully free of the spyware and privacy violations which plague many distribution platforms these days.
Installation is so simple a Canadian leftist could manage it, a couple of clicks are all it takes to dive right in and savour the colourful retro title screen and auditory homage to the 80s.
CHARGEN
While leaning heavily on inspiration from the classics, Mr Blakemore has deliberately avoided the autistic excesses of the likes of Age of Decadence. The clean and elegant simplicity of the character creation screen may make it accessible for first timers, Twitch streamers and Australopithecus in general, but there are hidden depths and subtle nuances sufficient to sate the appetites of more monocled RPG connoisseurs. Opting against a gimmicky or roleplaying concept build, I went for a chunky Donut Lad with a toothy grin and points in rolling speed and persuasion. With that, it was time to bounce into action.
EARLY GAME
There are certain moments in gaming which stick with you through the decades, from first firing up Pool of Radiance on a C64 to awakening in the Mortuary. This was not one of those moments. But it was close.
Imagine a realm of beauty and wonder, haunted by a creeping evil. Of green hills hiding dark and dangerous shafts, mocking smiles concealing a sinister agenda. The world of DDL will follow you back to our wan, insipid existence, intruding on a coffee break at the office or that restless 3am dream. But gaze too long at the surroundings and your donut lad will become impatient and urge you to action.
All seems well...
But all is not as it seems
COMBAT
Yes, it's that moment in every Codex review where we ask if the combat is as good as Jagged Alliance 2. You knew it was coming, so let's get it over with.
Sadly, combat is undoubtedly DDL's weakest suit. Tactical options, enemy variety, weapon itemisation... everything just feels lacklustre and sparse. Think Wasteland 2 before the console version came out. While this is surprising and disappointing from a developer of over 200 Commodore 64 games, it should be remembered that the 1.13 mod for JA2 took years to arrive. And who knows what modders could produce in future given the sturdy foundation Mr Blakemore has provided? The likes of Drog and Celerity must surely be smacking their lips.
Non-combat playthroughs are where DDL really shines, however, and with a combination of stealth and evasion I effortlessly skirted trash mobs and more dangerous minibosses, as if they weren't even there. Satisfying.
NARRATIVE AND NPCs
Cleve has wisely eschewed PoE style NPCs and lore dumps, and the game is all the better for it. But I'll say no more about the writing; everyone who's followed his epic tales of the LA Riots, YMCA gyms, bunker construction, ancient Babylonians or cheetah engineering knows the wonders they're in for, the whimsical journey to a delightful parallel universe. And it would be a cruel reviewer indeed who would spoil a virgin reader's first plunge into this world.
A fork in the road, a branch in the story
CHARACTER PROGRESSION AND DIFFICULTY CURVE
Once you've gathered enough magical stars, it's off to the coffee cup and the next level. Don't expect massive stat gains and pointless achievements, rather a smooth power progression in your ultimate mission to attain donut godhood. Be warned that the initial difficulty is punishing, however, anticipate grisly deaths aplenty until you master the full range of daredevil abilities and the space bar.
A reward well earned
Don't expect an easy ride with Blakemore's old-school sensibilities
CONCLUSION
If you're after quest compasses and Titan-ravaging graphics, then best seek your popamole pleasures elsewhere. For those with more refined and cerebral tastes though, Daredevil Donut Lad is well worth a look. While Blakemore's vision may only be fully realised with the inevitable expansion pack or sequel, the base game has arguably already redefined a genre and reinvigorated an industry mired in neutral-positivity.
In short, DDL has style, DDL has class. If DDL played a paleolithic bone flute you'd want to listen.
Verdict: A cult classic in the making
Every Codexer worth his Kwanzanian salt - at least those who've been around longer than the Trump thread - knows of Mr Blakemore's heroic, but ultimately doomed efforts to save the controversial Stones of Arnhem project and the wider Australian gaming industry. A more select group of gentlemen study his origin story, featuring generous helpings of Drano and the reactivation of ancient DNA. His time in the US military, as a lantern-jawed uberPrivate leaving a trail of broken athletic records and jealous superior officers in his wake, was followed by a period of quiet contemplation as he lived under a NYC bridge. He quoted Nietzsche to reporters and dominated street fights against overwhelming odds, aided only by his titanium bones and superhuman strength.
Naturally the backward Australian corporate scene struggled to contain his genius after the sad demise of Sir-Tech, with a succession of Powerpoint-wielding corporate drones sabotaging the work of this lone crackerjack. Preferring meetings and social climbing to elegant lines of perfect code, they knew not what they had in their midst. Until it was too late. 'Twas ever thus, at least since the hordes of Sapiens spearchuckers invaded the Iberian Peninsula and kept the surviving Neanderthals as beautiful, talented slaves.
And for decades the legendary Grimoire development cycle trundled inexorably onward, the Jodorowsky's Dune of RPGs - only without the fatal dependency on millions in Melonhead financing. This "Wizardry 8 killer" with over 600 hours of gameplay taxed even Cleveland's mighty abilities, generating envy, mockery and release date jokes from Usenet to QT3, through various Grimoire forums and survivalist communities, until Mr Blakemore at last found a permanent home in the welcoming embrace of Codex Prosperland. But alas, even here the mobs of doubting Sapiens began to gather, grunting in primitive terms of their pitiful Indiegogo 'donations' and short manboon lifespans. And yet all was not lost. For Cleve was about to shock the gaming world with a surprise multiplatform release. No, not the RPG to end all RPGs, for Grimoire is still beset by the final fractions of the last remaining microissues, but something different, something unexpected. Something beautiful. The hidden Gem of 2016. Daredevil Donut Lad.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I'm pleased to report that first impressions were generally positive. DDL may be temporarily unavailable in the Android Store, but for the PC master race the Filedropper link works like a charm, mercifully free of the spyware and privacy violations which plague many distribution platforms these days.
Installation is so simple a Canadian leftist could manage it, a couple of clicks are all it takes to dive right in and savour the colourful retro title screen and auditory homage to the 80s.
CHARGEN
While leaning heavily on inspiration from the classics, Mr Blakemore has deliberately avoided the autistic excesses of the likes of Age of Decadence. The clean and elegant simplicity of the character creation screen may make it accessible for first timers, Twitch streamers and Australopithecus in general, but there are hidden depths and subtle nuances sufficient to sate the appetites of more monocled RPG connoisseurs. Opting against a gimmicky or roleplaying concept build, I went for a chunky Donut Lad with a toothy grin and points in rolling speed and persuasion. With that, it was time to bounce into action.
EARLY GAME
There are certain moments in gaming which stick with you through the decades, from first firing up Pool of Radiance on a C64 to awakening in the Mortuary. This was not one of those moments. But it was close.
Imagine a realm of beauty and wonder, haunted by a creeping evil. Of green hills hiding dark and dangerous shafts, mocking smiles concealing a sinister agenda. The world of DDL will follow you back to our wan, insipid existence, intruding on a coffee break at the office or that restless 3am dream. But gaze too long at the surroundings and your donut lad will become impatient and urge you to action.
All seems well...
But all is not as it seems
COMBAT
Yes, it's that moment in every Codex review where we ask if the combat is as good as Jagged Alliance 2. You knew it was coming, so let's get it over with.
Sadly, combat is undoubtedly DDL's weakest suit. Tactical options, enemy variety, weapon itemisation... everything just feels lacklustre and sparse. Think Wasteland 2 before the console version came out. While this is surprising and disappointing from a developer of over 200 Commodore 64 games, it should be remembered that the 1.13 mod for JA2 took years to arrive. And who knows what modders could produce in future given the sturdy foundation Mr Blakemore has provided? The likes of Drog and Celerity must surely be smacking their lips.
Non-combat playthroughs are where DDL really shines, however, and with a combination of stealth and evasion I effortlessly skirted trash mobs and more dangerous minibosses, as if they weren't even there. Satisfying.
NARRATIVE AND NPCs
Cleve has wisely eschewed PoE style NPCs and lore dumps, and the game is all the better for it. But I'll say no more about the writing; everyone who's followed his epic tales of the LA Riots, YMCA gyms, bunker construction, ancient Babylonians or cheetah engineering knows the wonders they're in for, the whimsical journey to a delightful parallel universe. And it would be a cruel reviewer indeed who would spoil a virgin reader's first plunge into this world.
A fork in the road, a branch in the story
CHARACTER PROGRESSION AND DIFFICULTY CURVE
Once you've gathered enough magical stars, it's off to the coffee cup and the next level. Don't expect massive stat gains and pointless achievements, rather a smooth power progression in your ultimate mission to attain donut godhood. Be warned that the initial difficulty is punishing, however, anticipate grisly deaths aplenty until you master the full range of daredevil abilities and the space bar.
A reward well earned
Don't expect an easy ride with Blakemore's old-school sensibilities
CONCLUSION
If you're after quest compasses and Titan-ravaging graphics, then best seek your popamole pleasures elsewhere. For those with more refined and cerebral tastes though, Daredevil Donut Lad is well worth a look. While Blakemore's vision may only be fully realised with the inevitable expansion pack or sequel, the base game has arguably already redefined a genre and reinvigorated an industry mired in neutral-positivity.
In short, DDL has style, DDL has class. If DDL played a paleolithic bone flute you'd want to listen.
Verdict: A cult classic in the making
Last edited:
(I think it was level 5.)
