Operencia: The Stolen Sun - turn-based blobber by Hungarian pinball devs

[Infinitron]

Out now:



https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/operencia/home
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/operencia-the-stolen-sun/9pfkkz5t89nl

Operencia: The Stolen Sun is Live Now!

It’s launch day for Operencia: The Stolen Sun! On behalf of all of us at Zen Studios who have poured our hearts and souls into this first-person dungeon crawler for the last two years, we welcome you to the fantastical world of Operencia!

Operencia launches today exclusively for the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X and Xbox Game Pass, the Epic Games store, and Windows 10. We think you’ll enjoy this revived subgenre of the ‘80s and ‘90s and hope the success of this modernized approach to the old-school “blobber” will inspire other developers to further revitalize such games with their own unique spins.

With Zen being based in Hungary, an added degree of regional pride drives every aspect of this game, and we hope that shines through as our own unique spin. The Central European mythology and folklore that inspired the settings and characters makes Operencia one of a kind in the gaming industry. In development of this game we’ve had the pleasure of delving into the lighthearted folktales, enchanting mythology, and even some legends that are so darkly twisted, you really have to wonder what kind of demented minds dreamed them up – and we’ve seamlessly strung them together to share with you!

Operencia, a world where history meets legend. It’s an odd mix – but a very delightful one! And we can’t wait to hear what you have to say about it.

 

[fantadomat]

Yes,it is amazing how fast they cracked it.

 

[fantadomat]

https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/operencia/home
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/operencia-the-stolen-sun/9pfkkz5t89nl

Why is this also on the MS store? Outer worlds i get,they are MS bitch now. Are those guys also bought by MS?

 

[Infinitron]

They also signed a deal with Microsoft to make it an Xbox-exclusive. I think Microsoft's policy for the past several years is that all Xbox-exclusives also come out on the Windows Store.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Yes,it is amazing how fast they cracked it.

I've just come up with an amazing business plan, basically The Producers: Vidya Edition

Accept Epic's bribe to put your shit on their store for a year. Release the cracked version yourself on day 1. Carefully manage public awareness to control your sales and make sure it does sell a bit, but never above the bribe you got. Encourage piracy through backroom shilling and stupid statements in public. After a year, say you won't be bringing it to Steam after all because the sales were terrible, getting even more people to pirate it out of spite and securing that you never reach sales above the bribe.

If somewhere down the line you become dangerously close to exceeding the bribe limit, go out of business.

Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Epic party.

 

[Infinitron]

That only works if you didn't invest Epic's bribe into the game's development.

 

[fantadomat]

Yes,it is amazing how fast they cracked it.

I've just come up with an amazing business plan, basically The Producers: Vidya Edition

Accept Epic's bribe to put your shit on their store for a year. Release the cracked version yourself on day 1. Carefully manage public awareness to control your sales and make sure it does sell a bit, but never above the bribe you got. Encourage piracy through backroom shilling and stupid statements in public. After a year, say you won't be bringing it to Steam after all because the sales were terrible, getting even more people to pirate it out of spite and securing that you never reach sales above the bribe.

If somewhere down the line you become dangerously close to exceeding the bribe limit, go out of business.

Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Epic party.

It is a plan worthy of a Slav,you had done well. All that is left is to sell it to some gypsy scammer .

Another possibility is that the cracking community is a fucking hardcore gamers and don't like epic. Also most likely epic have zero protection on their store.

 

[fantadomat]

That only works if you didn't invest Epic's bribe into the game's development.

Why would you do this??? If you got a few millions you could say fuck it and go make another company,this one's reputation is already in the garbage because of epic. Now that i think about it the next year could turn in to epic farming scams. It is clear that they are running at a lose,yet paying good money for games that only have a niche fallowing. Just look at phoenix point,the guy knew it won''t make a return if he released it on steam and decided to ditch it on epic and run away with the money. He was very clear in his statement.

 

[fantadomat]

Fuck me sideway! Hoodlum cracked version does have some gud instal!

Infinitron if the pic is against codex policies,i won't mind getting deleted .

Spoiler

 

[Infinitron]

First review at....GameSpot? https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/operencia-the-stolen-sun-review-a-journey-far-far-/1900-6417111/

Operencia: The Stolen Sun Review - A Journey Far, Far Away

In English, most fairy tales lead with the phrase "once upon a time." In Hungarian, they begin with the word "Operencia," which roughly translates to "far, far away." And that's exactly where Operencia: The Stolen Sun transports you--to a realm steeped in magic and mystery, wonderfully detached from all things real.

Operencia is a dungeon-crawler RPG set in a fantasy world. It begins by plunging you into the salivating jaws of a three-headed dragon. However, as soon as you slay the colossal serpent, the prologue ends. Before you know it you're no longer a dragonslayer, but a runaway farmhand determined to follow their dreams. Those mad powers you had ten seconds ago? Gone. You'll have to make your own destiny if you're to retrieve the mythical land's stolen sun.

Composed of 13 different levels, the world of Operencia boasts some breathtaking vistas. You explore a variety of locations, from the murky depths of a castle cursed by tears to the metal wilds of The Copper Forest--which is infested with copper soldiers sporting chainsaw-like utensils for hands. The diversity of the game's art makes for a journey that is at all times fresh, awe-inspiring, and wonder-inducing. Its bright colors and intricate art style create an aesthetic that complements the mystique imbued in its magic, and it boasts a score that screams tales of monsters and creepy crawlies told around the warm hearth of a dirty tavern. This envelops you in a world of imagination and fantasy, more concerned with evoking a sense of wonder than any sort of fantasy realism.

After you embark on your journey across this fantastical realm, you slowly begin to come across a whole host of intriguing companions. These characters all speak in pre-written conversations, leaving you no option to intervene with your own dialogue. However, conversations between characters are so well-written that it doesn't really matter. The banter between companions while resting at bonfires--which replenishes your health and energy--is no less arresting. Every companion you come across is their own person and has their own sense of humor--the witty Joska hurls jests at everyone in the party, whereas the strong-willed Kela ensures that you don't falter on your quest. I enjoyed sitting back and drinking in the conversation more so than I experienced a longing to interject with my own thoughts. This world is so wonderfully weird that it's better for telling you its stories, rather than affording you the chance to write your own one within it.

Combat in Operencia is fast-paced, fluid, and engaging. It revolves around turn-based mechanics, involving a mix of physical, ranged, and magic attacks. The magic attacks utilize a strength/weakness system based on elemental typing such as frost, lightning, and fire. Your build can either lean heavily into one fighting style, or encompass all of them in order to gain versatility at the expense of specialization. While maxing out a single stat allows you to deal devastating damage in some cases, immunities can render you completely ineffective if you've overcommitted to one particular attribute. I played as a mage, as I usually do in fantasy RPGs, but without my Strength-based companions I would have been Ancient Elemental bait before I could say abracadabra. After battles, you'll gain experience and loot. For every level you gain, you'll get three ability points to pump into attributes. Leveling up feels well-rewarded, and the game allows you to carve out a combat niche for yourself with its myriad permutations of attribute/ability point combos.

Managing the ability cooldowns and energy point costs of each individual character in your four-person team can be tough, especially in the late-game when a mistake can mean death, or game over if you're playing with permadeath enabled. As a result, it's important to play smart. Even the strongest of enemies can be quickly incapacitated if you're willing to exploit their weaknesses and be savvy with your potions.

Operencia's combat takes customary turn-based RPG mechanics and makes them feel fresh with its own pacing and style. The only thing it could use is a little bit more versatility, as at times it feels as if your own character is a bit vanilla compared to the more advanced predetermined builds boasted by late-game companions. At the same time, you have seven characters to build a team of four from, so you can always change things up if frost spam is starting to get a little watery. As for enemies, there is a whole range of different beasties of all shapes and sizes who would love to eat you for dinner. Some of their niches can be very annoying, but not in a way that seems unfair.

Traversal in Operencia is tile-based, creating opportunities for intriguing environmental puzzles. However, at times this system complicates attempts to look at the finer details of the world's beauty. There were moments where I wanted to look at objects caught between tiles or move an inch closer to the horizon in order to take the perfect screenshot, but I couldn't because the traversal system got in the way.

Most of Operencia's puzzles are excellently designed. In one case, you have to defeat four powerful enemies, all of whom drop a token. These tokens are then placed in slots around a magic circle; you need to place each one in the right position, and then spin the circle's three tiers to match animals with the tokens' likeness. This might seem like the kind of puzzle you'd come across in similar RPGs, but Operencia's aesthetic really makes the solution feel special. Before you know it, a surge of color and light encapsulates the circle and magical powers begin to work in wonderful and mysterious ways.

The puzzles that aren't solved by environmental manipulation or visual prompts usually require you to use creative key items, which range from magic shovels to griffin feathers. These feathers can be attached to any object with a feather marked on it, and cause that object to become drastically lighter. This allows you to uproot trees and move heavy weights with the flick of a wrist. You even get magic beans to grow beanstalks with! The puzzles get progressively harder as you make your way through the game, but are almost always intuitive and fair.

Some don't fit this formula, though. While optional puzzles used to unlock secrets and legendary items are understandably best fitted with esoteric solutions, ones that are tied to story progression shouldn't be as niche as they are. On one occasion, I spent almost an hour and a half looking for one of four keys, all of which were used to unlock a series of doors that led to the mould for yet another key. While the first of these was an easy find, the second one was randomly hidden far away from the cave and could only be found by using the magic shovel in a certain area. This made me decide to scour the whole map looking for hidden doors and buried treasure, of which I found neither.

As it turns out, the third key is actually obtained by returning to a melting pot I used to acquire a different key. There are so many keys. When I solved the puzzle I felt annoyed, not relieved. And I still had one more to get. Lo and behold, the fourth key was right in front of the last door, requiring no puzzles or exploration. After such arbitrary solutions to the previous puzzles, this was subversive. It was also incredibly irritating. I couldn't stay annoyed for long though, as the joyous booming of your relieved companions is infectious, and the game picks up so quickly that you're bounding onward into the next dungeon before you can get sufficiently annoyed to stop playing.

Operencia tells a wonderful story derived from Central European folklore, mythology, and history, and it does so with unwavering confidence in its makeup. Companion characters are funny, and the banter between them makes for a fun experience that's not without its heartfelt moments. In terms of combat, the strategizing is so engaging that you'll likely end up charging rat warriors headfirst instead of hopelessly attempting to avoid bumping into them. Best of all, though, this world is so stunning that you'll just look at the trees, the water, the rocks--everything. It’s a shame that some of the puzzle solutions are needlessly frustrating and present significant obstacles in getting through the story, but aside from that Operencia provides a truly special experience.

Operencia transports you somewhere far, far away, and once you get there, you'll probably want to stay a while.

THE GOOD
Wonderful art design with stunning visuals
Fluid turn-based combat that offers a lot of room for versatile play
Intriguing characters who work well even without dialogue choices

THE BAD
Some puzzles have arbitrary solutions that significantly hinder progress
The player character's move pool is far shallower than those of their companions

8
GREAT

 

[fantadomat]

Ok i am an hour in and the game is incline,shame that it had to go the greedy rout and in to epics sweaty balls. I would have bought it if it was on GoG. The writing and the voice acting is really good till now,it is quite the surprise. There are difficulty options that are nice like old school pan and paper maping or in game map,save or camp fire saves and perma death or not. The moving is....strange ...but you get to adapt in an hour or so. It is a grid movement but you get the free camera,also it is locked to the camera position,it is pretty weird and could mess you up in situation where precision is needed.Also there is weird blur when moving the camera around,but it could be from my pc,but i doubt it the game doesn't look that gpu heavy. The levelling is pretty good,you could even make a fucking intellect build warrior,because that is the stat bumping crit chance and damage. All the stats do have practical use and there is not a dump stat that you get to max and everything else to 0. Another thing i I would recommend it on a 1 hour play time,later it could become shit tho. Go and spam the MS shop if you are offending by pirating.

 

[Darth Roxor]

First review at....GameSpot?

Epic bucks travel far and wide.

Probably the biggest obstacle to my above business plan.

 

[jf8350143]

Epic is just hoarding all the middle and small size games out there aren't they. I've put this in my steam wish list for a while now and epic gets it as well.

I wonder how many other games that I'm interested in will be ended up on Epic. My bet is all of them and I'll have to stop playing video games altogether.

 

[fantadomat]

Did anyone managed to find the statue's head?

 

[Quantomas]

Has anyone tried the Epic Store launcher and can say a few words about it?

 

[Reapa]

Did anyone managed to find the statue's head?

did you find the third weight?
or the fourth rune?

 

[fantadomat]

Did anyone managed to find the statue's head?

did you find the third weight?
or the fourth rune?

Yes i managed,i will tell you in spoilers.

Spoiler

The third weight is behind a invisible wall in the prison area,i found it after i kill the king tho. Maybe it opens once you kill him or push the lever for the door.
The rune is in the king's hall. On the one of the side walls.

I found two more secrets,one is a button the other one is a water room.

Spoiler

The button is the section where the runned gate is,the watered room is in the winery,you have to step on one of the foot places

Have in mind that you can't do all the things,you will get the option to return later on .

I am a 6 hours in to the game and must say that it is better than brad's tale. It does lack the free roam and explore feel,but it compensates in the other parts. The battles are pretty fun,even if there are some trolling enemy design,like the spawnners zombies (just try to focus the newly spawned one and kill it before it spawns a new one ). I do find my self using constantly changing my tactics and skill use,there is decent amount of thought put in to enemy design. The game is pretty traditional blobber,also the puzzles are interesting and unique,haven't seen reuse of them.

 

[Reapa]

Did anyone managed to find the statue's head?

did you find the third weight?
or the fourth rune?

Yes i managed,i will tell you in spoilers.

Spoiler

The third weight is behind a invisible wall in the prison area,i found it after i kill the king tho. Maybe it opens once you kill him or push the lever for the door.
The rune is in the king's hall. On the one of the side walls.

I found two more secrets,one is a button the other one is a water room.

Spoiler

The button is the section where the runned gate is,the watered room is in the winery,you have to step on one of the foot places

Have in mind that you can't do all the things,you will get the option to return later on .

I am a 6 hours in to the game and must say that it is better than brad's tale. It does lack the free roam and explore feel,but it compensates in the other parts. The battles are pretty fun,even if there are some trolling enemy design,like the spawnners zombies (just try to focus the newly spawned one and kill it before it spawns a new one ). I do find my self using constantly changing my tactics and skill use,there is decent amount of thought put in to enemy design. The game is pretty traditional blobber,also the puzzles are interesting and unique,haven't seen reuse of them.

Spoiler

thx, i didn't expect illusionary walls.
i found the 4th rune after i understood the vial's rune finding mechanics. it's like a game of hot and cold. it tells you how far away you are from a rune and if you're going in the right direction.
those 2 secrets were obvious enough so i found them right away. but now i wonder if there are more, since the game has illusionary walls.
how do you know we will come back later? and do you know if i should look for the wishing well now?

 

[fantadomat]

Did anyone managed to find the statue's head?

did you find the third weight?
or the fourth rune?

Yes i managed,i will tell you in spoilers.

Spoiler

The third weight is behind a invisible wall in the prison area,i found it after i kill the king tho. Maybe it opens once you kill him or push the lever for the door.
The rune is in the king's hall. On the one of the side walls.

I found two more secrets,one is a button the other one is a water room.

Spoiler

The button is the section where the runned gate is,the watered room is in the winery,you have to step on one of the foot places

Have in mind that you can't do all the things,you will get the option to return later on .

I am a 6 hours in to the game and must say that it is better than brad's tale. It does lack the free roam and explore feel,but it compensates in the other parts. The battles are pretty fun,even if there are some trolling enemy design,like the spawnners zombies (just try to focus the newly spawned one and kill it before it spawns a new one ). I do find my self using constantly changing my tactics and skill use,there is decent amount of thought put in to enemy design. The game is pretty traditional blobber,also the puzzles are interesting and unique,haven't seen reuse of them.

Spoiler

thx, i didn't expect illusionary walls.
i found the 4th rune after i understood the vial's rune finding mechanics. it's like a game of hot and cold. it tells you how far away you are from a rune and if you're going in the right direction.
those 2 secrets were obvious enough so i found them right away. but now i wonder if there are more, since the game has illusionary walls.
how do you know we will come back later? and do you know if i should look for the wishing well now?

Because i am a 5 dungeons later ,you get the travelling mechanics later on. The game does poor job of explaining it,i spend hours trying to find all the secrets .

 

[rashiakas]

Yeah I searched the first dungeon over and over for that head as well. The game is pretty gud, but what really pisses me off is that every fucking enemy is poison resistant or immune.

 

[Reapa]

Yeah I searched the first dungeon over and over for that head as well. The game is pretty gud, but what really pisses me off is that every fucking enemy is poison resistant or immune.

you no have mage?

 

[Ranarama]

How can they call it an EPIC exclusive when it's on torrents as well?

 

[JDR13]

Has anyone tried the Epic Store launcher and can say a few words about it?

There's not much to say. It's pretty simplistic. It's easy to use though and fairly unobtrusive. I prefer Steam, but it's not a big deal to me. I played through Metro Exodus and didn't experience anything negative related to the launcher.

 

[Morkar Left]

Can somebody tell how the character system is?

 

[Reinhardt]

Yes.