Zorbus (D&D-inspired roguelike)

[xuerebx]

I'm trying different variations for now to see what I like best, but I can't say I'm finding it easy Also how does this game only have 10 pages of discussion!

 

[xuerebx]

Finally made it to dungeon level 4, killed the rat queen and goblin king also for the first time in the same run. I'll probably unexpectedly die in the next room now.

 

[xuerebx]

Got to dungeon level 6, using recruits as cannon fodder whilst I attack from afar. The main change from my previous failed runs is that I'm using wands and potions much more frequently as before I was keeping them safe for bosses but end up dying to normal mobs anyway.

 

[xuerebx]

It seems I get a chance to play one level per day. Down to dungeon level 7 and I'm quite powerful now. Still at level 10 character wise and I've only unlocked 1 or 2 talents. Too dumb I guess :D There are 10 dungeon levels right?

 

[Joonas]

It seems I get a chance to play one level per day. Down to dungeon level 7 and I'm quite powerful now. Still at level 10 character wise and I've only unlocked 1 or 2 talents. Too dumb I guess :D There are 10 dungeon levels right?

You might be a bit underleveled, but good luck!

Yeah, 10 dungeon levels. For dungeon structure & endgame spoilers, see the last page of the PDF manual.

 

[xuerebx]

Bicepts > enteleginsh!

I'm trying to defeat all monsters in every level so I don't have anywhere else to train, but we'll see how it goes. Thanks man!

 

[xuerebx]

RIP on dungeon level 9. Knew I was going to die, had no chance of surviving as the monsters were all too strong for me. I think I would have benefited from having a high mind skill to get more talents. Let's try again :D

 

[Serus]

So, does this game have copious amount of romance and awesome buttons?

No. That's the reason this thread has only 10 pages.

 

[xuerebx]

After around 30 more deaths, I've found a mage a fun character. My low health is a bummer in the earlier levels though, don't know how many times I lost a good run in 1-2 negligent hits. I use 4 skeleton minions around me and let them do the work except for stronger enemies, who need a good energy ray whacking.

 

[mediocrepoet]

I'm looking forward to checking this out. So far I've just glanced at the manual, the options, and the race selection menu. I especially like the ability to set your in game books font to some variety of wingdings.

 

[xuerebx]

I'm looking forward to checking this out. So far I've just glanced at the manual, the options, and the race selection menu. I especially like the ability to set your in game books font to some variety of wingdings.

It's a really fun game. A bit weird that it doesn't seem to be very popular here vs. some other games which have topics having hundreds of pages on the Codex and are arguably not an RPG...but anyway that's a rabbit hole we'd better not get into.

Be prepared to die very frequently

Edit: Kalarion very serious ...check the harry potter thread lol

 

[Aemar]

A bit weird that it doesn't seem to be very popular here vs. some other games which have topics having hundreds of pages on the Codex and are arguably not an RPG...

You'd expect more people here to enjoy roguelikes, but, unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. The game also doesn't carry any controversial stuff with it.

 

[Theodora]

You'd expect more people here to enjoy roguelikes, but, unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Yeah, I never got why roguelikes were so niche even here. Even "combatfags" (if pushed I'd cast myself as the opposite) seem to often dismiss them outright, some even showing open disdain for the whole genre.

Never understood why games with plenty of lore, like ToME, or even Cogmind or Legerdemain, didn't get a whole lot more attention. Or at the very least immune to arguments over what constitutes an RPG... /shrug

 

[Grauken]

Yeah, I never got why roguelikes were so niche even here. Even "combatfags" (if pushed I'd cast myself as the opposite) seem to often dismiss them outright, some even showing open disdain for the whole genre.

roguelikes waste your time by forcing you to replay the same set of levels again and again (even if they do have a different level layout every time), and if you work time's a scarce commodity

that said I don't disdain them, I just don't have the time for them

 

[Theodora]

roguelikes waste your time by forcing you to replay the same set of levels again and again (even if they do have a different level layout every time), and if you work time's a scarce commodity

that said I don't disdain them, I just don't have the time for them

That's funny, because I found them most suited to when I was busiest due to work and life stuff. (Due to fitting more neatly with compartmentalised time than most RPGs.)

 

[Grauken]

roguelikes waste your time by forcing you to replay the same set of levels again and again (even if they do have a different level layout every time), and if you work time's a scarce commodity

that said I don't disdain them, I just don't have the time for them

That's funny, because I found them most suited to when I was busiest due to work and life stuff. (Due to fitting more neatly with compartmentalised time than most RPGs.)

We are all wired differently, but if I want to play RPGs I need to get a large chunk of unoccupied time to do it, usually on the weekend or on vacation. The only time I can do coffee-break-style gaming is some action games or arcade-style stuff. Roguelikes despite their nature force me into the RPG-playing mindset hence I can't play them in short chunks

 

[mediocrepoet]

roguelikes waste your time by forcing you to replay the same set of levels again and again (even if they do have a different level layout every time), and if you work time's a scarce commodity

that said I don't disdain them, I just don't have the time for them

That's funny, because I found them most suited to when I was busiest due to work and life stuff. (Due to fitting more neatly with compartmentalised time than most RPGs.)

We are all wired differently, but if I want to play RPGs I need to get a large chunk of unoccupied time to do it, usually on the weekend or on vacation. The only time I can do coffee-break-style gaming is some action games or arcade-style stuff. Roguelikes despite their nature force me into the RPG-playing mindset hence I can't play them in short chunks

I'm more like Theodora in this regard. If I pick up a traditional roguelike at all, it's to tool around and explore, fight some stuff, get some loot. Die horribly. Then I'm good for awhile. I'm not a hardcore purist like some people are... it's also why I'm awful at the genre, but I still appreciate them for letting me play a turn based RPG without getting seriously invested in it.

For whatever reason, despite having a lot of the features of other genres I love, they don't hit in the same way and I very rarely "one more turn" them beyond what is healthy or acceptable for me at the time. Even arcade games tend to get me into that mindset, especially if it's a fighting game or the like.

 

[Dadd]

It feels bad to lose your character and all of the items you acquired, especially if you got lucky in that run.

 

[Theodora]

We are all wired differently, but if I want to play RPGs I need to get a large chunk of unoccupied time to do it, usually on the weekend or on vacation. The only time I can do coffee-break-style gaming is some action games or arcade-style stuff. Roguelikes despite their nature force me into the RPG-playing mindset hence I can't play them in short chunks

Yeah, I'm 100% the same actually. I end up losing track of my character and what he or she feels about the world and the people around them if I try to play it in broken up time.

It's interesting that you resolutely experience roguelikes in the same way. I'm curious if you'd feel the same about a fundamentally "action-y" roguelike like Jupiter Hell. Or hell (heh), have you tried a "coffeebreak" roguelike, ilke Rift Wizard, Desktop Dungeons, or The Ground Gives Way? I'd love to know if you felt the same way after having one of those open during your lunch break or whatever your situation is.

(Jupiter Hell is the spiritual sequel to DoomRL, which itself gets described as a cbrl, but to my shame I've not tried it yet.)

 

[Grauken]

More action-y roguelikes, most roguelites stuff falls more into the coffee-break variety for me.

 

[mediocrepoet]

fundamentally "action-y" roguelike like Jupiter Hell.

JH is still turn-based though. What do you mean by this? Just combat instead of say, exploration and crafting, etc.?

 

[Theodora]

JH is still turn-based though. What do you mean by this? Just combat instead of say, exploration and crafting, etc.?

It's more of a "feeling" thing really. It's purposefully designed that you can get into playing it at quite a fast pace (to the point the developers adding animations for moving diagonally even though technically speaking you only move up/down/left/right), "flow" or whatever you want to call it.

More action-y roguelikes, most roguelites stuff falls more into the coffee-break variety for me.

None of the games I mentioned are roguelites, to be clear.

 

[xuerebx]

roguelikes waste your time by forcing you to replay the same set of levels again and again (even if they do have a different level layout every time), and if you work time's a scarce commodity

that said I don't disdain them, I just don't have the time for them

That's funny, because I found them most suited to when I was busiest due to work and life stuff. (Due to fitting more neatly with compartmentalised time than most RPGs.)

Same here, weird enough. To be clear I had never played a roguelike prior to TOME (or I did but don't remember so it was only a couple of hours at most). I went from 0 hours play time in 2022 to 130 hours (110 TOME and 20 Zorbus) in 2023 because I finally found a genre which lets me play for 0-2 hours at most during the week without having to remember where I left off when I pick it up again. Plus a session can end after I die.

I also used to think it is demotivating to lose your progress but it's actually "fun" in a weird way. To be honest I prefer the TOME way where you get more than 1 life on the "adventure mode".

I get the arguments being portrayed in the above posts though - it's a matter of style/opinion. Still, I don't think there should be any argument if it's an RPG or not - stats and skill heavy, turn based combat, l00t - seems to tick all the boxes :D

Glad to see this thread is suddenly getting more traction, in an indirect way!

EDIT: Kalarion got me!

 

[xuerebx]

Holy Burst spell is OP - and I mean this in a great way. I can finally mass hurt/kill enemies easily...now I just need more stamina (mana) points to spam it.

 

[Turn_BASED]

roguelikes waste your time by forcing you to replay the same set of levels again and again (even if they do have a different level layout every time), and if you work time's a scarce commodity

that said I don't disdain them, I just don't have the time for them

That's funny, because I found them most suited to when I was busiest due to work and life stuff. (Due to fitting more neatly with compartmentalised time than most RPGs.)

Same here, weird enough. To be clear I had never played a roguelike prior to TOME (or I did but don't remember so it was only a couple of hours at most). I went from 0 hours play time in 2022 to 130 hours (110 TOME and 20 Zorbus) in 2023 because I finally found a genre which lets me play for 0-2 hours at most during the week without having to remember where I left off when I pick it up again. Plus a session can end after I die.

I also used to think it is demotivating to lose your progress but it's actually "fun" in a weird way. To be honest I prefer the TOME way where you get more than 1 life on the "adventure mode".

I get the arguments being portrayed in the above posts though - it's a matter of style/opinion. Still, I don't think there should be any argument if it's an RPG or not - stats and skill heavy, turn based combat, l00t - seems to tick all the boxes :D

Glad to see this thread is suddenly getting more traction, in an indirect way!

EDIT: Kalarion got me!

TOME in my opinion needs multiple lives because there are occasions where autoexplore will get you nuked in a single turn. Zorbus doesn't do that, which is nice.