Deadly Rooms of Death -- Journey to Rooted Hold

[jack]

This is the sequel to DROD (caravelgames.com), that along with Chip's Challenge and Puzzle Pits inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh flash game.

It was very good. It felt easier than DROD, actually. I don't know if that's just because I'd got more used to the style, or was playing more intently. There were few rooms where I got really stuck, though many I had to take a break from.

I liked the story. Non-invasive, but funny and slightly creepy. Introducing story into a puzzle game is hard but they did it well.

I'm afraid I wimped out for hints three times -- once about half way when I wished I hadn't but was tired, once when I'd completed a room but wanted to know if I could retrace my steps without replaying it, and once on a too-tedious level on the penultimate level.

The ending was a little disappointing to, though. I liked the last level, which consisted of human guards for the first time, something a bit different is often the right way to end something like this, it was challenging but doable, and felt climactic. (Charges that it could be a bit more varied have some truth, but I didn't object.)

And I finally got to kill the damned slayer who'd been chasing me from the start, just when I'd finally started to feel some sympathy for him. That was a good character -- really annoying.

Though the room where I killed him was a bit of a let down, you go into a big pile of bombs, trigger a fuse, and get to safety ahead of him, but it isn't difficult.

And then you meet the pit-thing who's brain-washed your nephew, except you don't, you don't find out anything about it, or about the empire. There's no gameplay challenge and no story satisfaction.

This is in contrast to DROD, which did both really well -- the last room was simple but very tricky to work out, and moving, and lead into an extended credits sequence monologue. But I can't object, as the game is great (and cheap), and there isn't time to do everythign I wished.

There is a third in the trilogy, which continues from here. And I will have to buy shortly. Though I may take a break first :)

Comments

[calamarain.livejournal.com]

The third one continues the story very nicely, and introduces a whole plethora of gameplay mechanics. Just a warning though, it doesn't directly continue along. There are the "Smitemasters Selections" - custom user-made holds which were considered to be really really good, and were thus made part of the storyline. I believe there's one of them in between JtRH and the sequel - The City Beneath. They're available for about £5 each.

Also, if you want more to play, I could always plug my own hold. Fifteen levels, voice acting and a storyline... :P http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=16423

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Thank you, that's very helpful. OK, I probably DO want to get TCB, and I guess those selections first, though I'll give myself a break first :)

In the meantime I downloaded your hold. I liked the first level a lot. But I just about gave up in disgust on #2, I realised I was fed up of eyes :(

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Of course, you've designed holds, DROD is similar in to Repton, isn't it? I mean, different gameplay, but they both have the "tile puzzle built out of really simple gameplay elements". I don't know why Repton escaped my classic list of DROD, Puzzle Pits and Chip's Challenge. I guess I never played it seriously at the right time, and the series were all a little different. It's always good, but not always action/puzzle, sometimes just action/explore.

*Did* you play my contribution to the genre? :)

[calamarain.livejournal.com]

There are similarities between DROD and Repton yes, but one crucial difference between them is that although Repton is tile based, it's real time and not turn based. There are real time timing puzzles to do.

Regarding your contribution, yes I'm hacking away at it :) Though am having trouble with Level 4 for some reason.

Regarding my hold - yeah, I admit it's not for everyone. I've not actually played the Smitemasters Selection's myself (except for one called The Choice, that comes free with the upgraded uberversion of the original King Dugan's Dungeon), but I do have The City Beneath.

Things that make it very cool are the Oremites (squares that will not allow you to have a sword drawn on them), the Adders (new snake type...) and Platforms.

There are real time timing puzzles to do.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Indeed, I remember being horribly shocked when I discovered boulders fell faster than you, but slower than infinity :) Chip's challenge also never stopped and waited for you, so being precise was part of the skill, but that felt more like DROD than repton, it could easily have been switched over like I did.

Though am having trouble with Level 4 for some reason.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

LOL. Thank you! It's not surprising, without time to produce 30 levels of 10 rooms each, each level is supposed to introduces something more, so all from level 1 are supposed to be a challenge in themselves, and have the potential to be very hard.

yeah, I admit it's not for everyone

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

OK, this morning I went ahead and did level 2. The eyes were ok, I just wasn't in the mood for them. I'll let you know how I go, but I like the plot and levels so far :)

Things that make it very cool are:

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Thank you. OK, I definitely want it :)

[calamarain.livejournal.com]

Also, I quite recommend Repton. If you're going to buy a version, make it Repton 3. That comes with 160 levels (in sets of 8), so you've always got a bit to work on. Plus, if it's whetted your appetite, there's the expansion pack with a further hundred or so levels for Repton 3