Crypt of the NecroDancer
Review (Pre-Alpha Build)
Gameplay: The game is a top-down
dungeon crawler. It is not a typical RPG though. Instead of normal
movement and attacks, you have to keep the rhythm/beat of the song
playing. As you defeat enemies, your multiplier goes up (I’ve only
seen the Coin Multiplier rise thus far). There are several weapons to
pick from, the Dagger, Broadsword, Longsword, Whip, Bow, and Crossbow
(each weapon also has a golden version of it). During the game, you
will be able to rescue people and they will sell you items in the
Zone Selection screen, in which you use diamonds to buy their
products and their upgrades are permanent. Gold is also collected in
the game, and those upgrades are purchased stay with your character
until death.
Story: As I have gotten the Pre-Alpha
Build, I am not sure what the story will be. From what I’ve seen
with the Intro, the main character digs and the ground gave way, into
a crypt. From there, the Necromancer of the crypt removes the
character’s heart and you have to keep the beat in order to keep
the heart pumping. The game will have at least Four Zones, a
Hardcore Mode/Zone, and the Tutorial.
Controls: The controls are very
simple. I used my arrow keys on the keyboard, but from what have
heard, there is DDR pad functionality. From what I’ve played of
the game thus far, the game has excellent controls.
Graphics: The graphics are comparable
to an NES game (8-bit), which isn’t a bad thing. It looks
excellent. A nice touch is that once you get a multiplier going, the
floor lights up as a dance floor would.
Music: The in-game music is excellent
in itself, and done by Danny Baranowsky, who is known for working on
the music of The Binding of Isaac and Super Meat Boy. The other
composer of music for the game is Alec Holowka. The company who’s
creating the game has said they will allow the player to use their
own music in the game, and there is no limit to how long or short the
song is.
Overall: The game
is VERY replayable and fun. If you are looking for a unique Dungeon
Crawling game, take a look at this title. There presently is no
release date, but the game will be for PC. For more information, you
can find them on Twitter @NecroDancerGame, or on their website,
http://necrodancer.com/.