Goblet Grotto is a very strange, cryptic experience of a game. It is entirely free, and while this usually results in short 2D projects that are either all-gameplay or all-story, and of variable quality (exceptions like Video Game/Iji or Standstill Girl do exist) this game is both 3D, courtesy of the Unity engine, and exceptionally long for such titles.
The most accurate definition would be a parody of D & D-based games: you can attack, talk, eat, sleep and pray, and there is a supposedly clear goal of collecting goblets as the in-game currency. However, all of this is parodied as the game goes on for longer, and as you visit more and more of its stages. The freedom of exploration is immense: on two separate instances it’s actually possible to fall off and end up in an altogether different area. There are probably about several hundred of people/creatures you can talk to, and while each of them generally only says one thing, it’s never boring and allows you to feel the insanity of the place. Whether it’s the crime researchers, the fridge, or the “Sailor who has a pressing concern”, the game continues to surprise through its dialogue and its text descriptions, and there is also a rather large encyclopedia supplied when you download it: true to form, it only makes things less clear but can always be read separately for the weirdness of it. The prayer/eat/sleep mechanic is rather annoying on purpose, yet it does provide for some priceless moments when Swampy gains a lot of goblets, yet continues to desire more as reflected in his thoughts, in what are probably the game’s deepest moments.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing for the game’s combat. It is plain bad by anyone's standards: all enemies can do is walk towards you and do their lone attack, with health being the only difference. Forget about blocks or charged attacks: there aren’t even any ranged enemies in the game, even though that is extremely easy to do development-wise. It’s generally a failing of the game when most enemies die in one hit, but here it’s actually a virtue, as it at least allows you to finish fighting quickly and continue exploring the game’s weird world.
All in all, if you are playing this game, it's because of the weirdness on offer alone. If you have played Space Funeral (developer's earlier, more famous game) you would know what to expect, and if you liked that game, you should like this one too since it simply continues the same trend (even more weirdness, even less gameplay) and is in 3D.
VideoGame Could have been a lot more, but interesting regardless.
Goblet Grotto is a very strange, cryptic experience of a game. It is entirely free, and while this usually results in short 2D projects that are either all-gameplay or all-story, and of variable quality (exceptions like Video Game/Iji or Standstill Girl do exist) this game is both 3D, courtesy of the Unity engine, and exceptionally long for such titles.
The most accurate definition would be a parody of D & D-based games: you can attack, talk, eat, sleep and pray, and there is a supposedly clear goal of collecting goblets as the in-game currency. However, all of this is parodied as the game goes on for longer, and as you visit more and more of its stages. The freedom of exploration is immense: on two separate instances it’s actually possible to fall off and end up in an altogether different area. There are probably about several hundred of people/creatures you can talk to, and while each of them generally only says one thing, it’s never boring and allows you to feel the insanity of the place. Whether it’s the crime researchers, the fridge, or the “Sailor who has a pressing concern”, the game continues to surprise through its dialogue and its text descriptions, and there is also a rather large encyclopedia supplied when you download it: true to form, it only makes things less clear but can always be read separately for the weirdness of it. The prayer/eat/sleep mechanic is rather annoying on purpose, yet it does provide for some priceless moments when Swampy gains a lot of goblets, yet continues to desire more as reflected in his thoughts, in what are probably the game’s deepest moments.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing for the game’s combat. It is plain bad by anyone's standards: all enemies can do is walk towards you and do their lone attack, with health being the only difference. Forget about blocks or charged attacks: there aren’t even any ranged enemies in the game, even though that is extremely easy to do development-wise. It’s generally a failing of the game when most enemies die in one hit, but here it’s actually a virtue, as it at least allows you to finish fighting quickly and continue exploring the game’s weird world.
All in all, if you are playing this game, it's because of the weirdness on offer alone. If you have played Space Funeral (developer's earlier, more famous game) you would know what to expect, and if you liked that game, you should like this one too since it simply continues the same trend (even more weirdness, even less gameplay) and is in 3D.