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[Maiden Voyage]

Anyone pick this game up? Thoughts?

Blue Fire – Graffiti Games

www.graffitigames.com

IGN gave it an 8/0

Blue Fire Review - IGN

Blue Fire's approach to 3D platforming makes parkour a blast both in its enticing challenge rooms and corrupted world.

www.ign.com

ABOUT THIS GAME​

Journey through the desolated kingdom of Penumbra and discover the hidden secrets of this long-forgotten land. Explore mystical temples, where you’ll need to master the art of movement to survive increasingly difficult 3D platforming challenges. During your adventure you’ll slash your way through daunting adversaries, encounter survivors and take on strange quests to collect valuable items.

Hardcore Platforming​

Leap through deadly traps and master movement to navigate gradually demanding platforming challenges.

Lost in the Void​

Far from Penumbra, there is a lost land called The Void. Find Void entrances throughout the world to uncover abstract platforming challenges that require great mastery to gather the valuable rewards hidden inside.

Slash Your Way Through Great Adversaries​

Encounter dangerous enemies with distinct fighting styles and partake in intense combat-platforming boss fights.

A Haunting World​

Travel through the perished world of Penumbra to explore unique areas filled with diverse enemies, sharp 3D platforming challenges, quests, collectibles and more.

Encounter Peculiar Survivors​

A long time has passed since Penumbra fell into darkness, but those that survived the kingdom’s fall will aid your journey to unlock valuable rewards.

Collectibles​

Once a rich and lush kingdom, Penumbra is filled with many collectibles and items to discover, loot, collect, sell, trade and purchase.

Upgrades​

No great warrior can battle the dangers lurking in Penumbra without the proper equipment. Upgrade your swords, collect valuable amulets and unlock new abilities to transform into a fierce fighter.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

AMA over on Reddit:

 

[HollowKnight]

Looks interesting, saw the trailer today. Might buy.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Looks interesting, saw the trailer today. Might buy.

I plan to pick it up and play over the weekend while I am traveling.

 

[D.Final]

Looks interesting, saw the trailer today. Might buy.

Me too

 

[Punished Miku]

I still consider 3d platformers to be the pinnacle of pure game and level design when done well. Had a huge soft spot for the genre since Mario 64. The thread and reviews sold me on it so I just got it.

I can be pretty picky though, and worry if the character animations lack too much weight and momentum. Everything looks excessively floaty. Hopefully I end up enjoying it!

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I still consider 3d platformers to be the pinnacle of pure game and level design when done well. Had a huge soft spot for the genre since Mario 64. The thread and reviews sold me on it so I just got it.

I can be pretty picky though, and worry if the character animations lack too much weight and momentum. Everything looks excessively floaty. Hopefully I end up enjoying it!

Keep me posted. I am curious how it plays.

 

[Aldric]

I've beaten the first dungeon. I know talking about a new game by comparing it with popular older titles is trite but it really feels like a mix between Hollow Knight and The Wind Waker. I like it so far, very charming even if there's some obvious asperities. The game crashed once, I encountered some weird bug where I lowered the water in a dungeon to go down a ladder and when I tried to climb back up I took damage as if the water was still there, your character's shadow is more or less useless to judge your position in mid air and the wall jump mechanics are a bit all over the place although that might just be me not understanding them properly.

Despite all that it's fun, the optional platforming challenges that give you extra hearts if you complete them are genuinely some of the best 3D platforming sections I've seen in a very long time. I've already done one that was brutal but with some really neat ideas. Looking forward to what the game has to offer next.

 

[Fbh]

Saw some trailers and reviews pop up for this today.

Looks pretty cool, we don't get enough adventure games with proper skill based platforming.

I Wonder how it performs on Switch

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I've beaten the first dungeon. I know talking about a new game by comparing it with popular older titles is trite but it really feels like a mix between Hollow Knight and The Wind Waker. I like it so far, very charming even if there's some obvious asperities. The game crashed once, I encountered some weird bug where I lowered the water in a dungeon to go down a ladder and when I tried to climb back up I took damage as if the water was still there, your character's shadow is more or less useless to judge your position in mid air and the wall jump mechanics are a bit all over the place although that might just be me not understanding them properly.

Despite all that it's fun, the optional platforming challenges that give you extra hearts if you complete them are genuinely some of the best 3D platforming sections I've seen in a very long time. I've already done one that was brutal but with some really neat ideas. Looking forward to what the game has to offer next.

Are you playing on PC or Switch?

 

[Aldric]

Are you playing on PC or Switch?

Switch for convenience. It runs well besides the two things I mentioned.

 

[Ikutachi]

 

[Punished Miku]

Runs pretty well on Switch. Just played the intro and first challenge. Feels snappy. You have tons of air control and can adjust a lot mid air. Combat hits have weight but it feels tough to read enemy attacks to block so far, very early on.

The art style and presentation is very much inspired by Zelda and is a plus for fans of Ocarina and n64 blocky art style.

I could see myself actually enjoying this. Haven't gotten to anything challenging yet to test out advanced platforming and wall jumps. So far my impressions are positive.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Thanks for the feedback guys, glad to read that the Switch version is faring well optimization wise.

 

[Punished Miku]

Good music too

 

[Ryu Kaiba]

Getting heavy zelda vibes, and like the main character design, might pick this up.

 

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Picked this up on an urge. This is a sweaty palms game for me. Controls are good, but it does feel a bit like the character wants to overrun everything. Slightly like they're on roller skates. You also move while attacking so fighting monsters on narrow ledges is normally death via falling.

Still I keep going at it and pushing further. Good music in the game as well.

 

[Aldric]

Update after further progress: I was about to drop the game but didn't and I'm glad I kept going.

One advice I'd give to anyone interested in this game is to make sure they buy movement buff charms from the guy in the sewers because it completely transforms the game. Longer dash and fall damage cancel plus the charm you get from the first dungeon and another one from a sidequest in the city turns an actively unpleasant experience into a legitimately fantastic feeling platformer. Fall damage in such a demanding platformer is a terrible idea and even if I'm glad you can remove it it should never have been in the game in the first place.

It's very rare to find a 3D platformer not called Mario that feels so great but this one definitely qualifies. After you're sufficiently equipped which should take about 5 hours of gameplay your character just flies through the levels although it still requires good execution. The challenge levels are still hard as fuck and satisfying to complete although I've played one that soured me a bit on them as it required what essentially boils down to blind jumps. Still even if it might not be always fair it's definitely the hardest 3D platformer in recent memory. I wish I could be as enthusiastic about the combat but I find it pretty bad. Attacks whiff constantly, your defensive options are bad, enemiesdo obscene damage, have very little cooldown and your invincibility frames after getting hit are Ori 1 tier which means you get killed in 2 seconds.

Overall even if I might sound negative I like the game a lot, it's far from perfect but it does a lot of very interesting things and this small indie team should be commended for nailing the feedback of fluid 3D platformer movement so well when you see experienced developers and big publishers shit the bed completely like with Balan Wonderworld.

 

[teezzy]

Everyone's talking about Zelda...

reminds me more of I-Ninja

 

[Digity]

PC? I'm there, this looks great. A nice mix of Zelda and Prince of Persia.

 

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Everyone's talking about Zelda...

reminds me more of I-Ninja

Yes I-Ninja is what I first thought of with the game.

I-Ninja, a Hollow Knight atmosphere, and a little Zelda here or there. Though the voids make me think of Mario Sunshine.

 

[Kamina]

”Chibi”-character with huge head = huge turnoff

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

Looks like a really game-y Ico!

 

[Maiden Voyage]

”Chibi”-character with huge head = huge turnoff

Personally, I'm turned on.

 

[Aldric]

I've beaten the game, final thoughts: I loved it but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone in its current state. I've played for about 20 hours and the game crashed a dozen times. I wish I was joking but it really is a broken ass game. That's a shame because when it works it's a lot of fun and I guess it's a testament to its quality that I kept playing it for so long despite its technical issues but still, don't buy it before they patch it. Pretty sure it's not a problem with the Switch version either, Steam reviews are full of complaints about crashes as well.

 

[Newly Vacant]

I bought it for Switch, played for about 4-ish hours and promptly deleted it. I'm happy people are enjoying it, but it's not for me. I really don't like the floaty nature of everything. Dashing and jumping feel imprecise and the combat didn't click with me at all. It's too bad, because I like the art style and world. Maybe I should be like Aldric and push on, but I'm not going to do that. If I'm not enjoying a 20 hour game by hour 4, I'm not going to stick with it.

If I could return it, I would.