FastCrawl - Review @ GamersInfo

Dhruin

SasqWatch
Joined
August 30, 2006
Messages
11,842
Location
Sydney, Australia
GamersInfo has a review of the indie "lunch break" rogue-like FastCrawl. There's no score but here's a snip:
Fighting is very interesting, and also turn-based. The first thing you do is set up your group in a grid of three rows and two columns (thus, six possible places). Your enemies will be set up similarly. Front rows melee each other, and have to get through them before they can melee behind that row (unless they have a weapon with further reach); the rear rows can’t reach in melee, but can fire ranged weapons (such as crossbows) or use spells.
After defeating the enemies you may find some treasure.
The goals are typically straight forward – go down, find the enemy “fill in the blank”, and kill him or her. Sometimes you might have a “find a lost adventurer who will join your party” or “find an object” to proceed.
But, either way, typically your game will last 30-60 minutes.
Obviously, this is a game that’s more about the game play than anything else. The graphics aren’t super advanced, but they’re not bad – they’re more like art. The sound is adequate. But that’s not what the game is about.
It’s about having fun, and fun it is.
More information.
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
11,842
Location
Sydney, Australia
That review more or less captures the game - quick and dirty dungeon crawls!

Fun little casual game - rather spend my time on that than Bejeweled! Not up to the level of Fate or anything, but pretty fun!
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,930
Ive had a lot of fun with this game. The fact that it's randomly generated each time has kept it fresh for me, tho like any game, it can get repetitive after a while. That said, Ive been playing the full version for weeks now, and still find myself eager to fire it up for one more game.

Just dont put it on your work pc unless you have very good self-control ='.'=
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
5,228
Location
San Diego, Ca
I've played the demo, and what strikes me is that this guy Pawley has laid the foundation for a great, computer re-creation of the Warhammer Quest board game. For those of you unfamiliar, it's the same concept: a quick, randomized dungeon crawl with simple yet very fun gameplay mechanics. There’s just more bells, whistles, variety and depth than Fast Crawl appears to have at this point. I really hope he takes the game in that direction. But it would mean he'd have to move from single dungeon disposable parties to persistent characters with a fun between-dungeons-travel minigame as well as a more complicated if not flat out scripted quest generator so that the goals can be a bit more interesting than “kill the bad guy at the bottom”.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
850
Location
CA, USA
What good options do you gain access to by getting the full version, Sammy?
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
13,535
Location
Illinois, USA
Well, the most notable thing in the full version is the skills that are unlocked for your characters to use when they level up. The trial version only allows you to use certain lower level skills. I noticed the trial version's interface is an older version too, there isnt the plentiful icons which are present in the full version detailing stats at a glance. You have to tooltip it a lot more. Less monsters too.

Those are the only real notables that I remember, I only played it a few times (the demo is time-limited to like an hour) before I decided that it was a worthy budget title.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
5,228
Location
San Diego, Ca
Well, last night I blew thru my hour limit on the demo before I even knew it was gone, so I'm calling that a good sign. I'm a little concerned about longevity, but it seems like a great addition to a "short attention span theatre" library.

Can you effectively play with the sound turned off (or, more specifically, while listening to some shoegaze internet radio ;) )? It appears to be the case from the demo. If so, me thinks I'll spend a few gold pieces.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
13,535
Location
Illinois, USA
I went ahead and bought it ... waiting for the download / code to come through ... I was the same as you dte - I buzzed through the hour and wanted more. I thought about it for a bit and realized that I've spent much more for much less and went ahead with the order ;)
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,930
I spent a little time at their forum last night and was a little disappointed to discover that, even in the full version, you can't pick your party but I guess dealing with the hand you're dealt is part of the challenge. I'll probably pick it up tonight to have for the weekend.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
13,535
Location
Illinois, USA
even in the full version, you can't pick your party

I look at that as a feature ;) My first group (well, the one I took through the demo) was Fighter / Rogue / Cleric / Mage ... and picked up another Cleric on Level 1. Worked quite well, but seeing level 2 showed me some of the stuff I was missing ... can't wait for the authorization to arrive (hoping to waste my lunch on it ;) )
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,930
yes, you can easily get a gimped party that wont cut the mustard on a higher difficulty. Though I dont like to, i sometimes find myself restarting a few times til I get something I consider usable. Trying to do "challenge"(difficulty) on "long"(roughly 1hr) setting with two rogues and a mage will wind you up on a dungeon floor.

Notice my post in the forums about the "death bug". In longer games, where you might want to just shut down and continue later (as is stated you can do), sometimes the dead from last level will come up dead this level if no progress on the next level has been made. NO rez scrolls? Cleric specced full wrath or heal only? Your very well may be screwed.
So it's good to at least do a room or two before you abruptly shut it down mid-game, after a recent death IMHO.

I play it all the time without sound, it's the only way I play it at work.

My advice is this: dont go down the stairs too quickly! Make sure you loot the levels pretty good, or youll end up against harder foes w/ lame equipment. I found myself finding stairs and heading down ASAP just so I could level my party up, but then found myself with basic equipment 3 levels down!

That and Meteor and Rush are your friends, use them wisely!
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
5,228
Location
San Diego, Ca
My demo party was rogue/rogue/warrior/mage and I didn't get offered any joiners. AFAIK, I cleared every level before hitting the stairs, and we were getting spanked pretty badly on the bottom (3rd) floor. I used the single rezzy scroll on the 2nd floor, so once one rogue died the spiral began. Ran out of demo time before we died, but I had cleared the bottom floor short of 3 battles that we weren't likely to survive. Death is a major penalty. As was mentioned in the forum, not only do you lose the attack capability, but the encumberance hit can be quite painful.

Still, a game that was fun and generates this much "urge to discuss" in me looks like a good investment. Thanks for the info, gents.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
13,535
Location
Illinois, USA
Does the full version of the game have a fullscreen option?
 
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
54
Does the full version of the game have a fullscreen option?

It looks like it doesn't ... the option is there to increase, but it didn't so anything for me.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,930
I need to take some screenshots of some of my characters, I had this unbelievable fighter going last night that was just doing ridiculous damage. Also, had this mage using meteor (aoe fore spell on all enemies) meanwhile knocking them all down like -25 on their fire resistance every hit from items he was wearing! They didnt stand a chance, good fun
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
5,228
Location
San Diego, Ca
Well, I now have the full version ... here is a screen of my little group on level 3 of a 'short' dungeon.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,930
Back
Top Bottom