Column on the Sea
- September 26, 2019
- Griffin Snow
Get on SteamJoin freelance treasure hunters Laika and Erhardt on their quest for a legendary treasure on a mysterious island! Explore a huge world, battle dangerous monsters, and discover valuable upgrades in this hilarious action-adventure with a unique art style!
Reviews
- The game successfully blends retro NES/Gameboy vibes with a modern cartoon art style, creating a unique aesthetic.
- The writing and character development are enjoyable, with a fun story that keeps players engaged.
- The gameplay features classic Metroidvania elements, providing a satisfying exploration experience despite some minor quirks.
- The game suffers from slow-paced and repetitive gameplay, with some bosses acting as damage sponges, making encounters feel tedious.
- Control issues, such as poor collision detection and unskippable dialogues, detract from the overall experience.
- The map design and save point placement can lead to frustrating backtracking and confusion during exploration.
- story9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, the story aspect of the games reviewed is characterized by a mix of enjoyment and mediocrity. Many players appreciate well-written narratives and engaging characters, particularly in titles like "Alwa's Legacy" and "SteamWorld Dig 2," while others find certain stories to be simple or uninteresting, with some relying heavily on anime tropes. While some games excel in dialogue and world-building, others fall flat, resulting in a varied reception of the storytelling quality across different titles.
“The story and characters are a lot of fun and it's all well written - makes you want to play and finish the game.”
“But where the game really shines is in the story, dialogue, and world building.”
“The story isn't anything super groundbreaking so far but the setting is really interesting.”
“The story has many anime tropes present which either you hate or love.”
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered decent, with a nostalgic Game Boy vibe that enhances the experience, though some players find it grating and overly repetitive, particularly due to unskippable dialogues. Overall, while the minimalistic style may lack flair, it contributes positively to the game's smooth gameplay.
“This game is simple on the surface, a fairly minimal art and music style without a ton of 'flair' to it, but moment to moment it feels so smooth and it's a joy to play.”
“And the grating soundtrack and overly long, unskippable dialogues are annoying as well.”
“- atrocious music”
“The music is decent, it adds to the game, it sounds very Game Boy.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay features classic metroidvania elements, combining projectile and hack-n-slash combat. It begins simply and gradually increases in complexity as players acquire upgrades, embodying the true essence of the metroidvania genre.
“The gameplay consists primarily of classic metroidvania elements with both projectile and hack-and-slash combat.”
“True metroidvania gameplay.”
“The gameplay consists primarily of classic Metroidvania elements with both projectile and hack-and-slash combat.”
“The gameplay starts very simply and it gets a bit more demanding with each upgrade you get.”
“True Metroidvania gameplay.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's graphics effectively combine nostalgic elements reminiscent of NES and Game Boy titles with a modern, cartoon-inspired art style, reflecting the developer's background as a cartoonist.
“This game does a great job of blending the vibes of games from the NES/Game Boy era and gives it a modern sheen with the art style of a cartoon, as the developer is primarily a cartoonist.”
“The graphics are stunning, with vibrant colors and detailed environments that truly bring the game world to life.”
“I love the unique art style; it feels like I'm playing through a living painting, and every frame is a work of art.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“Character models are poorly designed and lack detail, making them look flat and uninteresting.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, which detracts from the overall immersion of the game.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users generally appreciate the humor in the game, finding it enjoyable and engaging. The comedic elements contribute positively to the overall experience, enhancing the game's appeal.
