Diebrary
- August 1, 2023
- OtherOcean
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Diebrary" is a shooter game available for both single-player and multi-player modes. Choose from 5 main characters, each with unique abilities and skills, and wield 7 primary and 12 secondary weapons to defeat evil hordes. Gain currency during runs to raise your character's strength with temporary boosts, and unlock perks in the perk store to progress in the game. An added bonus: caged pets that can assist in battles, making for some adorable allies.
Reviews
- Diebrary offers a deep and engaging build and weapon system, making it enjoyable for fans of theorycrafting.
- The pseudo-multiplayer component allows players to share and progress through the same story with friends, adding a unique twist to gameplay.
- The art style is charming and contributes to a laid-back atmosphere, while the refund option for shop purchases prevents the game from feeling like a grind.
- The character selection lacks excitement, with many characters feeling lackluster and not offering interesting gameplay options.
- The Plot Twist system can introduce frustrating and unbalanced challenges, making some runs feel artificially difficult and unenjoyable.
- The game suffers from a lack of meaningful meta progression and depth, leading to runs that can feel shallow and repetitive.
- story26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is structured around a unique pseudo-multiplayer system that allows players to share and influence a collective narrative through gameplay-altering plot twists. While this mechanic offers an innovative approach to storytelling, it has received mixed reviews; some players appreciate the potential for varied experiences, while others criticize the execution, noting that certain twists can detract from the overall enjoyment and lead to frustrating gameplay. Additionally, the reliance on multiplayer voting for plot twists has been seen as cumbersome, particularly for those preferring a single-player experience.
“The plot twist system promises to make it a unique entry in the genre that I really hope explodes in popularity, partly because we'll see more and more incredibly large public stories.”
“You can make a public story, wherein anyone can play your story, and each person who does, at the end of their run, gets to vote on one of the available plot twists.”
“These plot twists will alter the next game, and all following games run in the same 'story,' in a significant and gameplay-altering way.”
“The big problem here, though, is that the twists range from completely irrelevant to absolutely awful to play with and damning to your story if you choose one that turns out to be way worse than you anticipated, forcing you to start from scratch.”
“But now that I'm expected to play with all these extreme plot twists, I mitigated the difficulty by refunding 'game speed' to 0/4, so now I'm playing with only +50% game speed from 'zoomies', which feels like a slog.”
“This game is based on repeating runs within the same story while accruing more and more of these plot twists until, I guess, either you break the game or the game breaks you.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a unique pseudo-multiplayer component that allows players to share a single story progression with friends, enhancing the experience with various gameplay modifiers. While some players find the mechanics engaging and the speed perks enjoyable, others criticize the overall design as lacking depth and excitement, leading to a mixed reception. The game offers a blend of cooperative storytelling and competitive elements, but opinions vary on its execution and replayability.
“There is a pseudo-multiplayer component that effectively lets you share and progress the same 'save game' or story with your friends, stacking up different gameplay modifiers as you progress through each chapter.”
“But generally speaking, I think it iterates on the versus genre via multiplayer and the 'stories' mechanic that carries you through a series of runs with escalating modifiers.”
“These plot twists will alter the next game, and all following games run in the same 'story,' in a significant and gameplay-altering way.”
“Don't be, they're the low effort option but they are visually and mechanically absent.”
“Bad design, boring gameplay, halls of torment much better.”
“That's right - you will probably go from 'bleh, bland' to 'feelin it' to 'yeah, I wanna play this more' across 10 minutes of gameplay.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while initial runs are quick and easy, significant time investment is required to unlock the final options through grinding twists, which can feel like a waste if players choose to skip them. Many report completing the main content in under five hours, only to be faced with the necessity of extensive grinding to fully experience the game.
“You can skip the twists if you don't like any of the options, but seeing as you can only add them after a run and run out of meta progression without grinding twists, skipping the twist amounts to having wasted your time having even done the run.”
“You fill out 80% of it within a few super easy runs (making the game even easier), and then are locked out of the last few options unless you engage in stacking twists or grinding like crazy.”
“I've finished all the content that isn't grinding the twists in less than 5 hours.”
- music2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's music is limited to a single soundtrack, leading to suggestions for the inclusion of additional tracks to enhance the overall experience.
“The game features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.”
“The music perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
“I would love to see more variety in the soundtracks to keep things fresh.”
“The game has only one soundtrack.”
“Maybe add more soundtracks?”
- graphics1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their charming art style, which contributes to a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere in the game.
“The art style is really charming and creates a more laid-back feeling.”
“The graphics are stunning, with vibrant colors and intricate details that bring the world to life.”
“The visual design is breathtaking, making every scene a work of art.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the game allows for a more relaxed approach to optimization, eliminating the need for excessive grinding and the pressure to achieve perfect selections.
“You don't have to grind everything, and you don't have to worry about being perfectly optimized in your selections.”
“The game allows for a flexible approach to optimization, making it accessible for both casual and hardcore players.”
“I love how the optimization system encourages experimentation without punishing you for making less-than-perfect choices.”
