Fhtagn Simulator
- October 21, 2022
- Keer
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Get on itch.io Store"Fhtagn Simulator" is a roguelike card game inspired by deck-building games such as "Luck be a Landlord," "Slay the Spire," and "Monster Train." You play as a cultist, offering tributes to the ancient gods and avoiding their punishment if you fail to collect enough spirit within the time limit. The game features a chaotic and disorderly world, with cards entering the roulette in a random order each round. The goal is to successfully summon the ancient gods and bring chaos back to the world.
PC
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Windows
Reviews
- Unique roguelike deckbuilder with a charming Lovecraftian theme and engaging mechanics.
- Impressive art style and atmosphere, enhanced by a well-executed black and white color scheme.
- Offers a variety of strategies and card interactions, making each run feel fresh and rewarding.
- Frequent bugs and performance issues, including crashes and memory leaks that hinder gameplay.
- Translation errors and unclear card descriptions can lead to confusion and frustration.
- Some players find the game overly reliant on RNG, making it difficult to execute specific strategies.
- gameplay28 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by chaotic yet skillful mechanics that offer a high degree of player agency through unique card interactions and a slot-locking system, allowing for diverse strategies and build variety. While the game features a laid-back loop that requires effort to gather combo pieces, it also introduces surprising depth and complexity, particularly for fans of the Cthulhu mythos. Despite some minor balancing issues and a learning curve, the overall experience is engaging and rewarding, especially for those who enjoyed similar games like "Luck Be a Landlord."
“Love this game, love the art style and the gameplay mechanics are chaotic but skillful.”
“High build variety, most synergies have multiple options (particularly the ones that sacrifice humans and also benefit a specific subtype), mechanics interplay interestingly (fire destroys, freeze stacks well with high spirit), or you can just stack synergy cards.”
“It really sets itself apart from 'Luck Be a Landlord' with the emergent gameplay that comes from holding and placing cards, and locking play slots.”
“Endless is fairly boring; there aren't any degenerate 'big numbers' strategies as there are few true multipliers, and mechanics like 'might' and 'multiple' reset every round.”
“Gameplay loop is really laid-back, but still requires some effort to gather the combo pieces and put them in order.”
“It takes a little bit to learn because the mechanics are unusual.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel-art style that enhances its homemade feel and contributes to the overall spooky aesthetics. While some players appreciate the unique and creepy visuals, others note that certain elements could benefit from further refinement. Overall, the art style is well-received for its personality and ability to evoke a distinct atmosphere, particularly within the Cthulhu theme.
“A true indie production by a three-person team, Fhtagn Simulator has a certain amount of homemade charm, from the pixel-art graphics to the sound effects featuring what I'm pretty sure is one of the devs saying the word 'roar.' I genuinely love little games like this.”
“Very similar to Good Luck, My Lord (another very recommendable game that I love from the same genre), just with a Cthulhu theme which is always a boon, and the pixel graphics make the simplified, vague-looking, and not always fully discernible creepy visuals actually creepier than any photo-realistic pictures of madmen and Lovecraftian monsters could.”
“Cool idea with lovely, spooky aesthetics.”
“For its graphics and sound, which are frankly bare-bones -- this game has a striking amount of personality.”
“The one-bit art style definitely needs another pass on some of these cards though.”
“Very similar to 'Good Luck, My Lord' (another very recommendable game that I love from the same genre), just with a Cthulhu theme which is always a boon and the pixel graphics make the simplified, vague-looking, and not always fully discernible creepy visuals actually creepier than any photo-realistic pictures of madmen and Lovecraftian monsters could.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, effectively capturing the Lovecraftian theme and enhancing the overall experience. While some players wish for varied tracks to match increasing difficulty levels, the looping song remains engaging and enjoyable throughout gameplay. Overall, the music complements the game's art and lore, contributing to a fun and immersive atmosphere.
“Loved the graphics and music.”
“Fun game, nice art and music, well priced.”
“I do wish it had differing music, maybe for each increasing difficulty level, instead of the one tune.”
“It absolutely nails the Lovecraftian theme in terms of music, art, lore, and even with the card interactions.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability compared to more popular titles, but its affordable price and the inclusion of items that influence gameplay can enhance the experience. While current replay value is somewhat lacking, potential future updates with new cards or mechanics could significantly improve it.
“Items you get every so often can dictate how the game is played, adding to replayability and influencing how hard or lucky a run can be.”
“Arguably doesn't have the replay value of some of the more well-known titles it is compared to, but for the price, it's definitely worth going through for a complete achievement addition to anyone's collection.”
“Replayability is the only thing that suffers a bit, but if they ever add new cards or mechanics, it will skyrocket immediately.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its intriguing elements and unique concept, complemented by beautiful art, but many users express a desire for a more developed narrative, especially given the game's challenging nature.
“The little bits of story I've been finding are also intriguing.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being plagued by numerous bugs, with a lack of developer communication and updates exacerbating the issues. Many players express frustration, indicating that they would have sought refunds if they hadn't invested significant time into the game.
“The game is a buggy mess, and the developers on Discord don't acknowledge or respond to whatever issue you are dealing with. There has been a lack of actual updates for months now. If I hadn't spent around 50 hours on it, I would have refunded it already.”
“Frequent crashes and glitches make it nearly unplayable. It's frustrating to invest time into a game that feels so unstable.”
“I keep encountering game-breaking bugs that ruin the experience. It's disappointing to see such a lack of stability in a title that had so much potential.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its satirical take on political themes, contrasting with similar titles by avoiding overt propaganda. Players find it amusing that the developers are Chinese, adding an ironic twist to the game's comedic elements.
“The humor in this game is sharp and witty, making every interaction a delight.”
“I love how the game uses absurdity to create hilarious situations that keep me laughing.”
“The clever puns and playful dialogue add a layer of charm that makes the experience unforgettable.”
