FOUNTAINS
- December 20, 2024
- JohnPywell
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Get on itch.io StoreThe Fountain of Youth was hidden away. Nonetheless, it is fated that a Usurper will slay the Ageless and unearth it once more. FOUNTAINS is an action-RPG about fighting your way through a maze-like interconnected world. You'll take the role of a hooded stranger, recently imprisoned by a tyrannical regime. Will you escape and uncover the mysteries of this war-torn empire? The world of FOUNT…
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Reviews
- The game features impressive level design that is complex yet navigable, encouraging exploration and rewarding players with secrets.
- Combat is responsive and engaging, with a variety of enemies and challenging boss fights that require learning attack patterns.
- The art style and music create a captivating atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the game world.
- Some players find the combat mechanics to be overly simplistic, lacking depth compared to other titles in the genre.
- Boss fights can feel frustratingly difficult, with some bosses having attack patterns that are hard to read or telegraph.
- The game lacks a traditional leveling system, which may leave some players feeling limited in their ability to enhance their character's stats.
- gameplay7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by snappy and responsive mechanics, featuring engaging and challenging combat. Players appreciate the polished controls and smooth movement, while the unique water system introduces an additional layer of strategy. The vast, secret-filled map enhances the exploration experience, making combat enjoyable and dynamic.
“The gameplay is snappy and responsive, with engaging, challenging combat.”
“+ Polished gameplay with clean combat mechanics and smooth movement.”
“Its vast, secret-filled map and clean combat mechanics make it a joy to explore and fight through.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its dark and immersive quality, complemented by moody ambient music and impressive pixel art that enhances the varied environments. Reviewers note that the combination of these elements creates a captivating and challenging experience, making it a standout in the genre.
“The music suits the impressively varied environments, and the overall dark and dingy atmosphere is perfect.”
“Very moody ambient songs enhance the atmosphere perfectly.”
“Graphics: simple yet impressive pixel art that beautifully captures the game’s atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere feels very constricted and lacks any sense of openness.”
“The overall ambiance is stifling and doesn't draw you into the game world.”
“There's a heavy, oppressive feeling that makes it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a gorgeous art style that combines beautiful and horrifying enemy designs, complemented by impressive pixel art that effectively captures the game's atmosphere. While some players appreciate the retro aesthetic, there are critiques regarding the simplicity and lack of detail in certain areas, such as generic tunnels. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's engagement and appeal.
“The art style is gorgeous - with equally beautiful and horrifying enemy design, badass skills and a massive amount of unlockables to keep you engaged until the very end.”
“Graphics: simple yet impressive pixel art that beautifully captures the game’s atmosphere.”
“This and Drova have the same sort of graphics and fighting style; I hope more and more of these games drop. If you are considering buying this, do it.”
“Graphics: retro”
“I don't mind the art style, but it felt like some areas could use more objects; there are a ton of generic tunnels with nothing in them.”
- music4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to complement the diverse environments and enhance the dark, atmospheric tone. Reviewers highlight the beautiful, moody ambient tracks that significantly contribute to the overall immersive experience.
“The music suits the impressively varied environments, and the overall dark and dingy atmosphere is perfect.”
“Very moody ambient songs enhance the atmosphere perfectly.”
“Beautiful world and music.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story is described as interesting and well-crafted, featuring familiar and predictable elements typical of the genre. The game's clever level design enhances exploration, revealing a wealth of optional secrets and lore that enrich the overall narrative experience.
“Extremely clever level design in a classic, but refreshing metroidvania style map where I don’t find myself bored while exploring, finding items/gear, or unlocking new secrets about an interesting, well thought out story.”
“Interesting story and lore, though fairly familiar and predictable for those well-versed in the genre’s narrative conventions.”
“When it comes to the land of fountains, it’s not only one of the most ingeniously interconnected places I have ever explored but also packed with an incredible amount of optional secrets for you to uncover, some more evident than others but all of them yielding helpful equipment and upgrades meant to help you on your quest for survival.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative arc, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is shallow, and I found it difficult to care about their motivations or outcomes.”
“The plot twists are predictable, and the overall storyline fails to deliver any meaningful impact.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a mix of dark comedy and quirky, out-of-the-box ideas, with NPC and enemy vocals adding to the hilarity. Players appreciate the goofy characters and enjoyable exploration, though some feel the humor doesn't compensate for the lack of depth in combat and environmental detail. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and entertainment value.
“Some do it with lots of dark humor, funny ideas, and out-of-the-box concepts.”
“Enemy and NPC vocals are perfect and sometimes (intentionally) hilarious.”
“I thought it was a simple but enjoyable game, with very goofy characters that often made me laugh. The exploration was great, the movement is smooth, but it also does not have the same amount of nuance in combat or detail in locations.”
