GearHead Caramel
- July 21, 2022
- Joseph Hewitt
Get on SteamGearHead Caramel is the third game in the GearHead series. Your character can play through a series of adventures set in various times and places in the GearHead universe. Currently there are two adventure modules, with more to follow.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and engaging experience with giant robots, allowing players to create and battle their own mechs.
- The procedural generation of stories and scenarios adds variety and replayability, making each playthrough feel fresh and interesting.
- The developer is responsive and attentive, continuously improving the game based on player feedback.
- Some players feel that the game sacrifices depth and complexity from previous titles in favor of faster-paced combat.
- There are moments of frustration due to rough edges and unclear mechanics, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Fans of the original GearHead games may find this installment lacking in comparison, leading to mixed feelings about its direction.
- story12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its innovative procedural generation, which creates unique narratives and character interactions with each playthrough, enhancing replayability. While the current campaign is described as straightforward, it features engaging elements like recurring villains and rivals, suggesting potential for future story development. Overall, the mission rhythm is enjoyable, contributing to a satisfying gameplay experience despite some frustrating moments.
“The story/quest structure of gh1 alone should have changed the future of rogue-likes and to this day is still the best, maybe only, real RPG rogue-like in that regard.”
“The game does a great job from the beginning with 'story generation.' As soon as you create a character, you'll know what I mean.”
“The current story campaign is fairly straightforward, with some neat bells and whistles such as characters that reappear and act as recurring villains/rivals if they survive clashes with you. I expect further development will occur to add more elements to the story side of the game soon.”
“Engaging procedural generation to build conversations and stories comes with some caveats, but overall makes the experience more interesting, knowing that you are going to experience a broadly different story each time you play.”
“The story/quest structure of gh1 alone should have changed the future of rogue-likes, and to this day is still the best, maybe only, real RPG rogue-like in that regard.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is well-received, offering a solid experience that balances mech battling with traditional roguelike elements, making it accessible for players familiar with older games in the genre. It successfully combines aspects of JRPGs and Battletech while maintaining its own unique identity, providing an enjoyable on-foot dungeon diving experience.
“Gameplay is pretty solid, and not too hard to grasp if you have some experience with more seasoned (read: older) roguelikes and games.”
“The overall gameplay is great; it's a good mech battler reminiscent of a JRPG crossed with Battletech (although different enough from both to not feel derivative), and it's got a fun on-foot dungeon diving experience attached that feels more like a traditional roguelike.”
