The Aching
- April 4, 2023
- Hadrosaurus Software
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Get on itch.io StoreThe Aching is a graphical horror adventure game from the demented mind of the Lobdegg, heavily inspired by the old graphic adventure games Sierra and LucasArts released in the 1980s. This title features low resolution 16-color graphics mimicking the extremely limited hardware of the era. Gameplay is driven by a combination of arrow keys and a classic-style parser. Whatever you wish your character …
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Reviews
- The game successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic Sierra adventure games, providing a rich atmosphere and intriguing lore to explore.
- The art style and graphics are well-executed, enhancing the eerie and beautiful world that players can discover.
- Improvements over traditional EGA games, such as the main character's invulnerability and detailed item examination, make for a more enjoyable experience.
- The text parser is poorly implemented, leading to frustration with unrecognized commands and a lack of feedback for failed actions.
- The game feels short and incomplete, lacking a fully developed story and leaving players wanting more content for the price.
- Some gameplay mechanics, such as unnecessary backtracking and repetitive interactions, can detract from the overall experience.
- story12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story in this game is described as minimal, with some players noting that it lacks depth compared to classic text-based adventures. While it successfully recreates the nostalgic feel of early games like King's Quest, the narrative itself is not a strong focus, leaving players with a sense of nostalgia rather than a compelling storyline.
“I have played this type of game that's text-only, but never one in the original style like King's Quest that this game recreates so well.”
“Am an old, so I grew up with Commodore 64 and would spend annoying amounts of time trying to figure through games like Ocean's The NeverEnding Story and Infocom's Suspect.”
“The story barely exists.”
“I grew up with Commodore 64 and would spend annoying amounts of time trying to figure through games like Ocean's The NeverEnding Story and Infocom's Suspect, and truthfully our runs were never successful.”
“Reminds me of my misspent youth playing Zork and the King's Quest series at university when I really should have been studying!”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a chunky style that effectively captures the bleak and strange atmosphere of the game, reminiscent of mid-80s graphic adventures. Reviewers appreciate the art direction and the strong 80s aesthetic, noting that it successfully evokes the era's unique charm while remaining true to its roots in early adventure gaming. Overall, the visuals are seen as a fascinating homage to the genre's history.
“The chunky graphics are right up my alley, and I was quite impressed with this bleak, strange world.”
“The art and atmosphere are great and really nail down the 80s aesthetic.”
“It absolutely nailed the aesthetic it was going for.”
“The sound design (such as it was on the old DOS games of the time) and the graphics (more of the same, very much of its time).”
“I personally find this game very fascinating; it's an adventure game, but it seems specifically inspired by the first wave of graphic adventures - after the genre made a leap from text to graphics around 1984, but also before it made a full transition to the modern interface, so it feels specifically like a mid-80s adventure.”
“The chunky graphics are right up my alley, but they may not appeal to everyone.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's soundtrack is notably limited, with music present in only about 20% of the locations, which some players feel detracts from the overall experience. While the pre-chiptune style of the limited original soundtrack is appreciated by some, there is a desire for more music to enhance the atmosphere of the various environments. Overall, the music could benefit from greater variety and presence throughout the game.
“I like the limited OST in this game; it's kind of like a pre-chiptune feel to it. I'm not sure if they are trying to emulate the limited space by having less music.”
“The music does not need to be complex, but I want it to enhance the locations. It feels like only 20% of the rooms have any sounds.”
“The music does not need to be complex, but I want it to enhance the locations. It feels like only 20% of the rooms have any sounds.”
“The soundtrack is very limited, with only some screens having sounds.”
“I think we could give the game a little freedom; the music does not need to be complex, but I want it to enhance the locations. It feels like only 20% of the rooms have any sounds.”
“The soundtrack is very limited, with only some screens having sounds.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its vibrant 80s aesthetic, effectively immersing players in a world filled with alien-like creatures, monsters, and quirky characters. While many appreciate the sense of wonder and exploration it offers, some find the atmosphere to be somewhat divisive. Overall, the art and ambiance contribute significantly to the game's unique charm.
“The art and atmosphere are great and really nail down the 80s aesthetic.”
“I loved the art and the atmosphere while exploring.”
“There are alien-like creatures, monsters, mages, gruesome deaths, collecting eyeballs, and talking to weird characters; it just has that sense of wonder to it.”
“The atmosphere of this game is a little more contentious.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of text adventure and arrow key mechanics, which users find intriguing. Despite the challenges of replicating the feel of retro games, this title successfully evokes a nostalgic experience, making it feel authentically old-school despite modern technological advancements.
“The gameplay being a mix of text adventure and arrow keys was pretty interesting.”
“I find that it's very difficult for developers to make a convincing imitation of an old game; you can copy the coloring and the gameplay to a point, but you're not working with the same technological limitations. More often than not, they don't actually feel 100% retro, but this game somehow does. The only thing that gave it away was the name; I just never heard of it, so I assumed it was new.”
“I find that it's very difficult for developers to make a convincing imitation of an old game. You can copy the coloring and the gameplay to a point, but you're not working with the same technological limitations. More often than not, they don't actually feel 100% retro, but this game somehow does. The only thing that gave it away was the name; I just never heard of it, so I assumed it was new.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly noting that acquiring the compass necessitates significant backtracking, which can detract from the overall experience.
“Acquiring one item, [spoiler]compass[/spoiler], requires some tedious backtracking.”
“Acquiring one item, [spoiler]compass[/spoiler], requires some tedious backtracking.”
