Stumbling through Chasm

[davidn]

I saw a great-looking retro styled game going past on Twitter - it sold me on the idea of a fantasy Super Metroid, just after a successful run through Super Metroid (where by 'successful' I mean that I completed the game and nobody was severely injured). This is Chasm, an independent release coming soon from Discord Studios.

The game turned out to be not really like Super Metroid at all in actual gameplay - it's more of a Diablo side-scrolling dungeon crawl, but the aesthetic of slowly building up and equipping your character is there (it's actually a bit more like Symphony of the Night in this regard, but I haven't seen any ability-gathering yet).

The demo lasts for three floors, but the dungeon is randomly generated each time - it looks like the start of a very promising game!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sxbsD2-p7w

Comments

[rakarr.livejournal.com]

As you said, the game isn't really a Metroidvania so much as an action-RPG with hints of Diablo... but to me it does feel very much like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - moreso, with its RPG elements, than Metrioid - so I can see why people would lump it in there. I think the term "Metroidvania" is typically applied to fairly open, nonlinear maps with progression meted out to you in the form of newly-discovered items or abilities, and so far this seems to have a more a typically roguelike progression, although it does share some superficial similarities with Metroidvania-style games.

You know, I like the tribute inherent in "Metroidvania", but it's a somewhat unwieldy genre name that sort of.. affectionately damns games to derivativeness even before they begin, even if they have been inspired by such great forebears. I think we need a proper genre name, one that isn't a portmanteau of two different titles.

The game does, indeed, look fantastic and well polished. And If they're Kickstarting this, I think it's great that they've got so much to show already. Everyone and their dog seems to have turned to Kickstarter as a source of funding, and I have to question the ability versus the ambition of some of the projects, so it's nice to see something that already has its foundations laid.

And... wow, you missed a lot of things with this video! The excuse of how difficult it is to provide commentary and play at the same time - which is the cause behind us shooting our own cores multitple times in UT3, I'm sure - is all well and good, but it only goes so far! I have to admit, as much as I respect your game-playing skills, when you bought the bandana I had to wonder for the rest of the video whether you actually equipped it.

But, er, don't be deterred! In as much demand as you have been for (very enjoyable!) multi-person projects, it's nice to see you continuing with the solo adventures as well. This was fantastically charming, as always.

[davidn]

That's right, it's difficult to classify it (or any game like it) without resorting to a long string of platformer/RPG/exploration game... after playing both Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night I'm beginning to understand the genre "Metroidvania" a little more as a platform game that has RPG statistics and equipment-gathering along with Super Metroid's ability-gathering and exploration.

I can't believe I was staring that antidote in the fact - I had to put that note into the video to stem my embarrassment! I did equip the bandana, though - you can see it there when I next go into the equip menu.