This thread is dedicated to all your passing obsessions and observations about vidja games, those too small to really merit their own thread but still significant enough that you want to share them with the class.


My current mini-obsession is Realm of the Mad God. Thanks to the new Steam client, I've gotten back into this.

If you don't know what it is, it's sort of like Diablo's deformed pixilated SHMUP-like bastard child. It's a 2D top-view game where your character explores a landscape, collects gear, chugs potions, and levels up like in kind of Diablo action lite RPG, but fires at monsters and contends with huge numbers of bullets in a 2D "bullet hell"-like shooter.

Another notable feature: death is permanent. But for character achievements you generate a spendable resource called fame, which is only added to your fame amount after your character has died. Thus, dying is a natural part of a character's life span, and equipment has a vaguely disposable feel to it because of it (especially because there's fame bonuses when you die with the best equipment slotted).

The result is a brutish, hectic, hop-in hop-out experience that is just simply fun.

It relies on micropurchases for support, but there's nothing that's locked to you if you don't spend any money, nor are there any annoying daily limits to contend with for "free" players. Micropurchases just unlock conveniences (character slots beyond 1, more slots in which to bank equipment, multiuse potions), vanity items (dyes and pets), and "dungeon keys" which let you hop into a particular instanced dungeon quickly rather than having to unlock them by killing the appropriate character in the overworld. (Dungeons also are nice but extra: the most powerful equipment is dropped by bosses in the overworld as well.)

Definitely give it a shot for at least a few minutes.