7DRL 2011 Reviews - Regicide!

Regicide!

Bart: [watching Flanders] An ax.  He’s got an ax!  I’ll save you, Lisa![tries to walk on his leg, falls back] Uh, I’ll save you by calling the police.  [dials 911]

Voice: Hello, and welcome to the Springfield Police Department Resc-u-Fone[tm].  If you know the name of the felony being committed, press one.  To choose from a list of felonies, press two.  If you are being murdered or calling from a rotary phone, please stay on the line.

Bart: [growls, punches some numbers]

Voice: You have selected regicide.  If you know the name of the king or queen being murdered, press one.
— The Simpsons, Season 6, Episode `Bart of Darkness`

I had been looking forward to playing this game since I saw the name. I also vaguely recall being very interested in the author’s previous 7DRL, Chompy (looks like he went ahead and finished it, awesome! Will have to check that out after these reviews are done).

So, Regicide! The plot is pretty simple and drives the theme very well. You are tasked with dispatching an evil King. The game starts in a prison, and the prisoner mechanic is very nicely done. Throughout the prison levels, there are prisoners that you can free with keys. Some are fellow revolutionaries and will help you. Others are vicious murderers, and will attack you! I wasn’t sure how to tell which was which before I let them out but I suppose that is part of the game! (A fun part, too)

I’ll admit that when I first freed a prisoner I wasn’t sure what would happen. I was pleasantly surprised when he started bashing the prison guard with me. I was hoping that would happen!

From the display side, this is another libtcod game. I could’ve used bigger fonts… I had trouble making out the doors (+) from the walls (#). But, that could just be the fact that I am a) old, and b) destroying my eyes by playing so many roguelikes! Playing in full screen mode greatly alleviates this. I also really dig the scrolling levels. Nice and smooth.

The friendly revolutionaries were helpful, but not very good at avoiding my dagger when I walked into them, or following me through doors. According to the author, the next version fixes this. It would also be awesome if they could follow me downstairs, although I did learn later to not waste gold on prison guards and to save it instead for the Royal Guard down below. This bribing feature is one I really like. I guess we both independently came up with it, since I included it in my 7DRL, GnomeSquad.

Once you get past the prison level it gets crazy. There are worms that spit acid and destroy your armor! And the rock walls! Having monsters destroy the scenery is an awesome feature. I don’t know of any other roguelikes that do that. Can someone enlighten me if I am wrong?

So, at this point I died. A lot. I really want to go down and kill that stupid king but no amount of potions or scrolls of fire seem to help me. I am looking forward to going back and trying once I have finished these reviews though! This game shows a large amount of polish for a 7DRL. Very full featured but simple in all the right places. (e.g. no need for giant inventory, just pick up a better weapon if you find one) Even the little things, like the way the prisoners moan or the murderers yell stuff, and the way the message buffer slowly fades over time.

Very promising stuff, keep it up!

And I will be back to finish off the king later!