Reviews - Xaenor

Oniken... The title didn't make sense at first, but heck, first time I saw the trailer, I was hooked regardless. The level of dynamics is so high that even watching someone play the game is enjoyable. But naturally, the real good times begin when you take a gamepad yourself and start slicing.

Yes, indeed, slicing. For our protagonist is a tough futuristic sword-wielding torso-naked badass samurai with deep motivation, unknown background (with only vague hints to brood upon) and that "You're so dead" look in his unflinching gaze. He came from nowhere, but it's clear where he's going - alone, into the middle of enemy fortress, his mission being to horribly murder several super-charismatic evil-doers who oppress the world. Cutscenes in-between missions are short, but they add just enough to the atmosphere to make you care for what is going on. But even if you're not the story-striving kind of player, don't fret, cause the main course of this game is brutal slaughter and old-school platforming, bottomless pits and crumbling floor included.

The feeling of actual combat is fantastic, because the character is uber-responsive, movement and jumping feel great, and your commands are executed with impeccable reaction time. Normal grunts and mini-bosses, missions on foot and on water gliders, different types of terrain and super mega combo slash mode - this game has got it all. Add stunningly beautiful music in the mix, and there you have it - a game that is actually worth your money AND time. Cheers to the devs.

My first encounter with ToME 4 happened around 2-3 years ago, when I stumbled upon its homepage when browsing for some free RPGs. The game stood out of the army of your typical roguelikes even then, and by now it made an even huger leap forward.

First of all, ToME features great graphics and very easy-to-use interface - which might be something that most people take for granted, but keep in mind that most roguelikes have horribad UIs that never get improved.

Second, ToME has a vast array of achievements granted for important actions made in the game, and those achievements let you unlock new races and classes. Surely it might be a bit harder for new players to understand, but such an approach gives players more challenges to beat and additional goals to achieve during the game.

Third, the world of ToME is open and allows for some free wandering, which is, in my opinion, one of the best advantages a roguelike can offer. Aren't you tired of spending your whole adventurous life in a single dungeon? And so am I! Hence I always give ToME the highest possible vote when deciding which roguelike is the best.

All in all, ToME might be not as complex as some other decades-old roguelikes out there, but it is convenient, neat and unique in many ways. Try it if you haven't yet!