2/8/2022
Coming into any game fresh I never try to look up gameplay ahead of time, I dive in blind. I work along the walls and see what I can figure out from the telling of the games architecture. If told well you do not need a tutorial. You do not need that handheld, instead, it just makes sense from seasoning of other games like it. What you can know from anything else. Entering Runewaker, I felt around, the game explains things, but vaguely. Its like how you would enter Dark Souls if you would like more modern example. It was crude but once you figured out certain things. It made sense. I say all of this, but it also borrows from games such as Portal or the lot. You have to figure out how to solve it on your own. Which is not really a problem for myself personally. People will click their tongue or stomp their foot due to being challenged to think for themselves in a game. It happens. If challenge and exploring for yourself is not your bag, then hey, not the games fault here.
I discovered the game was put together by a solo developer. Which when always hearing about this kind of thing a lot comes in perspective. You have many games of recent that a solo developer was on board. Games like Turrican, Minecraft, Bright Memory, Stardew Valley. All offering that awesome indie feel, with the premium vibe that people know and love. Would I consider Runewaker among that crowd? For what it is, it could grow a cult following for sure. If tweaks over time, it can appeal strongly to the souls fans out there. Who also love a good puzzle game. It has charm to it. It needs more promotion overall.
