Okay, look. I'm a big fan of Xavster's last game. I'm absolutely a story-first kind of player. Hell, I even kinda liked the economy system in that one. It's grindy and simplistic, but not hard and not that much of a hurdle to get by once you get it.
I decided to try this game today, as I have been keeping my eye on it for a while. The premise is cool, the characters look good, the renders are great. Beginning of the game was pretty awesome. But once the "gameplay" systems started being introduced, it very quickly became a lot less fun. The mining part is okay though, even if egregiously boring.
I've now only JUST unlocked this droid that manufactures anything and everything. Just one look at that interface and I instantly NOPED the hell out of the game and came here looking for a cheat to bypass that massive and confusing slog.
But it looks like even cheating is complicated in this game? Bruh.
It's not just the gameplay itself that I'm receiving badly - the interface itself and navigation is woefully unclear and confusing. If systems that add 72389573289472839478 shit to do in order to progress is in place, at the very least make it so that the progression path is clear and easy to follow, even if grindy as fuck.
But as things stand, it is both grindy as fuck AND confusing as all hell!
I could probably get it done if I bashed my head enough in this, but it honestly feels like it's not worth it. I wanted the experience of a quality adult visual novel with gamified elements. Instead, this is something that'd require way too much time invested to understand everything, and then more time on top of that to make actual progress.
As much as I liked the previous game and see a lot of potential in this one story-wise, the systems that were implemented (that clearly took a lot of thought and time to do) are something that actively detracts from my expected experience. I wouldn't have an issue with this if there was a simple option like the one that exists in most AVNs with gameplay elements - a skip function. An option to not engage with the parts of the game that take away from the fun of it.
I honestly don't think it's too much of an ask for a "cheat mode" to be added, and it likely would be very easy for the devs to implement. It'd at least serve as a middle ground for those that like the story and characters but deeply dislike the gameplay. Even if it's just an easy way to get money, so it can be used to purchase all the other necessary things.
Would that be possible?
I was going to try to activate the console and try using commands, but frankly it is way too much of a hurdle and I have better things to do with my time than to try to force something unintended onto a game I want to like, but can't. And from what I briefly combed through the thread, it also seems like the game has some "protections" against cheats? I don't know if it's true, but if it is, WHY?!!
I wish I had nothing but great things to say about the game, but the experience for me was severely lacking.
