more games i've been playing! this time it's unexplored 2: wayfarer's legacy (i didn't play the first lmfao)
this has been a lovely experience. it's an rpg meets roguelite where your character, the wayfarer, is tasked with destroying the staff of yendor. the game plops you into a procedurally generated tile-based world with little in the way of guidance (can you tell that's what i love in games) and you are meant to figure out a way to destroy the staff, while fulfilling tasks that aid in fulfilling your central goal. while you are doing so, you will learn of the tyranical empire's next moves and how it impacts your clan and the other clans that inhabit this world.
however, this is a roguelite, so if you die your character dies. that's it. the world will advance for a few years. things will happen. life moves on. and then a new wayfarer picks up the mantle and you play with them. and so on until you reach the final run of that world, after which you are forced to restart in a new worldstate. the game also features some neat rpg character building where you pick different traits that influence your chances when it comes to performing certain tasks, such as convincing someone to let you into their village, or maybe deciphering an ancient text. and this has gameplay integration in the sense that per example, if you approach someone with your weapon drawn, this negates your natural charm and will make people more wary of you. at first you are very limited in terms of clan and background, but as you befriend other clans other opportunities open up for you.
the game is gorgeous and plays in a top down or isometric point of view. and the soundtrack is orchestral and gorgeous (i can't get the main menu theme out of my head). so far the only con is that frequently world generation can hit a snag and i have to quit and restart the game. nothing gets lost, it can just get annoying. overall i recommend if you like the act of deciphering worldbuilding in your games, roguelike/lite aspects, and playing in a world that doesn't revolve around you!