Reply To: This game is still broken as hell. It's too hard.

[Ledgren]

Trappist wrote:

Am i reading this right, BB is one of your all time favourite games but you gave it a negative steam review? Why not go positive and then add a cautionary note to those that aren’t prepared to sink enough time to learn how to prosper in ironman?

…meant to quote your other post dude sorry!

When I left the review it was after the devs made the official announcement that they were discontinuing work on the game even though it didn’t live up to the goals it had in EA, when I initially bought the copy. I’ve been around since the armor bar was no more complicated than an extra health bar. After so many hours played and so many feedback posts ignored here in the forums, I felt somewhat cheated. Still do every time I see “losing is fun” in a loading screen.

I’m glad that Overhype decided to return to the game, but I’m under no illusions that they give a damn about forum feedback or plan to fulfill some of the original goals. When I paid for the game originally, I paid for the game knowing it wasn’t finished. It was an investment in a promise. I can’t suggest paying 30$ on steam to new players for what the game has become after Early Access.

Hell, I still get a bug sometimes during caravan missions where the bandits auto-win and the screen goes from worldmap to the caravan loss event. Map generation is still completely godawful and lacks any form of strategic choice, it’s pure RNG. The “negotiation system” is meaningless flavor text, and other mercenary bands are only relevant for all of one ambition. I mean whether you’re playing in a “graveyard”, a “goblin pit”, “orc camp” or “ancient burialground” the map tilesets don’t go beyond basic terrain. You look me in the eye and tell me this game was finished even ignoring the unmet EA stretch goals.

To be clear, coming back to the site and seeing that Overhype is working on BB again is the gaming news I’m most excited about this year. Maybe I’ll retune the review after seeing everything the new patch has to offer. At the moment, there are a lot of other games worth 30 bucks that are well polished and have a bit more respect for the players time. The condescending “losing is fun” tip might have tilted me to this side of the fence on that opinion.

A stubborn forum goer might think I’m being unreasonable. Posts like this one from the horses’s own mouth http://battlebrothersgame.com/dev-blog-22-battle-brothers-faq/ might add some substance to why I love the game, but can’t give a 30 buck thumbs up on steam. Frankly, I consider myself a saint on the issue. I left a negative but even-handed review. The fact is we’re going to have to buy crafting in the DLC, something that was originally announced when the game was in EA. Any consumer could take the studio apart just on that ballsy move alone. Close development on the game and move on to another project with it unfinished. If you need some extra cash, release what you promised the first time as paid DLC. I’m damn near Jesus Christ if the steam review doesn’t become more negative.

New profile, old player.