Necrosmith 2 challenges you to assemble your army of undead from a myriad of body parts, each with unique abilities, and take on a world teeming with dangers. As a fan of strategy games and dark fantasy settings, this hits a couple of sweet spots for me. However, I’m cautious not to praise the genre blindly, knowing how easily it can falter under repetitive mechanics or lackluster visuals.
Unique Premise and Gameplay
Necrosmith 2 excels with its unique premise: combining body parts from different fantasy races to create an army of undead with various abilities. The thrill of discovering new combinations and seeing your creations in action is initially captivating. The strategy element of preparing your undead for different terrains—be it scaling mountains or crossing rivers of lava—adds depth to the gameplay.
The game features a procedurally generated world, ensuring no two playthroughs are identical. This keeps exploration fresh and challenging as you adapt your undead minions to diverse environments. The addition of titans—both as enemies and allies—introduces a layer of high-stakes strategy. Building your necromancer tower and upgrading it with necro labs and technomagic devices is rewarding and fun.
Visuals and Aesthetics
The graphics in Necrosmith 2 are charmingly retro, leaning into the pixel-art aesthetic that many modern indie games have successfully revived. However, this game doesn’t push the envelope graphically. The environments and characters are detailed enough to be engaging, but don’t expect the visual splendor of high-budget AAA titles. For fans of the retro style, like myself, it’s a treat; for others, it might feel a bit simplistic.
Storyline and Depth
While the premise is intriguing, the storyline itself feels a bit underdeveloped. You are a necromancer seeking to conquer various biomes, but beyond that, there isn’t much narrative to sink your teeth into. The lack of deep character development or branching storylines might disappoint those who thrive on rich storytelling. However, the game’s focus is clearly on its innovative gameplay mechanics rather than a detailed plot.
Strengths
- Innovative Necromancer Simulator: Combining body parts to create unique undead with various abilities.
- Procedurally Generated World: Keeps exploration fresh and challenging.
- High-Stakes Strategy: Titans as both enemies and allies add depth.
- Retro Graphics: Charming pixel-art aesthetic for fans of the style.
Weaknesses
- Underdeveloped Storyline: Lacks deep narrative and character development.
- Repetitiveness: Potential for gameplay to become repetitive over time.
Final Thoughts
Necrosmith 2 carves out a niche for itself with its innovative and entertaining necromancer simulator mechanics. The joy of creating and deploying undead with custom abilities is immensely satisfying, and the procedurally generated world adds a layer of replayability. However, its shortcomings in storyline depth and potential repetitiveness hold it back from absolute greatness.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Recommendation
If you’re a fan of strategy games with a dark fantasy twist, and you appreciate the charm of retro graphics, Necrosmith 2 is worth your time. However, if deep narrative and cutting-edge visuals are your top priorities, you might find this title lacking. A game that brings a fresh take on the necromancer fantasy.
Gamer Tip: Experiment with different body part combinations to discover powerful abilities and adapt to various terrains. This will enhance your strategic options and make your undead army more versatile.
Happy gaming, and may your undead armies conquer all!
Want to check it out yourself? Click here to see it on Steam.
