Since we are on a blobber roll, why not try another one! And this time we are playing the Crypts Of Carith demo, a turn-based blobber made by a solo developer. Right off the bat, I can say that this game certainly tickles the dungeon-crawling itch. The visuals do not impress me much, as it frankly looks a bit drab and empty. Yet the gameplay, which is based on some kind of ruleset akin to Dungeons and Dragons, made me feel right at home with the combat and dice rolls.
Big party for big fights
A plus for Crypts Of Carith is its large party, a fact that has you running with a nice and round six-member-strong team. Thanks to allowing two more than the standard two melee, and a wizard and a thief (at least for me), it allows for experimentation, and running a big team is just more fun in general. Finding loot and equipping your little group of adventurers is half the enjoyment, so the more the merrier, I say.
In the demo you are not allowed to pick your own team; you are handed one for this demo. But it gladdens me that custom party creation is set for the full release, with full customizability. The movement is grid-based and works similarly to Legend of Grimrock—but don’t fret, the combat is turn-based, so no advanced dance moves required for battle.
In exploration mode, it also seems there will be a focus on “physicality,” as many things can be picked up and placed in your inventory without messing around in menus. I highly recommend you nick all the surprisingly not‑rotted apples in the first room.
Things must die
When you run into monsters of some kind, you are transported to a combat map, which has the enemy in front of you on a few different combat lines. The creatures most forward can be hit by your men with melee weapons, while others standing on the backline can only be reached by ranged attacks. However, there is movement involved, if you defeat the first line of critters, you can move forward to close in on their backline. But it takes a full turn to do so, giving the enemy an extra turn to pelt you with disgusting things that might melt your face off.
It’s a simple setup, but very enjoyable in its simplicity for quick and deadly skirmishes against nasty creatures. The same rules apply to both of you, of course. A good idea is to have your squishy types behind your warriors to protect them from melee attacks. They will be open to sneaky ranged attempts, though, so you will have to pray that the foul monster you are fighting doesn’t target your wizard with its corrosive (and very smelly) spit.
When it comes to magic, the game seems to use the Vancian magic system. A detail that means spells must be learned and can only be cast so many times depending on level before rest is needed. In this case, with a low-level party, it meant one heal, then it was nappy time for several hours. But magic seems potent! And to be fair, I like this system, as it makes magic stand out and usually when used, it will be a game-changing moment. Resting will probably need a limitation, like needing food to set up camp, because currently it seems like you can spam rest—and end up spending weeks covering three rooms in a cave. My immersion autism always takes a hit from such things!
Traps that smart
The traps in the demo are deadly and are real-time during exploration. This means you have to be quick navigating around them, unless you want to end up impaled, like one of Vlad’s good pals. These traps, I can foresee being a great hassle in the main game, but I liked them, as they kept me on my toes—being that deadly and punishing.
Conclusion
The demo was pretty short, as it took me only around 30-40 minutes to complete. Those minutes, even if short, felt well spent, seeing as Crypts Of Carith is already good fun with serious potential for the future. I managed to defeat the final Rat Catcher boss, but only two people from my party were able to walk out of the dungeon alive. Rough, but a thrill. I highly recommend giving the demo a try, which you can find here!
Thanks for reading.
– Thomas
