Reviews for The Awakening RPG

[Frederik77]

You get 5 stars from me for pulling through after working for years on this game! Good job!

I like the atmosphere and interface. Since you also ask for critique, here are some ideas fo improvement:
- Please don't make CTRL the Run key. CTRL + W closes the window in Chrome browser, which meant that after customizing my character and getting to play the game for the first time, it suddenly shut down when I tried to run up. Normally I wouldn't reload a game after that experience, but I did in this case just to come back and comment.
- Please give some directions or a map - with nowhere specifically to go, and no record of where I've been, I feel like I'm walking in circles in the forest after 5 minutes. The battle interruptions are enough to disorient me.
- There is noticeable lag, which it should be perfectly possible to prevent.
- How to open the save game menu should be explained early on.

Well, just my two cents. Once again, good job.

RockLou responds:

Thank you so much for the in-depth review!

The running is already fixed. I have thought about this before and you convinced me - now you always run. You cannot toggle running.

Directions come sometimes throughout the story, when I figure the player may need help with directions. There aren't any in the beginning because I thought it was easy enough to find your way.

I wish I could fix the lag, I have tried to. But nothing I did was ever enough. You may fix it by pressing F1 to change the quality to low.

You might be right about the last point. But I was hoping people would find the 'save game' and 'main menu' in the inventory pretty easily.

[joe-camel86]

One of the best flash games I have ever played! Hope you keep working on it.....I could dump some hours into this :)

RockLou responds:

Haha thank you! :)

[HeadJoJoGamer]

Totally amazing! Few bugs, but it was tons of fun! It must have taken alot of time to make this game, & where did you get all the riddles?

RockLou responds:

Thank you! ^^
Yeah it took a couple of years, actually.
The riddles are all made up by me.

[DragonSlayer87]

Well, I have been waiting for a very long time for this one RockLou, ever since the teaser demo.

After only about an hour in, the game presents a variety of good ingredients from the classic RPG cookbook. The story line seems intriguing enough, and features just enough elements to make you want to play on. Side quests early in the game vary and range from running simple fetch/retrieval errands to collecting items for quick cash. The potential for more side adventuring, monster/bounty hunting for example, is also defiantly there, as the game structure seems to allow plenty of room for additives.

The character customization is simple, yet detailed enough to wet even the most seasoned of role playing junkies' whistle. Everything from hair and clothing, down to tattoos and eye display, the game has a running start at having that magic RPG moment we all wait for: "taking 30 minutes just in the creation screen alone."

The fine tuning of a relatively new style of combat system, as I have mentioned with the demo, is simply fantastic. Fights become a test of reflex rather than a lengthy decision-making bout, as every battle forces you to think quickly, an approach more "preemptive" than "reactive". Party switch-out allows for another level of strategy, opening the door to a number of possibilities on this subject.

Weapons and items are one of the hardest facets to pull off smoothly in a game like this, and so far this is no exception. Weapons seem to be few and far between, and items stay centered around the collection of ingredients for potion making. The lack of any armor system also forces one to "attack first, ask questions later" subtracting from the rest of the otherwise well thought out gameplay. More variety = more hours

Graphics wise, the game has its own style and is not hard on the eyes at all. Environments vary, and towns are detailed to enhance and encourage exploration. Battle effects are artistic, although again could be taken to the next level with variety.

In all, the potential for this to flesh out as an excellent RPG is staring you right in the face. Not quite a dungeon crawler, but not every game like this needs to be. The game is risk-fully refreshing, don't pass up on playing this little gem.

RockLou responds:

Wow thank you for the kind, in-depth review! It's fun to hear some people have been waiting all these years, ever since the teaser. :P

I'm glad you liked it! Did you really stay 30 minutes at the creation screen? :D I got curious, if you wouldn't mind could you send a screenshot of your character to [e-mail]?

I can agree with you that the weapons and items are a bit lackluster. I never had any overall plan with what to do with the items and adding armor would've meant more work on a game I was already so tired with. Armor and better items/weapons was something I thought I'd add if I ever (in an alternate universe or something) finish the story.

Anyways, again, thank you!

[bluevenom50]

seriously great game i remember playing the demo of this years ago, I'm glad you managed to continue developing the game. But also sad to hear you might not carry on. I would rate this game 4/5 but considering all this was done by one person, its only fair to give you full marks.

This game is great and i sincerely hope you manage to finish it.

RockLou responds:

haha, thank you for the 5/5. I appreciate it.