I’m a big Zelda fan and Breath of the Wild in particular, and seeing the devs cite this game as one of their inspiration clearly shows when rampaging in the dungeons of Going Under. Combat is exhilarating, players have to think on the spot, time their attack, mind their positioning, make use of various makeshift weaponry, focus on enemies efficiently before taking them down in often hilarious fashion, whether it be burning demons to ashes, squishing goblins with cars or destroying skeletons with giant hammers.
Difficulty-wise, the game doesn’t pull its punches, especially during the second act of the game and in the post-game content. I was surprised to notice that my muscle memory from BotW ported over to this game, which shows the expertise of the dev team in creating a combat system that feels familiar yet wholly original. Post-game content consists of a mode called Impostor Mode whose whole focus is on re-playability and difficulty modifiers, which will get very frantic near the end. I’m happy to report however that Going Under includes a well thought-out Assist Mode, for those who find the game to be too daunting. This Assist Mode still leaves plenty of challenge but makes it a bit easier overall.
The story of this game is surprisingly enthralling: Jackie’s co-workers are all very funny and sadly relatable, the player really ends up caring about them, especially during the second act. The writing is absolutely brilliant, making Going Under one of the funniest game I have ever played. Jokes on start-up culture and witty remarks on the failings of capitalism always land and leave an impact. The game also have a bestiary to complete, the Rolodex. I quite like features like this in games, and the many enemy descriptions in Going Under are one of the highlight of this game's writing.
As for the presentation, the game has a lot of charm. The whole game is stylised after the infamous Alegria corporate art-style, although it manages to make it charming and appealing to the eye. Soundtrack is full of chill beats that make fighting in the dungeons all the more delightful.
I could not recommend this game enough. While it is shorter than most rogue-likes and rogue-lites (it took me around 12 hours to see the credits roll), the game still offers enough re-playability through its Impostor mode. It is a labour of love and care, one that is absolutely hilarious in its gameplay and writing, and it has become one of my favourite rogue-lites ever made.
Difficulty-wise, the game doesn’t pull its punches, especially during the second act of the game and in the post-game content. I was surprised to notice that my muscle memory from BotW ported over to this game, which shows the expertise of the dev team in creating a combat system that feels familiar yet wholly original. Post-game content consists of a mode called Impostor Mode whose whole focus is on re-playability and difficulty modifiers, which will get very frantic near the end. I’m happy to report however that Going Under includes a well thought-out Assist Mode, for those who find the game to be too daunting. This Assist Mode still leaves plenty of challenge but makes it a bit easier overall.
The story of this game is surprisingly enthralling: Jackie’s co-workers are all very funny and sadly relatable, the player really ends up caring about them, especially during the second act. The writing is absolutely brilliant, making Going Under one of the funniest game I have ever played. Jokes on start-up culture and witty remarks on the failings of capitalism always land and leave an impact. The game also have a bestiary to complete, the Rolodex. I quite like features like this in games, and the many enemy descriptions in Going Under are one of the highlight of this game's writing.
As for the presentation, the game has a lot of charm. The whole game is stylised after the infamous Alegria corporate art-style, although it manages to make it charming and appealing to the eye. Soundtrack is full of chill beats that make fighting in the dungeons all the more delightful.
I could not recommend this game enough. While it is shorter than most rogue-likes and rogue-lites (it took me around 12 hours to see the credits roll), the game still offers enough re-playability through its Impostor mode. It is a labour of love and care, one that is absolutely hilarious in its gameplay and writing, and it has become one of my favourite rogue-lites ever made.