Wednesday 25 January 2012

Welcome To La-Mulana

Have you ever played a game that is so easy, that is literally plays itself? It's almost like the entire game is a tutorial. You feel safe during the entire game, and oh, what's that? You died? No worries friend, there was a checkpoint exactly where you died! Isn't that lucky? Here's a power-up exactly where you died, you know, not that you need it, you big winner you.
And before you know it, the game is over, for you have slayed the final boss, saved two dimensions and some woman that you will never see again.
Aren't these games fun ?

No. They are not.
At least, I don't think so.

Now, let me tell you about a different sort of game. The game starts, and you have no real clue where to go, but that's fine, you are a fearless explorer, aren't you? I hope you are, because this game won't tell you where to go. Start searching.

Some time later, maybe you've figured out how to save. If you haven't yet, then you've probably died. At least once. Which means you had to restart the game.

Pick yourself up hero, you've got this!

You figure out how to save, find the entrance to the temple, go inside, and now you're in the first real area.
For reference, we'll call it . . . Oh, I don't know - Guidance Gate.
No reason.

The music changes, the enemies are different, and you have multiple paths now. Maybe you're not cut out for this . . . No? Still going? Alright, that's fine.

You walk around, and you find a spot to place those useful weights you picked up. Just like the one that opened up the Temple's entrance! Obviously the outside was sort of a small tutorial. You set down the weight, and you are rewarded with a chunk of your life being taken away because a part of a statue fell on you.

What's this? Traps?

Yes. Traps. And some are not as obvious as this one, and insta-kill. Having fun yet?

You explore Guidance Gate some more, hit a few sacred relics by accident and get hit by divine lightning, possibly resolving in you dying. Good thing you walked back to the beginning of the game to save at some point, right?

You even found the shurikens, very useful sub-weapons. How did you find them? Oh, you had to jump in a pit of spikes, that were actually fake. Simple, right?

Exploring even more, now you're serious. You find invisible paths, life gems, and even a Ankh. What is it used for? You've no idea yet.

You finally realize that the entire area, Guidance Gate, is actually a giant puzzle. Once you figure out all the puzzles, you get an Ankh, and in a certain spot, a glowing beacon appears. Being the amazing archeologist you are, you put two and two together. Or rather, one Ankh, and one beacon together.

A glowing light surrounds you. The area seals off, the beacon disappears, and the Ankh shatters. The music changes once again. Deep down, you know this feeling.

A boss. A pretty big one, too.

Amphisbaena. Two headed fire breathing snake.

Equipped with a whip in one hand, and shurikens in the other. you leap to battle. It may take one try, it may take several tries. But either way, you know this is just the beginning. And that you're in for a hell of an adventure.

Welcome To La-Mulana

Axl
COMBUSTION COMPLETE

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