Games worth discovering

Hack and slash your way to getting gud

2K View2023-10-04

Punishing: Gray Raven

9.2

ActionRPGCasualAction role-playingAnime

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One of the best hack and slash games out there. It's a gacha game that is actually free to play friendly. Like you could play without spending a dime and you could get every character.

But let's get into the game. For a hack and slash gacha game, you actually need skill to get good. And not just have a specific combo you ingrain in your brain. Because skills are based on a orb combo. Ping 1 orb and you tickle enemies, 2 is stronger but some characters require 3 pings to deal their specific elemental damage. And 3 ping deals maximum damage. And you can't just candy crush ping all your orbs on all the characters. As some have a specific ping combo. As some characters a "ping 3 orbs of colour X to proc skill Y" and alot of characters need it to deal big time damage. Oh and dodging has an energy system. And you can't just constantly spam the dodge button as characters can only dodge twice in succession. Then enters some sort of CD before you can dodge again. And if you actually burn through all your stamina energy, it'll take a few seconds before it recharge. In certain scenarios that means certain death. (Basically, get good. Literally)

Alright, enough technical talk. How's the story? Quite literally it's the "first mission pick flowers, final mission kill god." Meme. (It's an oversimplification i know.)

The story is all about a virus that both affects humans and machinery. Machines infected become sentient and will kill anything not infected with the virus. The virus spread at such a rapid rate that what remains of humanity fled into space. Leaving earth riddled with bodies and machines out for blood. As time passed humanity has built "constructs" it's a human mind in a robot basically. And these constructs are built to withstand the virus and help fight the virus and reclaim humanity. Now, not all of these constructs fight the good fight. Some have found a way to harness the virus while retaining their sanity. They're called "ascendants." constructs that uses the virus to their benefit and fight using it. Three opposing sides all fighting for their own reasons.

(I would like to talk more about the games story but i won't. You'll have to experience it for yourself.)

Story is cool alright but how about the gacha, characters, and grind?

For the gacha, it's very free to play friendly. I've seen alot of f2ps basically have every character released. They obviously don't have their signature weapon but still. Having every character that releases is something. Characters on the other hand are all designed well. Not too much and not too ecchi. They all look good and not "sexualized" and that's what i really like about the game. Characters actually look good without going the path of "mmmh Booba gud hehe panty shot xd nice" (well except for one character. But I'll let it slide)

For grinding, you must focus on one character. Building multiple characters at the same time will stretch all your resources thin. If you do focus on one character, the grind is alright. It's takes some time to build up a character. But it's in a reasonable time frame. Around a week usually.

All in all, the game is a really great hack and slash game with a great story and nicely designed characters. A great gacha game that i can actually recommend without some people giving me that "look" now, go ahead and fight off the virus. I have taken your time for long enough already.