(Specific problem on the 1st lev: Wizards being way too tanky for support enemies. Nothing quite like getting your ninja boned when they have 40 hp and there's another 5 active, not to mention other enemies)
Oh, and other, seemingly paradoxical section: Unlocking a slave-run mode, mainly for easier CG collection.
Ehhh, strategies only get you so far, it's not like I'm a newbie to the genre, and it's not like I can't semi consistently hit level 2, depending on what skills I get.
Mods, however, might suit. But honestly, if a game needs modding to see later content, there... Might be a balance issue?
Level 1 is difficult, but by no means impossible (sans the chameleon miniboss who is an absolute bitch) unless you get a heavy spawn of wizards or slimes.
Level 2, however... Can't lie, there's a lot of tanky bastards there, and it's by no means unusual to be unable to kill blockroaches before they create an absolute swathe of complete block, or to have so many Cutterflies that you get screwed a few rounds after that happens.
Skills, items, and spells being unlocked is good and all, but one thing that might help is a permabuff system. That way, you get the challenge portion moving to later stages the more you earn coins (spending them on buffs after you have all items/spells.)
If there is a permabuff building to be unlocked already, I'd really, really like to know where the heck it is. If not, that's one solution to the problem that might work and keep engagement for players who find it too tough that's perhaps more acceptable than "easier mode"
Still definitely holding out for "Slave Run", though.
Then y'definitely need some rebalancing if you want to avoid it. There was a phrase I used to use as a reviewer: A Game That Does Not Want To Be Played.
Yes, Roguelikes are hard. But most are fair hard, and early levels are not, well... A meatgrinder. I get through the first area precisely because I'm experienced, and I can understand the 2nd area being hard as balls right now, because it's the final area you have content for, and I've definitely seen developers make the final level during that stage of development harder before the next area is complete because they want to, basically, let you see new content without being able to finish the new content.
But right now, roguelike or no, you also have to consider that one of your selling points is the NSFW (which, as I've said, is pretty damn good, even if your gallery and demononicon's a little incomplete rn, but I have faith you'll fix the lack of the [REDACTED] status CGs in the gallery because you're clearly passionate about the game), and you're getting players dropping the game precisely because the first level is almost as difficult as the second (the second's gimmick, btw, is interesting, but does require a little luck if you don't have monster movement skills beyond the basic attacks of Warrior and Ninja), who are never even seeing the second, lovingly crafted area.
Another piece of advice I've given developers before, and some have been pretty grateful for it, is: Don't just take hardcore player feedback. Two racing game I reviewed had horrendous par times that only pro, pro players could reach. Not for platinum medal, mind you. Gold, with even Silver being an absolute bitch, because they only heard "It's too easy" from hardcore racing gamers. One of them took the advice, and did well. The other got panned.
Making it eaaaaasy for "mass appeal" is a bad move. Making it easier (or the aforementioned easier mode) than it is now, however? Ahhh, no, that's pretty useful. Because people will still have to work like an SOB on your current "final" area, while not letting them get too frustrated to keep playing in your not-final areas.
You want to make it hard, and I understand that. But you also want people to play to at least the middle, and that's a tough balancing act.
To put it another way, you don't want The Exam to be the first level. You don't want people reaching for the strategy guide on the first level. That's not what first levels are for. First levels are for reeling people in, and prepping them for The Exam.
The Exam is currently the second level. I'd imagine, in the completed game, it'd be a little before or after the midway point.
(This is the designer speaking now)
Thanks for taking the time to write all of that feedback. I just wanted to say, yes, the game has balance issues, I don't want to sound like I'm defending the game as is. There's some bullshit and RNG stuff in there that we'll sand off as we move forward. (if you see the changelog, the game only gets easier with each update)
I'm not a big fan of easy modes, and if we do add an easy mode it'll be one of the last things we do. I want to do my best to balance just one difficulty until then though.
I'm a big fan of Enter The Gungeon, and most of my roguelike design is inspired from that. I think every level, including level one, should be a mastery test. There's only going to be 3 levels per run, so it would feel like a waste to me if one of them was mindlessly easy. I don't disagree with the sentiment that it might be unbalanced or too hard for a first level due to some skill balancing problems. But I do disagree that it shouldn't be an exam.
Anyways, we'll continue balancing things as we go, and hopefully by the end of all this, it'll be a good game.
-Trongle
