In the way that steampunk envisions a future where
technology progresses while remaining focused on the mechanisms of steam power,
so does Terraria envision a future where game consoles are state of the art,
but the games stay firmly rooted in the 16-bit days of yore.
Terraria is an open world sandbox that blends games like
Minecraft with Zelda II and Super Nintendo RPGs. Its graphics may fool you at
first glance into believing there is little more behind the charming pixel art
than the simplicity of SNES games past, but Terraria uses the power of modern
consoles to generate huge worlds, tons of items, and a fully fledged game that
will eat away as much of your time as any glossy AAA title would.
After creating a cute 16-bit character, you are dropped into
a randomly generated world with only a few tools at your disposal. Your first
assignment is to build a shelter by nightfall to protect you from certain
enemies that only arise after dark. With axe in hand you get to chopping down
trees. You whip up a workbench from your crafting menu and make doors, chairs,
tables, and wood paneling for your new abode. Toss a couple of torches on the
walls and you’ve got yourself a secure domicile to call home base. Now is when
the fun starts.
There is really very little in the way of direction or
linearity. The idea is to just start exploring the world, collect materials,
build new tools, then explore some more. There are several big boss fights, and
you can “beat” the game in a way, but that isn’t really the focus. The focus is
on exploration and building your world. With the right structures built, you
can attract in NPCs that will help you in various way, like selling you weapons
and crafting material. You can roam the lands and underground caverns slaying
monsters, or you can plant a garden with the many different seeds you’ve
gathered during your travels. It is all up to you how you want to play.
Despite its overall awesomeness, there are a few things that
are irritating about the game. The lack of direction can be frustrating at
times, especially when trying to build suitable structures for living. If you
are missing a required item or combine two materials that don’t like each
other, monsters can spawn inside your house. Also, the crafting menu is awful
and clunky, and even though you eventually get used to it, it never feels as
fluid and intuitive as it should. These seem like pretty minor nitpicks, but a
lot of the game is spent crafting items and building your houses. These
irritants don’t ruin the game, but they can be really annoying from time to
time.
I’m loving the new indie friendly revolution in gaming because
we get amazing games like Terraria. It may not be for everyone, but if you
enjoy open world freedom and pixel art nostalgia, download it and enjoy. Beware,
though! This game is a devious time sink. Before you know what has happened
you’ll have given many hours of your life over to its charm and incredible fun.
Still, it's time well sacrificed.
