In Celebration of Violence is a fantasy action roguelike of
exploration and murder. The methodical combat requires that
you plan your attacks, dodges, blocks, and parries while
considering your opponents and the environment. Death is
permanent but you can improve your stats and purchase items
to aid future lives. And if things get too tough then up to
four local friends can grab controllers and aid the hero as
player-controlled monsters, zombies, and bandits.
The
World
Large, procedurally generated and interconnected
lands range from plains, to swamps, to cities, to dungeons.
These lands offer multiple paths to reach the variety of
final bosses. Dungeons are a dangerous but rewarding risk.
In dungeons you will have to move slowly and be on the
lookout for traps and secrets while searching for the
exit.
Elements interact with each other and the
environment. Fire reacts to the temperature, weather, and
any flammable objects, especially people. Electricity will
arc towards entities and is especially dangerous around
water. The chances of rain or snow adjust organically to the
area’s climate and can become both a hindrance and an
advantage.
The shrines of multiple gods litter
the land. Players can choose to pray to shrines they come
across to receive a variety of favors, bonuses, and items.
One must choose carefully though; every god has a different
price and some become displeased when their rival is the
subject of worship. Some gods may also become angered by
actions the player takes while adventuring, such as
destroying foliage or killing civilians.
Variety
Scores
of weapons, items, spells, and mementos are scattered
throughout the world to find. One may acquire a powerful
enchanted ballista early into one life, only for the next to
yield nothing more than a couple of wooden clubs.
Mementos
represent objects remembered from past lives and change the
rules of gameplay. You may discover a memento that summons
spiders from enemy corpses, improves your stats while on
fire, or reverses the effects of death.
There are
multiple paths to victory. One could be nimble and stealthy,
charge in waving a hammer, raise an army of undead, harness
a variety of spells, manipulate enemies into traps or
flames, amass resources to acquire the most powerful items,
or simply play it safe with a sword and a shield. The
various characters simply offer different starting points,
every decision is your own.
Challenge
No
life is predetermined for success. The cheery graphics
disguise a brutal and unyielding experience. Unforeseen
obstacles will need to be dealt with in real time and even a
regular enemy will be deadly if you’re not careful. To reach
the end, players will need to demonstrate that they are able
to consistently overcome these obstacles. Failure can halt
or even reverse progress.
As you accumulate
experience, discover schematics, and defeat bosses you can
become permanently better prepared to tackle future
challenges. The choices and advantages a player has at the
beginning of a playthrough will dramatically increase as
they play. New characters, items, and bonuses are unlocked
in ways that are only hinted at during gameplay.
