December Assassination #8 - that's a 2024 wrap!
If I wanted to be precise, I'd say Going Under is a 3D action roguelike with a heavy focus on combat. But since we're all friends here, I can just say Going Under is a lot of fun.
It's a light-hearted, funny, beautifully stylized and awesome-sounding game that makes funs of modern workplaces while being a cohesive roguelike. Runs are short, ranging from 5-25 minutes (5 if you die, 25min usually if you move really slowly and thoroughly). Dying is never a big deal, and you're almost always making progress at something.
There is a story, it's not terrible but it's kind of predictable and not the star of the show. The dialogue is really good thou in the micro-level, i.e. when characters are interacting with each other. By the end of my playthrough, I really cherished the time I spent at Fizzle with my co-workers.
Gameplay-wise, it's a bit of a mess. One-on-one combat is good enough, with good dodge rolls and lots of different weapons to utilize against your foes. Bosses can be a lot of fun when you got it under control (except for Hover Hands). The problem is that you rarely got it under control, and some rooms have so many enemies and effects around you that you'll be forced to take some (or a lot of) damage to clear it, potentially hurting your run in the long-term. Not a big problem, but it's a game that relies more on RNG than on your skills to determine whether you'll breeze through a boss or barely make it through floor one.
Overall, this is a terrific first game for Aggro Crab, full of humor, character, good fun, good graphics, good music, and a decent combat and progression system. While not perfect, I can't wait to play more of their games!
PS - yeah, could not keep it short. Sorry!! 🤷♂️