This is the first game–besides Sky–that I played on Steam.
Narrowing The Narrative
8/10
This takes place in a not-so-subtle land of Neo-Cascadia, where there is constant competition among companies in a modernesque setting. The company, Fizzle, works to absorb other companies into their amalgamation. As such, the more you get into the story, the more you are exposed to the nihilism and cynicism that drives the plot of the story.
My major criticism is that I would like to see more after the ending. The game brought the synopsis to an epic scope and yet it ends pretty abruptly. I would not have a problem exploring a sequel or a DLC expansion. I don’t see shame in buying DLC from an indie studio like Aggro-Crab.
Crafting Characters?
9/10
Jacqueline is the main character, who is a recent college graduate who joined the company as an intern where she is not appreciated–as all the other employees are as well. I will say that she is not a Mary Sue. She is as snarky as the rest, with the exception being that she is not disillusioned and actually believes in the team’s well-being.
As for the rest of the Fizzle Team and the other characters, I can clearly see how relevant they are without being naval gazing. They do not come across as flat or shallow, for they are all useful in terms of the mentorships, which get you any additional skills or access to shops. Not only that, but you could easily encounter such characters in real-life–especially Marv. I also liked the Tai Lopez parody.
Wandering Wonderous Worlds?
10/10
The stages involve exploring the start-ups that were absorbed by the parent company of Fizzle. Those worlds are wondrous indeed, since everything within them reflects the aesthetics and mission statements of the start-ups. There are three start-ups which include a freelance brokerage company, a cryptocurrency bank, and a dating site. From the enemies to the aesthetics, to the bosses all reflect the worlds perfectly.
Many Mollifying Moves?
6/10
The battles are pretty basic, since they give you the opportunity to use any object you can find as a weapon, whether an actual weapon or a piece of furniture or decor. However, I did have a problem with the timing of the attacks, since there were moments when I could not attack no matter how many times I pressed square. Whenever I used the “Going Over” pinned skill, the bug got worse.
As for the costumes, if you ever retrospectively read my past game reviews, then you probably know how I feel about cosmetics. Unless the costumes offer unique pinned skills coupling with the mentorships, then don’t bother putting it in the game.
Finding Fun Farming?
8/10
Unless you look forward to the Imposter Mode, I wouldn’t say that there are any specific farming methods involved. I will say that I created a method of using Tappi’s mentorship and the Penny Puncher pinned skill to make a lot of money. That money would then be used to buy any pinned skills to master them. There are no levels in this game, so pinned skills would be the main thing that ensures you power up Jacqueline.
Siphoning Side-Quest Signs?
7/10
Unless you intend on pursuing the aformentioned farming through the Imposter Mode, then I preferred going the stages to get all of the points needed to buy the pinned skills at the lobby. The Imposter Mode I only used for powering up any pinned skills I need, since they pinned skill higher than going through the stages.
I was hoping that the Imposter Mode would have relevance to the plot, but it did not.
Grappling Graphics?
7/10
The graphics are very slick, as typical of an indie game, but more so they reflect the claymation of such works like the Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared aesthetic. Since this takes place in a workplace with a fun environment, it would make sense to juxtapose the kid-friendly graphics with the bleak, Hobbesian marketplace.
As for the avatars themselves appearing completely different from the dialogue forms, that does bring down the score.
Mention Mighty Music?
10/10
The music of every level and the Fizzle lobby really brought me in tune with the gameplay. They vary by genre and tone depending on the mood of the stage or the lobby.
Intriguing Interconnections?
8/10
None of the elements collide with each other in stark contradiction. Everything in the game works harmoniously and can provide you with enough entertainment to satisfy you for 30 hours–which was around the time I played the game.
Skimming, Scavenging Score
8.11/10
This is the average of all the other scores. The final rounding-out will reveal what I really think about this game.
8/10
It’s a decent game from Aggro-Crab for its simplicity. Perhaps the simplicity is the point, though I look forward to any additions to this game, either as DLC or as a sequel.
Revealing Reviews
Jordan Rudek from Nintendo World Report gave the game a 9/10. I did like his point about the easy accessibility, since I kept dying in the tutorial stage alone because I never played roguelite games before. I also agreed that some of the skills were not explained clearly such as the Yeet skill. My reason for my own score being lower probably has to do with the underwhelming nature of the game, the irrelevant Imposter Mode, and the graphics.
Henry Stockdale of Nintendo Life, on the other hand, gave the score of 7/10. While I do agree that it does have a plot that engages with the player, I wouldn’t think the throwing mechanic was too much of an issue because I never really used it other than as part of a quest. That problem is immediately remedied by a skill that allows you to home your throwing. It isn’t just the plot and the accessibility that makes the game decent, but also the aesthetics and the music that doesn’t drive you mad playing the dungeons over and over again.
Recommend Recklessly To…
- I’m much more of a grinding gamer rather than a roguelite gamer. At that point, I would encourage anyone interested in starting roguelite games to give this game a try.
- Anybody working in the start-up world. You could definitely relate to Jacqueline navigating the cynical world of start-ups beneath the venear of eccentricity and world-changing fun.
Sources
- Going Under. Aggro-Crab. 2020.
- Rudek, Jordan (September 22, 2020). “Going Under (Switch) Review”. Nintendo World Report.
- Stockdale, Henry (September 25, 2020). “Going Under Review (Switch eShop)”. Nintendo Life.