Atlas Wept is a charming indie RPG that punches above its weight. Considering it was created by a solo developer over at Kbojisoft, that is quite a feat. However, does Atlas Wept deliver on all the requirements of a good RPG?
Tale as old as Time
I normally like to give a short introduction to the games that I review, but I think for Atlas Wept I’ll forgo this tradition! All that I will say is you play as 2 sets of children Hal & Lucy (and their robot friend Gigi) and Dezi & Charlie uncovering the secrets of their world. The reason I want to refrain from divulging too much of the story is because the story of Atlas Wept needs to be experienced by oneself over the span of 10 hours or so. I want to make it clear that Atlas Wept does not reinvent the wheel here, but it does show off some intriguing story points throughout which I think people would enjoy. It’s fair to say that Atlas Wept does deliver what any decent RPG should storywise.
Aside from the story, the setting is pretty spot on. You experience everything from a quaint smiling village to a nightmarish dreamscape, and dark caves fraught with ancient danger. Along with the soundtrack, you feel almost transfixed by the world of Atlas Wept. It constantly feels so strange, yet just out of reach of the familiar. My favourite sequence was Dezi reliving a certain nightmare and having you “play along” with the nightmare. It genuinely felt maddening to me, as it did the character I was playing as.
God of War
The core strength of Atlas Wept is its highly addictive and fun combat system. In a homage to games like Undertale, you face enemies scattered around the world in a turn-based combat system. Each opponent has a different attack which you must overcome and adapt to. Each enemy attack is essentially a fun little mini-game that you compete in to avoid getting hit, otherwise, your character(s) will start taking damage.
Every combatant’s turn is dependent on their speed stat, you can attack using magic or your strength, and you can also buff and debuff other characters. A new addition to this classic form of combat by Atlas Wept is a stun bar. This bar is filled up by attacking an enemy. Magic attacks fill it up quickly, and once it’s full, the enemy gets stunned. Alongside the story, combat is the key driving factor of gameplay in Atlas Wept, and has me craving a new enemy encounter every time I jump into it.
The gameplay is tight and easy to enjoy. There are very few issues with it, one of the main being that the map is pretty much useless and unintuitive most times.
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Wept is a small but fun package that reminds me of those teacup rides in theme parks. You know when you get on you’re gonna have a fun ride that’s easy to get behind and easy to understand. Therein lies the strengths of Atlas Wept. Be sure to check it out on Steam.
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