Arboria – Review
Our Rating: 7/10
Arboria introduces us to a planet where machines and nature have coexisted in a respectful and prosperous coexistence. Thanks to the powers of its soul, which they regard as a god, a great tree gives life to this entire world; where beings made up of branches, sap, and energy coexist.
Those who carry it, however, are skeptical because of a strange artifact discovered in the ruins deep within its roots. The Trollz tribe cannot overlook those who doubt God’s intelligence. Those who allow themselves to be directed by the artifact’s behaviors will be hunted down. And what do we paint in all this? Well, all guilty. We will be the trollz brought to life by the Tree and tasked with chasing heretics through the dangerous dungeons that lie beneath the roots of our God.
Arboria’s narrative is conveyed to us through a series of brief dialogues. As well as a plethora of audio files and holograms. The latter will keep us up to date on our prey’s progress through the dungeons; learning more and more about our God’s truth.
Classic Rogue-Like and Souls Like elements
What makes this game so special is the combination of mechanics from two genres that work together like a surgeon. On the one hand, we have the classic roguelike level configuration, i.e. procedural phases that change each time we restart the adventure. Because, like all roguelikes, we’re dealing with a game where death and restarting are a given. Fortunately, their progression systems are well-designed enough that the process does not become tedious.
On the other hand, we have the souls’ watchword. Combat in which good dodging, striking at the right time and a lot of patience are required to win. Using a combination of normal and strong attacks, special abilities, elemental combos, and object use. The reaction and speed of the game are heavily influenced by the builds we create. It is a very refined game in this regard, leaving us with a variety of ways to play. And yes, depending on the type of player we are, all optimal will be more or less efficient.
Trollz Village
The game can be categorized into two portions. The first is a small Trollz village that rises from the Arboria crust and serves as a nerve center for our activities. Every time one of us dies, new trollz will be born in this town, where we will have to prepare for the next raid.
The game follows the following pattern: Dig as far as you can in the dungeons, gather energy from blue crystals, and heal the tree’s roots. We can purchase upgrades for the various trollz that will emerge in the town with the first element, which also serves as a currency, and make offerings to God so that the next troll spawned by the tree will be stronger.
Meanwhile, with the tree’s strong roots, we’ll be able to acquire new stores in town. This also includes more enhanced upgrades. By integrating the unlockables that energy and healthy roots provide, we will be tougher in each new run we begin. The route will be ironed, even if it is procedurally generated.
Understand the elements and art of looting
One thing to keep in mind is that Arboria is not an easy game, to begin with. Before going insane, there are a few ideologies to grasp. Opponents, for instance, are presented in a variety of colors and shapes, which serve as indicators of how we should approach them.
Wasps are quick but predictable. So dodging at the perfect moment (for a damage bonus) and striking them with fast attacks is the best tactic. We can settle them in one swoop if they are displayed in blue (ice element) and our weapon is infused with the fire element.
This theme runs through the scenarios, which will be riddled with numerous traps, teleportation points, hidden areas, and tests. In exchange for juicy bonuses, the latter tend to concentrate on surviving waves of opponents, clearing specific areas, taking penalties, or activating specific mechanisms.
When we defeat a dungeon, we will descend to the lower level, where we will find a resting room where we can transmit the accumulated energy to the town (if we die, we lose it), equip passive skills to the character, track the status of our prey, and even cut floors if we find batteries to power an elevator.
Repeat, improve and enjoy our evolution
Arboria evens itself out beautifully with little taps on the sword in the form of upgrades, whereas other exponents leave you feeling frustrated all the time. The more we can strengthen the village, the longer we can endure and the more energy we can retrieve. Even if our travels are fleeting, we will always be able to contribute something to the town’s continued improvement. Of course, as we gain experience, we can shorten more floors to avoid becoming bored with the same routine. That is, however, our choice.
Do we want to go through the first level again, this time in a more orderly manner, to collect more energy and objects? It is permitted by the game. Do you feel safe and want to proceed to level 4 right away? That’s it if you have the battery for the elevator on the first floor.
The game is an enjoyable journey within the chaos that it pretends to be, thanks to the joy that comes with such a polished battle kudos to the responses from his blows, edge dodges, or his generous variety of powers.
The perfect balance between genders can
Arboria arrived quietly, but with all the legislation, it was a surprise. Its genre mash-up creates a magnificent concoction that deserves little criticism. True, some concepts (such as the use of teleportations) could be improved upon, but overall, we’re dealing with a rogue-like that is both robust and unique, as well as one that understands how to wisely incorporate elements from other genres.
Even as a good rogue, it will make us nervous when facing varying bosses whose confrontations ooze the Soulsborne spirit in small doses. In a nutshell, this is a game that will satisfy fans of both genres. Arboria’s evolution has been smooth and without hiccups. Furthermore, Dreemplant, the studio that proposed this idea, guarantees to actively support it with exciting updates. Arboria’s
