LogFAQs > #976969728

Game #13 Complete! Sasquatchers

Throw This Quote On The Back Of The Box: You'll have a Jersey Devil of a time!

Final Thoughts: I'm just going to start copy and pasting this section. "Oh wow what an interesting concept but I feel like they didn't get the full potential out of it." IT KEEPS HAPPENING. I feel like I'm in a variation of Groundhog Day where I keep waking up to I Got You Babe and Playdate games that are a little underwhelming. I'm like a week away from driving my car off a cliff, laughing maniacally and clutching my Playdate to my chest.

This one is close though. I really like the idea of strategy game where your goal isn't going over and punching other guys in the face. It's a good premise, and the set up here is fun. Running around a little map and snapping shots of bigfoots (bigfeet?) is more fun than it sounds, and score chasing through photographs works surprisingly well. I thought the concept might wear a little thin by the end, but it was one of those games I powered through pretty quickly just because I was enjoying myself. Strategy games are one of my preferred genres, but there are so many that take 100 hours and a PhD in the game's mechanics to get through. A simple, straightforward strategy game like this is nice and I was on board from the start.

But it's too simple. The enemy AI isn't great and most levels played out the same way. I wander into the fog looking for a campsite, all the cryptids walk in my direction and I take a photo or two and move on. I managed to plan things out a couple of turns in advance and sent off a video worth 1.9k points. 1.9k points! That's great. The game just wanted one that's 500 though. Why? All you need for that is to take a photo of a cryptid with two hunters in frame and then you're done. I feel like this game doesn't quite understand its mechanics, and its like no one playtested this. Some of the skills just aren't needed at all and some of the ones that are here feel like they could've been fun to play with if the game actually required to do something interesting with them. That drone skill is cool but largely pointless because, again, most cryptids just all run towards you anyway. Using either of the cryptid locating skills could be fun, but why use them when they'll just make their way to you in a turn or two anyway?

And then there's stuff the game doesn't have. I am an idiot but I was thinking of things that could've been fun throughout my entire playthrough. What about traps to keep some cryptids stationary? Or something you could use to lure characters to a specific spot? There's a lot of stuff the game could have, but doesn't, and it's a really good idea that kind of sputters because they don't know exactly what to do with it. I mean, it's still solid. It's one of the better games I've played on the Playdate. It is a fun idea and everything works, which is a good 1-2 punch. It just could've been better, and it is a bit disappointing overall.

Should You Play It? Yeah, definitely. It's fun and short and even if it doesn't quite nail the landing, it is an impressive attempt.

Final Score: 6. Firmly "pretty good but could be better" territory for me.

Games Completed: 13/118

Game Rankings:
13) Boogie Loops
12) A Joke That's Worth 0.99 Cents
11) Whitewater Wipeout
10) Lost Your Marbles
9) Demon Quest '85
8) Flipper Lifter
7) Questy Chess
6) Echoic Memory
5) Omaze
4) Sasquatchers
3) Casual Birder
2) Pick Pack Pup
1) Crankin's Time Travel Adventure