Writings of Mass Deduction

A quick review today, for a game that sadly deserves better, but I’m fighting off a cold and it’s kicking my butt, despite having to work, and blog in my free time. So a short review it is for “Dinora”, a game with more than a passing resemblance to XBLA hit Terraria, though with a cheaper price and a charm all its own.

It’s received post-release updates (currently on v1.03) which is heartening to see, and supports up to four players. Select a character class, interact with NPCs, procreate, craft items. This game has it all. Think of it as a 2D side-scrolling version of the SIMS, paired with “World of Keflings” and N-Gage hit “Pocket Kingdom”. Or something like that. I like the idea of generating and nurturing relationships (of various sorts) with NPCs, and that’s probably this game’s most impressive aspect. There’s a lot of gameplay here for a dollar, and it’s absolutely worth a look.

Here’s what the publisher (Psychdyke) has to say about the game:

“BUILD, MINE, FIGHT, EXPLORE and PROCREATE in your own world of Dinora. Brave it alone or share the experience with up to 3 friends in drop-in/drop-out split screen multiplayer. Hours and hours of fun in one unforgettable sandbox adventure. If you liked Terraria you’ll love Dinora, with its unique spin on NPC interaction.”