Crown of Thorns

[b]My Playtime:[/b] 02:10:41 (based on the in-game clock, finished the game, last save before the ending) [h1]Intro[/h1] [b]Crown of Thorns[/b] is an exploration-based [i]RPG Maker[/i] game where you need to read scriptures and books to figure out how to proceed. It involves reading a lot of texts with some difficult words in them. [b]Pros:[/b] - Unique way to solve the puzzles in the form of reading walls of text - Freedom in solving puzzles in any order that you want [b]Cons:[/b] - The reading section might discourage some people [b]Specs[/b] Intel Core i5-9300H 2.40GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 [h1]Should you buy this game?[/h1] [b]Yes.[/b] [i]If you don't mind reading walls of text that have some difficult words to solve puzzles, feel free to buy it at a sale.[/i] [hr][/hr] [h1]In-Depth Review[/h1] [h3]Visuals[/h3] The game mostly uses default RTP assets, with customized portraits for the characters. It takes place in a castle that has two different presentations: one is in ruins and the other is in a better condition. The castle uses the same layout in both versions, although the decorations will be different to cater to their conditions. However, some areas of …

Really like this. It's very different from the normal RPGmaker game loop. The puzzles are intensive and the story/lore is very imaginative. Despite the entire game taking place in (mostly) one location, the world feels very lived in and tangible. The puzzles can be a bit difficult since it involves a LOT of reading, but at least for me it hooked my attention as none of it felt out of place or that I was learning about something useless. Again, the lore is really cool and very well thought out. I highly recommend playing this!

Lasted about as long as sitting in church. Felt the same too. https://youtu.be/e6-X1J1B3J0 It was a dry, slower game, but rich in its world building. I just wish the story was a bit meatier (and I've never been a huge fan of the silent protag). Still, it was well done in a lot of ways, and worth the 3.89 CAD I spent for it.

Finished the game in 3.3 hours (must admit, I did check the developers guide a couple of times towards the mid/end, turned out I'd missed a few interactable items) but still a decent number of fun little puzzles/wordplay hints. Would recommend for a couple of chill hours play, worth the $4 or $5.