Next Run

3 / 10 I bought this to support the developers because I liked their older games (Marble Age, Egypt games). I wanted to give this one a try, but it feels very unbalanced. A common complaint in their games is that you are effectively railroaded into a certain level of progress you need to make constantly, or else you will fall behind forever. This game definitely acts the same way. There is no room in the gameplay to do anything that isn't an efficient means of progressing, that means: - Not enough time to explore everything as you progress - Not enough time to go back to a previous zone to complete things you skipped then - Limited resources means you can't experiment with crafting/building things without risking falling behind - Because of the time crunch, you are forced to push into lands with creatures around or above your skill level What these point culminate in is a game where you are constantly rushing to accomplish your goals as fast as you can, with almost no time to test game features or pursue your own goals (e.g. explore a dungeon that's out of the way). While I get the idea that a game might want to force you to keep moving, the 'keep moving' part of t…

I firmly encourage you to not buy this game. It is very simple 1980s RPG mechanics painted with a thin coat of very poor AI 'art.' Without a doubt a team of MIT undergrads coulds plan and develop a better game than this in its entirety in a single weekend using modern technology. I am not exagerating. It is this simple. It is this shallow, the AI assets are this crude. Clarus Victoria has released a masterpiece or two, genuinely, in the past. This game is a stepping stone towards new, better games. But this game itself is trash. I am sorry, Clarus, i love you.

If you like Roguelikes, then you may want to look somewhere else. This one is not particularly interesting. Sure, there is, theoretically, a lot to do: crafting, gathering, etc. But in practice, you mainly need to boost your defense and your attack in a way or another, leaving no room for other fancy stuff. Also, it has "roguelike" only in the name: from one run to another, you do not accumulate anything: no cards, no strength, nothing. It is just a standard, meh non-roguelike game.

The ai art looks stinky but this dev knows how to make a consistently engaging gameplay loop. Just please pay an artist next time Clarus, my eyes are bleeding from this one :,( PS: I like that this game is more sandboxy and open-ended than this dev's previous games. Hoping to see that expanded on it future games. Also the game eats up battery like crazy on apple silicon, unsure what's going on there. PSS: I think my computer heating up bc of poor optimization on my system. Coupled with the ai art, turns this to a do not recommend, despite the fact that i quite like the gameplay. I'm gonna buy this game on my phone I think but I wish I could refund it here.

Next Run is a fantasy strategy RPG developed and published by Clarus Victoria that blends roguelike progression, tactical decision-making, resource management, and kingdom-building into a surprisingly flexible adventure. At first glance, it appears to follow many familiar conventions of the genre, but its defining characteristic is the freedom it gives players when approaching problems. Instead of presenting a single correct path to success, the game builds its entire structure around alternatives, allowing players to solve challenges through combat, diplomacy, trade, crafting, magic, or economic development. This design philosophy gives the experience a unique identity and makes every playthrough feel different from the last. The game's fantasy setting serves as a backdrop for a series of interconnected systems that constantly force players to make meaningful decisions. Every choice carries consequences, whether it involves expanding territory, investing in infrastructure, recruiting forces, developing magical abilities, or engaging with rival factions. Unlike many strategy RPGs that eventually funnel players into a predictable pattern of progression, Next Run continually encoura…

Good mechanics. Entertaining. If it looks like something you'd enjoy...no surprises. Give it shot.