Game Critique 3

A critique on level design for 

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

As mentioned in previous critiques, Recettear has two main gameplays, one which is running a shop and the second are dungeons that players need to hunt in order to either freely restock their items to sell or finding a rare expensive item to sell. Thus the hunting needs a dungeon that the hunter and Recette has to go through and we as the users control the hunter to defeat the monsters that are laid out in the dungeon.

When discussing about the dungeon in Recettear, the first thing we need to know is that dungeons are randomized within a subset of limitations. The dungeon system of Recettear uses stages for the hunter to explore and find the portal to the next stage of the dungeon. Once the players reach a certain stage of the dungeon, they fight a boss where if the boss is defeated then the players are given a choice to go back with all the earnings or continue to fight a harder dungeon.

The size and shape of the actual dungeon is the exact same for a specific stage, however every instance the player arrives in the stage there are three things that are randomized. The player's spawn position in respect to the stage, the portal's location that would advance to the next stage, and the location and traps of the enemies are randomized as well. The minimap, even though has the exact same shape is reset on every instance and is only showing the parts where the players have gone through in that specific time.

In discussing and critiquing a level design I am using a subset of elements to evaluate the design. These subset factors that would determine are:

a. Ergonomics: Making sure the player is not frustrated in play 

b. Flow: Keeping the player moving through the play field 

c. Rhythm: Providing a spread of intensity and experience to motivate the player

d. Difficulty: Keeping the player challenged 

e. “Wow Factor”: Moments that leave an impression on the player 

f. Hooks: Making your level stand out to the player

Ergonomics

The level in Recettear has a same shape for a specific stage. Thus when evaluating whether a player's level of frustration, there is a balance between what can happen. Through the randomization of some aspects, this keeps the player in a flow and rhythm however this can also frustrate some players by chance. In low level dungeons, this isn't shown as much and new players can easily navigate through the dungeons. However when the dungeon reaches an expert level where the stage is large and proceeding a stage is difficult, spawning at the edge of the stage and having to find the portal can be difficult thus frustrating the players on how they should proceed. If players die numerous times, they eventually learn the shape of the stage, which makes them easier to try and find the portal since they know what areas or which direction to go to cover most of the stage and reveal the map of the stage. So even though chances are low, there is a possible consequence of the randomization of positioning in Recettear's dungeon stages.

Flow

The flow of Recettear's stages are designed pretty well combined with the mechanics of hunting. There are traps laid out certain positions of the map and monsters can ambush the player, giving them a choice to fight or either run from them which keeps the player flowing through the stage. Killing the monsters are also fairly quick especially with the right equipment, and a single stage provides many monsters for the players to kill and keep them moving through it. Once the player finds a portal door, they have a choice to either continue exploring the stage to reveal the whole map, finding more monsters for items and leveling up the hunter, or decide to finish the stage quickly and go straight to the portal door.

Thus I think Recettear does a pretty good job on keeping players immersed in the dungeons.

Rhythm

Placements of monsters in Recettear if fairly predictable. There is a negative space in architecture terms, where the player is supposed to be moving because they are in a tight sized hallway, or a positive space where players are encouraged to stay and fight the monsters present in the large open area. Although the roller coaster of challenge is in a simple form in lower level dungeons, at higher level dungeons the decision to either advance to the next stage or continue and fight more for more loots becomes an important decision. If players die within a dungeon, they are only given one item from the trip to bring back. This is a huge loss given what players have accumulate over the time they spent in a single dungeon run. Thus decision of farming more or quickly defeat the boss is a pretty important and challenging decision that players constantly choose at every stage. By this, players are really engaged by making important decisions at short intervals.

Difficulty

The difficulty of dungeons in Recettear can be balanced with the flow. Players can evade monsters and explore the dungeon to quickly advance the stages and fight the boss in order to go back to town. However a certain higher level dungeons, there are difficult monsters which players have to fight regardless because of their mechanics which does not let players run from them. Thus to a certain extent the player have a control of the level although it is not a complete control. But this does create a challenge in the game which keeps the players engaged. As if a consequence can also bring a benefit and vice versa.

Wow Factor

For the most part, Recettear's wow factor in their levels are hugely decided on types of monsters they fight. The game have plenty types of monsters to keep players engaged. Aside from that, there are trap types and treasure chests which keeps the players interested. Especially if the treasure chest or monsters drops some rare items which the player has been searching. Though the wow factor's impact isn't as huge, there is no other feeling like finding the item you have been searching for a long time and the satisfaction it brings.

Hooks

As far as uniqueness of Recettear's dungeon goes, from what I can tell the randomization aspects of it are pretty uncommon. Even though some other games may have done it as well, Recettear's is one of its kind. I think that the other aspects of the game really covers up the consequence of the less of hooks in the dungeons. Especially since this is just a part of the game where opening and running a shop is really the hook of the game. Overall, Recettear does a good job of its level designs and a high mark on its gameplay combined with shop running.