Somebody Saved the World

I've spent a bit of time playing through my most recent Steam sale purchase, Nobody Saves the World, and I've managed to save the world.  Shocking, I know!  Now it's time to report on the experience for the benefit of others who are hoping to also do their part to save a fictional world in a video game.

What is it?

Nobody Saves the World  is an open-ish world ARPG-lite type of game.  The story follows a mysterious character (who takes the form of a blobby, humanoid figure with no defining features) who wakes up in a garden shed only to find that they don't remember anything about who they are (amnesia is a classic) and that the world is currently being afflicted by some kind of arch-baddy called "the calamity."  As Nobody, you must join forces with a cast of goofy characters to unlock your own identity and in the process, defeat the calamity.

The gameplay is in an ARPG style but features the ability to change "forms" mostly at will.  Each form has its own special set of abilities and fighting style.  Part of the game involves exploring the map and discovering new locations, quests, challenges, and dungeons.  The other part is, of course, following the main storyline.

How long does a playthrough last?

I finished the entire thing in 30 hours.  It can definitely be finished much faster--I (stupidly) decided to grind out an achievement and that tacked on a good chunk of extra time.  Playtime is dependent on how much time and effort you want to dedicate to completing side content.

Slug form is one of my favorites.

Pros:

+ Ran like a charm and has low specs.  It would run on a potato!  Plus, I bought it for $9.99 on sale, so it can be found for a nice, low price.

+ Goofy sense of humor that brings a lightness to the game.  It's silly without being stupid.

+ SO MANY FORMS!  The most unique aspect of the game is the fact that you unlock forms and can (mostly) switch them at almost any time.  Forms range from the more traditional--the melee-heavy guard or the ranged-arrow flinging ranger--to the whacky; horse and slug forms come immediately to mind.  Each form has its own playstyle that is fun to experiment with and figure out.  Aspects of exploration and gameplay lean on switching forms--narrow passages can only be navigated by small forms (rat or slug); water can be navigated in turtle or mermaid form (you'll get a kick out of mermaid form--it's more Barnum & Bailey than The Little Mermaid).  Finding a favorite is part of the fun.

+ Tons of customization.  Besides being able to swap forms, you can also swap out abilities between classes.  Yes, you can be a horse that also fires arrows (does it make sense?  No, but who cares!).  You can also equip up to four passive abilities that can be shared between forms.  It's a bit mind-numbing, but allows for experimentation to find the best build for a situation or just for blasting baddies.

+ Co-op play.  I'm pretty sure it's only local, but Nobody would be a great game to play with kids.  The gameplay is easy to pick up and the game is very G/PG-rating-esque.

+ Optional side content.  The base game offers up the "impossible dungeon" which is a procedurally generated timed challenge.  It's one of those "complete X levels" type of deals. It's very challenging--I only made it to the 9th level (and there are 18 total!).  The major perk of completing the challenge is unlocking another form...dinosaur form!  There are also side quests and optional dungeons to complete, so there's plenty to do.

+ Music nicely complements the gameplay.  It's no Guacamelee, but it's not bad.

+ A large map to explore with hidden nooks and crannies.  Gotta find all those mana fairies!

Cons:

- Controller recommended (and honestly, I was glad because all the clicking with a mouse in ARPG-style games gives me carpal tunnel).  If you're not a fan of ye olde controller, you can play with mouse and keyboard, but the game STRONGLY advises a controller.  (Amazon Basics XBOX 360 controller!)

- Dungeons feel pretty same-y.  There are some unique bosses in the dungeons that are part of the main storyline, but the rest of them have basically the same vibe.  They're procedurally generated, so they are different every time you go in, but I think they could've made them a bit more interesting and unique.  I expected more boss fights.

- This might seem a bit flaky since I listed the many forms as a PRO, but they're also a bit of a CON.  There's a ranking system attached to forms and levelling up the skills in a form unlocks new abilities and upgrades to your abilities.  I would barely settle into a form before I unlocked a new one and then felt like I should switch over to level up the new form.  The switching is kind of fun, but at the same time, it's hard to fully get a grasp on one form before you feel like you should switch to a different one.  

- The main story is pretty meh.  

Recommendation:

Nobody Saves the World isn't as good as Guacamelee, but the gameplay did keep me entertained.  It's not a hardcore ARPG, so if you're looking for something that's ARPG-lite or a fun co-op game to play with a kid/partner, it would be a good choice.  Buy it on sale though (I paid $10 and it seems to go on sale frequently).