Terraria Review (Alodo)
... should probably write a review for this game at some point.
Here's how I'd summarize Terraria:
Your goal is to make a super powerful character that destroys all the boss monsters.
And then you destroy those boss monsters.
Along the way, you go exploring, mining, build some 2D houses, explore *a* dungeon or two, farm a bunch of mob loot...
Oh, and just for fun, there's also fishing, golfing, logic circuits, dress-up, a thousand decorative items for building, ...
When getting new people into this game, I noted these common issues:
You rarely know what to do next. The onboarding *exists*, the hints are *there*, but it's not enough to replace a wiki.
While the spritework is nice, the small scale of everything holds it back. Various details in tiles and character cosmetics are too small to really appreciate, which can make the look of the game unappealing to some people. (Though if you're already looking at this review, you probably won't mind that as much.)
The game's "two phases" appeal to different people. Early game is slow, with slow exploration, awkward attacks, and a bunch of "hold left click for 10 minutes" moments. Late game is fast-paced, challenging, and almost rushes by. If you're ONLY into one of these two, you may have trouble dealing with the other.
The small scale, coupled with the fast pace of combat in the lategame, lead to some visibility problems. Aiming at enemies that are off-screen is a somewhat common occurrence in this game.
My recommendation for your first playthrough:
Play with friends, preferably someone who already knows how this game works.
When making a character, choose "Classic" ("drop coins on death"). "Mediumcore" is a big deal, so don't choose that unless you know what you're in for.
When making a world, *try* Expert mode, *especially* when playing multiplayer. A lot of the more interesting mechanics are only available there.
If you're playing solo (or nobody in your group knows what to do), talk to the Guide NPC a LOT, or use a wiki.
Start by exploring and making basic houses, continue by battling a few bosses, THEN get into building fancier things. (You gain a lot of building/mining abilities at that point.)
Anytime you find a new item that has "Material" written in its description, show it to the Guide NPC to learn what it's for.
Dropping the doll in the lava will have serious consequences.
This game's great. Not for everyone, but I still get obsessed with it every now and then.
One should not wish for sequels, but if this game ever got one, I'd have high hopes for it.
The mods are also great. Lots of cool content to explore there, if you're ever craving for more.
Give it a try. It's dirt cheap for what it is.