In ‘Dotaturia’, players assume the role of an Elder guiding a group of Pips through a post-apocalyptic future, as foretold by the Prophecy. Deep Worker Placement mechanics from board games are employed in building and managing the village’s resources - crops, animals, corpses, tools, buildings, professions, and more. The game presents over 200 buildings, amoeba professionals, and a staggering 70 resources to master as players unlock new content by reviving fragments of the Elder’s memories throughout their journey. Dotaturia is not for the faint-hearted: Domains release increasingly formidable events with each turn that range from poison and disease, all the way to kittens! The game features multiple difficulty levels allowing players to experience a serene town builder or tackle mastery levels’ challenges. Enhanced by medieval tunes sourced from the Montpellier Codex rearranged by Luigi di Guida, Dotaturia is an Italian developer’s passionate nine-year journey through time and gameplay.
Should I play dotAGE in 2024?
The good
- Highly Engaging: Many users report spending entire weekends engrossed in the game, losing track of time. The game’s strategic depth and well-tuned difficulty curve seem to create a compelling and addictive experience.
- Soothing Atmosphere: The game is praised for its cute graphics, soothing music, and adorable in-game characters (Pips).
- Challenging and Strategic: DotAGE offers a finely balanced challenge that forces players to consider their decisions carefully, providing a satisfying sense of progression and improvement over multiple playthroughs.
- Great Developer Support: The game developer is active in the community, taking feedback seriously, and working hard to fix issues and improve the game.
- Unique Genre: For fans of roguelite city builders, this game offers an excellent blend of mechanics, making it a standout in a niche genre.
The bad
- Technical Issues: Some players experience frequent freezing on the “work” screen, which can significantly disrupt the gaming experience.
- Mid-to-Late Game Tedium: The game’s later stages can become somewhat tedious, with a need for more quality-of-life improvements to streamline gameplay.
- Luck-Based Events: Some reviews mention frustrating, luck-based events that can lead to unfair failures, especially after investing many hours into a game session.
- Event Management: The game’s binary event outcomes can feel overly punishing, with potentially catastrophic consequences that are sometimes beyond the player’s control.
Verdict
Should you still buy or play dotAGE in 2024? Based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews and the dedication of the game developer to address issues, I’d say absolutely! 🏙️✨ dotAGE offers a unique and addictively challenging roguelite city-building experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. While there are some noted frustrations, the charm, strategic depth, and the developer’s evident passion make it a worthwhile addition to any strategy gamer’s library. Just be prepared for a few technical bumps along the road – and maybe have a backup plan for when luck’s not on your side! 🎲🛠️
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In-game Screenshot
Top image is not real in-game screenshots. Fan-art made by Gamer.se. Some game metadata is coming from RAWG
