PGC NEWS

3000th Duel, the debut action RPG (ARPG) from South Korean indie developer NEOPOPCORN Corp, places players in the masked shoes of an amnesiac hero on a quest to rediscover their past. Released amidst the ongoing competition between Steam and Epic Games Store, with Steam actively courting indie developers with features like Steam Labs, improved recommendation systems, and a revamped library interface, can 3000th Duel carve its own niche in this crowded market? Indie games have certainly made their mark, with titles like Cuphead (winner of “Best Indie Game”), Celeste (nominated for “Game of the Year”), Night in the Woods (grand prize winner at the Independent Games Festival), and Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (winner of five BAFTAs) achieving widespread acclaim. Let’s delve into 3000th Duel and see how it fares.

What You’ll Love

Diverse Enemies and Skills

A Diverse Bestiary and Skillset

3000th Duel shines in its enemy variety, which progressively increases as you advance through its stages. With over 150 unique monsters and bosses, each wielding distinct weapons and attack patterns, the combat remains engaging. Starting with simple foes with basic attacks, players gradually encounter more formidable adversaries as they progress. The game’s depth becomes apparent as you lose track of how many times you’ve faced a particular enemy type, a testament to the game’s intricate combat mechanics.

Skill System

Complementing the diverse enemy roster is a robust skill system. 3000th Duel effectively leverages RPG elements to offer unique character builds. Throughout the game, players encounter two types of “statues” that allow them to save progress or enhance specific skills. This allows players to customize their skillset and tailor their approach to combat, providing strategic depth and replayability.

What You’ll Hate

Story Issues

A Convoluted Narrative

While ARPGs aren’t typically known for their intricate narratives, a clear and cohesive story is still essential. Unfortunately, 3000th Duel falters in this regard. The narrative feels disjointed, lacking a clear connection between stages, and often devolves into repetitive battles. Set in a medieval setting ripe with narrative potential, the game fails to capitalize on its backdrop. The focus remains solely on defeating enemies and progressing to the end, leaving the story feeling underdeveloped and unsatisfying.

Repetitive Gameplay

Repetitive Gameplay Loop

3000th Duel’s core gameplay loop revolves around defeating waves of enemies to progress through stages. While initially engaging, this repetition becomes monotonous over time. Even with new enemies introduced in later stages, the core gameplay remains unchanged, leading to a sense of stagnation. The lack of dialogue or narrative elements exacerbates this issue, further reducing the game’s overall appeal. The game promises an intriguing experience, but ultimately delivers a repetitive and shallow gameplay loop that can quickly lead to boredom, especially during extended play sessions.

The game promises an intriguing experience, but ultimately delivers a repetitive and shallow gameplay loop.

Conclusion

3000th Duel presents a mixed bag. Its strengths lie in its diverse enemy designs and customizable skill system, offering engaging combat encounters and build variety. However, the game’s weaknesses, namely its convoluted narrative and repetitive gameplay, significantly detract from the overall experience. While the initial impression might be positive, the lack of narrative depth and the repetitive nature of the gameplay can quickly lead to frustration. Ultimately, 3000th Duel feels like a promising concept hampered by its execution.

Game Information

• Developer: NEOPOPCORN Corp
• Publisher: NEOPOPCORN Corp
• Genre: Adventure
• Release Date: September 25, 2019
• Platforms: Windows, macOS

Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows 7 / Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E4400
• RAM: 2 GB
• Graphics: GeForce 8800GTX
• Storage: 3GB

Recommended System Requirements

• OS: macOS Mojave 10.14.6
• CPU: Intel Core i5-8257U @ 3.9GHz
• RAM: 8 GB
• Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
• Storage: Apple SSD AP0128M 128GB

Supported by NEOPOPCORN
Played on PC