So as it turns out a lot of the quality of life stuff is in a tab in the options menu that I missed because it's really tiny. The majority of my complaints were fixable if I had seen that the options menu could scroll but it was just so tiny on my screen. Posting this so people know.
Hey @Splattercatgaming! 👋 We just wanted to thank you for trying out Balrum! 🤗 As small indie devs it means a lot to us when fantastic content creators like yourself cover our games! ❤ Loved the analogy at the end of your video! 😆 While developing the game we did in fact became grizzled graybeard grognards by the end of it.🤣
two things about this great game : 1. Spend 6 hours in the first village to comprehend every little bit of mechanics ? Easy. 2. When i thought "Damn , that was quiet a ride, seems like it is the last quest" game welcomes me with "chapter 2" screen. 10\10 rpg
As I've aged, I'm now a very old 50, it's been indie games that have kept me interested in gaming. Thanks to you, probably the best, non offensive, interesting and knowledgeable TH-camr out there, I say, thank you for all the great content. Keep up the great work ✌👍
YESSSS!!! Finally a game I can sink my teeth into, love this mix of game genres into one. Very similar to Stoneshard but without always needing to do quests
I think a lot of games do make sense to not have much carry weight or merchant gold limitations, but for specific genres of games like this I think it is a good feature to have. These are more sim-type games, and having gold limits makes them less exploitable and/or the game more challenging.
I got a ton of games on GOG like Geneforge, Avernum, and of course Tales of Maj'e al. This reminds me a lot of those. They are fun in their old school way, but sometimes you miss some of that modern UI.
@@SecuR0M id say there are a lot more "broken" games out there that do need it than ones that do not, have you been living under a rock the past 10 years?
@@temparalflux914 yeah that's called availability bias It's easy to find examples if you're looking for them so compile a list and compare them More finished games get released than broken ones
This looks like a pretty perfect mashup between Wayward and Echelon, with a little Runescape (skills) mixed in. I've actually had this for a good long time, now, but I haven't gotten around to it. I'm going to have to give it a go.
Yes a game that does not hold your hand ......old school Everquest anyone I miss the grind and the struggle to just lvl and the grind to craft. It took work and it took time but it was something that just made you happy that you did it. AS they say "it's the journey not the destination" type of game i miss in the fast shallow games of today.
This game is actually pretty casual as you understand how to play, it's more of a sandbox and it's very time consuming. So if you want an unhurried adventure, then this game is for you. Also a veteran note from me: use freely traps and alchemy
I played this years ago, it was a really fun little RPG. I didn't really like how it made you commit to one build per run, but other than that it was fun.
The carry weight and capacity, along with the limited merchant funds, gives the gave a level of realism. Just like hunger, thirst and sleep do. The hit points and mana points do as well. All of these things can cause frustration but they also require some effort from the player. Without them, the game wouldn't be worth playing.
Imposing limits on the character forces players to make choices. Character encumbrance is a resource to be managed. So is vendor cash on hand. That being said, is it fun? Not for me. It comes down to tracking items and value in a spreadsheet and calculating value per pound or inventory slot. I like Dungeon Siege’s spell that converts items into gold. I can min/max loot value if I want to or just zap it into gold.
This is a cool little game and has kept me busy for hours. I'm surprised you didn't show off the base building aspect. Building a place where you can store all your loot just scratches that hoarding itch.
Totally agree on melons. The first five minutes had me having Divine Divinity flashbacks. Lot of similarities, but it was from that era. Looks interesting.
No growth without challenge, or perhaps... failure. Those were the principles games in the past were often build around. Of course until gaming became mainstream (also "helped" by the mobile industry). Less pandering, more "working" for your victory and discovering things yourself. Proving yourself. And even *gasp* failing in the meantime. I honestly love this line of thinking in games, but it's not for everyone. Of course nowadays we do have "Souls" games, but this is often viewed as a specific genre of games and not a general design principle.
I remember starting this game, getting attacked by half the people in the first village and having no idea why. Maybe I'll come back to it sometime and see if it's any better.
"And now my dog is dead." Time to go John Wick, Splattercat! *A few minutes in and stars and stones, this sounds like my jam! I always wanted something more like the Gold Box series meets Stardew. Added it to my shopping list for later.
i got balrum around the same time i got project zomboid back when it was a stand alone java download and while project zomboid has changed quite a lot, balrum seems to have not enjoyed the same amount of changes/qol updates, shame as i liked it back then, and heck yeah its brutal, i always seemed to die in the same place/places and just couldnt upgrade myself well enough to continue far enough, might have another go and see if its changed much in that regard. Steam says i havent touched it since 2017, so maybe stuff has changed.
The graphics and animations kinda remind me of Divine Divinity. Although it's been too long, so I may not remember it correctly, but those were the days my friend. Those were the days...
Man, at first I was thinking "cool ultima online nostalgia!" ...but the hunger and thirst meter instantly killed a lot of my anticipation. Not a big fan of planting and maintaining crops either. Food for healing is OK, but maintaining a tedious eating regimen so you don't starve isn't.
Hey @Splattercatgaming! Love your channel, I don't normally comment but I had to reply to something you said. I really don't agree with you over vendor price limits & carry weight. I agree that they can be improved upon but they act as limiters, decision points and add some realism. I would agree if players had to wait for vendors to restock & there was no consequence for waiting. I wouldn't those things removed from Morrowind as they add to the experience.
I played this game ages ago and it's great but there are several game breaking bugs that literally prevent progression. This was 5 years ago but based on the slow bug fix schedule I doubt they've been fixed.
I love passions projects, and I have MAD respect that the devs are still patching like 7 years on. I just have no nostalgia for the days of no tutorial and terrible IU.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
![SIGNALIS - promise me Sci-Fi Anime Survival Horror Where remember Droids Hunt You [ 1 ] eins](/img/n.gif)
So as it turns out a lot of the quality of life stuff is in a tab in the options menu that I missed because it's really tiny. The majority of my complaints were fixable if I had seen that the options menu could scroll but it was just so tiny on my screen. Posting this so people know.
Well like you’ve said many times before, you’re just bad at your job! 😂
Not abundantly clear 😂
I do wish they made the art style better like what they did with stoneshard.
@@eggtartica I think it is more of an aesthetic choice. I played a lot of 90's game and for me this art style is really captivating.
Love it, thanks Splatty. I'm a 43 year old Child, 486dx-33 for life! ;) ;) ;)
Hey @Splattercatgaming! 👋
We just wanted to thank you for trying out Balrum! 🤗
As small indie devs it means a lot to us when fantastic content creators like yourself cover our games! ❤
Loved the analogy at the end of your video! 😆 While developing the game we did in fact became grizzled graybeard grognards by the end of it.🤣
I just bought this game because of this video.
@@Syrin23 Thank you very much for your support! 🧙♂
wow. i love it so far. Thanks for making this gem!!!! I hope we get a sequel one day
Never stop making rpgs!
I remember when you posted about the development of this way back years ago on the Basilisk Games forums (Eschalon creator)
Balrum, the intoxicated brother of Baldur.
His name is Balduran, not Baldur sadly 🤣
@@quitmarckYou forgot to *pushes up glasses* first. 😂
@@quitmarck Bal, Bal, Bal, Bal Bal Bal, Bald-ur-aaaan, he stole my hearrrrrrt!
Balrums Checkpoint
Great dancer
two things about this great game :
1. Spend 6 hours in the first village to comprehend every little bit of mechanics ? Easy.
2. When i thought "Damn , that was quiet a ride, seems like it is the last quest" game welcomes me with "chapter 2" screen.
10\10 rpg
Yup that fairly big world map is just the 1st one!
10/10 would have my life sucked out of me again ;)
oh yeah my type of game
I've owned this game for years and I loved it initially. A bigger better sequel would have so much potential.
One of the best YT channels around for gut felt indie reviews! Keep up the amazing work.
Love how this game starts you off as a nobody and you slowly get more powerful over time. One of my fav Old school rpgs in many years
As I've aged, I'm now a very old 50, it's been indie games that have kept me interested in gaming. Thanks to you, probably the best, non offensive, interesting and knowledgeable TH-camr out there, I say, thank you for all the great content. Keep up the great work ✌👍
I agree
YESSSS!!! Finally a game I can sink my teeth into, love this mix of game genres into one. Very similar to Stoneshard but without always needing to do quests
I think a lot of games do make sense to not have much carry weight or merchant gold limitations, but for specific genres of games like this I think it is a good feature to have. These are more sim-type games, and having gold limits makes them less exploitable and/or the game more challenging.
Balrum is a gem, I love it.
Balrum's latest patch was this year in March 2023, but the patch before that was in November 2018. They've moved on to working on other games.
One tip I would give people is make map markers of any places you think you might need to come back to like NPC names or enemy types.
I got a ton of games on GOG like Geneforge, Avernum, and of course Tales of Maj'e al. This reminds me a lot of those. They are fun in their old school way, but sometimes you miss some of that modern UI.
This game is honestly great, I loved playing it! I bought it back in 2019 and it took me 50 hours to complete. Definitely worth!
With such a positive video like this, you make my day. thank you so much
I've had this in my library for ages. Looks like a great nostalgia trip :)
Wow, seven years on from release, and they are still patching it. That's pretty impressive, as is it's level of approval rating after so long.
Yeah, but it was 5 years since their last patch. I don't think 6 bullet points of improvements is worth praise.
@@Dermetsu Most games don't need it, tbf.
@@SecuR0M id say there are a lot more "broken" games out there that do need it than ones that do not, have you been living under a rock the past 10 years?
@@temparalflux914 yeah that's called availability bias
It's easy to find examples if you're looking for them so compile a list and compare them
More finished games get released than broken ones
@druidofscosglen2868 Where's the statistics lol
That game is for me. A brand new old game!
This looks like a pretty perfect mashup between Wayward and Echelon, with a little Runescape (skills) mixed in. I've actually had this for a good long time, now, but I haven't gotten around to it. I'm going to have to give it a go.
This game is such a hidden gem.
When I wear too tight of pants I could really use more Balrum.
I really resonate with "grew up playing Pentium 2 RPGs."
*386's have entered the chat*
TRS-80's have entered the chat.@@plumbthumbs9584
Definitely interesting looking, nice choice to show off.
"I've decided I don't much care for that dungeon..." had me laughing out loud, perfect smash cut!
Stoked you covered this one mate, I've been hanging on buying it
truly love your channel. Keep doing the best work.
For some reason I've had this on my wishlist forever, I always assumed it was because you did a video on it, like everything else on my wishlist, lol
Nice old school look to it, might be cool.
Yes a game that does not hold your hand ......old school Everquest anyone I miss the grind and the struggle to just lvl and the grind to craft. It took work and it took time but it was something that just made you happy that you did it. AS they say "it's the journey not the destination" type of game i miss in the fast shallow games of today.
You almost released that second saphire spider haha 12:23 . Awesome game, like always, thank you for sharing!
This game is actually pretty casual as you understand how to play, it's more of a sandbox and it's very time consuming.
So if you want an unhurried adventure, then this game is for you.
Also a veteran note from me:
use freely traps and alchemy
"I have an idea to get rid of this..."
Splat leads the larva to the traps and promptly gets vaporized. Haha, too funny man. Thanks for another video.
Drink Balrum, and feel your bals rum towards high as the sky.
"Diablo + Stardew Valley + Arcanum" wellp. 2 minutes into the video and I'm already sold.
I played this years ago, it was a really fun little RPG. I didn't really like how it made you commit to one build per run, but other than that it was fun.
As a graybeard grognard, this looks amazing
The carry weight and capacity, along with the limited merchant funds, gives the gave a level of realism. Just like hunger, thirst and sleep do. The hit points and mana points do as well.
All of these things can cause frustration but they also require some effort from the player. Without them, the game wouldn't be worth playing.
Imposing limits on the character forces players to make choices. Character encumbrance is a resource to be managed. So is vendor cash on hand. That being said, is it fun? Not for me. It comes down to tracking items and value in a spreadsheet and calculating value per pound or inventory slot. I like Dungeon Siege’s spell that converts items into gold. I can min/max loot value if I want to or just zap it into gold.
This is a cool little game and has kept me busy for hours.
I'm surprised you didn't show off the base building aspect.
Building a place where you can store all your loot just scratches that hoarding itch.
I love this little hidden gem. Wish there was a sequel.
This was made for me, I've had it in library for a while and loved it when I played it. Might be time to go back for another run.
Thanks for reading my comment on twitter and playing the game :D Love it!
Damn. This is looking right up my alley. Thanks Splatty!
This game seems very fun
Thank you soo much for this educational video, I learned so much.
I need something like this with lots of quality of life improvements.
It's decent- very tough and brutal but if you can be patient pretty good game.
This made me think of my old Amiga game, "The Faery Tale." That game was brutal, but so fun.
Totally agree on melons. The first five minutes had me having Divine Divinity flashbacks. Lot of similarities, but it was from that era. Looks interesting.
14:20 "we press the T key and placed a torch"
i see what you did there :D
you got me at "you're gonna die for clicking on the ground instead of an enemy" instant diablo vibes XD
No growth without challenge, or perhaps... failure. Those were the principles games in the past were often build around. Of course until gaming became mainstream (also "helped" by the mobile industry). Less pandering, more "working" for your victory and discovering things yourself. Proving yourself. And even *gasp* failing in the meantime. I honestly love this line of thinking in games, but it's not for everyone. Of course nowadays we do have "Souls" games, but this is often viewed as a specific genre of games and not a general design principle.
Splatty never met an immersive feature he didn't hate.
I remember starting this game, getting attacked by half the people in the first village and having no idea why. Maybe I'll come back to it sometime and see if it's any better.
"Probably the universe's worst tasting beverage" lmao. I died at that one.
19:30 literally rage quited there xD I laughed at that, Interesting game, thanks Splat!
Reminds me a lot of Eschalon Book 1-3 series. I played those back in the day, may have to try this one.
That means this man knows the glory of Ultima Online.
Based splatty telling the truth about the evils of cantaloupe and melon.
This looks pretty much exactly like the type of game I'd be into. No idea how I have missed it.
there is so many parallels to Ultima Online in this it drives my nostalgia wild
Whoop, my daily hit of Splat* thank you sir!
Love the second coming of Ultima Online here.
Getting Ultima 6 vibes. Also Dark Sun vibes from waaaaay back, with the real time turn based hybrid thing.
I felt really called out with the grey beard reference.
"I've decided I don't much care about that dungeon" lol classic
This is the ______ ______ ___________ __________ youtube channel that I missed for years
havent played it yet but im installing now. reminds me of Ultima Online the first mmo i ever played years ago
I both love and hate how much you add to my sub $20 Steam wishlist
Thanks for the vid Splatt.
"And now my dog is dead." Time to go John Wick, Splattercat!
*A few minutes in and stars and stones, this sounds like my jam! I always wanted something more like the Gold Box series meets Stardew. Added it to my shopping list for later.
This is the sort of game I wanted to play.
Balrum - "The universe's worst name for a beverage."
Fuck Splatty, that made laugh so hard! Ty sir
i got balrum around the same time i got project zomboid back when it was a stand alone java download and while project zomboid has changed quite a lot, balrum seems to have not enjoyed the same amount of changes/qol updates, shame as i liked it back then, and heck yeah its brutal, i always seemed to die in the same place/places and just couldnt upgrade myself well enough to continue far enough, might have another go and see if its changed much in that regard. Steam says i havent touched it since 2017, so maybe stuff has changed.
Oh no! Poor puppy!
The graphics and animations kinda remind me of Divine Divinity.
Although it's been too long, so I may not remember it correctly, but those were the days my friend.
Those were the days...
It’s a good game. Gets a bit tired by the end, but still worth playing.
Splattercat makes me buy things
Man, at first I was thinking "cool ultima online nostalgia!" ...but the hunger and thirst meter instantly killed a lot of my anticipation. Not a big fan of planting and maintaining crops either. Food for healing is OK, but maintaining a tedious eating regimen so you don't starve isn't.
Hey @Splattercatgaming! Love your channel, I don't normally comment but I had to reply to something you said.
I really don't agree with you over vendor price limits & carry weight. I agree that they can be improved upon but they act as limiters, decision points and add some realism. I would agree if players had to wait for vendors to restock & there was no consequence for waiting. I wouldn't those things removed from Morrowind as they add to the experience.
I played this game ages ago and it's great but there are several game breaking bugs that literally prevent progression. This was 5 years ago but based on the slow bug fix schedule I doubt they've been fixed.
Bro that opening joke was fucking hilarious.
8:30 The WEAS-AL wanted the melon, bud-ee.
I was wondering why Splat was not really concerned about losing his dog to a giant mantis...
I really like this game but also 19:28 that cut had me dying 😂😂😂
I was about to say it reminds me a lot of Arcanum and then heard you say almost the same thing.
UltimaOnline vibes for sure
Frog King seems nice!
I love passions projects, and I have MAD respect that the devs are still patching like 7 years on. I just have no nostalgia for the days of no tutorial and terrible IU.
added to wishlist but i think ill wait for it to be on sale and in the mean time enjoy this video ;)
Grind is the last bastion to keeping "them" out of your sphere of gaming. "Them" don't like to work for something.
I AM the very Greybeard old as fuck grognard you speak of. I am now inspired to buy this game. Been RPG'ing since the '80s and I love shit like this.
"T"-key to light a torch... lol.
TIKI... torch? too funny.
If you can't craft Ball Rum in the game by mixing rum with a teabag the devs have seriously missed an opportunity.
i wanted to remember the name of this game for a long time, thanks
Thanks for remind me of this game !
The Fairy Tale Adventure reimagined.^^
Games from that era usually came with printed manuals.
I said the same thing. lol
I played this one long ago, this was a good game for me overall.
"Balrum" heheh. Another cool game though, thanks again!