(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Terraria
  
• Original Release: 2011
  
• Genre Tags: Open-world; 2D; Sandbox; Survival; Multiplayer
  
• My Overall Grade: A+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): N/A
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: Optional
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre; Novelty seekers; Sandbox players; Casual gamers; Multiplayer gamers

Terraria is already a well-known game. There probably isn’t much I can say which hasn’t already been said. Many gamers have heard of it, and many gamers know it is considered to be generally “great,” transcending most genre preferences and prejudices. And I now count myself among those people. But the inherent quality of Terraria isn’t necessarily that obvious when a total newcomer decides to give it a shot, as the game can be quite uninviting at first. And that is something I want to address.

So I will tell you, like the thousands of others, that Terraria is an incredibly enjoyable game. It is hard to concisely describe exactly why it is so enjoyable; but it basically boils down to the fact that there is an air of quality inherent to every gameplay aspect and those aspects synergize so well that that quality is multiplied exponentially in the end result.

But when I first decided to try it, I failed three times to get into it. Each time I sat down and tried to see what all the fuss was about, but each time I wound up extremely bored and confused as to why I couldn’t see what was supposed to be so fun about it. The lack of any clear purpose and direction at the start of the game had me running around with no real incentives, and it ended up feeling unrewarding. Then I played with some new friends online who could offer a bit of direction. We started a new world together and the next thing I knew hours had flown by and I realized that I was finally enlightened.

It was difficult to get over the initial hump of a learning curve and having a starter character. There is no tutorial, there are no objectives; simply moving around is tedious at first, the digging is slow, and the building options are minimal… and it can all feel rather boring. But when you finally start making progress into the game, all the upgrades and item-tiers you climb through feel so gratifying. And I think having that initial slow-climbing grind at the start is a major part of what makes the game so satisfying once you finally delve into the heart of it.

Once you reach this point of enlightenment, you will be eager to explore all that Terraria has to offer. Hunt down exotic loot. Fight epic boss battles. Build giant castles with thousands of items. Make new friends and enjoy the enormous replayability of playing online. Maybe even try a role-play server. There are many hours of fun to be had.

Perhaps the only negative aspects worth noting are the simplistic graphics and the lack of any clear story-mode. But due to the great gameplay and nature of the game, both of these things are easily dismissed as a non-issue by most. That said, if you really like story-driven experiences and/or gorgeous, current-gen graphics, you definitely won’t find those here.

So in short, Terraria is something that can be easily enjoyed by almost any gamer. If you haven’t yet given it a go, you should probably consider it. It is a pretty safe bet for all but the most extremely discerning gamers. Just don’t forget that it may feel boring at first, but it is worth fighting past it; and playing with some people online can make it significantly more fun, especially when you are new.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

[h1]AT A GLANCE[/h1] (Full review follows below) [list] [*] [b]Game Name:[/b] Terraria [*] [b]Original Release:[/b] 2011 [*] [b]Genre Tags:[/b] Open-world; 2D; Sandbox; Survival; Multiplayer [*] [b]My Overall Grade:[/b] A+ [*] [b]Estimated Playtime (Campaign):[/b] N/A [*] [b]Multiplayer Aspect:[/b] Optional [*] [b]Recommended To:[/b] Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre; Novelty seekers; Sandbox players; Casual gamers; Multiplayer gamers [/list] [h1]REVIEW[/h1] [b]Terraria[/b] is already a well-known game. There probably isn’t much I can say which hasn’t already been said. Many gamers have heard of it, and many gamers know it is considered to be generally “great,” transcending most genre preferences and prejudices. And I now count myself among those people. But the inherent quality of [b]Terraria[/b] isn’t necessarily that obvious when a total newcomer decides to give it a shot, as the game can be quite uninviting at first. And that is something I want to address. So I will tell you, like the thousands of others, that [b]Terraria[/b] is an incredibly enjoyable game. It is hard to concisely describe exactly [i]why[/i] it is so enjoyable; but it basically boils down to the fact that there is an air of quality inherent to every gameplay aspect and those aspects synergize so well that that quality is multiplied exponentially in the end result. But when I first decided to try it, I failed three times to get into it. Each time I sat down and tried to see what all the fuss was about, but each time I wound up extremely bored and confused as to why I couldn’t see what was supposed to be so fun about it. The lack of any clear purpose and direction at the start of the game had me running around with no real incentives, and it ended up feeling unrewarding. Then I played with some new friends online who could offer a bit of direction. We started a new world together and the next thing I knew hours had flown by and I realized that I was finally enlightened. It was difficult to get over the initial hump of a learning curve and having a starter character. There is no tutorial, there are no objectives; simply moving around is tedious at first, the digging is slow, and the building options are minimal… and it can all feel rather boring. But when you finally start making progress into the game, all the upgrades and item-tiers you climb through feel so gratifying. And I think having that initial slow-climbing grind at the start is a major part of what makes the game so satisfying once you finally delve into the heart of it. Once you reach this point of enlightenment, you will be eager to explore all that [b]Terraria[/b] has to offer. Hunt down exotic loot. Fight epic boss battles. Build giant castles with thousands of items. Make new friends and enjoy the enormous replayability of playing online. Maybe even try a role-play server. There are many hours of fun to be had. Perhaps the only negative aspects worth noting are the simplistic graphics and the lack of any clear story-mode. But due to the great gameplay and nature of the game, both of these things are easily dismissed as a non-issue by most. That said, if you really like story-driven experiences and/or gorgeous, current-gen graphics, you definitely won’t find those here. So in short, [b]Terraria[/b] is something that can be easily enjoyed by almost any gamer. If you haven’t yet given it a go, you should probably consider it. It is a pretty safe bet for all but the most extremely discerning gamers. Just don’t forget that it may feel boring at first, but it is worth fighting past it; and playing with some people online can make it significantly more fun, especially when you are new. [i][url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/murphyslawyercuration#curation]Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations![/url][/i]