5 skull time limits

[Butthead]

Is it just me or are the five-skull victory time limits 1) not advertised well enough in the game (I had to search in forums just to find out that they existed), 2) a bit too challenging on some levels even when you're playing the game for the first time (i.e. not even in nightmare mode), and 3) reduce the game to repetitive strategies that aren't interesting (i.e. that discourage using whatever new trap the level introduces and encourage constant use of barrels and machine gun clicking of the mouse)? All three of these points really bother me a lot, but #3 bothers me to no end. In fact, I'm inclined to give this otherwise 5-star game a 3-star review only because of the time limits. But I'm just curious what others think about this. Agree? Disagree? More to add?

[KAT_Editor]

Why you want 5 skulls?

[Butthead]

Skulls are used to buy upgrades to make future levels easier (i.e. traps more powerful or cheaper to buy).

[Necromutant]

Four skulls can be earned easily but the fifth one is difficult because of the time limit. I don't like games with time limits but I will try to earn all the five skulls at least on the lower levels.

[KAT_Editor]

But here normal time limits, place traps close to spawns and all be ok.

[Butthead]

Necro: Ditto here (in fact that's pretty much restating the original post).

Kat: I've already placed the most powerful traps possible as close as possible to the spawn points (currently stuck on The Stream). I even use choke points and slow them down in front of the traps. I kill everything very quickly. The last things to die are always the flying creatures, and they don't ever make it anywhere near the end. And still I get 4 skulls. It's insane.

And I use all the barrels and make sure I kill like 10 orcs with each one. Still can't get 5 skulls.

I just watched another YouTube video of someone getting 5 skulls, and I made a couple more observations:

1) They were in a REALLY big hurry setting traps, and they always unleashed the orcs before they were actually in place to shoot them (the few seconds delay gave them time to run a considerable distance to where they needed to be). All this time I've been assuming that the level timer only counted the battle time... but does it also count the trap setting time??? If so, that would REALLY suck!

2) After the player used the wind belt to send a huge number of orcs into the acid, one of the waves failed to end because apparently there was one or more orcs still dissolving in the acid. The player ran to the ledge, aimed down, and was shooting at the corner of the acid even though I couldn't even tell if an orc was there or not. The "stray" orc eventually died, but I don't think it was due to the player's shooting, becuase they shot like 20 times before the orc finally died. I've experienced a very long delay myself too when using the wind belt - sometimes it takes forever for orcs to die even though none are left. So, more recently, I tried not using the wind belt at all, and instead I shoot the orcs with the regular crossbow weapon at close range so that I can click as fast as possible and all my shots still hit the orcs. I mow them down quickly (those few that are not killed by the violent wall traps I set).

But still just 4 skulls!!

[Butthead]

Ok, I just got 5 skulls on The Stream (par was 11:00, I did it in 9:45). My point #1 above was the culprit - apparently you also can't give yourself any time to think about where traps are supposed to go. It would be nice if the game pointed this out to players.

[KAT_Editor]

Use lighting ring/poison orbs + vampirism arms. Spend all mana, then return to portal and use second arms attack for super fast mana regen.

[Butthead]

My problem was not strategy. It was that I was taking too long to think about setting traps between waves. Which is unfortunate, because that part of the game is, for me, the best part.

I'm killing massive numbers of enemies with wall blades, tar pits and obstacles to lead all of them there (not to mention stunning them). This strategy is just as good as using barrels and stunning except you don't have to waste money on barrels. The wall blades are devastating - one of them can take out 7 or 8 orcs at a time.

Also, I don't have those weapons yet. This is my first time through, so those weapons haven't been unlocked yet. I don't let myself try the next level until I've gotten 5 skulls on all previous levels.

[KAT_Editor]

You can return to lvls after, i not pro gamer and get 5 skulls at all maps with no problems. My favorite traps tar and mace.

[Mok6[FR]]

If you looked statistics after a game, you'll understand it quickly & easy that the fifth skull is bound to the limit time.
No need forum & it is normal to challenge players. ^^ It just forces you to set your traps at the entrance of the orcs.

[Butthead]

I think my problem is that I didn't really take notice of the statistics option and never thought to click on it. I feel that those details should be on the screen automatically, or at least the time elapsed should show on screen automatically. "Statistics" should be only for non-essential information that players look at out of curiosity.