How can this game do so much right, and yet...?

[some (momi)]

New player here; I think this game does the 'Monster Catching' genre a huge service, and is full of original and well-thought out ideas that advance the genre - however, it has a number of rough spots as well. I'd love to go into depth about the things I found excellent about this game, but I'm not trying to do a review; just trying to get some commentary on things that niggled at me as I played.

Am NOT looking for spoilers, I've just gotten outside the starting town and have started exploring the non-beach areas.

=(1) Is it possible to remove/tell-to-stay the second party member that follows you on the overworld? I don't understand how you can have platforming/box-setup puzzles, and then a character that you can't control that can come and knock them all down - and there's nothing you can do about it. Seriously I kept just pushing them away from what I was doing, which worked right up until I tried to jump/platform - and then they followed me, and then everything got knocked over if I didn't succeed at the jump.

=(2) Sticker information: I have stickers ('b') that have the same element/type as other stickers that I can equip ('a') - however, I can't equip these stickers (b')? I have no idea if it's a level thing, type thing, or what - there's just zero information, and no way to see why I can't use it. I was able to purchase it at the starter town, so I ought to be able to use it, right? I'm fine if that's a no - I just want to know what I have to do to be able to use it - what makes the sticker different from another one with the same tag/symbol.

=(3.1) Movement+Tapes: Both issues are in the same vein, so I'm just going to lump them together. The movement feels very slow/clunky, which feels fine when you sprint. However, while sprinting, the fact that you come to a complete stop when out of stamina just ruins the flow of the movement - let me keep going, but at my normal movement speed while it recharges.
=(3.2) With regards to tapes: I know that part of it is because I just started, and another part is RNG - but... the fact that they're so limited, and have low odds of capturing creatures - it just feels bad. This is a game about capturing creatures, but you have few tries each time you leave the town - and even if you get the monster to 0 health while recording it, the odds still aren't always that great. To be clear - the issue isn't the recording system - it's how many tapes you (don't) get each time you check in to town [aka plastic rates], which combines with...
=(3.3) Harbourtown: You constantly need to come back to buy more tapes, but getting back is always a pain. Not just that, it's also physically slow. I wouldn't mind that so much, if I didn't feel like I always needed to return (to purchase tapes mostly, but sometimes rest/otherwise). Yes, I know camps are a thing, so the rest-option isn't a real factor - it just felt like I was constantly needing to go back, and it was a chore to do so.

=(4) Music: For a game about music, the music started to get really repetitive/irritating. I can't point to any tracks in particular, but I think the combat track is the easiest one to think about - since you're always in combat. By the end of my playing time, I just took off my headphones and played without sound - and found that honestly found that enjoyable since I didn't have to get bothered by things. Ultimately, the music just needs more variety/remixings/changes-as-things-happen (combat/map/etc), so it doesn't always just sound the same throughout the whole game.

=(5) This is super minor, but: the melding of the pixel-artstyle, and the other UI/visuals in the game. In particular, the sprint bar felt visually out of place. What I mean is that some elements were 'ultra clear/crisp (sprint bar)', while the rest were a more 'pixelated' artstyle - it was just jarring. It felt like I was playing a cheaper game-maker game [that doesn't explain it properly, but...], instead of the solid production that it is.

At the end, I felt like I was needing to grind monsters nearby, except they were all so low level - it didn't feel fun. Yes, I could have gone out into the world and fought/farmed harder things, but I kept wanting to go back to buy tapes, because I wanted to play the 'monster catching' portion - the part of the game that's truly creative.
Perhaps I didn't just stay out far enough and farm long enough; I also didn't want to burn all my wood at camps since I needed to collect them for one of the quests.
---

Honestly there's also a few more things that aren't coming to mind at the moment; the real takeaway was that I thoroughly enjoyed the game and found it refreshingly creative - I just didn't get the feeling that I actually wanted to continue playing it - it felt like more of a grind instead of an experience.

Which is an absolute shame, because this really gets me wanting to play/explore it in the same way Pokemon did; which is to say that I found it just fun in general. Basically if it wasn't something I complained about here, odds are I found that aspect/thing enjoyable - so, the vast majority of things.

[Chronusaur]

1: Not really but you can connect another controller to move them manually. I agree that the partner shouldn't have collision.

2: Stickers are only compatible with certain tapes. An indicator for this like adding a sticker tab to the database would definitely help but for now there's an official wiki with information about all of the stickers' compatibility.

3.1: Your second overworld ability (found near the east coast if you're struggling to find it or aren't paying attention to rumours) is a replacement for the sprint that makes movement very fun so that gets mitigated very early on.

3.2: Once you hit the midgame you will have so much plastic that you will never run out of tapes. Early on while you're broke I recommend exploring for chests as most will have tapes inside if you absolutely need tapes. Stronger enemies will drop more materials so getting further in the game will make it easier to get tapes from the store.

3.3: You can fast travel to harbourtown and any revealed train stations from the map, so doing the main quest will actually make traversal much easier.

4: Sounds like it's just a preference issue. I personally love this soundtrack, especially the battle themes.

[Fortuna]

1 - No, there isn't. You'll always have a partner. The box climbing/puzzle stuff has never been an issue for me, but then it sounds like you're trying to get to places earlier than intended - you never actually need a box to jump on to get to a place.

2 - Same thing as TMs in Pokemon. It's just a case of whether or not the monster has that sticker as part of its movepool. There's nothing indicating why or why not, since then you'd have to come up with a bunch of info on why X monster can't use Y move, and there's a LOT of moves.

3 - 1 is something you get better at later, but I can't say more without spoilers. 2 is just a thing where you haven't gotten further in the game. Material rates get better as you go along. After a couple of hours of playing I was running around with over 60 basic tapes and the number kept going up from there. 3, you need to do some more story stuff on, as you unlock a fast-travel option that can take you back to town.

4 - Matter of opinion. I love the music and could listen to it all day.

5 - Another opinion, I really like the meld of art styles personally.

[some (momi)]

Thanks for the responses you guys, I do appreciate them.

Glad to hear that my complaints can be summed up largely as 'early game problems'. I'll have to keep progressing, and roll with the limited capture opportunities at the moment - I was just concerned that I was 'missing out' on all the different/rarer monsters I kept encountering [gotta record them all].

It's also probable that some of the more personal-opinion aspects of the list were exacerbated by it getting later/myself more tired - I'll come back to the game and give it some more go, after I get some rest - that should solve a lot of the little bothers I think.

With regards to the fact that not all moves of a type can be learned by all monsters - that's perfectly fine. I just went into it thinking that as long as it was the right element, it was compatible (due to the sticker system) - I feel it would be beneficial to say somewhere that not every tape is compatible with every sticker; just to clarify that aspect for someone who otherwise doesn't know.

Will have to keep playing it - I do like the game, I just wanted to get some outside perspective on these things.

[To clarify where I'm at in the game, the latest events I've done have been lamppost/investors, and am now exploring the park/cave area.]

[Fortuna]

Originally posted by some (momi):

I was just concerned that I was 'missing out' on all the different/rarer monsters I kept encountering [gotta record them all].

You'll never need to worry about this. One thing CB does right is that nothing is a one off. You can catch multiple of every single beast that's catchable.

(Though if you ever see a strange blue fire-type salamander without arms, try and record it. It's got the lowest spawn rate in the game and you'll be doing yourself a favour with that one in particular)

[nemaline]

One thing that really helped me with recording monsters is realising it doesn't work the same way it does in Pokemon, where lower health = higher chance of catching it. It's more about how much damage the beast takes while you're recording it. (I think it could really do with being explained better in the game, because it means the strategy you'd normally use in Pokemon - i.e. wear it down to low health and do nothing to it while you catch it - is actually the worst strategy!)

Other things also change your odds, such as the type of tape you use (you'll get more as you play) and if the character doing the recording takes damage, that lowers the odds. Every time you do something that changes the odds of catching a beast, it'll show you the animation of the odds being recalculated.

[b1gf001]

#1 The reason you keep pushing them and getting the same result is because you keep doing the same thing. You need to hook around and lead them in the direction you want them to be following you in, that's the only way.
#2 You can't teach the move "2 Heads" to a monster with 1 head, for example. You cannot teach a monster to fly that does not have wings or other means of propulsion.
#3.1 Not sprinting until you empty the entire bar is the way. I'm sure you'll have a problem with this in your response, but I generally try things a different way to see other results. Just keep tapping B to sprint occasionally, never holding the button. I zip all around that way. With the fast travel options unlocked later on, the pacing of the movement is just right for how the overworld is layered on-top of each other, but not all that big.
#3.2 I'm guessing you keep trying to capture them as you would in [Insert mon-game here], but the trick is to weaken them considerably and THEN finish them off while recording (monsters can't die mid-record, but they can if it fails). I don't think I've ever seen anything below 100% chance to catch on a "dead" mon.
#3.3 I didn't find myself needing to go to Harbortown an unreasonable amount, even with fast travel. I had over 20 tapes at once I and I don't really buy them and I've never caught a beast with anything other than a Basic Tape. Refer to my response to 3.2 to ensure you're catching correctly.
#4 I agree the music could use some improvement. 1 of the basic overworld themes I SWEAR TO GOD is in a Rimworld music mod, or at least the melody is and it's even the same/similar sounding sample being used. I turned off the vocals in the first couple of minutes, and lowered the music volume considerably minutes later. The archangel and I think fusion-fight music is pretty awesome.
#5 Have you fought an archangel yet? I think the molding of different artstyles is very intentional, a-la Paper Mario-esque.
#6? Increase the difficulty either so monsters are smarter, and/or so they more closely match your levels.

[Omega]

Originally posted by wr3ckl00se:

#3.2 I'm guessing you keep trying to capture them as you would in [Insert mon-game here], but the trick is to weaken them considerably and THEN finish them off while recording (monsters can't die mid-record, but they can if it fails). I don't think I've ever seen anything below 100% chance to catch on a "dead" mon.

Sorry but either you are not very far or you are lying. There are specific monsters later on and in endgame, that even when I deal around 1k damage, use type appropriate cassettes to record, won't go to 100%. More like 30%

[Chronusaur]

Originally posted by Omega:

Originally posted by wr3ckl00se:

#3.2 I'm guessing you keep trying to capture them as you would in [Insert mon-game here], but the trick is to weaken them considerably and THEN finish them off while recording (monsters can't die mid-record, but they can if it fails). I don't think I've ever seen anything below 100% chance to catch on a "dead" mon.

Sorry but either you are not very far or you are lying. There are specific monsters later on and in endgame, that even when I deal around 1k damage, use type appropriate cassettes to record, won't go to 100%. More like 30%

Level is also a factor from what I've seen, but the "legendaries" of this game definitely have really low catch rates. Everything but those three or four specific monsters is easily able to reach 100% recording rate with good tapes and decent strategy.

[b1gf001]

I'm really far in the game, and extremely successful with my catch rates. Do you want to catch beasts or these hands?

[sorethroat]

Music is definitely repetitive for sure. We must thank Masuda for introducing us to a world of prog rock as a kid, this genre of music is catchy yet hard to get bored of.

[HeraldOfOpera]

Originally posted by nemaline:

One thing that really helped me with recording monsters is realising it doesn't work the same way it does in Pokemon, where lower health = higher chance of catching it. It's more about how much damage the beast takes while you're recording it. (I think it could really do with being explained better in the game, because it means the strategy you'd normally use in Pokemon - i.e. wear it down to low health and do nothing to it while you catch it - is actually the worst strategy!)

Other things also change your odds, such as the type of tape you use (you'll get more as you play) and if the character doing the recording takes damage, that lowers the odds. Every time you do something that changes the odds of catching a beast, it'll show you the animation of the odds being recalculated.

Yeah, there's a reason you have two characters and only one of them activates recording at a time.

[Fringehunter7719]

Originally posted by nemaline:

One thing that really helped me with recording monsters is realising it doesn't work the same way it does in Pokemon, where lower health = higher chance of catching it. It's more about how much damage the beast takes while you're recording it. (I think it could really do with being explained better in the game, because it means the strategy you'd normally use in Pokemon - i.e. wear it down to low health and do nothing to it while you catch it - is actually the worst strategy!)

Lower health does give a better chance of capture, the tutorial - which you can reread from the ranger's handbook in your inventory - explains it:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2971338380
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2971339048

It's more or less the same as Pokemon with ball types being substituted for tape types. The main differences are that the percentages are explicit and damage dealt stands in for conditions like sleep.

Not having to nibble health down to a couple of percent without actually killing is an absolute godsend.

[TwilightDusk]

The remaining health isn't as impactful as it is in Pokemon, slapping them a few times while recording still bumps the catch rate up significantly, but it does have an impact.

[BlitzWare518]

The combat music has at least as much as variety as any Pokemon game. And this doesn't even really take into account that vocal variants of the CB battle soundtracks.

That said, your issue with the music is just preference not a variety issue.

[Jigglebot]

Originally posted by some (momi):

while sprinting, the fact that you come to a complete stop when out of stamina just ruins the flow of the movement - let me keep going, but at my normal movement speed while it recharges.

Let go of sprint just before it empties, keep walking, then sprint again when it's full. This will be more effective as you progress.