Combat…?

[sarahewarren]

I heard a popular YouTuber mention that you can “skip combat” for this game if you prefer to only play for the enjoyment of the story.

Now to me, that is NOT the same thing as a “Story Mode” option, where enemies are basically scaled down to a much lower difficulty. You still have to fight them, it’s just more manageable for people (like me) who have trouble with or dislike hard combat in action/adventure games. “Turning off combat” would mean that you have the option of not needing to fight anyone or anything to progress in the game, whether it be a big Boss fight, or a simple enemy type that you encounter on the path regularly.

So…can someone who has pre-ordered or played this game tell me exactly what options for combat (or lack thereof) the game has?



Thanks in advance. 🙏🏼

[Anoukshuk]

Hi! Yes we do have options to skip combat.

You can go in Options menu > Gameplay > Scroll down to Combat and you will have the Combat Skip Option

You will also find the option in Options menu > Accessibility > scroll all the way down to Gameplay - Combat and the option will be there.

In addition to the Combat Skip, we also have an option to skip Bosses and another option to Skip Chase sequences (you can find those two options in the same menus)

That is in addition to the Difficulty mode selection options (so you can turn on this skip option no matter which difficulty you selected)

Hope that helps!

[ccdu5000]

Originally posted by Anoukshuk:

Hi! Yes we do have options to skip combat.

You can go in Options menu > Gameplay > Scroll down to Combat and you will have the Combat Skip Option

You will also find the option in Options menu > Accessibility > scroll all the way down to Gameplay - Combat and the option will be there.

In addition to the Combat Skip, we also have an option to skip Bosses and another option to Skip Chase sequences (you can find those two options in the same menus)

That is in addition to the Difficulty mode selection options (so you can turn on this skip option no matter which difficulty you selected)

Hope that helps!

Thank you for adding a gaming journalist difficulty mode. I'm sure they will appreciate it.

[sarahewarren]

Originally posted by Anoukshuk:

Hi! Yes we do have options to skip combat.

You can go in Options menu > Gameplay > Scroll down to Combat and you will have the Combat Skip Option

You will also find the option in Options menu > Accessibility > scroll all the way down to Gameplay - Combat and the option will be there.

In addition to the Combat Skip, we also have an option to skip Bosses and another option to Skip Chase sequences (you can find those two options in the same menus)

That is in addition to the Difficulty mode selection options (so you can turn on this skip option no matter which difficulty you selected)

Hope that helps!

Oh wow. Yes, I’d definitely say that helps! So many choices—it sounds like there’s a good option for everyone.

This gorgeous looking game had just caught my eye today, and so I really appreciate that even combat-noobs like me will even be able to enjoy playing. I was on the fence about buying it for pretty much that one reason, but now I’m ecstatic to get to play it.

Thanks again so much.

[Ansgar Odinson]

Originally posted by Anoukshuk:

Hi! Yes we do have options to skip combat.

You can go in Options menu > Gameplay > Scroll down to Combat and you will have the Combat Skip Option

You will also find the option in Options menu > Accessibility > scroll all the way down to Gameplay - Combat and the option will be there.

In addition to the Combat Skip, we also have an option to skip Bosses and another option to Skip Chase sequences (you can find those two options in the same menus)

That is in addition to the Difficulty mode selection options (so you can turn on this skip option no matter which difficulty you selected)

Hope that helps!

That is a really cool option. Kinda reminds me of the AC games that included a tour mode for visiting the historical locations and such.

[heather1348]

I'm glad this option exists. The setting, story, atmosphere, and music look great to me, but I do not get along well with action games. I'm an old nerd who doesn't have reflexes. I've been a gamer since the late 1970s, and I've beaten my head against action games many times over the years (including the insanely difficult quarter-eating arcade games of the 1980s). Nowadays, I've lost all patience with action game mechanics, and I am only willing to tolerate action games that can be made extremely easy through customization options. I also wonder about the platforming, as that is another game mechanic that often doesn't agree with me. Being able to skip the chase sequences will likely help too. I suppose what I want is to be able to play this game like a walking simulator, and it looks like it can be customized to come close to this.

[MakitaRotSprout]

The gameplay is so good that they added an option to skip it

[FatherGonzo]

..as if people don't have disabilities or want to simply replay a story? The stupid is strong with these kids.

[heather1348]

Originally posted by FatherGonzo:

..as if people don't have disabilities or want to simply replay a story? The stupid is strong with these kids.

I've seen this a lot in gaming discourse these days. It could be from kids who haven't experienced a wide variety of games, or it could come from the action game elitists who think hard-hitting, challenging action games are the only "real" games. This is a myopic view of gaming. Video games are capable of so much more than providing an adrenaline rush or a sense of accomplishment because your reflexes, timing, and persistence are strong. These are valid, of course, but so are other aspects of the medium, including story telling, visual art, music, exploration, puzzles, strategy, logistics, and creativity. Not everybody gets along well with every aspect of gaming.

There are many people who love action combat but can't stand turn based combat. There are people who hate puzzles. There are people for whom the logistical complexity of a game like Factorio is an insurmountable cliff of frustration. And, believe it or not, there are people who don't like action game mechanics. I'm one of those. I've tried, and back in the 1980s, I even succeeded. I got good enough at Millipede to enter my initials on the high score list on the arcade machine. Like any self respecting teenager, I entered "♥♥♥." To this day, I still have the muscle memory and can still do well on the version for my Atari 800, but it is the only challenging action game I have ever come reasonably close to mastering. I've done it once, but I don't want to do it again. I'll happily wallow in Factorio's complexities for hours on end, but throw a Souls-like game at me with no way to neutralize the combat, and I will instantly hate it. We all have different tastes and preferences, and that is fine.

Problems tend to arise when a game has a mix of elements that attract players who like one aspect of the game but have a hard time with others. Story rich games can be a real problem here if they also include even modestly challenging game mechanics of any type, as there are bound to be people who want to experience the story and setting but are put off by some of the game mechanics. There have been many games that I have rejected because of this, even though I am interested in the story or game world. I love it when developers recognize this and account for it in customization options, especially when there is something unique about the story and setting, as is the case with this game.

[TheBonfire]

Originally posted by heather1348:

Originally posted by FatherGonzo:

..as if people don't have disabilities or want to simply replay a story? The stupid is strong with these kids.

I've seen this a lot in gaming discourse these days. It could be from kids who haven't experienced a wide variety of games, or it could come from the action game elitists who think hard-hitting, challenging action games are the only "real" games. This is a myopic view of gaming. Video games are capable of so much more than providing an adrenaline rush or a sense of accomplishment because your reflexes, timing, and persistence are strong. These are valid, of course, but so are other aspects of the medium, including story telling, visual art, music, exploration, puzzles, strategy, logistics, and creativity. Not everybody gets along well with every aspect of gaming.

There are many people who love action combat but can't stand turn based combat. There are people who hate puzzles. There are people for whom the logistical complexity of a game like Factorio is an insurmountable cliff of frustration. And, believe it or not, there are people who don't like action game mechanics. I'm one of those. I've tried, and back in the 1980s, I even succeeded. I got good enough at Millipede to enter my initials on the high score list on the arcade machine. Like any self respecting teenager, I entered "♥♥♥." To this day, I still have the muscle memory and can still do well on the version for my Atari 800, but it is the only challenging action game I have ever come reasonably close to mastering. I've done it once, but I don't want to do it again. I'll happily wallow in Factorio's complexities for hours on end, but throw a Souls-like game at me with no way to neutralize the combat, and I will instantly hate it. We all have different tastes and preferences, and that is fine.

Problems tend to arise when a game has a mix of elements that attract players who like one aspect of the game but have a hard time with others. Story rich games can be a real problem here if they also include even modestly challenging game mechanics of any type, as there are bound to be people who want to experience the story and setting but are put off by some of the game mechanics. There have been many games that I have rejected because of this, even though I am interested in the story or game world. I love it when developers recognize this and account for it in customization options, especially when there is something unique about the story and setting, as is the case with this game.

Strong agree.

Sometimes I just fire up WeMod when I want to experience a story, but don't enjoy the game-play (Final Fantasy 16 recently). When a developer includes these options from the get go, it's really awesome to see.

[sarahewarren]

Originally posted by heather1348:

Originally posted by FatherGonzo:

..as if people don't have disabilities or want to simply replay a story? The stupid is strong with these kids.

I've seen this a lot in gaming discourse these days. It could be from kids who haven't experienced a wide variety of games, or it could come from the action game elitists who think hard-hitting, challenging action games are the only "real" games. This is a myopic view of gaming. Video games are capable of so much more than providing an adrenaline rush or a sense of accomplishment because your reflexes, timing, and persistence are strong. These are valid, of course, but so are other aspects of the medium, including story telling, visual art, music, exploration, puzzles, strategy, logistics, and creativity. Not everybody gets along well with every aspect of gaming.

There are many people who love action combat but can't stand turn based combat. There are people who hate puzzles. There are people for whom the logistical complexity of a game like Factorio is an insurmountable cliff of frustration. And, believe it or not, there are people who don't like action game mechanics. I'm one of those. I've tried, and back in the 1980s, I even succeeded. I got good enough at Millipede to enter my initials on the high score list on the arcade machine. Like any self respecting teenager, I entered "♥♥♥." To this day, I still have the muscle memory and can still do well on the version for my Atari 800, but it is the only challenging action game I have ever come reasonably close to mastering. I've done it once, but I don't want to do it again. I'll happily wallow in Factorio's complexities for hours on end, but throw a Souls-like game at me with no way to neutralize the combat, and I will instantly hate it. We all have different tastes and preferences, and that is fine.

Problems tend to arise when a game has a mix of elements that attract players who like one aspect of the game but have a hard time with others. Story rich games can be a real problem here if they also include even modestly challenging game mechanics of any type, as there are bound to be people who want to experience the story and setting but are put off by some of the game mechanics. There have been many games that I have rejected because of this, even though I am interested in the story or game world. I love it when developers recognize this and account for it in customization options, especially when there is something unique about the story and setting, as is the case with this game.

Couldn’t agree more. And it really ticks me off when people write nasty messages to others saying they’re idiots or sheep or whatever for liking or NOT liking combat, or a certain game, etc. etc. I can’t ever tell anyone that I love Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (despite all the combat) without someone calling me dumb because they believe the game is horrible. I just roll my eyes. Like you said, there are lots of reasons to like a game and I know it’s got to be hard for developers to even ATTEMPT to try and please everyone. It simply can’t be done, but I do know we all need to work on being kinder to one another, regardless of what the other one likes.

I will say again though, that I appreciate a developer so much that does account for people with different tastes. Recently, I wanted to buy a game on here called “Fountains”, again because of the artwork (I like pixel graphics a lot), but there’s combat & I’d heard it was kinda difficult. So I asked the dev if there was an Easy mode and he pretty much said I was out of luck. But that’s ok—it’s his creation and I respect that. It’s not his problem if I suck, lol. It just unfortunately won’t be the game for me.

Loved your Millipede story, btw. I was a little kid, but I’m definitely old enough to remember playing Atari games like that in pizza parlors and stuff. Good ol’ Mrs. Pac-Man was the best (totally sucked at it). My favorite was actually Legend of Zelda, and you’re right—when I was a little kiddo, I could beat that game with my eyes closed, and actually have played it again recently and STILL can beat it with no problem. But hell, there were like 2 possible buttons to push on an NES controller…now my PS5 remote has like 89 buttons and learning all the combo attacks using said buttons is totally impossible for me. So I have to play everything on Easy Mode…I admit it!



Leave us old farts alone, we wanna play too…we just suck, ok?? 😆