Struggling with early-game boredom

[PurpleFreezer]

I tried this game a while ago on PC and quit after 10 hours. I really really want to like this game, so I gave it another shot when it got on PS+ for free this month.

I'm 3 hours in and I'm considering quitting again.. The movement isn't fun, exploration can be tedious since you need to go a certain way before you can actually explore nonlinearly (talking about Greenpath), and I haven't died once - the combat's too easy. Healing up damage after combat is also tedious, as well as collecting the currency (cause I'm OCD in that way).

How far into the game were you when you started having fun? Do you need challenge to enjoy a game like this?

Thanks!

[Pnume]

Well I come from the same place. I tried the game probably 1-2 years ago and I didn't like it. I quit after something like 2 hours. I really love it now.

Exploration turns a lot more interesting when you get most of the movement upgrades: Dash, wall jumps, double jumps and the super saiyan fly.

The game is really big. Some of the later areas are very cool.

I assure you, if you want hard combat, you'll get plenty of it in the optional content. The sky's the limit in term of difficulty. I finished dark souls 1 and 3 at Soul level 1 (including the DLCs) but I'm really not sure I get through all the challenges this game has to offer and in particular the Godhome DLC.

[🉑 rezno[R].technology]

Some people don't like the early game of HK, it's normal.

For me the game was fun all the time. It starts to be more open after acquiring the Mantis Claw in Mantis Village.

I would say that if you don't enjoy it, then it's no point in torturing yourself further. You've lost already enough time on it 🙂 You can always return at a more appropriate moment.

[Jakuzi]

if you're bored during the early game the late game just gets worse
the DLCs all add even more backtracking than was already normal for a metroid like game

you could finish a college course in the time it takes you to beat this and you'll probably enjoy it more

[Amberstar]

Originally posted by Jakuzi:

if you're bored during the early game the late game just gets worse
the DLCs all add even more backtracking than was already normal for a metroid like game

you could finish a college course in the time it takes you to beat this and you'll probably enjoy it more

...but...but the DLC is the best part...especially Grimm Troupe...

[Amberstar]

Just keep going, it gets better later on. And if you think the combat is too easy, Nightmare King Grimm and Absolute Radiance would like to have a word with you later on (Seriously, NKG took me two days to beat. At least he's fun as heck).

[Jakuzi]

Originally posted by Amberstar:

Originally posted by Jakuzi:

if you're bored during the early game the late game just gets worse
the DLCs all add even more backtracking than was already normal for a metroid like game

you could finish a college course in the time it takes you to beat this and you'll probably enjoy it more

...but...but the DLC is the best part...especially Grimm Troupe...

yeah wow revisiting a bunch of places to fight the same dull enemy 3 times just so you can unlock one boss fight
loads of fun
you might just be thinking about the boss fight but even that's tedious since if you lose you're stuck going thru 20+ seconds just to start it again
and there's nothing in that 20+ seconds, it's just a walk
so utterly dull

[Amberstar]

Originally posted by Jakuzi:

Originally posted by Amberstar:

...but...but the DLC is the best part...especially Grimm Troupe...

yeah wow revisiting a bunch of places to fight the same dull enemy 3 times just so you can unlock one boss fight
loads of fun
you might just be thinking about the boss fight but even that's tedious since if you lose you're stuck going thru 20+ seconds just to start it again
and there's nothing in that 20+ seconds, it's just a walk
so utterly dull

...I'm just gonna pretend I didn't see that. And TECHNICALLY...you're not unlocking just one fight....
Also, Godmaster. Godmaster is really good too.

[Amberstar]

Originally posted by PurpleFreezer:

Healing up damage after combat is also tedious, as well as collecting the currency (cause I'm OCD in that way).

Actually, there's charms you can get later on that help with healing, and you can buy Gathering Swarm from Sly and it'll gather Geo for you

[PurpleFreezer]

I appreciate the (mostly) helpful replies. :)

I hear a lot of the joy comes from the bosses - which is concerning because most of the game is fighting the regular enemies, buuuut I'll try to keep pushing to get to that late game content.

[Amberstar]

Originally posted by PurpleFreezer:

I appreciate the (mostly) helpful replies. :)

I hear a lot of the joy comes from the bosses - which is concerning because most of the game is fighting the regular enemies, buuuut I'll try to keep pushing to get to that late game content.

Well, there ARE a lot of bosses. There's an area later in the game where you can refight the bosses as much as you want and challenge boss rushes too.
Also, later on you could always try out some mods, although I will warn you the boss mods are extremely difficult. I swear this community loves making itself suffer with bosses lmao

[MADE IN IRON]

Maybe this is not a game for you... There is a lot of exploration to do, a lot of backtracking, that's not fun for everyone.

Truth be told, it's a game that kind of starts after 10 hours, so... you can keep playing, maybe you'll get to like, but maybe you'll only loose more time. You can leave it for another time in your life.

By the way, I played about 2-3 hours the first time, abandoned it, and came back later. Yes, for many of us it's like you have to force yourself to play until you don't have to force it anymore.

[Amberstar]

Originally posted by MADE IN IRON:

Maybe this is not a game for you... There is a lot of exploration to do, a lot of backtracking, that's not fun for everyone.

Truth be told, it's a game that kind of starts after 10 hours, so... you can keep playing, maybe you'll get to like, but maybe you'll only loose more time. You can leave it for another time in your life.

By the way, I played about 2-3 hours the first time, abandoned it, and came back later. Yes, for many of us it's like you have to force yourself to play until you don't have to force it anymore.

That's definitely how it was for me. I had to kinda force myself until sometime in Fungal Wastes, then fighting Mantis Lords was where I started to really enjoy it.

[kanna]

I agree with reznoR, put the game down and come back later if you're bored. Also, consider moving through the game faster/more recklessly until the challenge ramps up. I'd be bored too if I advanced cautiously all the time.

[Perseus]

Originally posted by PurpleFreezer:

as well as collecting the currency (cause I'm OCD in that way).

there is a charm that can help you with that (it collects currency (geo) automatically).
If you want to know where to get it, Here :
find someone named sly near the bottom right of crossroads, then go to dirtmouth.

[evilboygenius95]

I got hooked into the game right at Dirtmouth, for the atmosphere. About the combat, I mean I can even play Metroid or shooter with just shoot shoot everything. Slashing some bugs is ok. Then the huge world comes with godly bosses.
HK is my 1st ever hardcore game.