Can someone explain to me how "progress" is made in this game?

[Data]

I enjoy Noita though I am a bit confused as to how I'm actually meant to be making progress... I originally thought the game would have you return to a town on the surface each time you die, with all if not some of your wands and spells brought back up with you each time. Perhaps where you'd gradually build up an arcane library and be able to build a loadout each time you descend. Armour/robes from the local shop and wands too. Something like that anyway.

But after 1.0 has come out, it's still just a random start and into a hole you go, dying pretty fast usually and... Restarting? I have no idea what I'm meant to really feel I am gaining as it's not like I'm able to apply much knowledge each time I do a run, there's just no feeling of consistency to it so... Can someone explain this to me? Where am I meant to feel I'm progressing overall?

[Lvl 69 C*m Goblin]

Read the tags next time you buy a game. It's a rougelike. Thats how these games work.

[Data]

I did read the tags, have you played Risk of Rain or Hades for example? They're nothing like Noita and have consistent unlocks and rewards to build up your gameplay over time. They also offer player choice at the start of runs etc.

[Data]

"Rougelike" doesn't mean "No progress", friend.

[Lvl 69 C*m Goblin]

Well Noita is more of a "true" roguelike without any meta progression. Youre never gonna get any stronger at the start of a run. You just need to be more careful and learn which spells and perks are good.

[Data]

Yeah I think the term has definitely gotten broader in the last decade so I can appreciate that. I think it would honestly feel much better and I'd be completely on your side here if there wasn't so much randomisation. Sadly feel that no matter what, it always begins pretty luck-based and there's little you can do to control if you're built decently or not. Really would feel more progress if each run you had consistent choices you knew were coming up (And gold wasn't a cause for concern so early!)

[Lvl 69 C*m Goblin]

And yes i did both play Hades and RoR which are much less frustrating than noita.

[Dustin Dalby]

And be lucky enough not die from some random occurence of the ten thousand ways Noita has to kill you with no warning.

It's nice to learn or find the things you need but frustration just takes over when random ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ can send you back to the start every few minutes.

[Data]

Noita certainly has it's own concept of difficulty! A welcome one actually, I think I may just need to invest more time into it and will slowly but surely gain better footing. Been reading others thoughts and can see the reason it's really loved and why some find it a bit too hardcore.

[Stafford's Bees]

Randomization and permadeath are the two main defining features. We hit em both here I guess.

You make progress by learning how the game works, forming ideas about how to succeed while playing it, and getting practice at better executing those ideas. If you want to jump start that process, you could try watching an experienced streamer play it or something.

[Data]

Yeah @TheGhostofIwata, one of the more recent issues I've seen (and felt) myself :')

[Lvl 69 C*m Goblin]

I feel ya m8 im 20 hrs in and only gotten to the 4h level once.

[Lvl 69 C*m Goblin]

Also get the water flask from start mod from the workshop so you can douse yourself if youre burning or poisoned.

[Lvl 69 C*m Goblin]

For some reason the devs decided to randomize the flask for the 1.0 release.

[Icouldntbeoriginal]

Idk if anyone has said it yet but Rouge-Lite has progression and metagame like Hades ect while Rouge-Like has a set standard throughout the whole game. There's two different terms depending on the style you like. I agree I wish there was progression but that's because i've heard this game gets crazy and heard how far you can get.

[Dustin Dalby]

And since I end up not being the first person to mention frustration, I want to add this :

Noita doesn't need that frustration. Noita has a truckload of interesting stuff, it's got systems and gameplay for days, it really really really does not need frustating random instadeaths and needlesly punishing design masquerading as "true roguelike" to feel vast and mysterious and dangerous.

Like, health upgrades for example : they're a pain to find, most of the time they come with a dangerous fight, and picking them up doesn't even give you the HP, so you have to go all the way to the next holy mountain until they're anything but an empty bit of health bar.

Right now survival is entirely dependant on just taking as little damage as possible, all the while the game is filled with thousands of ways to bleed health. What would normally be Noita's strong point, the myriad interactions happening all around you, become the source of constant frustration as you get hit for 5 damage here, singed for 3 there, splashed for 10 a bit later....

Getting rid of the frustration would do Noita a world of good.