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Nethack is fine, but it's a blatantly unfair game with many obtuse mechanics that is close to impossible to win without either knowledge from external sources o

• Der_Einzige 5y ago
  Losing is fun, and rougelikes are the quintescential version of this. Sounds like you need to git gud. Cogmind is pretty fun and enjoyable, but Brogue is missing large swaths of content compared to other rougelikes (though I do love it given that it pioneered Dijkstra maps!), Caves of Qud has a static map and is thus significantly less emergent than other rougelikes. I couldn't even keep myself interested enough to get far, despite enjoying the SSeth video about it. You should have recommended Cataclysm, DDA - a game which also has "obtuse and unfair" mechanics and "is close to impossible to win(or do well in) without either knowledge from external sources or run-ending trial and error."
  • jamesgeck0 5y ago
    Losing is fun. Nethack contains a number of opportunities for "cheap" deaths that a new player (even one who has experience with other titles in the genre) can't necessarily reasonably be expected to anticipate. This is widely considered to be poor game design, even by many roguelike developers. A lot of (most?) modern roguelikes are a much better at conveying information to the player. Rift Wizard, for example, is built around a magic system exponentially more deep and complicated than anything in Nethack, yet is still possible for a (very) careful and through player to win on their first run.