A Game Called Marrow And What it Means to be Good

DoshDoshington・2 minutes read

Marrow is a challenging Metroidvania game with unique design choices, cryptic elements, and a lack of clear direction, leading to poor ratings and player frustration. Despite its flaws, the game is appreciated for its artistic integrity and memorable experience crafted by the creator's deliberate decisions.

Insights

  • Marrow, an indie Metroidvania game on Steam, is criticized for its challenging gameplay, cryptic design, and lack of guidance, leading to poor ratings and player frustration.
  • The game's unique design choices, artistic integrity, and deliberate decisions by the creator make Marrow stand out, offering a memorable and distinctive gaming experience appreciated by players.

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Recent questions

  • What is Marrow, and why does it have low ratings?

    Marrow is an indie Metroidvania game on Steam with minimal player engagement due to its challenging gameplay, cryptic design, and lack of clear direction.

  • How does combat work in Marrow?

    Combat in Marrow is basic, with the main strategy being to Always Be Jumping to avoid enemy attacks in dark environments.

  • What are some unique features of Marrow?

    Marrow features hidden collectibles, health upgrades, and a unique save point mechanic, along with design choices like no map and limited health visibility.

  • What is the Echo Realm in Marrow?

    The Echo Realm is a unique gameplay segment in Marrow where the player transforms and faces relentless enemies, providing a challenging experience.

  • Why is Marrow appreciated despite its flaws?

    Marrow is appreciated for its unique design choices and artistic integrity, standing out due to the creator's deliberate decisions and artistic vision that create a memorable experience.

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Summary

00:00

"Marrow: Challenging Metroidvania with Minimal Guidance"

  • Marrow is an indie Metroidvania game on Steam with low ratings and minimal player engagement.
  • The game starts with the player waking up in a deserted house and discovering a mysterious hole.
  • The gameplay involves platforming, simple controls, and encountering enemies in dark environments.
  • Combat in Marrow is basic, with the main strategy being to Always Be Jumping to avoid attacks.
  • The game features hidden collectibles, health upgrades, and a unique save point mechanic.
  • Marrow's design choices include no map, limited health visibility, and a lack of pausing options.
  • The game's difficulty arises from cryptic elements, challenging encounters, and a lack of clear direction.
  • Players navigate through various areas, facing obstacles like spinning blades, invisible enemies, and platforming challenges.
  • Marrow introduces the Echo Realm, a unique gameplay segment where the player transforms and faces relentless enemies.
  • The game's challenging nature, combined with its cryptic design and lack of guidance, contributes to its poor ratings and player frustration.

12:29

Exploring Subjectivity in Video Game Quality

  • The echo realm allows access to a grave, revealing a blocked path that can be bypassed underneath.
  • Discover the Stuland Manor, encountering a save room and learning about its history.
  • Exploring the concept of what makes a video game "good" as a subjective term.
  • Ratings and reviews are biased indicators of a game's quality, with individual preferences varying widely.
  • Factorio's high rating on Steam doesn't guarantee universal acclaim, showcasing sampling bias.
  • Sales figures don't always correlate with a game's quality, as seen with WII Sports.
  • Progressing through the Stuland Manor involves defeating enemies, acquiring upgrades, and solving puzzles.
  • Uncovering the Marrow substance, a product of reality's tear with mutagenic properties, shaping the game's world.
  • Obtaining crucial items like the luminous orb for puzzle-solving and the grit regain spell for healing.
  • Discussing the subjective nature of defining a "good" game, often categorized by genre preferences and personal tastes.

25:12

Reservoir switch saves orphan in Necropolis.

  • A switch opens a passage in the reservoir, leading to the echo realm.
  • An orphan can be saved by hitting a switch in the reservoir.
  • The layout of the reservoir is confusing, with the most obvious path being misleading.
  • The only save point in the reservoir area is guarded by respawning enemies.
  • Leaving the reservoir area requires backtracking to the manor's save point.
  • In Necropolis, a significant challenge is presented by a swarm of skull flies.
  • A switch stops the infinitely spawning flies in Necropolis.
  • Marrow waterfalls in Necropolis are deadly, leading to frequent deaths.
  • The game becomes stingy with save points, increasing the difficulty.
  • The game's design lacks clarity, requiring players to figure out mechanics independently.

38:51

"Windows 95 Game: Sword Upgrades and Bosses"

  • DOS titles played on Windows 95 home computer encapsulate the game's feel
  • Infinitely spawning enemies pose a challenge, highlighting the risk of getting stun-locked
  • Activating purple lights across the world unlocks access to earlier areas
  • Decrepit gold sword found in a hidden area breaks if used excessively
  • Repairing the sword requires taking it to a specific location above where a mini boss was fought
  • Sword upgrade obtained increases damage output from two to three
  • Navigating through various areas involves lighting braziers to reveal platforms and avoiding enemies
  • Reflecting projectiles back at enemies is ineffective, requiring breaking mirrors with fireballs instead
  • Seer boss battles involve reflecting projectiles back with precision, amidst a barrage of attacks
  • Defeating the Seer rewards the final sword upgrade, enabling the breaking of a wall to rescue an orphan

53:03

Challenging invisible boss fight in Marrow

  • The final boss in the game is invisible, making it extremely challenging to defeat. The goal is to defeat the boss without losing too much health, which requires upgrades and skill.
  • The boss fight is intense, with projectiles scrambling the screen and contact damage from the invisible boss. The fight is exhilarating but difficult, requiring precision and upgrades to succeed.
  • After defeating the boss, there is a final instant kill chase sequence that adds to the challenge. The game ends with the amulet floating up and a monster roll call.
  • The game Marrow is appreciated for its unique design choices and artistic integrity, despite its flaws. The creator's deliberate decisions and artistic vision make the game stand out, creating a memorable experience.
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