Elementallis 2: Gameplay Requests
I thought it might be fun to list the things that we would like to see in an Elementallis 2 if the developers are thinking of making a sequel.
- More nuance to the combat than chop chop chop and pew pew pew. Maybe a charge slash or a spin attack with a cooldown time, special moves you need to unlock.
- Upgradable shield. Maybe a basic shield can deflect solid objects but a magic shield can bounce back fireballs.
- Better fast travel. The obelisks are good but compared it to Hollow Knight where there's the main fast travel (stag) and also a couple of location specific fast travel methods, a train and some elevators. Also shortcuts and backroads between old locations. The teleporter from the end of dungeons to the beginning is very useful. But in endgame it would be great to have a shorter way to get to the Wind Temple or Ice Temple than going through the whole mountain region again.
- Another non-magic way to improve exploration. The ropes are a great idea, it lets you build two-way paths but only after getting up there manually. But there should be more. Maybe a pickaxe that lets you break small rocks blocking your path just to give another way to open up new routes later in the game.
- A qualitative upgrade to magic spells. It's good that the spells can be upgraded but it's all just numbers, longer range, more damage, longer healing, more lightning bolts. Ice and Wind go from 0 damage to dealing damage. But none of them actually change or do something new with the upgrade. Like throw a spread of three fireballs or a circle of ice around you or a homing lightning bolt.
- More than one upgrade per element. Perhaps the previous suggestion should be a secondary upgrade, first is extra damage, second is wide beam or something. Or you have to choose between the two options, do you want damage or do you want the changed outcome. Then maybe endgame you can do a better upgrade that gives you both.
- Split New Game Plus into two modes. One with harder enemies and one where you can keep your gear/abilities, or the option to choose. I'd love to play the game with all elements but basic gear and need to fight through the dungeons to beat the bosses but I've already got all the magic.
- More content / variety in towns. Not necessarily full on side quests in a quest log where Olaf wants you to collect ten Frogs or whatever. But if you use fire magic to warm the old man's house he gives you a letter to his daughter in the next village. Like the stuff in the Wind Village but optional and across the whole map. Just something to do besides kill enemies, buy upgrades, backtrack with the new spell to unlock that heart piece you couldn't reach before.
- A proper villain to hate. For most of Elementallis you're just wandering about and going to temples because it's a game and that's what you do in RPGs. I know to some extent that's thematically relevant but these games work better if there's a big bad guy you need to chase down or someone to rescue / avenge.
- Something else to collect. I don't care what just something worth getting other than another heart piece / mana shard / bag upgrade / bunch of coins. Maybe a Golden Key that is super rare and opens loot chests, another reason to backtrack to old dungeons. Or the 50 lost Dragon Coins and every time you collect five the wize old man will give you a prize. Just something for random NPC to give as a reward beyond coins.
- Another challenge dungeon. The Well was great but that was more of a puzzle or test of skill. How about a dungeon you find early on and all the enemies kick your backside effortlessly. So you need to come back when you're stronger or test your luck if you think you're good enough. Then midgame you give it a try and get halfway through but the enemies get too tough and you can't make it. Something to keep you striving to get stronger.
- Purple Pots. I liked the idea of purple enemies that are a lot stronger and give loads of coins. This idea should be extended to pots so when there's a set of 8 pots maybe one of them is purple and gives a whole bunch of hearts. I pitched this idea in a suggestion of making Hero Mode less frustrating, perhaps having only specific pots in dungeons be purple so there's SOME healing rather than zero healing, just to cut the time spent messing around with nature magic.
Just some ideas.
What would everyone else like to see in Elementallis 2?