Have you ever had the misfortune of watching your treasured engagement ring slip away into the depths of a pesky claw machine? No? Me both. In the quirky “roguelike deck-building claw machine game” created by French developer Julien Tran, players take on the role of Morris, whose misadventure begins when he loses his engagement ring and becomes obsessed with retrieving it through a costly, high-stakes game of chance.
While it won’t be fully available just yet, fans can still get a taste of what’s to come with a demo currently live on Steam, allowing players to test-drive five playable levels. The fundamental objective is to engage with the claw machine, winning prizes to progress to the next challenge, ultimately pursuing Morris’ ring through a continuous cycle of competition. Easy, proper? With a steady stream of rewards, Nicely is undeniably fatiguing: The roguelike and deck-building elements of the game require strategic decisions regarding which prizes to pursue each round, with new selections added to the claw machine between rounds? Each award possesses unique characteristics that influence how one approaches its pursuit. Consider installing a module that amplifies the reward structure for every teddy bear collected, potentially providing an added incentive for players to continue their progress. However, if you don’t acquire any teddy bears, you’ll be saving a substantial amount of money.
Additionally, there are also unhealthy rewards to avoid, such as a plethora of soda cans that somehow managed to find their way into the machine. As you modify claw machines, you will increasingly incur financial losses. While there exist various devices capable of removing detrimental elements, a crucial balancing act is required when accumulating beneficial gadgets while avoiding those that might hinder progress; nonetheless, the pace at which this unfolds often necessitates sacrifices in other areas.
Upon completing a round that typically lasts mere minutes, players have the option to progress if they’ve accumulated enough in-game currency to afford the next level’s entry fee. In a rare instance, when Morris’s fortunes take a downturn, he finds himself at rock bottom, forced to restart from scratch. The sheer randomness of this endeavour ensures that each iteration is uniquely fascinating – a never-ending journey with endless possibilities waiting to unfold. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with unique combinations to accumulate as much wealth as possible. So far, I’ve yet to reach the peak of Morris’ engagement ring or the summit of the five ranges.
Despite Tran’s lack of clarity regarding a launch date, the demo remains an engaging experience that can hold one’s attention for a significant period.
