🌊 One Step from Eden and Flow

Heya player,

Today's Listening: A really cool violin solo

Have you ever played a game that made you feel like you were dancing? Fingers light on the keys, bouncing back and forth, weaving through the motions?

Games like that are what I call "flow" games. Flow games encourage (and often demand) this trance-like state of play if you want to win. Every time I find one of these, its like a new challenge daring me to conquer it.

And once I do, the incredible amount of satisfaction should be a selling point clearly labelled on the box.

One Step from Eden is one of those.

The game is so tightly bound with very extremely clever design that it took me a while to fully unwrap, but was so worth it.

Have you ever asked a Souls fan why they love the games so much? Part of it is you start out as a total scrub, have no idea what you are doing, and then slowly gain a sense of mastery that pays off immensely. At a certain point, the game's rhythm and mechanics become second nature to you and the game begins to flow.

One Step from Eden demands flow.

It is a 2D game unlike almost any other, you move within a 4x4 grid and must assault your opponent on their own 4x4 grid. You gain abilities in a rogue-like, deck building manner, with some very intriguing variety in build strategy. Think Slay the Spire, but if the cards were more exciting, the battles were more intense and action based...and the music was an absolute bop

The thing I love about the game most, is how absolutely brutal it can be. For both you and the enemy.

There is a multitude of ways to absolutely rain hellfire on your enemies (and hellfire is an ability). Which by the way, there are 9 different characters you can play as, and each of them bring something unique to the table that can allow for some wicked fun builds. And each of those characters have an alternate loadout, which actually makes it more like 18.

Every single battle feels like it could end you if you slip up, because while enemies may be stupid, if you make a stupid mistake you will get clowned on (and take a ton of damage)

I love games that require my attention as a prerequisite to be played properly. And this one hasn't lost mine for a long time.