In 2020, early access for an exclusive PC game was announced. The creators idea was to combine action rpg with monster collecting to fight side by side. This game was developed by Cadabra Games and published by QUByte Interactive. Finally we get Adore.
Adore is currently out for PS4/PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch and Xbox series S/X, released on August 3rd.
After receiving a lot of feedback from the players on early access, Cadabra Games made a great adventure, interesting and refreshing in this action rpg genre.
The main argument in Adore is focused on the adventure of a young boy named Lukha who is an apprentice Adorer. Lukha adventures begin with reviving the creature’s god Draknar who inhabits inside the teenager, trying to restore peace in the land of Gatedrik where the curse is taking control of every creature over the land.
Highlights for Adore
Battle System
The main idea in the game is to combine action combats with creatures while gathering, usually collecting monsters is a traditional trait to use them while in combat by turns in a strategic way as other famous series. However, Adore treats them differently and tries to offer a different experience in this regard.
The creatures have one single skill and they use it once they are summoned, they also aim in the same direction as the player is facing, making the Adorer think twice where and how to summon the creatures in possession.
To continue movement in the heat of battle and crowded maps in Adore makes it difficult to run around, because there are dungeons with a lot of objects scattered around. This makes it difficult to explore and battle at the same time; mainly because the only defensive skill is a roll move.
Creature Collecting
There are 39 creatures in the whole game as the bestiary says. All creatures have unique skills and different synergies to work with; making it a little complex to figure out.
Adorers need Gatedrik particles to tame creatures, one for each, this adds more partners to the team, and there are going to be particles found beforehand, besides the resources. The creature taming needs a certain strategy, to reduce their hp a little help too. After decreasing health points, the same area needs to be filled, to do this hold L while Lukha is in the area range, but the creatures keep attacking.
When the creature’s health points reach 0, they get cursed making them unable to heal until they get curse lifted, also the adorer receives their damage instead. To remove the curse and heal the monsters go to the creature’s sanctuary in the refuge, where you can train, heal, buy artifacts, equip runes and cook.
Team builds
Synergy system, a feature that allows the player to customize the team for every playstyle, adding essences to the creatures they change the compatibility to work together as the adorer wants, allowing every creature to unleash their special ability as long as their synergy bar gets full.
There are 4 slots for creatures to carry on battle, since it’s limited and you can’t change them once you leave the refuge. Adorers need to understand how to make a compatible and well-structured team from the very beginning; there are some difficulty peaks, mainly with bosses. Ensure you use all resources and features to make a team of personal preference with good synergy to be able to use special skills and learn how to use them properly.
Team Building is not only about creatures and their synergy; be sure to equip artifacts and runes that will make good use of your favorite creature’s skills. Also, don’t forget to upgrade your equipment and food buffs.
Graphics
Adore brings a peculiar art style and a beautiful polished visual section, slanted to pale colors for the major part of the game. There is not much variety on the objects to interact with on the maps; slowing down the exploration due to the poor distinction between walls and cramped maps. The dungeons design is not the best for the action genre trying to perform in the game.
The objects that adorers can interact with are easy to spot in the map due to the different colors used to represent them; this is the same with the drops and loot from the creatures, which are very poor and have low drop-rates. There will need to be a good amount of time grinding to get a good amount of stuff to try cooking.
Sound
Adore original soundtrack is based on classic guitar, matching perfectly with the environment of Gatedrik, relaxing in the long run, sadly there isn’t much variety in background music.
Every map has its own melody, with the classic guitar as protagonist contrasting the action with relaxing music results surprisingly well.
Performance
Tested on Nintendo Switch Lite, Adore doesn’t seem to suffer on framerate giving a good and enjoyable experience for action RPGs. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for changing areas, it takes a long-time lapse between areas and traveling to the refuge and vice versa; usually 10 to 15 seconds.
Didn’t find any issues with bugs, glitches or critical errors to close the game or similar finds.
There are 3 save slots available, but the save system isn’t accessible in the map, the game allows you to “Save and Quit” at the same time, there are no other ways to save the game.
Conclusions
- It’s a refreshing and innovative gameplay experience.
- The bestiary size isn’t extensive or short, keeping 39 as total.
- Due to difficulty peaks, learning the whole set of features is key to progress on the story, meaning to learn, synergy, upgrade artifacts, runes, cooking, special skills and recast timing.
