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Windows, Linux, macOS, Switch
// June 12 2024, 2 min read, #gaming #review
I LOVE typing games. My absolute favorite is the first Typing of the Dead. So when I saw Epistory, from 2016, on Steam sale earlier this year I was intrigued and jumped on it.
Note: This is my first attempt to write a shorter review of a game. Trying to touch on the main points without ~waxing too poetic~ or just getting lost in the fucking weeds like I always do
It's a fantasy-styled game where your main character rides a fox and uncovers a world told through storybook-like narration and dialogue. Watching the world literally unfold is pretty fun and reminiscent of the i series. Your only weapon is your typing skills, but you do pick up elements to type with: fire, ice, wind, and electricity. Each element adds new effects to your typing and can turn the tide of battle in your favor.
Battles are largely just hordes of bugs coming at you while you're stationary and you have to fend them off by typing. This can get a little frustrating at times if you haven't mastered switching and using the different elements. Nominally the game adjusts the difficulty based on how well you type, but no matter what you will have to get the hang of using the elements.
Outside of battles, the overworld is neat to explore, but the meat of the game is exploring dungeons. There are some puzzles in them, but thankfully nothing too tedious. Environments are pretty and the pop-up book paper aesthetic goes a long way.
Playtime is pretty reasonable, not too short and nowhere near too long. You should be able to push through this game in a few sessions.
As far as actually teaching typing?, it doesn't really have any modes based on typing skills or drills (which the first Typing of the Dead does indeed have!). There is an arena mode which takes place in any of the dungeon environments and your goal is to simply last as long as you can against an endless horde of bugs. I did this mode once or twice to squeeze out a couple more Steam achievements, but I did not find any particular call to go back to that mode.
I really enjoyed this game. The developer has a few other typing games after this one, with Nanostory being the next one. I've heard the ones after that are a lot less.. great, but I'm unsure on the reception of Nanostory itself. I probably won't get it unless it's on deep discount like Epistory was.
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