Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blon/id1551789363 Blon Plug In Digital Blon takes you through a challenging and pixelized side-scroller platformer. Travel through many worlds with just one go… Free Buy Now Watch Media DetailsBlon takes you through a challenging and pixelized side-scroller platformer. Travel through many worlds with just one goal: defeat your mad brother! To beat him and save your family, you will be able to unlock several playable characters, upgrade your abilities and experiment new ones in your skills tree to become even stronger. You play as Blon, an intrepid, well... blob, whose jealous older brother has just stolen the family treasures. In your pursuit, collect the leaves lost by your brother, and rebuild the family castle to improve your abilities. Can you assemble the family treasures and sabotage your brother's plans? Key features: • Varied levels: from Hell to Space, track your brother's footsteps through 7 biomes with unpredictable environmental effects • Unique bosses: each biome is guarded by your brother's lieutenants, who will try to hinder your progress • Adaptable difficulty: Whether you want to take on the most hostile of environments, or just relax during a break, you can choose the right difficulty • Multiple playable characters: during his quest, other members of Blob's family will join him. Each member has their own strengths and weaknesses, so it's up to you to play according to your preferences. • Talents galore: As if that wasn't enough, you can also improve your abilities during your adventure. Dozens of talents will allow you to be stronger, more resistant, richer, more magical... • Hidden treasures: complete the challenges presented by each biome to earn weapons and armors A very relaxing side-scroller runner, which will nevertheless give some challenges to the most relentless players! Information Seller:Plug In Digital Genre:Adventure, Arcade Release:Sep 07, 2021 Updated:Sep 21, 2021 Version:1.07 Size:130.7 MB TouchArcade Rating:Unrated User Rating:Unrated Your Rating:unrated Compatibility:HD Universal Subscribe to the TouchArcade YouTube channel elcrazy likes this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #2 elcrazy, Sep 7, 2021 Been having a blast with this since last night. It’s an auto runner mixed with roguelike and bosses. Like a good old school runner mixed with roguelike deadcells or the newer dungeonsand miners. I have not liked an auto runner in years. This I am loving so far. I’ll see how long it lasts lol. Anotherkellydown likes this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #3 elcrazy, Sep 8, 2021 This game is really good. I wouldn’t sleep on this. Free version is pretty full and no adds. Only in app is full version. Gives you two extra difficulties. Which both change the way each level will be played. The roguelike is well done. Loving the unlocks. Always something new too buy. Can do longer runs by just continuing and making your lead pool larger or just do one run at a time. But any unused leaves will lost (till you upgrade something). For sure worth a download and try. This brings me back to the days of runners. Such a well done mashup of runner meets roguelike. Lull4by likes this. Anotherkellydown Moderator Staff Member Patreon Bronze Feb 10, 2014 4,581 1,134 113 Male CAD Technician I Upstate NY https://youtube.com/channel/UCcvu9xhE7xT-mZrXUZQJr5g #4 Anotherkellydown, Sep 8, 2021 Well @elcrazy, we definitely have similar taste in games. And we’ve gotten a lot of good ones lately too! I just finished Flaming Hell and unlocked Twinkling Cave. Great little auto runner/platformer. Tons of stats and perks to upgrade and weapons/armor to use. elcrazy likes this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #5 elcrazy, Sep 8, 2021 Last edited: Sep 8, 2021 lol we sure do !! And we sure have !! I am loving this. I finished the cave a while ago and unlocked the sea. Nice little difficulty bump there too. But I slowed down there a bit and went back to play some hard modes. Level one on hard is so much different with the little additions. Also beating it unlocked some gear. Ran some arcade on level one as well. Got about 2500 so got gear from that as well. The unlocks are so well done. I have done so much and feels like I have a ton more. Not too mention I haven’t even unlocked part of the tower to see those upgrades. This is for sure game of the week material and much like dungeons and miners possible game of the year material. They revived a dead game style (auto runner) and infused it with one of the current most popular game styles (roguelike) and their baby is beautiful lol. @Anotherkellydown Thank you for downloading this lol. I was actually coming back to the thread to plead someone does. I am going to need someone to discuss this game with lol. Edit- Actually… There may be a small bug in gear unlock. I think it’s possibly just typo. Shield and helms have the same unlock description. I think that’s wrong. I unlocked a helm by finishing with 75% health. It says staying above 75% for both helm and shield. I think helm is for finishing and shield is for staying above. Then of course each new helm and shield respectively. That or the shield don’t unlock which would be an unlock bug. Let me know if you play hard mode and what you unlock.. Also on a total side note have you played Hades on switch ? Or any other system for that matter ? If not correct that instantly. If we like the same games I guarantee you will absolutely love that game. Probably the best game I have played in the last decade or more. Can’t say enough good things about every single aspect of that game. (Sorry for mentioning that in here I just have too. Don’t let this derail thread folks lol.) Anotherkellydown likes this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #6 elcrazy, Sep 8, 2021 Last edited: Sep 9, 2021 @Anotherkellydown have you beaten the crab ? I have no clue how to beat him lol. Update lol and mins later I finally figured it out. Haven’t beaten but now at least I know how to hurt lol. Update 2. Finally beat that stupid crab lol. Anotherkellydown Moderator Staff Member Patreon Bronze Feb 10, 2014 4,581 1,134 113 Male CAD Technician I Upstate NY https://youtube.com/channel/UCcvu9xhE7xT-mZrXUZQJr5g #7 Anotherkellydown, Sep 9, 2021 Hey, @elcrazy! I’ve been super busy and now have a friend’s wedding to attend this weekend so I won’t be on here as much as normal. But I wanted to say that my favorite game of the last decade would probably go to Dead Cells, though I played 4-5 hours of Hades and love that too. I just died on the crab and was wondering the same thing, but I’d rather figure it out on my own. Glad to know it’s possible! elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #8 elcrazy, Sep 9, 2021 Lol. It is possible although not too easy. love dead cells as well. I also liked rogue legacy. Have to get back to Dead Cells. Think the difficulty was starting to get too me. Never was able to finish it. Hades just something about it. That game I finished multiple times and on crazy heat levels with every weapon. I just did everything that game had to offer. Couldn’t stop. Enjoy the wedding and your time off. All the best. Anotherkellydown likes this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #9 elcrazy, Sep 9, 2021 And would someone else please start playing this awesome game lol. aussiepaul and Anotherkellydown like this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #10 elcrazy, Sep 10, 2021 Maybe when this wins game of the week others will pick it up ! elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #11 elcrazy, Sep 11, 2021 It did get game of the week !! So well deserved. This game is awesome. Absolutely love it. So addictive. So much replay value. Every run feels like an accomplishment. So happy this one game of the week. Hopefully others jump on board now. Back to back incredible game of the week !! metalcasket Moderator Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold Patreon Bronze May 24, 2010 11,065 1,342 113 Deepest Circle, Hel #12 metalcasket, Sep 11, 2021 Still VERY much getting settled in, but just had to drop by and say that everyone should read this and the GotW post multiple times and go download Blon. As you were. elcrazy likes this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #13 elcrazy, Sep 11, 2021 Finally someone else in here lol. You’re not allowed to go away again @metalcasket lol. Ya this game is so good. I have said it over and over. So happy this got game of the week. Now it will hopefully get some attention. Asp Well-Known Member Aug 3, 2017 769 196 43 #14 Asp, Sep 11, 2021 Ok, I’m rubbish at anything that involves jumping but will try Blon this afternoon in view of the (el)crazy enthusiasm here elcrazy likes this. Echoseven Moderator Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold Patreon Bronze Jul 19, 2011 6,091 270 83 The red Skittle #15 Echoseven, Sep 11, 2021 Sooo to provide a counterpoint, I really don’t see what the fuss is about. I’ll preface by saying that I only played the free version, so maybe there is more to it later, but the first few levels have done nothing to sell me on the rest of it. The gameplay feels slow and vaguely clunky. The upgrade system seems like it’s there for the sake of being there. Upgrading crit rate 1% at a time just doesn’t feel impactful, for example. And I just don’t enjoy replaying the same level over and over to incrementally improve the base damage enough to trivialise the final encounter. Honestly this is the first time that I’ve bounced off a game this hard that other people seem to like and I’m incredibly curious to understand why. So please, tell me why I’m wrong! aussiepaul likes this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #16 elcrazy, Sep 11, 2021 Well too each their own. I personally love it and I don’t like runners. To me it didn’t feel clunky or slow at all. In fact just the opposite. I find the levels fun and engaging. Everyone is different and adds new elements. Then difficulties add further elements. I like the different bosses and everything about gameplay. The upgrades do however add a lot. It may look like they don’t but they certainly do. Don’t be put off by small percentages. They do work. Plus you can do a lot of upgrades per turn if you replay levels instead of going home. Leaves will accumulate while doing that. This way you can get more upgrades and lose less. Not sure how far you are or how much of the upgrade screen you have opened but there are some really good ones hidden under there. As for beating a boss after multiple upgrades or replays that’s what roguelikes are. But this one I don’t find like that. On normal have beaten most levels on first try. The other difficulties and arcade are more challenging. Sorry you’re not enjoying it. I find that with many game actually that people are all over and I don’t see it. But that’s why the App Store is awesome. So much there for everyone. Plus this play model is great. No adds no currency. The full game just adds two difficulties. But they are awesome. And they let you get Equipment like swords, shields and helms and unlock some extra characters. metalcasket Moderator Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold Patreon Bronze May 24, 2010 11,065 1,342 113 Deepest Circle, Hel #17 metalcasket, Sep 11, 2021 While I don’t agree that this is slow and clunky, I won’t argue that it’s not necessarily going to be everyone’s cup of tea. The thing is, to me, the gameplay’s on par with any good endless runner, and is even much more varied than most, but the selling point is the upgrade system, even if you don’t care for it. Endless runners get boring fast, but I feel like this just doesn’t, because you’re constantly, constantly gaining something beyond a high score. No matter how I try to downplay the actual gameplay aspect, it’s an evolution of a tried and true formula, and is feature packed beyond any games of its ilk on the App Store (and elsewhere). decript and elcrazy like this. elcrazy Well-Known Member Sep 19, 2017 707 562 93 #18 elcrazy, Sep 11, 2021 Exactly my thoughts. I was done with runners and I’m bored with all of them. For the most part they always just start at the beginning. Most progression was usually for coins to buy upgrades that would change game play a bit. Double jumps or different guns. But most were/are purely for high scores. Again I loved many back in the day. But it was a dead genre for me. This the gameplay for me does feel a bit better. I like the style of the running. I love that it’s not only level based and has 7 of them. But each level has 3 difficulties. Each adding new gameplay elements to the level. Not just harder jumps. Then each level adds an endless arcade mode as well. 3 bosses per level that all vary in style and difficulty. As far as the upgrade tree I personally love it. I have felt it not only rewarding but feel as it’s done sooo well. There is so much to unlock. I do feel a difference in gameplay after almost all upgrades. It has that one more play element but even more rewarding because I will enhance my character again. I love the roguelike (deadcells) aspect added to a runner. Much like with dungeons and miners. But this has even more replay value. There is just so much to unlock and do. I have also gotten 4 characters and they are all different and have passive abilities. Then there is gear that will add more to your character. I get it won’t be for everyone. It’s a runner at the end of the day. But like @metalcasket said the evolution of a runner gameplay now mixed with roguelike has been done so well. It’s packed full of features and upgrades. Best runner I have played in years. Possibly ever. Runner fans will love this. So will roguelike fans. Can be for ”hardcore” players or relaxed. Perfect mobile game in my opinion. Echoseven Moderator Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold Patreon Bronze Jul 19, 2011 6,091 270 83 The red Skittle #19 Echoseven, Sep 11, 2021 Interesting. Thanks for your thoughts, @metalcasket, @elcrazy. I’ve been thinking about this a lot and have coalesced my thoughts a little more. First up, this is a good game. I’m not trying to say it’s not, because I can tell that it is good. It just makes me all the more curious to understand my feelings on it. My point of reference for this and (IMO) the golden standard for endless runners in general is Jetpack Joyride. Before they ruined it, of course. When that game came out, I was literally the second person in the world to max out on levels, unlock all the badges and prestige. I played it non-stop for days, in direct competition with the guy that beat me to it. Despite the competition aspect, I still think wistfully about Jetpack Joyride sometimes. I’ve been meaning to check out the Arcade version to see if they ‘fixed’ the fuel system… But regardless. I said Blon vaguely clunky, and that was the wrong way to describe it. It feels more… telegraphed. In the levels I played, there are no surprises. The leaves are showing you the optimum path. If up ahead I see the leaves go up and down, I know that I’ll have to jump there, even before the lightning strike that sets the ground on fire. I didn’t feel like I was playing a skill based game, but instead following a racing line which turns reactive gameplay into a series of tap-at-this-moment quick-time events. I will concede that this might get better in hard mode and later stages. But I would’ve loved to experience at least one hard mode level as part of the free portion. Then the “roguelite” upgrade system. Many endless runners let you spend coins to upgrade powerups or improve the value of currency pickups. I don’t feel this is new to endless runners at all. What it does that’s interesting and unique is the gated progression system (how some upgrades are locked behind others). But again, it feels like it’s only there for the sake of being there. Here’s my last few runs after I put down the game: I make it through the Hell level, all the way to the final boss, taking no damage and picking up 98%+ of the leaves so far. I miss two or three shots, then fail the encounter because the time runs out. Back at base, I upgrade base shot damage and crit chance a few times, then go back to the Hell level. Once again, I make my way to the final boss, taking no damage and picking up 98%+ of the leaves. This time my shots hit harder, so I only miss one shot but still the time runs out before the final one connects. Again, back at base I upgrade and jump back into the level… etc. My point is that at this time I failed the level twice not because I wasn’t good enough (arguably) but because of what feels like an arbitrary restriction on the amount of damage I can put out. Why are the boss fights timed? It feels like a video game mechanic for the sake of being video-game-y. I’m starting to rant a little, but that’s kinda how I feel about the game. It left me vaguely unsatisfied and frustrated. And again, that’s not to say it’s a bad game. I’m really happy that you guys like it, I’m just trying to understand why I don’t. Anotherkellydown and aussiepaul like this. metalcasket Moderator Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold Patreon Bronze May 24, 2010 11,065 1,342 113 Deepest Circle, Hel #20 metalcasket, Sep 12, 2021 Do you play Dead Cells? I ask because I can't possibly imagine you playing that if you're having these issues with the progression system. You know Dead Cells' moto? "Kill. Die. Learn. Repeat."? Basically applies here, including killing. Of course when they say "Learn" it's not so much skill level, as it is unlocking, progression, etc. Also, notice: "Progression". That's what unlocking and upgrading skills feels like in Blon. In other runners, unlocking and upgrading power-ups, usually tied to IAP currencies, feels like cheating. Canabalt didn't have them...ugh, I can't even think of premium runners anymore...but my point is, even though there's an in-game currency in Blon, it feels you're actually playing a game, rather than trying to cheat it. Dude, you know how I will defend something I'm passionate about, and you know I don't have time for this right now. Bugger off and stop playing roguelikes. They're not for you! elcrazy likes this. (You must log in or sign up to post here.) Show Ignored Content Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next > Share This Page Tweet Your name or email address: Do you already have an account? No, create an account now. Yes, my password is: Forgot your password? Stay logged in
Been having a blast with this since last night. It’s an auto runner mixed with roguelike and bosses. Like a good old school runner mixed with roguelike deadcells or the newer dungeonsand miners. I have not liked an auto runner in years. This I am loving so far. I’ll see how long it lasts lol.
This game is really good. I wouldn’t sleep on this. Free version is pretty full and no adds. Only in app is full version. Gives you two extra difficulties. Which both change the way each level will be played. The roguelike is well done. Loving the unlocks. Always something new too buy. Can do longer runs by just continuing and making your lead pool larger or just do one run at a time. But any unused leaves will lost (till you upgrade something). For sure worth a download and try. This brings me back to the days of runners. Such a well done mashup of runner meets roguelike.
Well @elcrazy, we definitely have similar taste in games. And we’ve gotten a lot of good ones lately too! I just finished Flaming Hell and unlocked Twinkling Cave. Great little auto runner/platformer. Tons of stats and perks to upgrade and weapons/armor to use.
lol we sure do !! And we sure have !! I am loving this. I finished the cave a while ago and unlocked the sea. Nice little difficulty bump there too. But I slowed down there a bit and went back to play some hard modes. Level one on hard is so much different with the little additions. Also beating it unlocked some gear. Ran some arcade on level one as well. Got about 2500 so got gear from that as well. The unlocks are so well done. I have done so much and feels like I have a ton more. Not too mention I haven’t even unlocked part of the tower to see those upgrades. This is for sure game of the week material and much like dungeons and miners possible game of the year material. They revived a dead game style (auto runner) and infused it with one of the current most popular game styles (roguelike) and their baby is beautiful lol. @Anotherkellydown Thank you for downloading this lol. I was actually coming back to the thread to plead someone does. I am going to need someone to discuss this game with lol. Edit- Actually… There may be a small bug in gear unlock. I think it’s possibly just typo. Shield and helms have the same unlock description. I think that’s wrong. I unlocked a helm by finishing with 75% health. It says staying above 75% for both helm and shield. I think helm is for finishing and shield is for staying above. Then of course each new helm and shield respectively. That or the shield don’t unlock which would be an unlock bug. Let me know if you play hard mode and what you unlock.. Also on a total side note have you played Hades on switch ? Or any other system for that matter ? If not correct that instantly. If we like the same games I guarantee you will absolutely love that game. Probably the best game I have played in the last decade or more. Can’t say enough good things about every single aspect of that game. (Sorry for mentioning that in here I just have too. Don’t let this derail thread folks lol.)
@Anotherkellydown have you beaten the crab ? I have no clue how to beat him lol. Update lol and mins later I finally figured it out. Haven’t beaten but now at least I know how to hurt lol. Update 2. Finally beat that stupid crab lol.
Hey, @elcrazy! I’ve been super busy and now have a friend’s wedding to attend this weekend so I won’t be on here as much as normal. But I wanted to say that my favorite game of the last decade would probably go to Dead Cells, though I played 4-5 hours of Hades and love that too. I just died on the crab and was wondering the same thing, but I’d rather figure it out on my own. Glad to know it’s possible!
Lol. It is possible although not too easy. love dead cells as well. I also liked rogue legacy. Have to get back to Dead Cells. Think the difficulty was starting to get too me. Never was able to finish it. Hades just something about it. That game I finished multiple times and on crazy heat levels with every weapon. I just did everything that game had to offer. Couldn’t stop. Enjoy the wedding and your time off. All the best.
It did get game of the week !! So well deserved. This game is awesome. Absolutely love it. So addictive. So much replay value. Every run feels like an accomplishment. So happy this one game of the week. Hopefully others jump on board now. Back to back incredible game of the week !!
Still VERY much getting settled in, but just had to drop by and say that everyone should read this and the GotW post multiple times and go download Blon. As you were.
Finally someone else in here lol. You’re not allowed to go away again @metalcasket lol. Ya this game is so good. I have said it over and over. So happy this got game of the week. Now it will hopefully get some attention.
Ok, I’m rubbish at anything that involves jumping but will try Blon this afternoon in view of the (el)crazy enthusiasm here
Sooo to provide a counterpoint, I really don’t see what the fuss is about. I’ll preface by saying that I only played the free version, so maybe there is more to it later, but the first few levels have done nothing to sell me on the rest of it. The gameplay feels slow and vaguely clunky. The upgrade system seems like it’s there for the sake of being there. Upgrading crit rate 1% at a time just doesn’t feel impactful, for example. And I just don’t enjoy replaying the same level over and over to incrementally improve the base damage enough to trivialise the final encounter. Honestly this is the first time that I’ve bounced off a game this hard that other people seem to like and I’m incredibly curious to understand why. So please, tell me why I’m wrong!
Well too each their own. I personally love it and I don’t like runners. To me it didn’t feel clunky or slow at all. In fact just the opposite. I find the levels fun and engaging. Everyone is different and adds new elements. Then difficulties add further elements. I like the different bosses and everything about gameplay. The upgrades do however add a lot. It may look like they don’t but they certainly do. Don’t be put off by small percentages. They do work. Plus you can do a lot of upgrades per turn if you replay levels instead of going home. Leaves will accumulate while doing that. This way you can get more upgrades and lose less. Not sure how far you are or how much of the upgrade screen you have opened but there are some really good ones hidden under there. As for beating a boss after multiple upgrades or replays that’s what roguelikes are. But this one I don’t find like that. On normal have beaten most levels on first try. The other difficulties and arcade are more challenging. Sorry you’re not enjoying it. I find that with many game actually that people are all over and I don’t see it. But that’s why the App Store is awesome. So much there for everyone. Plus this play model is great. No adds no currency. The full game just adds two difficulties. But they are awesome. And they let you get Equipment like swords, shields and helms and unlock some extra characters.
While I don’t agree that this is slow and clunky, I won’t argue that it’s not necessarily going to be everyone’s cup of tea. The thing is, to me, the gameplay’s on par with any good endless runner, and is even much more varied than most, but the selling point is the upgrade system, even if you don’t care for it. Endless runners get boring fast, but I feel like this just doesn’t, because you’re constantly, constantly gaining something beyond a high score. No matter how I try to downplay the actual gameplay aspect, it’s an evolution of a tried and true formula, and is feature packed beyond any games of its ilk on the App Store (and elsewhere).
Exactly my thoughts. I was done with runners and I’m bored with all of them. For the most part they always just start at the beginning. Most progression was usually for coins to buy upgrades that would change game play a bit. Double jumps or different guns. But most were/are purely for high scores. Again I loved many back in the day. But it was a dead genre for me. This the gameplay for me does feel a bit better. I like the style of the running. I love that it’s not only level based and has 7 of them. But each level has 3 difficulties. Each adding new gameplay elements to the level. Not just harder jumps. Then each level adds an endless arcade mode as well. 3 bosses per level that all vary in style and difficulty. As far as the upgrade tree I personally love it. I have felt it not only rewarding but feel as it’s done sooo well. There is so much to unlock. I do feel a difference in gameplay after almost all upgrades. It has that one more play element but even more rewarding because I will enhance my character again. I love the roguelike (deadcells) aspect added to a runner. Much like with dungeons and miners. But this has even more replay value. There is just so much to unlock and do. I have also gotten 4 characters and they are all different and have passive abilities. Then there is gear that will add more to your character. I get it won’t be for everyone. It’s a runner at the end of the day. But like @metalcasket said the evolution of a runner gameplay now mixed with roguelike has been done so well. It’s packed full of features and upgrades. Best runner I have played in years. Possibly ever. Runner fans will love this. So will roguelike fans. Can be for ”hardcore” players or relaxed. Perfect mobile game in my opinion.
Interesting. Thanks for your thoughts, @metalcasket, @elcrazy. I’ve been thinking about this a lot and have coalesced my thoughts a little more. First up, this is a good game. I’m not trying to say it’s not, because I can tell that it is good. It just makes me all the more curious to understand my feelings on it. My point of reference for this and (IMO) the golden standard for endless runners in general is Jetpack Joyride. Before they ruined it, of course. When that game came out, I was literally the second person in the world to max out on levels, unlock all the badges and prestige. I played it non-stop for days, in direct competition with the guy that beat me to it. Despite the competition aspect, I still think wistfully about Jetpack Joyride sometimes. I’ve been meaning to check out the Arcade version to see if they ‘fixed’ the fuel system… But regardless. I said Blon vaguely clunky, and that was the wrong way to describe it. It feels more… telegraphed. In the levels I played, there are no surprises. The leaves are showing you the optimum path. If up ahead I see the leaves go up and down, I know that I’ll have to jump there, even before the lightning strike that sets the ground on fire. I didn’t feel like I was playing a skill based game, but instead following a racing line which turns reactive gameplay into a series of tap-at-this-moment quick-time events. I will concede that this might get better in hard mode and later stages. But I would’ve loved to experience at least one hard mode level as part of the free portion. Then the “roguelite” upgrade system. Many endless runners let you spend coins to upgrade powerups or improve the value of currency pickups. I don’t feel this is new to endless runners at all. What it does that’s interesting and unique is the gated progression system (how some upgrades are locked behind others). But again, it feels like it’s only there for the sake of being there. Here’s my last few runs after I put down the game: I make it through the Hell level, all the way to the final boss, taking no damage and picking up 98%+ of the leaves so far. I miss two or three shots, then fail the encounter because the time runs out. Back at base, I upgrade base shot damage and crit chance a few times, then go back to the Hell level. Once again, I make my way to the final boss, taking no damage and picking up 98%+ of the leaves. This time my shots hit harder, so I only miss one shot but still the time runs out before the final one connects. Again, back at base I upgrade and jump back into the level… etc. My point is that at this time I failed the level twice not because I wasn’t good enough (arguably) but because of what feels like an arbitrary restriction on the amount of damage I can put out. Why are the boss fights timed? It feels like a video game mechanic for the sake of being video-game-y. I’m starting to rant a little, but that’s kinda how I feel about the game. It left me vaguely unsatisfied and frustrated. And again, that’s not to say it’s a bad game. I’m really happy that you guys like it, I’m just trying to understand why I don’t.
Do you play Dead Cells? I ask because I can't possibly imagine you playing that if you're having these issues with the progression system. You know Dead Cells' moto? "Kill. Die. Learn. Repeat."? Basically applies here, including killing. Of course when they say "Learn" it's not so much skill level, as it is unlocking, progression, etc. Also, notice: "Progression". That's what unlocking and upgrading skills feels like in Blon. In other runners, unlocking and upgrading power-ups, usually tied to IAP currencies, feels like cheating. Canabalt didn't have them...ugh, I can't even think of premium runners anymore...but my point is, even though there's an in-game currency in Blon, it feels you're actually playing a game, rather than trying to cheat it. Dude, you know how I will defend something I'm passionate about, and you know I don't have time for this right now. Bugger off and stop playing roguelikes. They're not for you!
