Sorbetta: Gravely in Debt Reviews

so I'd give this game a 7/10 as far as short games go. That is mostly for how much emotion you put into the character dialogue and how it feels like people actually talking. For combat it was ok, but it went from "Damn why is the forest monsters taking so long to kill, to "man did that monster just die in one hit?" at the last level. As for uniqueness most rpg maker games set their tone so serious it makes the games feel all the same so it was a big refresher to how the game felt. The game would of benefited greatly if it wasn't propped up with the base rpg maker look. Over all it was a decent game. Not amazing but I enjoyed the time that I put into it.

Sorbetta is a short quirky RPGMaker game that has pros and cons. To me the pros outweigh the cons so I would recommend it. Pros: -Quirky, funny story. That could be a con to some, so make sure you know that you are getting a game that is not meant to be taken too seriously. -Stable. I had no crash bugs at all. -Pretty good balancing. Too many RPGMaker games have poor to non-extant balancing which requires you to read the devs mind, and this game avoids that problem for the most part. -There is a guide made by the dev themselves if you get stuck. Cons: -Maybe too short for some. -You will be forced to stop and grind for money at some point to get the needed cash for the main quest. Overall it is a good first entry by a new dev, and hopefully we'll see more games from them in the future!

For disclosure's sake, I'm a friend of the dev, who's done some work for them. A short and simple RPG Maker game (which doesn't actually contain adult content aside from some comedic book excerpts, despite the tag). PROS: - Easy to get 100% achievements, with a free guide also available - Writing is its strong point, has some cute and funny moments - Hilarious game development backstory, created during a series of Twich streams on a challenge - Good for casual play. Doesn't require any significant grinding or farming. CONS: - Mostly default assets. A lot of non-default assets tend to be lacking. - Relies a lot on community in-jokes and references - Created during a series of Twitch streams. Stream chat had [i]a lot[/i] of input. - Too simple to have really fulfilling gameplay if you're looking for something with more meat to it.

The intent behind this game was to create a quick, lighthearted, entertaining, and well-written game using mostly default RPG Maker assets. I think it largely succeeded in that goal, which is why I recommend it. The pros are many: -Writing The developer is a talented author, and the writing really shines as the main draw. The story is linear without being dull. There are enough surprises and variations of the general RPG theme to keep the story refreshing and always full of surprises. I found myself looking forward to what the dev would do with each quest, knowing that it would contain something worthwhile.  -Laugh out loud humor Consisting largely of puns, clever innuendo, and general goofiness, I considered the humor quite well done, and worth a few laughs out loud. Certainly subjective, and not for everyone, but such is always the case with humor.  -Immense flavor Each character has personality which comes through in their actions and the dialog. Every item has (sometimes hilarious) flavor text, all worth reading. Objects in the environment provide tidbits of humor when interacted with. Every attack is unique, more than just basic attacks, fire, thunder, etc. This all comes together to provide a depth that makes it rewarding to explore every corner. So if we accept this for what it is, an RPG Maker game done well, I think it is certainly worthwhile. If you don't like RPG maker games, its not for you. If you don't like puns or innuendo, its not for you either. There are a few potential cons as well even after we acknowledge its RPG Maker heritage: -Battles and balancing There are no levels, no equipment to purchase. The only way to advance is via found equipment, either from treasures, story, or enemy drops. Given this fact, one would think balancing would be a breeze. And yet I found battles to be just about jamming the space bar. Early on, even without finding secret armor or any special equipment, enemies were doing 0 damage to me. I was able to one-shot bosses. The final battle is an exception, and appears to have a reasonable balance, but overall, the battle system required no tactics aside from healing when weak.  -Length: don't mind this. . . in fact it is a pro for me, but the game itself is probable 1-2 hours, even if you need to play through twice for all achievements. Worth considering if you are looking for a high hour to $ ratio.   I would strongly suggest this game to anyone who wants to see the potential of RPG Maker, without forcing 100 plugins, custom art, or 100 hour length. It is totally possible to complete an entertaining and wildly creative story using just the basics, and this game is a great lesson in how to do that. 

[h1]At a Glance[/h1] [table] [tr] [td](Adult) Content[/td] [td]No.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Censorship[/td] [td]Not applicable.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Hours of Gameplay[/td] [td]Two hours.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Modding Support?[/td] [td]No.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Patch Required?[/td] [td]Not applicable.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [b]Sorbetta: Gravely in Debt[/b] is an RPG about a lady who needs to pay her debts, through bartending and necromancy. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] This game can be summed up with one word, "RPGMaker". You follow a story and explore the world, fighting enemies and defeating bosses. Combat is turned based. You attack, guard, and use skills and items. However, this title doesn't use a standard "experience or "level" progression system. Instead, progression is based on gear. You stats will never budge until you find better gear. Most gear is only found via story events, though some enemies will drop items that can permanently buff the main character. One of the goals of the game is to accumulate one-hundred-thousand gold pieces. Enemies drop gold, and they often drop [i]useless[/i] items, which can be sold for extra income. This is cool concept, but during my playthrough I didn't need to sell a single item to reach the financial goal. Later in the story, the protagonist opens a bar. To gain money and patrons, you must find (hidden) drink recipes throughout the map. Once the bar is open, you will passively gain (quite a bit of) money. [h1]Story[/h1] This tale starts in Shawping, Marketta. Sorbetta closed her shop due to a crippling gambling addiction, and she took out some [i]questionable loans[/i]. After attending a "Gamblers' Anonymous" meeting, she is approached by her cousin, Sherbertta. She demands payment for a loan she provided to Sorbetta, otherwise she'll break her limbs. Sorbetta, unable to pay back Sherbertta offers to find (and return) a rumored treasure, [i]provided she doesn't break her limbs.[/i] She agrees, expecting [i]four[/i] treasures and the original payment, with a one-thousand percent interest. [i]Ouch. Sounds like my first year of college.[/i] Sorbetta needs to earn gold while she searches for treasures. Using her knowledge of necromancy, she raises the dead. . . to work in her store. The (un)dead were just as disappointed. As her undead staff earn money, she speaks to a sentient piano in her shop's basement. As it turns out, this piano knows where to find the treasures Sorbetta needs (and serves as the main quest giver). He's a mimic, but he's the friendly sort. There was little character development, so I wasn't invested into anyone in the story. [h1]Visuals[/h1] The game screams "RPGMaker" from the start. However, this game enjoys a wider variety of settings than most RPGMaker titles. The in-game menu is more fleshed out than most, but it's not remarkable. I wasn't impressed by the visuals. What I saw were (sloppily) graffitied and recolored portraits. There wasn't much original sprite work, and the battle screens seemed empty and enemies generic ([i]and[/i] badly "animated".) [b]- The Goods -[/b] You can expect some "silly" (and very mild) sexual humor. Actually, I found the (childish) humor to be somewhat funny, but there isn't much humor in this game. I found the vast majority of the jokes (and references) to be poorly executed, and [i]not funny[/i]. But I definitely laughed a few times, for what it's worth. There's no meaningful "adult" content. [h1]Verdict[/h1] This game has a handful of [i]good ideas[/i], just [i]poorly executed[/i]. Though a lot of the humor didn't appeal to me, I'm sure that it'll appeal to others. The game is very easy, and lighthearted. It wasn't [i]bad[/i], just (very) mediocre. I'd wait for a strong sale before purchasing this game. [h1]Support the Wombat[/h1] If you enjoy my review(s), please follow my Curator page. I live and die on your thumbs (up) and follows. https://store.steampowered.com/curator/36272124-Wombat-Trap/