Fellow veterans, I am 35 years old. I have played all the way from Famicom and arcade machines to PS5 and mobile games, and I have witnessed the evolution of games from pixels to 4K image quality. Recently I discovered a mobile game called "Cloud Continent". After playing it for a week, I have a lot of emotions, so I would like to chat with you all.
To be honest, when I first saw the words "place idle RPG", I rejected it in my heart. I think back when we played "Dragon Quest" or "Final Fantasy", we had to wait until three in the morning to manually walk through the maze, level up, and upgrade equipment. There was no automatic combat at all. Now this game is pretty good, it clicks a little bit when you go online, it automatically kills monsters when you go offline, and the equipment explodes by itself. Twenty years ago, this would have been cheating! 😂
But if you think about it carefully, isn't this the progress of the times? At that time we were young and had more time and energy, but what about now? It is a luxury to be able to sit down and play games for half an hour while working and taking care of the baby. The "light hang-up" mode of "Cloud Continent" is just right for us old bones. Even if you only go online for ten minutes, harvesting vegetables, fighting in the arena, and taming baby dragons, you can still advance the plot. There is no need to wait until your scalp is numb while guarding Shabak and waiting to attack the city like you did when you played "Legend".
Let's talk about the race settings: dwarves, elves, and humans. This setting suddenly reminded me of the arcade version of “Dungeons and Dragons” on the Famicom. But at that time, we could only choose warriors and thieves. Now in this game, dwarves can make equipment, and elves can shoot arrows and gain health. The division of labor is clear. It feels like the career system of the old RPG has been simplified, but the core cooperative fun is retained. And you can really tame mounts and baby dragons. How could training cats and dogs in "Monster Hunter" be as convenient as walking a dragon in the cloud now? 🦖
The arena system is also worth mentioning. When I was playing "The King of Fighters 97", the joystick would produce sparks. Now this game automatically matches and fights, and the winner can be determined by watching an animation. Although there is less sense of operation, it saves you the frustration of being bullied by elementary school students - after all, your reactions are slower as you get older, and it is quite fun to rely on equipment and strategies to win. Moreover, it does not force you to spend money. If you play with zero yuan, you can also accumulate magic items. It is much more conscientious than those cheating "999 for one knife" web games.
The only thing that makes me feel a little regretful is that the graphics are too "American cartoon" and lack the pixelated style of the Japanese RPGs of the past. But when I think about it, who is still playing with pixels these days? The mobile phone screen is so big that if it is made into a dot matrix like "Fire Emblem", it will be hard to see clearly. The 3D modeling of this game is pretty good, and the light and shadow effects are pretty cool. When you fight a dragon, the screen explodes with particle effects, and you can see it clearly even with presbyopia. 👴
Finally, I would like to say something from the bottom of my heart: If you are like me, an old player who has played Famicom, PS1, and PC stand-alone, and now your edges have been smoothed by life, you might as well give this game a try. It won't let you regain the passion you had playing "Mega Man" all night long, but it will allow you to lie in bed before going to bed and easily become a hero guarding Yunshang Continent. No need to worry, no need to force yourself, just think of it as a lazy hug to your young self who skipped meals to pass the level. 🎮
Guys, what do you think? Do you still have time to pick up those old games that made you sleepless and forgetful now? Let's chat in the comment area!