I just bought "Tower of Infernal Affairs" in the app store, and I was so happy when I saw the screenshots. Isn't this the horizontal version that old players love most? When I clicked on it, I found that it was still a free one-handed operation. At that time, when we played "Demon Village" and "Castlevania", it was not so easy. The joystick was rubbed so hard that the fingers were calloused. Nowadays, these young people can experience dungeon exploration with just a few swipes. I would say it's about time.
Reminds me of the early 2000s, when computer rooms still had big monitors, and the Internet cafe owner had to give you a key to turn them on. To play "Diablo 2", you have to beg your boss to install the hard drive version, unlike now where you can buy equipment with just one click on your mobile phone. This game actually has more than 10 scene maps. Equipment can be decomposed and synthesized, and the appearance can be customized. Wow, it has the proper enthusiast-level configuration of our era. Back then, when I played "Dinosaur Fight" in an arcade, I had to put in coins and restart the game when I changed characters. It's not like now that I can customize my own skills.
The most exciting thing is that this game actually supports the 5.0 system, so those brothers who use old mobile phones can also enjoy it. Back then, I had to save up half a year's pocket money to buy a learning machine to play "Sword of Immortal". Now developers have really leveled the threshold. Speaking of the developer Changsha Tianyou Interactive Entertainment, the name is quite poetic and sounds much more literary and artistic than the "Hummer Group" and "Target Software" we had at that time.
However, I have to say that it is considerate. The novice tutorial can be operated directly with one hand, unlike some mobile games that require you to use both fingers. I remember when we played "Metal Slug" we had to use the cross keys in the left hand and the AB keys in the right hand. We only started to practice until our thumbs cramped. Nowadays, young people have figured out the core mechanics of games by watching short videos, and the generational difference is not just a matter of screen resolution.
I would say that "Tower of Infinity" is a love letter to veteran players - it retains the soul of dungeon exploration and adds a touch of modern mobile gaming. The setting of random skill combinations is amazing. Back then when we played "Maze of Ruins", we had to memorize the cheats to get a combination of skills. Now the system automatically randomizes, and every game is fresh. It would be great if it could be played online, like in "Red Fortress" when two people cooperated to blast tanks, that would be the return of Ye Qing.
But having said that, I feel quite uncomfortable seeing such a free and thoughtful side-scrolling game. Now that the mobile game market is in such a state, developers can still insist on traditional gameplay. Just like seeing someone playing Genshin Impact with a NES controller at Station B, I was moved and saddened. Let's play and cherish it as old gamers of our generation. After all, the next game that can make us sigh “I miss those days” may have to wait until the Year of the Monkey and the Horse.