The Official Aldorlea Games Forum

ELEMENTS ZERO

$11.99



This game, developed by Soul Catapult, also features a 40-page guide available for purchase at $3.99:
https://secure.bmtmicro.com/cart?CID=45 ... ID=2618061

SUMMARY:

Elements Zero is an ode to the dungeon crawlers of old, with ferocity to match. Featuring 14 character classes and three gameplay modes - Standard, Survival, and Marathon - the game emphasizes replay value. From the lock-picking Rogue to the treasure-seeking Hunter and smooth-moving Dancer, every party member promises a different run than the last.

Descend into the madness of a 16-floor dungeon filled with tricks and traps.
Decode cryptic murals, solve the mystery of the warp panels, and make offerings at ancient altars at your peril. Over 100 treasures await the intrepid adventurer. The only question is, can you make it out alive?

Cave of the Infernal Dragon also features a Speed Mode to accommodate your needs. Clear time and high scores are recorded, encouraging repeated attempts to hone your skill.

This game is mouse and touch compatible.

SCREENSHOTS:













Lost in the game? Please feel free to use this thread to ask your questions!
ENJOY!

Hello there...

I downloaded the demo, and loved the game until I went into the dungeon and encountered my first fight.
I don't care for fights where I have to wait until the top line is filled up again, before I can continue to fight. And I don't always like to use the automatic fights, especially when there are a lot of enemies at the same time, as there were in the first fight, so I would mostly use the the kind of fight where I use each person seperately.

Also, it seems that the enemies are invisible, which is a definite no-no for me. And the dungeons - the first one anyway - was very dark and red. Not really fun.

I used to play Dungeon Master on the Mega Drive, and had envisioned something similar with this game. Now there is a game that's a great dungeon crawler.

Hello Valdy, thanks for trying the game.

Yes, Elements Zero uses random encounters. The other Elements games (I, II, upcoming III) do use touch encounters.
The dungeon's atmosphere was intended to be very dark and grim, and at least one other person mentioned making the floors different colors. My other work is much more colorful, but I was going for a different vibe this time around. The time progress battle system, as well, was me simply trying something different with this spin-off title. The rest of the series uses a traditional, turn-based battle system.

Thank you for your feedback.

Hi soulcatapult,

I have been playing the demo and enjoying it so much I have bought the full version. I have progressed enough in the game to reach the end of the demo but it won't let me proceed even though I downloaded the full.
Is there anything you can advise me to do about this? Should I uninstall and re-install?
MerryX

I was lucky enough to be a beta tester so have already finished the game. My total time was 19-20 hours. I prefer turn-based battles, and it took me a bit to get used to this format. After a short learning curve, I found that the time-based wasn't all that unforgiving and that I truly did have ample time to think about my next move before making it. The dark red/black theme was hard to see and I was glad to see that a cost friendly guide with all the maps is now available.

This is definitely a dungeon crawler. It reminds me of the first RPG I played so many years (decades) ago, Wizardry (Andrew Greenberg and Robert Woodhead). There are a few fetching quests, but the main quest is to advance deeper and deeper into the dungeon until you reach the final battle. It's more than a hack-n-slash, though, as the enemies do require some strategy. The monsters are definitely diverse and some are very unique with unique battle drops as well. I found this game to be a really enjoyable diversion at a reasonable price. The best part was there were no bugs, no typos, no misspellings. That said, if MerryX says there's an issue with going from the demo to the full version, then my money's on MerryX being correct. But I can certainly attest to the full game being bug free. I'd really recommend this game.

MerryX wrote:Hi soulcatapult,

I have been playing the demo and enjoying it so much I have bought the full version. I have progressed enough in the game to reach the end of the demo but it won't let me proceed even though I downloaded the full.
Is there anything you can advise me to do about this? Should I uninstall and re-install?
MerryX

It wouldn't hurt to try!

Lady JJ wrote:I was lucky enough to be a beta tester so have already finished the game. My total time was 19-20 hours. I prefer turn-based battles, and it took me a bit to get used to this format. After a short learning curve, I found that the time-based wasn't all that unforgiving and that I truly did have ample time to think about my next move before making it. The dark red/black theme was hard to see and I was glad to see that a cost friendly guide with all the maps is now available.
This is definitely a dungeon crawler. It reminds me of the first RPG I played so many years (decades) ago, Wizardry (Andrew Greenberg and Robert Woodhead). There are a few fetching quests, but the main quest is to advance deeper and deeper into the dungeon until you reach the final battle. It's more than a hack-n-slash, though, as the enemies do require some strategy. The monsters are definitely diverse and some are very unique with unique battle drops as well. I found this game to be a really enjoyable diversion at a reasonable price. The best part was there were no bugs, no typos, no misspellings. That said, if MerryX says there's an issue with going from the demo to the full version, then my money's on MerryX being correct. But I can certainly attest to the full game being bug free. I'd really recommend this game.

@Lady JJ - all solved! I uninstalled/re-installed but I think most importantly saving to a new save slot did the trick

So I'm merrily rolling along, falling through holes and generally having a blast. Like you, I'm finding the battle format different but I'm adjusting to the Auto and Time-based format. I do prefer turn-based battles as well, mainly so I feel more involved and in control of the action - when to blast and what with and when to heal, etc.
I'd agree with everything Lady JJ said, I think this is going to be a good game. I listened to the npcs about recommendations and chose the Warrior, Paladin, Shaman (very handy Detox), and the Elementalist (a bit heavy on the MP but their damaging spells are very useful). And I can see the game will have definite replay value.
MerryX

MerryX wrote:@Lady JJ - all solved! I uninstalled/re-installed but I think most importantly saving to a new save slot did the trick

So I'm merrily rolling along, falling through holes and generally having a blast. Like you, I'm finding the battle format different but I'm adjusting to the Auto and Time-based format. I do prefer turn-based battles as well, mainly so I feel more involved and in control of the action - when to blast and what with and when to heal, etc.
I'd agree with everything Lady JJ said, I think this is going to be a good game. I listened to the npcs about recommendations and chose the Warrior, Paladin, Shaman (very handy Detox), and the Elementalist (a bit heavy on the MP but their damaging spells are very useful). And I can see the game will have definite replay value.
MerryX

Very happy to hear!

soulcatapult wrote:Very happy to hear!

@soulcatapult - thanks for checking in. As you can tell, I am enjoying the game
MerryX

MerryX wrote:

soulcatapult wrote:Very happy to hear!

@soulcatapult - thanks for checking in. As you can tell, I am enjoying the game
MerryX

Wonderful.

Lady JJ wrote:I was lucky enough to be a beta tester so have already finished the game. My total time was 19-20 hours. I prefer turn-based battles, and it took me a bit to get used to this format. After a short learning curve, I found that the time-based wasn't all that unforgiving and that I truly did have ample time to think about my next move before making it. The dark red/black theme was hard to see and I was glad to see that a cost friendly guide with all the maps is now available.

This is definitely a dungeon crawler. It reminds me of the first RPG I played so many years (decades) ago, Wizardry (Andrew Greenberg and Robert Woodhead). There are a few fetching quests, but the main quest is to advance deeper and deeper into the dungeon until you reach the final battle. It's more than a hack-n-slash, though, as the enemies do require some strategy. The monsters are definitely diverse and some are very unique with unique battle drops as well. I found this game to be a really enjoyable diversion at a reasonable price. The best part was there were no bugs, no typos, no misspellings. That said, if MerryX says there's an issue with going from the demo to the full version, then my money's on MerryX being correct. But I can certainly attest to the full game being bug free. I'd really recommend this game.

Thank you again for your input and recommendation!

By the way, if anyone finishes, feel free to use this thread to share and compare your stats.

Hi soulcatapult,

Any tips or tricks to getting keys? I'm levelling up nicely - now Level 24 and about 8 hours in - but am a bit hampered by not having keys to progress further. I've found some in chests and sometimes a battle drop but I am finding random drops are not my friend so a bit of guidance - if you have it - would be great!

MerryX

MerryX wrote:Hi soulcatapult,

Any tips or tricks to getting keys? I'm levelling up nicely - now Level 24 and about 8 hours in - but am a bit hampered by not having keys to progress further. I've found some in chests and sometimes a battle drop but I am finding random drops are not my friend so a bit of guidance - if you have it - would be great!

MerryX

Have you got the Key Ring? It slightly increases the drop rate. It's found on B15, via the stairway in the bottom-right chamber of B11.

Basically, it's not feasible to unlock every single door in one run. Keys are replenished in Marathon Mode, making it easier to access all the treasure. But you don't actually need any keys to finish the game; and judging by your level, you're probably more than ready for the final boss.

I am also finding the lack of keys annoying. I don't see a stairway in the bottom right of B11 to get to the key ring. Not sure if "more frequent" keys is not going to make it worse. And I am one of those who want to get into every room.

I have started another team with elementalist, hunter, rogue, and shaman. The rogue seems to open gates in the dungeon. I hope to have more enjoyment of the game with that combination.

And I agree that the floor plan colors are bad.

rickardsh wrote:I am also finding the lack of keys annoying. I don't see a stairway in the bottom right of B11 to get to the key ring. Not sure if "more frequent" keys is not going to make it worse. And I am one of those who want to get into every room.

I have started another team with elementalist, hunter, rogue, and shaman. The rogue seems to open gates in the dungeon. I hope to have more enjoyment of the game with that combination.

And I agree that the floor plan colors are bad.

These are from my notes. The B10 stairway leading to B11 is under a boulder. You need to have the Power Ring in order to be strong enough to push it out of the way. The power ring is one of the many treasures the dragon Fafnir is blocking.

Let us know how you made out with the rogue. I've already played the game a couple of times but I didn't use the rogue. When I play it again, I'm definitely going to bring a rogue with me because I find the low drop rate of keys maddening.

I like this game but am having a hard time seeing the holes I don't want to fall through. I've tried enlarging both the game and the walkthrough but still keep falling. (I'm talking about, I think, B7 or B8--trying to get to the armor seller.) Is there a way to make the screen lighter?