Disclaimer
I was sent the Dinghai: The Ocean Pillar demo to review for my blog. I understand the game isn’t done yet, so I will be a bit more lenient with my review. That said, this will still be my honest review.
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Table of Contents
What is Dinghai: The Ocean Pillar
Dinghai: The Ocean Pillar is a beautiful action rpg-roguelike coming soon to Steam. There is a demo available you should try. Don’t forget to add this to your wishlist!
Hook
The Abyssal Dragon was once a legendary general who served in Emperor Yan’s army. The Abyssal Dragon was stripped of his title, exiled, and ultimately killed in battle. But his soul remained, waiting for the opportunity to come back. For centuries, his soul lay waiting. One day, Yi happens near this soul. Unfortunately, he is overpowered by a powerful beast that leaves him dying on the road. Fortunately for Yi, the Abyssal Dragon’s soul merges with the dying yi, merging them into something new. The Abyssal Dragon once again walks the mortal world, and he carries with him a centuries old grudge.
Use your powers to travel through the world of the Classic of Mounts and Seas to fight off powerful monsters, earn useful upgrades, and master your combos. Will the Abyssal Dragon finish his business, or will this be the game you never finish?
Gameplay
Dinghai plays like your typical ARPG like Diablo or Lost Epoc, but with roguelike mechanics and a rich lore to set it apart in the genre. The Abissal Dragon carries a bow and sword that he can chain combos with. Well timed dodges and parries help you stay alive, as well as the limited healing items players pick up along the way. What makes the game unique is the roguelike randomness that makes up most of the grind.
The journey always starts in a hub, where players can buy permanent upgrades before initiating a run. During a run, players can chose from a random selection of nodes to explore. These nodes offer players buffs, money, health, and useful items. Players earn by clearing the node which often means killing all enemies, but you can also end up at the shop. This all builds up to a boss fight that you might die a lot to (unless you’re good at games). The game has that soothing repetitive grind as you get stronger and better with each consecutive run.
Impressions
Dinghai: The Ocean Pillar is one of the most beautiful games I’ve played in a while. I am blown away by how much effort was put into making such a wonderful fantasy, and you should check out the demo to appreciate it as well. The gameplay for the most part is solid. Everything runs very smooth, but it did make my room very hot. Make sure you are well ventilated. Personally, I can’t wait for the full game because of how much I enjoyed the story and how epic the combat feels.
Aesthetic
I wasn’t ready for how beautiful this game is. There were moments in this game where I had to stop playing just to marvel at how beautiful its world is. I have always preferred the minimalist approach to games whether it is pixel art or hand drawn. Two of my favorite ARPGs are Realm of Ink and Lunarium. These games are fun with some of the most beautifully drawn worlds worth exploring. Dinghai made me realize that games can be beautiful with the right amount of textures. The lighting, the background, the creature design, and the explosive animations all come together to create this mystical world I couldn’t look away from. I don’t know anything about the lore that went into this game, but here I am, trying to research more because of how vibrant the developers made it all come together.
Gameplay
Dinghai just feels right. There were a few bugs (nothing gamebreaking) and it did get a little repetitive, but the demo left me wanting more. Combat in this game feels epic. The flashy animations, the cohesive combo system, and the unique enemy mechanics kept me at the edge of my seat. I may not be breaking any speedrun records, but I had an absolute blast trying to get through this demo. So far, the RNG feels fair and the abilities you get feel useful. I’ve played Aweful game like Foglands where it felt solvable because half the abilities didn’t do anything (also the game didn’t work). Here, my choices (even the wrong ones) felt like it had an impact. Sure I struggled through that epic boss fight, but it is a fight that felt good to finally complete. I will need to see more of this game, but for now, go check out the demo!
Conclusion
I know the game isn’t out yet, but I’ve played demos where the game was never ready. The Dinghai demo may have a few bugs, but none of them were game breaking. The demo is in a place where it will leave you wanting more. If you are looking for a game that looks good, has some fantastic fantasy, and some epic combat, you might want to check out Dinghai: The Ocean Pillar. The game isn’t out yet, so I’ll have to save my final judgement for the full release, but I am honestly ready for what comes next. Until then, check out the demo on Steam and don’t forget to Wishlist!