Silent Hope is a new action-RPG from the creators of the Rune Factory series that recently released on both Nintendo Switch and Steam, with the game already receiving high praise from people all over the internet, both from first timers and Rune Factory fans alike.
Silent Hope was released worldwide on October 3rd on Nintendo Switch and Steam. The game was developed by Marvelous Inc. and published by XSEED games. The game’s story sets place in the same world as Rune Factory, the story of the game acting as a fable being told in the world of Rune Factory.
The initial idea for the game was to expand the world of Rune Factory, but the developers saw no reason to make another game like Rune Factory. Because of this, they decided to focus more on the gameplay during development, and it was shaped into its own thing.
The game tells the story of a kingdom whose words were stolen by the King. Seven silent heroes must explore the Abyss where the king resides, with the help of the princess to guide them.
The gameplay consists of action-RPG combat with a roguelike framing, meaning you go back to the start when you get a game over and slowly get stronger overtime as you play the game. The game offers seven different heroes to play as, all with unique abilities and fighting styles.
You start in the Base Camp, in which you can produce materials to craft equipment for your heroes and cook meals to give various buffs while exploring the Abyss. The Abyss consists of multiple floors to explore, with enemies to defeat and bountiful treasure to open as you explore deeper down.
In my opinion, Silent Hope is a really enjoyable game. The story of the game is nothing too in-depth or compelling, but for what it is, the story is quite interesting and keeps you hooked from how it paces itself and slowly feeds you more background information as you explore.
Although, the developers weren’t kidding around when they said they focused more on the gameplay. The exploration of the Abyss is incredibly fun. Movement and fighting feel great to control, and all seven of the heroes you can chose from are all so different from each other, while still all of them managing to be super fun to play as in their own ways.
One of the things I love about the game is the large number of things to do. There are many floors of the Abyss to explore, as well as extra difficultly modes that offer quite the challenge, but they incentivize it by giving you plentiful rewards for conquering the feat.
Additionally, I feel like the game never gets too stale and is always able to keep me entertained. The layout of the floors is made up of templates that are randomly mixed up and merged together every time you enter them, so even if you’re going back to old floors to gain experience or materials, the game stays fresh and fun.
While we’re on the topic of materials, the Base Camp has you crafting equipment and dishes from the various monster drops and obtainable items scattered throughout the map, so exploring the individual floors is highly recommended compared to rushing to the exit and not getting anything. It’s a really great way of keeping players engaged and more indulged in these worlds hiding within the Abyss.
Overall, Silent Hope offers a unique twist to the roguelike formula for an enjoyable experience with an intriguing story, along with great amounts of replay ability. I highly recommend this game to those who find themselves enjoying action-RPGs, whether you’re previously a fan of Rune Factory or not.
