We who are about to die is a solo developer ARPG where players will take their character from the depths of the Pits to the top of the Stadium, if they make it that far. Characters will be randomized and have one life, with all deaths being final. Throughout the game, players will acquire newer and better armor and weapons to build up the gladiator, improving defensive and offensive abilities, but will it be enough?
Understand the mechanics of We who are about to die is crucial to getting through even the earliest stages. This game is not for the faint of heart, and players will have to relearn how to fight, as this is not a traditional hack-and-slash type of game. With physics-based combat and gladiator career management, it’s a grand adventure from start to player’s glorious end. Taking these tips into consideration will help them get as far as possible without meeting an untimely death.
5/5 Do not skip the tutorial
Combat must be expertly timed in this game, with attack and defense moves perfectly coordinated. At the same time, players must watch the stamina bar to ensure that it is not completely depleted. If they deplete their stamina bar, they won’t be able to dodge or sprint away from enemies when the need arises. Swinging the weapon in a certain direction or a certain part of the body requires aiming and clicking in certain ways.
Without completing the tutorial, none of this would be understood by the player. A solid understanding of how to attack and defend is given. It will be made clear that this is not a hack-and-slash type of game and that players need to be more strategic about their movements. Flapping around wildly or randomly mashing buttons is not going to achieve success and will eventually end up resulting in an early death.
4/5 Get endurance training early
The players must train early in the match. They must participate in as many training sessions as possible to increase critical skills and attributes. A great way to increase endurance quickly is to make it the main focus of these training sessions. Their primary weapon is equally important and should be set as a secondary focus.
Once that is done, they should switch their main focus to movement. At this point, their secondary focus will depend on whether they are shield users. Those that are should set it to shielding, while those that aren’t should set it to dashing. After upgrading these skills, players can continue to upgrade the skills of their choice, or they can return to the arena with their improved stats. Players should note that it will have a negative effect on their stamina going into the next match after a training session. However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives when it comes to boosting stats and skills.
3/5 Keep an eye out for gold and fame before matches
Gold has many good uses and it is essential that players have enough at the start of each match or they may not make it through. It can be used to purchase upgrades, repair items, or heal the player’s character. Without enough gold, there is a chance that players can go into a fight without healing all the way through, which can lead to the death of their gladiator.
Fame is also critically important because it can be used to gain extra slots in your inventory and reveal fights before entering a match. Fame can be used to get more gold in the same way that gold can be used to get more fame, depending on the players needs at the time.
2/5 Choose Upgrades Wisely
Various upgrades are available and they don’t come cheap, so players need to be wise where they invest their gold. Players can purchase an upgrade called Heirloom, which will allow them to send an item of their choice to their next character should their current character die. This will get them off to a decent start if they have a high quality weapon they want to keep from character to character.
The Entourage upgrade is extremely expensive, but well worth the investment. When the Entourage event is active, the upgrade will allow the player to bring two allies into battle, giving them an upper hand towards potential victory.
1/5 Make smart battle choices
Players shouldn’t just enter combat by swinging their swords left and right. They should carefully approach the enemy, take a couple of turns and go back. This will help maintain their stamina and give them the opportunity to assess the situation. They must never let their stamina drain completely because they may need to stop fighting and run away at some point. This is especially true if their weapon breaks.
Both weapons and shields can break in-game, but luckily most of the time replacements are available lying around the ground. Players must run quickly to pick them up to continue fighting before their opponents take advantage of the situation. If circumstances arise where the player is overwhelmed, there is nothing wrong with backing off or running away to gain some space to regroup. Pulling the opponent to the teammate who handles things better is a plausible solution.
We who are about to die is available now on Steam via Early Access.
