Terraria Review

Released in May of 2011, Terraria is a 2D sandbox game focusing on dungeoneering and adventuring. Though first released for Microsoft Windows, Terraria has made a transition to nearly every console and still releases new updates, continuing to expand gameplay. This does not include the handful of mods readily available that add almost a whole game’s worth of content and more character builds to develop further how you play the game, both individually and cooperatively.

This side-scroller is presented in a 16-bit style skin that makes it feel unshakably nostalgic and endearing, while the gameplay itself will hook you with its ease and your curiosity to find out what is just a little further. Each world created is procedurally generated in either a small, medium or large world, featuring a range of biomes from forest to beaches to one of two tainted biomes, Corruption or Crimson. The player is dropped in the middle of the world to begin exploring, building, and mining for ores and equipment.

With the option to choose from an array of difficulties and a variety of fighting mechanics, like melee, ranged, magic, and summoning creatures to fight for you, it gives the players a wide range of play styles for diverse and repeated gameplay. Interacting with NPCs and trial and error is the best way to discover how to proceed with the game, as nearly nothing is laid out for you to find on your own.

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While there are boss monsters, there is no pressure to beat them quickly, or even at all, but progressing the game in this way does unlock better gear for your character. These early game diversions, however, do not represent the intense gameplay that emerges in the mid- to late-game. Once the player has defeated the Wall of Flesh, hardmode is enabled, increasing the defense and damage capabilities of all enemies encountered.

This mid-game gives way to the end game that culminates in fighting the Moon Lord, a comically chaotic and challenging final boss that will leave you cursing in frustration if you are not prepared. Despite bosting a grand total of 29 bosses across the whole of the game, nearly 20 different biomes to explore, and 25 available NPCs to encounter, this still does not seem to scratch the surface of everything that this game has to offer.

If playing by yourself is not your style, Terraria offers the capabilities to allow for multiplayer through either Host-and-Play or dedicated servers, creating a multiplayer experience. Not only do they add the capacity for standard gameplay, but they offer a few multiplayer perks, like PvP and Capture the Gem, a digital version of capture the flag ( CTF ). This can create insanely chaotic boss fights and more enjoyable dungeoneering ventures into the underground.

If all of this still is not enough for you, delving into the expansive mods that have been created for Terraria in the last 8 and a half years. They have mods out there to increase armor, weapons, and craftables, creating new fighting styles (think D&D classes like bard and monk), and new bosses to fight.

video credit to Craig, better known as Python

Terraria says that it’ll offer an extensive adventuring 2D experience and it does. There are more than enough activities to keep you busy — I have a vast greenhouse filled with every different kind of plant harvestable in the game and am known as my party’s potion maker. This in itself will keep you from realizing you are missing the core gameplay until you stumble across it on accident. Terraria does not spoon feed you either, you have to interact with NPCs and investigate and sometimes, just get lucky. I recommend using guides as little as possible to get the full experience of Terraria.

This game has been rated across the board with a nearly consistent 80% rating and for a good reason. It drags you in, wanting you to explore it all and find all of the secrets hidden in it. There is nearly no story, but it takes all the parts of different games that inexplicably draws you in and presents it masterfully for almost any skill level — from fledgling gamer to professional. Do not let the marketing fool you, you can enjoy this game at any age level.