LitRPG Podcast 208 - No Mistakes, Disgardium Book #3, 7 Days Later, Press Start: System Discovered
LitRPG Podcast 208 - No Mistakes, Disgardium Book #3, 7 Days Later, Press Start: System Discovered
Jan. 10th, 2020
Hello everyone, welcome to episode 208 of the LitRPG podcast.
I’m Ramon Mejia. I’m here to bring you the latest LitRPG news, reviews, and author interviews. We have 5 new reviews just for you.
New Releases and Reviews:
No Mistakes (World of the Changed Book #1): LitRPG Series (10:28)
Brutal apocalypse LitRPG with interesting game system
The Destroying Plague (Disgardium Book #3): LitRPG Series (16:18)
A nice return to the villain role
Score: 7.7 out of 10
7 Days Later: A Post Apocalyptic Gamelit Survival Horror (18:54)
Fans of 7 Days to Die may like this more than me
Score: 6 out of 10
Press Start: System Discovered! Book 1 (27:24)
Has issues, but develops well enough
Score: 7.1 out of 10
Ian’s (Eye-Ann) Picks of the Week (37:32)
(Pic 0)
New Segment from Ian Mitchell a long time LitRPG community member who reads and reviews as much as me. He was nice enough to agree to join the LitRPG Podcast family as a new reviewer.
How to Be an Adventurer: World of Gimmok
A lot of humor
Score: 7.0 out of 10
(Play Music 2)
LitRPG News
Just a reminder from Jeffrey Falcon Logue that the deadline for submissions to the Dungeon Anthology part 2 is coming up!
Due date for writings: January 24, 2020
Openings: 10
Writing types accepted: 1 shots, chapter, short story.
Word count: 2000 - 20,000.
-This can talked about if you have a story that doesn't mean criteria but is well written.
Email to: dungeonanthology@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Dungeonstories/permalink/535551770336158/
Out Now!
Ghoul Empire - Rust: A Dark Fantasy Rebirth LitRPG
CivCEO 2: A 4x Lit Series (The Accidental Champion)
Realms At War (The Virtual Realms Book 3)
The System Apocalypse Issue 3: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG Comic (System Apocalypse Comics)
Gloominess +3: Reign of Decay. A LitRPG series: Book 3
The Blade: A Girl Named Guillotine, Volume 1
New LitRPG Audiobooks
Excise (A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG) - Ether Collapse, Book 2
A Check for a Billion: Galactogon Series, Book 3
Dungeon World 4 - A Dungeon Core Experience
Viridian Gate Online: Inquisitor's Foil: Illusionist Series, Book 3
Street Cultivation - Street Cultivation, Book 1
Well Done - Small Medium, Book 3
Genesis - Legends Online, Book 1
Rivals: A Monster Battling LitRPG: Djinn Tamer - Bronze League, Book 2
**Oddly, the ebook version won’t be out till the 20th. **
Upcoming LitRPG:
Dungeons of Strata (Deepest Dungeon 1) (Jan. 20th, 2020)
7 Days Later 2: A Post Apocalyptic Gamelit Survival Horror (Jan. 23rd, 2020)
Quest for Dominion: A LitRPG Saga (Hero Online Book 4) (Jan. 24th, 2020)
Viridian Gate Online: Darkling Siege (The Viridian Gate Archives Book 7) (Jan. 28th, 2020)
GUARD [Web of Worlds: Empire] A LitRPG Series (Jan. 29th, 2020)
Endless Fantasy Online: The Elk Kingdom (Jan. 31st, 2020)
Tusk and Blade (Exodus Online - Book 1) (Jan. 31st, 2020)
Ultima : A LitRPG Journey (Legends Online Book 4) (Jan. 31st, 2019) https://amzn.to/2sl315R
Battle Master: The Blood Crown Book 1 (A LitRPG Adventure) (Feb. 4th, 2020)
The Last Time Loop: Max of the Rebellion (Volume 2): A Time Travel LitRPG Series (Feb. 4th, 2019)
Skull and Thrones: A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure (The Bad Guys Book 3) (Feb. 6th, 2020)
Dark Academy [Transformation. Book IV] LitRPG series (Feb. 7th, 2020)
An Equation with One Unknown (Invasion Book #2): LitRPG Series (Feb. 10th, 2020)
The Art of Deception (World of Karik Book 2 Part 2): LitRPG Series (Feb. 13th, 2019)
The Second Betrayal: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 2) (Feb. 14th, 2019)
*Sequel to Shade’s 1st rule*
Gods of Ash and Amber: A Gamelit Novel (Seeds of Chaos Book 4) (Feb. 29th, 2020)
Path of Soul: BlackFlame Online Litrpg/Gamelit Universe (Glory of Formation Emperor Book 3) (Feb. 29th, 2020)
The Incarnator (Project Stellar Book 1): LitRPG Series (March 9th, 2020)
The Dark Continent (Underdog Book #3): LitRPG Series (March 20th, 2020)
Quest for Freedom: A LitRPG Saga (Hero Online Book 5) (March 30th, 2020)
Eastbound and Town: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure (The Good Guys Book 8) (April 2nd, 2020)
Dragon Heart: Sea of Sorrow. LitRPG wuxia series: Book 5 (April 15th, 2020)
Warsinger: A LitRPG Dragonrider Adventure (The Archemi Online Chronicles Book 4) (May 1st, 2020)
Onto New Releases and Reviews
(Play Music 3)
New Releases and Reviews
(Picture 1)
No Mistakes (World of the Changed Book #1): LitRPG Series
Let’s go! A new, ultramodern mobile game, and the release is just two days away. Be the best, save the planet! Who’s going to fight back the monster invasion if you don’t? Prerelease already available, no text alerts or payment required.
World of the Changed completely modified human consciousness. The incredible graphics that worked even on the simplest of phones. The intuitive interface that made the game accessible for absolutely anyone. The aggressive marketing campaign that put news about the game on every TV, every phone, every tablet. By the time the launch was a few days away, an entire army of fans was out there waiting for just one thing: Hour X. That was what the mysterious developers were calling the release time.
But did anyone have a clue what Hour X would unleash on them? Were they ready to pay the price the game demanded? Mark Derwin, a student, was just one of many to have no idea what kind of fate awaited him in the game. All he cared about was jumping into the prerelease as soon as it came out.
My Opinion: 321 pages, $3.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy for review, I purchased a copy when it became available.
This an Russian translated apocalypse LitRPG story, written by the author of The Way of the Shaman series. Unlike that story, no one is trapped in a VR game, instead the RPG apocalypse comes to earth via some bad aliens. Humans have to learn the new rules to this game, kill mutated monsters, and level up or they will be killed themselves.
The story itself can get pretty dark and brutal with many characters getting killed off. It’s also a bit slice of life and you follow the main character (MC) as he learns all the new rules and does whatever it takes to survive and tries to find and help his sister. The threats come not just from the monsters though, people can be just as deadly, and there are other mysterious enemies to mankind. All of which the MC eventually uncovers and has to deal with. There are some interesting twists that keep things challenging for the MC. Just when you think he’s getting OP, bam, a new twist.
Game mechanic-wise, things are pretty detailed and there some new mechanics that differ from the author’s other series. Levels are gained not from killing but from completing system generated missions and finding caches or rare items. Coins are given for taking 1st picture of kills whether human or monster. Coins are used to buy weapons and power packs to run them, stat upgrades, skill upgrades, regeneration packs, and shields to protect from damage. Lots of good upgrades from items, stats, and tech keep the story from getting repetitive and makes the MC feel more and more powerful as the story goes on.
Overall this is a good entertaining LitRPG with a brutal main character that is willing to do whatever it takes to survive the RPG apocalypse.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
No Mistakes (World of the Changed Book #1): LitRPG Series
The Destroying Plague (Disgardium Book #3): LitRPG Series
Having emerged from the sandbox into the wide world of Disgardium, Scyth and his friends find themselves under the watchful eye of the preventers. The strongest clans in the world hunt not only Scyth, but also the already discovered ‘threat’ Crag, a member of the Awoken clan.
But this is just one of many problems; the Sleeping God has another impossible quest for them. The old enemy Big Po thirsts for vengeance, and the Nucleus of the Destroying Plague prepares to take cruel revenge against the former Herald…
My Opinion: 393 pages, $6.99, Not Available On Kindle Unlimited
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy for review, I purchased a copy when it became available.
This is the third book in this semi-dystopian fantasy LitRPG story where the main character (MC) gets some rather overpowered abilities and it's still good. Thankfully, the story has put the MC back in the position of villain in this slice of life novel and there’s all the action and adventure that was in the last books. There’s also an increased threat IRL for the MC and his friends as they are released from the safe starter area and have to increase their guild and deal with the many players hunting for Threats in game and out. Good casual reading that is entertaining.
Score: 7.7 out of 10
The Destroying Plague (Disgardium Book #3): LitRPG Series
7 Days Later: A Post Apocalyptic Gamelit Survival Horror
Craft, build, search for loot and fight to survive in a vast post-apocalyptic game world.
It’s been seven days since the old world fell and now my girlfriend, Sayōnara and I must battle for our survival. We’ll harvest wood, mine metal, grow our own food and craft better equipment.
Then we will build our base, secure it with traps, fortified walls and defend it till the end.
The monsters that ended the old world are out there, hunting the night and gathering into hordes that will attack us once a week. But zombies and mutants are not the only threat.
From mysterious enemy NPC factions, to hostile player bandits and ravenous packs of wild animals, the open world of 7 Days Later is filled with danger.
Only by working together can Sayōnara and I hope to live through the horror.
But are we ruthless enough to survive?
Grab your guns, tools and item upgrades and enter the apocalypse!
My Opinion: 343 pages, $3.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy for review, I purchased a copy when it became available.
Inspired by survival games, the game mechanics in the story have detailed crafting, water, food, and sleep meters that need to be kept up, and there are a wide variety of monsters and people to fight and survive. There are also base building elements with homes being built and defended with traps. Character progression is based on equipment, so better equipment means a higher level.
One of the things that lost me in the story is that there is not really a serious threat for a survival game. There's no permadeath for the characters, only the need to make a new character or stat loss after first free three deaths. Also, because the MCs have played these types of games before there's no sense of discovery as they explore the game world. They already know what to do, what the challenges are going to be, and how to prepare. The environment of the game world is decently described but nothing great. Combat is ok. The better described aspects are the survival and crafting elements, though there’s no skill for crafting or cooking, just collect or scavenge materials and push a button. While this kind of crafting system may be faithful to the games it’s based on, I’d hoped for better.
The story is kinda slice of life, with hints at a deeper secret from the game. While the crafting and base building were important parts of the game, it wasn’t interesting to read about. Combined with the real lack of stakes in the story, the forced horror ending, and it just didn’t work for me. If you like the game 7 Days to Die, you might like this more than me, as it seems to draw a lot from the author's experience playing that game.
Score: 6 out of 10
7 Days Later: A Post Apocalyptic Gamelit Survival Horror
Press Start: System Discovered! Book 1
Dean Parker likes to play classic video games. When he found his old console from when he was a kid, he dusts it off and sets it up. He played his old games, but he had finished them all long ago. So, what does he do? He takes a trip to the local game shop to browse the used titles. Browsing the old cartridges, he finds one that he never heard of: Dark Ages: The Death of Magic.
When a store attendant tells him that game is rumored to never have been beaten, he had to have it. Occupying all his free time he finally beats the unbeatable game. What happens next, he never would have guessed. He is introduced to the System. Something that has always existed but not everyone knew about.
Join Dean as he is introduced to the seedy underbelly of a world where the myths of magic from the past read like history. Joined by his childhood friend, he must survive in a world of magic hidden from everyone. A world that has remained secret through the blood of those who have discovered it. And to top it all off, he discovers that his childhood friend—his best friend—isn’t even human.
My Opinion: 167 pages, $2.99, Available On Kindle Unlimited
This seems like the work of a fan of LitRPG and there are a few minor technical writing issues that didn’t ruin the story for me but may be issues for other readers.
The story is fairly slice of life and feels a bit longer than what the page count says it is. I genuinely liked the opening 5% that gets the main character (MC) into the game world. It really nailed the experience of an old school gamer vibe. After that 5%, it becomes a real life RPG story with the MC becoming part of the system, where magical creatures and humans have urban fantasy RPG powers. The early part of the story is a bit awkward as it tries to setup up the magic and game mechanics system and the characters. Dialogue feels especially off when there are more than two characters in a scene and few dialogue tags. This improves as the story gets going and the characters are developed and get background. The mid-late story has a bit more action as the larger urban fantasy world is fleshed out.
The story is written in 3rd person present tense, which may be an issue for some readers. There’s a lack of dialogue tags, and some of the dialogue and writing is a little awkward. Those last points improve a little as the story goes on and the author becomes more comfortable with his characters and world. If you can get past that there's a decent urban fantasy story here with RPG progression and some neat powers.
On the game mechanic side, it's the same DnD kind of stats, health, and mana. The unique mechanic is that EXP is gained from raising skill levels which then contribute to levels. Other than that magic, while there are skills associated with it, is a bit urban fantasy with spells and mana being manipulated through will. One of the things that did keep me interested in the story was the development of the magic system and some of the neat spells that were developed and how they were used in the story.
Overall, despite some of the technical writing issues, I liked the story. Like many enthusiasts stories in the LitRPG genre, the beginning is the hardest to get through sometimes but the writing and world building improve as the story goes on. For me, the magic system and the powers were just interesting enough to keep me turning pages until the writing got better and the story developed into a fairly decent urban fantasy story with RPG progression. Not sure I’d read a second book, but enjoyed the first enough.
Score: 7.1 out of 10
Press Start: System Discovered! Book 1
Ian’s (Eye-Ann) Picks of the Week (35:12)
(Pic 0)
New Segment from Ian Mitchell a long time LitRPG community member who reads and reviews as much as me. He was nice enough to agree to join the LitRPG Podcast family as a new reviewer.
(Pic 6)
How to Be an Adventurer: World of Gimmok
The book is similar to the caverns and creatures series. I have difficulty getting jokes and that got in my way this time. The writing was fine. The table top gamer group transported into the game thing worked. This one was hard for me to evaluate. Pretty sure other readers would find it funny.
Score: 7.0 out of 10
How to Be an Adventurer: World of Gimmok
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(Music 4)
Music Credits
"Blip Stream" "Mighty Like Us" "Big Shift" "Vivacity"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/