HerrFrog

HerrFrog

@herrfrog.bsky.social

He/Him. Writer of silly stories, Streamer/Editorialist at @RPGamer, and bringer of weird ass Dungeons and Dragons.

88 followers220 following207 posts

Read my impression of Drova 2. I think @just2d.bsky.social is cooking up something special and what I saw last week in Magdenberg made me very hungry for more.

RPGamer@rpgamer.com

Drova II: Torn Lands Impression

rpgamer.comDrova II: Torn Lands ImpressionAfter spending over six hours with this early alpha build, it’s safe to say I can’t wait to spend even more time in this world. Just2D invited RPGamer to Magdeburg, Germany, to reveal its upcoming game, Drova II: Torn Lands. There, I was introduced in the story behind the game: Just a month after the successful release of Drova: Forsaken Kin, it was apparent the developers had a hit on their hands, prompting them to immediately begin work on a sequel. At first glance, Drova II: Torn Lands might seem like simply “more Drova,” but the extended early-alpha demo quickly made it clear that the sequel is aiming to be much more than that. Drova II: Torn Lands takes place a few decades after the events of the first game. The Dark Fog is gone, and with the Divinities freed, magic has returned to the land. Yet a massive ravine has split the realm in two. Exploring this handcrafted pixel-art open world reveals a society shaped by two major factions: the Bear Mother and the Great Ram, each built around their respective Divinity. The visual improvements over its predecessor are subtle at first, but impactful. The sprite work is considerably sharper, shadows in the pixel art add real depth, and a stronger color contrast brings the environments to life. While this early build reused the interface from the original game, Just2D noted that a completely overhauled UI is currently in development for the full release. [caption id="attachment_71361" align="aligncenter" width="640"] An unbearable fight.[/caption] Every NPC has a distinct daily routine, backstory, and place within the world. During the demo, this was best showcased when assisting a struggling local farm. Between managing a bad harvest, resolving internal bickering, and clearing out a monster infestation, the quest design highlights Just2D's core philosophy: no quest markers, no hand-holding, and an uncompromising focus on player agency. One character told me their secret hiding spot that they used during the night, where they smoked their mind-numbing herbs. Instead of marking it on a map, following a trail, or using any GPS-style mechanics, I got directions to a dead bush which shrouded another hidden path. Navigating this way made me feel like I was truly exploring the world and learning to recognize its landmarks. This was already a strong point in the previous game, and it is great to see it remain a mainstay. At its core, combat in Drova II: Torn Lands is a refined evolution of its predecessor. It retains the fast-paced, deliberate fights, but reworkings to skills and the dodge-dash mechanic make moment-to-moment encounters feel significantly smoother and more fluid. Don't expect a walk in the park, though. Players will be seeing the game over screen plenty of times. The challenging difficulty remains fully intact. During my demo session alone, the game wasted no time trying to kill me with swarms of bloodflies, hordes of water rats, and a very lethal bear. [caption id="attachment_203330" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Finding that Rustmoss[/caption] Beyond returning options like the sword, shield, spear, and axe, Drova II introduces exciting new ways to build their characters. Players can now become a Combat Druid using the new Seal weapon class, which allows players to fight with a sword while casting spells. Striking enemies seven times charges players’ seal magic, unleashing distinct tactical effects based on their equipped seal, such as imbuing their slashes with magical energy for ranged attacks or summoning small wisps to fight alongside them until they take damage. Also, joining either the Bear Mother or Great Ram factions isn't just a story choice. It also has a huge influence on players’ play styles by unlocking unique combat styles and gear abilities tailored to each side. Another major addition driven directly by player feedback is the addition of stealth. Sneaking was one of the most requested features from the community, and its inclusion now lets lets players slip past enemies, pickpocket more efficiently, or land devastating ambush strikes on unsuspecting foes (or townspeople). Furthermore, while the bow was purely a secondary tool in the first game, archery has been overhauled into a fully viable primary combat option, opening up even more tactical freedom in how how players tackle the unforgiving Torn Lands. After spending over six hours with this early alpha build, I can safely say I can’t wait to spend even more time in this world. Drova II: Torn Lands feels much more than just the original game with a fresh coat of paint. The world feels truly alive, and the expanded combat mechanics clicked for me almost immediately. I fell in love with the Seal weapon and spent my entire playthrough running as a Combat Druid. I could go on about the excellent writing, memorable character interactions, and dynamic quests I encountered along the way, but my biggest takeaway is simple: even without a confirmed release date yet, Drova II is shaping up to be a phenomenal sequel that interested parties should definitely keep on their radar.   Disclosure: This article is based on an early build of the game provided by the publisher during a dedicated preview event. The post Drova II: Torn Lands Impression appeared first on RPGamer.

HerrFrog reposted

Praise the Ram, Hail the Bear, The Otherworld calls once more. Discover the Torn Lands that the Mist revealed: an all-new world, led by two ancient tribes that endured the Dark Fog. Wishlist Drova II - Torn Lands now on Steam and GOG! #gamesförderung #Drova2 #TornLands

HerrFrog reposted

RPGamer is pleased to be sponsoring our very first speedrunning charity marathon! Not familiar with speedrunning? Tune in tomorrow and find out more about how it works ;)

Team Fastest Furs@fastestfurs.com

Can you believe it?!?! #FallFest26 is tomorrow!!! Tune in at 10AM EDT to catch our 1st runs of the event!! We will be benefiting @translifeline.org and will be a weekend full of amazing speedruns and showcases from our talented community! https://fastestfurs.com/schedule/21

HerrFrog reposted

Dungeon Tourists gameplay reveal in #WholesomeDirect2026 ! I'm a solo dev working very hard on this game. Please go wishlist it >:) meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow

HerrFrog reposted

Watched the Solar eclipce today. It was cool. People on the beach started clapping and I thought "Yeah, well done, Moon. You showed that sun! You son of a gun!"

Film you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Marvel, Disney, or Ghibli.

Reecy Pontiff@reecypontiff.com

Film you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Marvel, Disney, or Ghibli. (Time for a Stranger Than Fiction rewatch, it's been ages)

I have been thinking about Doctor Who again and the state we are in at the moment. And I think the series is in a good position to do a soft reboot. The last Doctor has shifted the timeline of the universe slightly, but what could that mean for the entire universe. What has changed (cont)

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In this new reality, there might have never been a time war or the Doctor died on Tranzalore And now our hero has returned in a universe that is unknown to him. We cant rely on nostalgia anymore and can explore the mystery again. We can even ignore the silly Doctor is not a Timelord stuff

Just my brain thinking about creative ways to reintroduce the show and making it fresh. What if the Time wat is still happening, but also just begun, and about to happen. It is an event outside of Time. Ok, BBC, hire me #doctorwho

I have been thinking about Doctor Who again and the state we are in at the moment. And I think the series is in a good position to do a soft reboot. The last Doctor has shifted the timeline of the universe slightly, but what could that mean for the entire universe. What has changed (cont)

What if we meet the Doctor in a new series trying to figure out what has changed. We are not told what happened with the last regen and we dont even know what regen we are on. But things have changed. Classic villains are different now. Cybermen are more exploring for upgrades instead of converting

At this point... What if GTA6 does a little Cyberpunk? It isn't weird since we have barely seen the game at all, let alone real gameplay. I wouldn't be surprised if it is a graphical mess and a technical mess. A little Launch day Skyrim in the mix. Should we start a bet on this? Place your bet!

Today I leveled up. I did another round around the sun. I survived another 365 days. And in the end, all I got were some e-mails from some dingus companies wishing me a happy birthday. Thanks random companyh that I used 20 years ago. Happy birthday to me.

HerrFrog reposted

There's plenty of content and streamers on Twitch.tv/Rpgamer! You can check out my streams every Tuesday and Thursday night, 10pm-12am Eastern Time, current game is Mina The Hollower! I'm also on the Q&A Quest podcast Monday nights starting around 11:30pm! You can tune in live and ask us questions!

twitch.tvRPGamer - TwitchWelcome to the official RPGamer.com Twitch channel. We are a site made up of RPG enthusiasts who love to spread the love for the genre. You can expect to see playthroughs of RPGs old and new, podcasts...

My current stream game on the RPGamer Twitch channel. Just cybersleuthing away!

RPGamer@rpgamer.com

Today is 10 years since the western debut of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth. The turn-based RPG is centred around a virtual world named EDEN and follows a student caught between digital and physical forms, who takes on investigations while trying to restore their normal form. #RPGanniversary