Magna Opera (Free Roguelike ADV) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is an article introducing "Magna Opera," a roguelike game created using WOLF RPG Editor and published by Sonidori.
This is a game where you explore a mysterious mansion whose structure changes every time you enter, aiming for the lowest level while avoiding roaming monsters.
Not only is the gameplay excellent, but the story, graphics, and background music are all meticulously crafted, resulting in a highly immersive and addictive experience.

The completion time was approximately 8 hours.
(Official completion time: 6-12 hours)

Game Overview

Magna Opera is a game where you control the protagonist, Sarah, as she explores a mysterious mansion.
The story begins as follows:

This game, like the "Mystery Dungeon" series, is designed so that the structure of the building changes each time you enter it.
We'll collect as many materials and documents as possible that are scattered throughout the building, and then head towards the back.
The screenshot above shows a significantly wider field of view because the lantern has been upgraded.
However, at the start of the game, you can only illuminate a few steps ahead at best, so it's important to proceed cautiously.

You may find locked boxes inside the building.
If you have lock-picking tools, you can try to pick the lock.
Alternatively, you can smash the box open with a lantern, but this will reduce the lantern's durability.
If the lantern breaks, it becomes impossible to illuminate the surroundings, making it extremely difficult to continue the exploration.
Let's carefully consider which method to take.

Grotesque monsters roam the building.
Since there is no way to defeat the monsters, players have no choice but to avoid or run away from them.
Since monsters will notice you if you get too close, it's important to spot them early and avoid them.

You can dash by holding down the Shift key while moving, but this will deplete your stamina gauge, so you can't keep running indefinitely.
Use it only when it really matters.

If Sarah comes into contact with the monster, she will take damage.
As damage accumulates, the screen will become stained with blood.
Please note that your stamina is not clearly displayed as a numerical value.

If your health runs out and you are defeated, you will lose all your items and be returned to the surface.
If you feel it's dangerous, take medication as soon as possible or head home.

Once you successfully return from your exploration, the results screen will be displayed.
Depending on the circumstances of your return, the single image displayed on the results screen will vary.
The screenshot above shows what happens when you return with significantly reduced health.
There are also rare images that only appear immediately after viewing specific events, which shows the attention to detail.

You can use the materials you bring back to modify your lantern or increase the amount of supplies you can bring with you initially.
Strengthening these aspects is essential for exploring deeper.
Since you'll need items to strengthen your equipment, try to return home early without overexerting yourself.

The building has "bases" on specific floors, and if you meet the conditions, you can start your next exploration from there.
Depending on the timing, it might be better to advance straight to your base rather than risk making a return trip.
The enjoyment of steadily progressing while strengthening yourself is similar to the enjoyment of character development in dungeon RPGs.

Review (no spoilers)

I was able to complete the game to the very end.
Although it was a genre I don't usually play, I was completely engrossed in the game from start to finish.

From the introduction to the start of the main story, the tutorial was implemented in a very natural way, and before I knew it, I was completely immersed in the work.
I think the way the game guides you from the start is brilliant.

The exploration in the main game was simple yet very tense.
Since the only option when encountering an enemy is to run away, I was exploring cautiously, constantly on edge, wondering if there were any enemies around.
The materials I found during exploration could be used to strengthen my character and make exploration easier, so I was able to stay highly motivated and enjoy collecting items.
In some rooms, there were so many items arranged that I thought, "Can I really take all of this!?", which was a really satisfying feeling.
However, the more materials we recovered, the more intense the sense of urgency became to survive at all costs.
Even if you collect a lot of items, it's all for nothing if you're defeated by an enemy, so I think there was a strong sense of connection with Sarah, the character the player controls.

While there is an element of luck involved in completing the game, it's basically left up to each player's style, so I think you can enjoy it at your own pace.
Cautious players will likely opt for a strategy of repeated short explorations to steadily strengthen their characters, while bolder players will likely choose a high-risk, high-reward strategy of rushing straight to the deepest parts of the area.
Despite its simple gameplay, I think it's a very forgiving game that accommodates any play style.

I think this is a game that can be enjoyed even by people who don't usually play this genre.
Not only was the main game well-developed, but the story and presentation were also meticulously crafted, leaving me very satisfied.

Strategy Notes

I didn't have too much trouble figuring it out, but I'll write down some notes that might be helpful for others.

That's not true.

Basic strategy for exploration

If you're only exploring the shallow layers, you shouldn't have any problems just randomly moving through the rooms.
However, in deeper levels, the floors become larger, and exploring aimlessly will quickly deplete your resources.

In my case, I was exploring while being mindful of the vertical and horizontal axes.
For example, first, move as far to the right as you can.
Then, you'll either loop back to the same place or end up in a room where you can't go to the right.
If you get stuck in a loop, move to the room above or below, and then proceed to the right, clearing the horizontal axis as you go.
If you can no longer go to the right, then continue moving to the left.
Then, inevitably, you'll hit a dead end somewhere on the left, so when that happens, move just one space up or down and explore the horizontal axis.
If it still can't be found with this roller, we'll try the same process on the vertical axis instead of the horizontal axis.
There isn't one single best way to do things, but I think that having a general approach in mind while exploring makes it easier to find your own rhythm.

Prioritize strengthening the lantern's range.

If you're unsure what to upgrade first, I recommend prioritizing the lantern's lighting range.
A wider field of view increases the chances of spotting enemies earlier and avoiding danger.
Since it greatly improves exploration efficiency, prioritize collecting sulfur-based materials needed to upgrade your lantern.

How to pick locks (it might be more complicated when written out)

The picking technique might seem confusing at first, but it's simple once you understand how it works.
When the gray handle is in the correct position, you can unlock it by pressing the down arrow button and rotating the navy blue handle.
If the gray handle is close to the correct position, the navy blue handle will rotate deeply; if it is far from the correct position, it will bounce off at a shallower stage.

The specific unlocking procedure is as follows:
First, use the down button to rotate the navy blue handle and check where the ball was deflected.
Next, use the left and right buttons to change the position of the gray handle, and then use the down button to rotate the navy blue handle.
If the navy blue handle rotates to a deeper position than it was initially, then the gray handle is approaching the correct position.
Conversely, if it's being flicked at a shallower position than before, it means it's moving away from the correct position, so this time try turning it in the opposite direction.
Repeating this process will unlock it.

If the difficulty level is low, the range of correct positions for the gray handle will be wide, but if the difficulty level is high, the correct position will be quite narrow.
In the early stages of the game, before you've strengthened your lock-picking durability, your tools will break easily, so it's recommended to destroy them with a lantern.

If you've sufficiently upgraded your tools towards the end of the game, you can easily unlock it by holding down the down button and rotating it left or right with the left and right buttons.