Mewgenics, a turn-based tactics game, provides a surprisingly deep and engaging experience, captivating players with its unique side quests. These quests involve sacrificing mutated feline companions to a mysterious mad scientist in exchange for equipment that comes with severe debuffs. While seemingly counterintuitive, completing runs with these challenging items yields powerful rewards, such as a stopwatch that grants extra turns or a mirror that deflects projectiles, offering significant advantages in difficult boss encounters. The article delves into the author's extensive playtime, highlighting the allure of these high-risk, high-reward mechanics and the unexpected enjoyment derived from navigating deliberately difficult scenarios.
The game's side quest system introduces an intriguing layer of strategic depth. Players are presented with choices that dramatically alter gameplay, forcing them to adapt and innovate. For instance, the 'broken stopwatch' item demands swift decisions, transforming even a methodical player into a speedrunner, a transformation the author found surprisingly enjoyable. This constant need to adjust strategies and embrace new challenges is central to Mewgenics' appeal, keeping each playthrough fresh and unpredictable.
A particularly memorable anecdote involves the author's attempt to combine the 'bubble boy' item, which causes units to be pushed back on contact, with 'throbbing gristle,' an item that causes cats to permanently die when downed. This accidental pairing led to an absurd and disastrous run where cats exploded into confetti upon defeat, and even friendly fire from powerful knockback attacks resulted in feline casualties. The chaos escalated further with the 'party detonator,' an item that randomly eliminates a unit on activation, turning a desperate battle into a comical game of Russian roulette.
Despite the inherent risks and frequent setbacks, these 'cursed runs' in Mewgenics offer immense entertainment and a strong sense of accomplishment. The game encourages experimentation, transforming potential failures into memorable and often hilarious experiences. The strategic balancing act between accepting debilitating conditions and aiming for game-changing rewards creates a dynamic and endlessly replayable roguelike adventure. The unexpected outcomes, often culminating in humorous explosions of confetti, underscore the game's generous design and its ability to reward players for daring to play outside the conventional comfort zone.
