Terraria (Collector's Edition) Review

Rewards go beyond the simple raw materials you need to craft better items. There are hidden treasure chests located in out-of-the-way places that are bursting with rare goodies. You may gain the ability to double jump or slowly regenerate health from handy accessories, and the promise of these invaluable items urges you to explore as much of the vast underground as you possibly can. Of course, you don't have to stay below the surface all the time. There are plenty of places to visit aboveground, too. Floating islands tempt you to get off your duff and see what secrets the sky has to offer. There are items that can be found only in these gravity-defying locales, so it's well worth your effort to sniff out where the islands are hiding and build a ladder to the heavens. Terraforming is instrumental in your progress. With just your pickaxe and some ingenuity, you can shape the world to your liking, not only building pathways in the sky, but also intricate underground tunnels to help you smoothly progress. Terraria is a game that is built on rewards. No matter where you go and what you do, you get something for your effort. Whether it's a new sword or just the knowledge that a bubbling lava pool lays at the bottom of a long drop, you're always better prepared the next time you set off. Progression is slow and steady, and seeing your character grow from a hero in training to an all-powerful killing machine is an incredible feeling.

There are three bosses in Terraria, though they aren't handled like you would expect. Two of them are unleashed at seemingly random times. When you meet certain requirements (which the game never spells out), huge foes may set out to attack you. Nothing strikes fear quite like a warning message flashing onscreen, and these fights are difficult, especially if you're ill-prepared. The bosses fly around you, relentlessly striking no matter how many shurikens you toss, and you have to move constantly and quaff lots of health potions if you want any chance of staying alive. Death comes frequently if you play recklessly, but the punishment isn't severe. You lose half of your money and have to restart at your home base, but you keep all the items you earned. You may sink dozens of hours into the game before you're strong enough to take one of these beasts down. When you finally raise your hand in victory, you get not only the spoils of war, but the pride of knowing how much effort it took to get to such a lofty point. And when you do come out on top, there are new places to explore and new challenges to overcome.

Terraria is a lonely place, but it doesn't have to be. There are non-playable characters to recruit if you meet certain requirements. These range from a merchant to a nurse and even a demolitions expert, and they provide a handy way to nab powerful tools to make your adventuring more exciting. There's also an online cooperative mode that lets four players band together. The core structure is identical to that of the single-player game, but having a few friends to help you take down bosses and explore dungeons makes everything that much more fun. Unfortunately, setting up a co-op world is tricky business. You need to host your own server, and you can invite others only by sharing your IP address. It's a clumsy system that makes it a pain to get started. Thankfully, things run smoothly once the dirty work is out of the way, but it would be nice if the online mode were more accessible.

Golden crowns aren't just for kings any more.

Inaccessibility is the one flaw that haunts this great game. The early hours are punishing because you have no idea what you're supposed to do, and the lack of direction makes Terraria initially off-putting. But after sinking dozens of hours into this impressive game, you'll wonder how you could ever have been frustrated. There are so many surprises to uncover and rewards to unlock that once you get the basics down, you'll be hard pressed to tear yourself away. Whether you're trying to break shadow orbs in the corrupted land or constructing a labyrinth passageway to combine water with lava, there's always something demanding your attention. Terraria is a unique and engrossing experience that is extremely difficult to tear yourself away from once you become invested in its enticing world.