By Theresa Afful

A game with simple rules and complex gameplay is not one I come across very often. But when I do, I become very hooked. Initially, when I came across the indie game Feed The Scorchpot, developed by Moravian (a husband and wife duo), I was immediately intrigued by the art style and the story. The game constantly demands that you think outside of the box. Although you could bet on luck to win the game, trust that it won’t take you very far. 

In Feed The Scorchpot, the player is granted an island to protect from an ancient and angry dragon who, in order to keep at bay, must be fed meals made from the crops that are harvested each year. Meet the dragon’s quota and you win.

Once you start up the game, you are immediately transported to medieval times with the music and art. You are then introduced to the dragon that lingers around the outer borders of your island. It warns you of its presence and what occurs when it isn’t fed properly. 

You start by being given two farmsteads to place anywhere on your island to begin growing crops. Each piece of land is called a tile and has a number on it. In order for you to receive the crops at the island of your choosing, you must have a farmstead next to a tile of your choosing and roll your given dice so they match the number next to your farmstead. This reminded me of the board game Settlers of Catan, which requires dice to make moves and has a similar map.

More importantly, to truly meet the dragon’s quota, you must add flavor to the meals after the crops are harvested. In order to gain flavor, you must purchase recipes. These recipes all have their own conditions to meet in order for them to properly work. An example of a condition would be collecting a certain amount of grain or having one die. 

With all this in mind, I went into Feed The Scorchpot and started to simply buy the recipe that gave me the most flavor. I ignored the requirements for each ingredient and that led to my downfall. Unable to meet the requirements for the first year, I couldn’t use my recipes. This lowered the flavor within my meal and caused the dragon to burn down my island.

I began to ponder a new method to defeat this dreadful dragon and prove that I was smarter and better. I created a new strategy where I would roll my dice so I knew which piece of land would be available. 

After that, I would place my two farmstead near them and then I would harvest. Based on the crops that I collected, I would purchase a recipe that had requirements I could meet then I would buy it. This strategy took me far but not far enough. 

I was still conquered by the dragon. After multiple failed attempts, I would find myself annoyed and look back at the tutorial to see if I missed something. At first, it seemed to me that the game was built on luck, but as I kept playing it felt like it required strategy. The player has to be able to have sustainable plans that can adapt to anything. I, on the other hand, came in with one plan. This hindered my progress. 

The storyline for the game is simple and straightforward which matches the theme of the game really well. All you do is feed the dragon and meet the quota. Once you do so, you keep moving on to the next year. There are also challenges in the game that you can complete to unlock a new dragon, with different rules, and increase the difficulty. The storyline perfectly fits. It gives the player a reason behind what they’re doing without making it their entire game. 

Just like the story of the game, the game controls are very simple and easy to follow. For those playing on a computer, all that is needed is a mouse. For those playing on a controller, it’s also fairly easy. These controls make sense for a game with such complex gameplay, as it allows the player to focus more on the strategic aspect rather than its controls. 

The sound and music is very immersive where you literally are sucked into it. The music matches the theme and the occasional sound of the dragon roaring in the background reminds you of both its existence and your potential impending doom. A nice touch to the is calming sounds, like the sound of the sea slowly moving around me and the crackling of roasting meals. 

The artwork is amazing. The color scheme creates this warm atmosphere that welcomes you. The art reminds me of the cartoon “Over the Garden Wall.” It had the same warm, nostalgic atmosphere with a hint of eeriness. The design of each of the dragons are vastly different from each other. Even down to the choice of font, there is a clear aesthetic. The medieval typography is specific to it and blends perfectly with the scenery.

Throughout the entirety of Feed The Scorchpot, I was challenged. I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy these challenges. They allowed me to strategize and discover different methods to achieve my goals. This game has definitely made me interested in the Moravian Games devs and their art style. For those who enjoy games that have light storylines and mostly rely on tactics, give this game a chance. I can’t guarantee an easy gameplay. Hopefully, the wonderful hand-drawn art and upbeat music can take your mind off being consumed by the various, evil dragons.

Bronx resident and NYVGCC intern Theresa Afful is starting her third year of high school after graduating Mott Hall III middle school.

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