Déjà , graphically, “Sol Cesto” is quite unique. It is illustrated by cartoonist Chariospirale, who took charge of the artistic direction, and the game is filled with creatures and characters hand-drawn, just like the entire interface. Everything is somewhat deformed, with intentionally shaky lines, and very simple animations that add to the feeling of oddity. One feels like they are looking at a large drawing full of small details, spread across the two pages of a notebook. You may love it or hate it, but there is a true, fairly unique style.
Intriguing as well is the story: in a medieval-fantasy world, the Sun has just disappeared. It seems to be deep within a strange cave, which changes every time someone enters it, filled with hordes of monsters and unlikely allies. Different heroes (initially a simple peasant, then other characters unlocked as we progress) venture inside, most likely to face death, leading them back to their starting point. The closer they get to the depths of the cave, the better their chances of releasing the Sun. And to achieve this, the player’s luck (almost) plays the key role.
A game of chance where strategy is essential
On the contrary: in “Sol Cesto,” luck can also be triggered. If you enjoyed probability calculations in math class in high school (I did), this game will bring back memories. The principle is very simple on paper. At each level, you face a four-by-four square grid (16 squares in total). Each square can hold a treasure, a monster, a trap, or a strawberry. Every time you click on a row, your hero randomly moves to one of the squares in that row: if it’s a treasure, it’s yours; if it’s a monster, you kill it, losing a number of health points equal to the difference in strength between you and your opponent; if it’s a trap, you lose a health point, and the trap remains; if it’s a strawberry, you gain a health point. Running out of health points? Your character dies.
The probability of encountering any square is the same for all squares: 25% if the row has four squares, 33% if it has three squares, 50% for two squares, and obviously 100% for a single square.
Dungeons and probabilities
However, regularly in “Sol Cesto,” you can alter all these nice calculations by earning bonuses (in the form of magical teeth taken from statues and inserted into your mouth—yes, warned you it was weird). Some will increase the chances of finding a treasure but reduce the chances of finding a strawberry; others will weaken certain enemies but raise the probability of finding a trap, and so on. To prevent confusion, the game displays the percentage of chances of encountering each square.
So yes, it involves math, but it also includes a lot of suspense. The games become more and more tense as you constantly evaluate the cost/benefit of each click. You’ll find yourself saying, “just one more click, and I’ll stop,” until you feel the risk of losing everything becomes too great.
The game will satisfy both the cautious strategist and your inner daredevil, that dark side of you eager to attempt that audacious click with only a 17.68% chance of success. Great job to its creator, Géraud Zucchini: “Sol Cesto” is a small game design gem that will keep you hooked.
“SOL CESTO” – Available on PC
