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About The Desolate Hope
The Desolate Hope drops you onto the abandoned Lun Infinus station, a relic of a failed Earth‑colonisation project. You control Coffee, a service robot, who must keep five sentient computers, the Derelicts, running while a mysterious virus eats CPU power.
Gameplay fuses side‑scroll platforming, 8‑bit overhead dungeon crawling, and mouse‑driven turn‑based JRPG boss fights. Between battles you collect power‑ups and bits (money) to upgrade abilities, feeding a unique leveling system that underpins each style.
01 / THE GUIDE
Side‑Scrolling Platforming
In the station’s main corridors you move left‑to‑right, jump, and shoot enemies. You can collect power‑ups and bits (money) as you fight, and upgrades improve your abilities.
Each platforming segment introduces new obstacles that demand timing and precise movement, encouraging you to adapt your approach as the game progresses.
- Watch enemy patterns; many can be avoided with a well‑timed jump.
- Seek early power‑ups that increase durability, as later sections become tougher.
02 / THE GUIDE
8‑Bit Overhead Dungeon Crawls
When you enter a mini‑simulation the view shifts to an overhead perspective reminiscent of classic Zelda titles. You can walk through or destroy walls, explore rooms, and farm bits for later upgrades.
These segments let you experiment with movement options and gather resources that feed back into platforming and boss battles, creating a loop between exploration and power growth.
- Test wall interactions; some can be destroyed to reveal hidden paths.
- Use bits earned here to purchase upgrades that benefit later platforming sections.
03 / THE GUIDE
Turn‑Based JRPG Boss Battles
Encountering a virus boss switches the game to a turn‑based battle where you select actions with the mouse. Success depends on the abilities and stats you have built up through earlier gameplay.
These battles are visually distinct and present the toughest challenges, requiring careful resource management and strategic choice of attacks.
- Review upgraded abilities before a boss; higher stats can turn a tough fight manageable.
- Consider saving bits for items that boost options during turn‑based encounters.
04 / THE GUIDE
Narrative and Worldbuilding
The Lun Infinus station was built by an unmanned research vessel to run five‑year colonisation simulations. Over thirty years the simulations grew bizarre, and a virus now threatens the five sentient computers, the Derelicts.
Coffee, a coffee‑pot robot, creates Digital Counterparts (D‑Co) to fight the virus, culminating in D‑Co 9 built from a simple computer game’s code, while dedicating its own CPU to the main simulations.
- Pay attention to each Derelict’s project; they hint at deeper backstory.
- Notice how the virus consumes CPU power, driving the urgency of upgrades.
05 / THE GUIDE
Artistic Presentation
The game is praised for stunning artwork, detailed character designs, and a cyber‑punk aesthetic blended with whimsical touches, such as a Derelict turned toymaker.
Visual style shifts with each gameplay mode, offering neon side‑scroll backdrops, pixel‑art dungeons, and vivid turn‑based battle screens that reinforce the type of challenge you face.
- Observe art changes between modes; they cue the upcoming gameplay style.
- Enjoy whimsical details like the toymaker Derelict—they enrich the world without affecting mechanics.
COMMUNITY
Player discussion