I check out open-source games occassionally. Current thing is Flare, a game not unlike Diablo 2. I remember to have tried this some years ago. Here’s how I like it now … Beware, spoilers ahead …

Installation

I stumpled upon flare in the packages of Debian Buster. So it was easy to install:

root@hostname:~# apt install flare
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  flare-data flare-engine flare-game fluidr3mono-gm-soundfont fonts-liberation
  libasyncns0 libflac8 libfluidsynth1 libjack-jackd2-0 libmodplug1 libmpg123-0
  libogg0 libopus0 libopusfile0 libpulse0 libsamplerate0 libsdl2-2.0-0
  libsdl2-image-2.0-0 libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0 libsdl2-ttf-2.0-0 libsndfile1
  libsndio7.0 libvorbis0a libvorbisenc2 libvorbisfile3 libwayland-client0
  libwayland-cursor0 libwayland-egl1 libxkbcommon0 libxss1 ttf-unifont
Suggested packages:
  jackd2 opus-tools pulseaudio sndiod
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  flare flare-data flare-engine flare-game fluidr3mono-gm-soundfont
  fonts-liberation libasyncns0 libflac8 libfluidsynth1 libjack-jackd2-0
  libmodplug1 libmpg123-0 libogg0 libopus0 libopusfile0 libpulse0
  libsamplerate0 libsdl2-2.0-0 libsdl2-image-2.0-0 libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0
  libsdl2-ttf-2.0-0 libsndfile1 libsndio7.0 libvorbis0a libvorbisenc2
  libvorbisfile3 libwayland-client0 libwayland-cursor0 libwayland-egl1
  libxkbcommon0 libxss1 ttf-unifont
0 upgraded, 32 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 150 MB of archives.
After this operation, 190 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] 
[...]

Didn’t want to start with configuration (you can do a lot, like key-bindings etc.). I just started the game and clicked like Start, Start Now, Just let me Play or so ;)

Intro to: Flare - Empyrean Campaign

The game had a short introduction. Having played alike before it was rather easy to control and get into it. This is being in town at the chest (there had to be that chest, right?):

town-life

I’d say Hack & Slay describes the genre (and this game) well. It assembles a lot from the good old Diablo 2. Bash your way through hordes of enemies. And collect those items and exchange what you use against better stuff as you find it … Know what I’m talking about?

There is a biggy about the game though: No Multiplayer. So nothing to play with friends.

Quests

I have found the following quests in the game:

Return to Empyrean

A really long quest-chain that takes you through all the game.
1. Find book in the town’s crypt and talk to alchemist in town
2. Find gravebloom
3. Find phiole
4. Find knife
5. Sacrifice own blood at red altar (Temple of Mez: Main Hall)
6. Have alchemist in town mix your blood with da gravebloom
7. Sign in the book of dead (this opens up access to the last boss)
Krolan’s Missing

First little quest, basically. Talk to Udana before you leave town, then visit Krolan once you get there.
The Merchant’s Journal

After you met the merchant, go back to the goblin cave and get his journal to return it to him.
Trapped in the Crypt

???
The One-Eyed Guardians

???
Brother?

When in Grot Lagoon talk to the trader. He will give you something for his brother, so you go back to lake Kuuma and give it to him. Rewards you the Bear Figurine.
Locked Out

???
Trapped!

???
The Lost Soul of the Mog Caverns –

???
An Unusual Name

???
Warden’s Notes

???
Fallen Comrades –

???

Some of those were easy and done while walking by. Others took me around the levels and partly long to find (I’ve noted some hints within the notes on the maps).

Itemisation

That’s what these games are often about: the items. After I had stumbled upon my first special items, I wanted to find out what kind of itemization we got here. Because they do look a lot mightier than the best-of-the-normal stuff:

ardwens-gloves battle-leathers

List of Set- and Unique-Items

One of the developers posted on this on reddit[1]:

Each boss/miniboss has their own unique item that they can drop. The only exception is the bosses in the final area, which each drop 3 items of a larger set. Here’s a list:

Tier 1
- Krolan - Krolan’s Hammer
- Goblin Chief - Goblin Branch
- Ardwen - Ardwen’s Gloves
- Geno - Blood Tunic
- Cid - Dark Steppers
- Seagate - Seagate’s Tri-pants
Tier 2
- Gruzza - Amir Blade
- Prioss - Huntsman Bow
- Antlion Queen - Greed Cowl
- Zola - Battle Leathers
- Kylana - Escape Boots
- Mez - Mez’s Wraps
Tier 3
- Xonun - Lost Totem
- Mog - Mog’s Axe
- Buchi - Guardsman’s Cuirass
- Nishi - Inferno Pendant
- Cyl - Alchemist’s Skirt
- Metzger - Metzger’s Battlemace
Tier 4
- Arzoz - Soulband
- Vohn - Fleshband
- Ogel
  - Underworld Cloak
  - Underworld Platemail
  - Underworld Boots
- Rakk
  - Underworld Armguards
  - Underworld Greaves
  - Underworld Tome
- Lezaith
  - Underworld Blade
  - Underworld Bow
  - Underworld Sceptre

Now I was curious to what all these are, though ;) Here’s what I found out …

Set: Temple Guard’s Outfit

Set consists of:

Battle Leathers (+150 hp regen, +25% poise, +35% fire resistance)
Escape Boots (+15 mp regen, 125% speed, +25% avoidance)
Mez’s Wraps (+150 max hp, +20% Poise, +2 Wolf’s Eye)

The single items add to 3 stats (which seems a lot), the set boni on top of that are:

2 items: +25% ice resistance, +15% Poise
3 items: +5% exp, +10 min/max absorb

Set: Underworld Armament

Set consists of:

Underworld Cloak
Underworld Platemail (+600 max hp)
Underworld Boots
Underworld Armguards (+48% accuracy)
Underworld Greaves (+48% poise)
Underworld Tome
Underworld Weapon (one of):
- Underworld Blade (85-90 +30 min/max)
- Underworld Bow
- Underworld Sceptre (85-90+ 30 min/max)

So the single items increase just one stat, but that a lot. The set boni in top of that are:

3 items: +25% Gold
4 items: 125% Speed
5 items: +15% Exp
6 items: +20 min/max absorb
7 items: +40% resist all

Maps and Notes

I got lost in the maps a few times, so I started taking some notes on the them and how they connect. (n) are the teleporters that are reachable from the starting area Perdition Harbor, once one has found the counterparts within the levels. The arrows denote crossings between the levels, wherein

<-> is a transition that can be crossed in both directions whereas
==> denotes a one-directional transfer forward with no way back.

Intended maps are sub-maps that don’t lead anywhere (but to go back to the map one came from) — in other words, dead ends. I’m also writing down the location of named monsters, as those can drop set-items and can make the dead-ends worthwhile ;)

(0) Perdition Harbor

Quest-Start: Krolan’s Missing: Talk to Udana before you leave town, basically …
<-> Book of the Dead

Quest-Start: Return to Empyrean: When you enter the crypt to leave town, you can read a book an talk in town about it.
<-> Salted Field
- <-> Perdition Mines [Boss Krolan]
<-> (1) Stonewood
<-> Goblin Camp
- <-> Goblin Cave [Boss Goblin Chief]
  
  Quest: The Merchant’s Journal (Boss drops journal when quest is active)
<-> Merrimead Swamp
<-> (2) Lochport Cemetery
- <-> Family Crypt [Boss Ardwen]
<-> Lochport
<-> St. Maria: Mausoleum [Boss Geno]
<-> (3) St. Maria: Catacombs [Boss Cid] [Trader]
<-> St. Maria: Crypt [Boss Seagate]
==> Lake Kuuma [Trader Bakat, Goblin Packrat]

Quest-End: Brother? » Bear Figurine
- <-> Fort Amir [Boss Gruzza]
<-> (4) Blackmire Mines
<-> Abandoned Mines
- <-> Grot Lagoon [Boss Prioss] [Trader Ort, Goblin Packrat]
  
  Quest-Start: Brother?
<-> The Breach (lower part)
<-> (5) Stormrock Pass
- <-> Stormrock Ruins [Boss Antlion Queen]
  
  Quest: Trapped in the Crypt
<-> The Breach (upper part)
<-> Antlion Nest
<-> Temple of Mez: Basement [Boss Zola]
<-> (6) Temple of Mez: Main Hall [Boss Kylana]

Quest: Return to Empyrean Red Altar for Sacrifice (Step 4 after (1) Gravebloom, (2) Phiole, and (3) Knife)
<-> Temple of Mez: Entrance [Boss Mez]
==> Nazia Highlands [Trader]

Quest-Start: The Merchant’s Journal
- <-> Nazia Mines (Owl-Figurine) with [Boss Xonun]
<-> (7) Nazia Underground
<-> Southern Ridge
- <-> Mog Caverns [Boss Mog] [Trader Loren, Undead Trader]
<-> Black Oak Farm (lower part)

There’s a repearable bridge here. Once you have been to the upper part, you can go there from here directly then …
<-> (8) Dilapidated Sewers
- <-> Fort Nazu (Cat Figurine) [Boss Buchi]
<-> Black Oak Farm (upper part)
<-> Black Oak City
<-> Wizard’s Tower: Entrance Hall [Boss Nishi]
- <-> Wizard’s Tower: Laboratory [Boss Metzger] ==> Perdition Harbor
==> Underworld
- <-> Torture Chambers [Boss Vohn]
<-> (10) Underworld Catacombs
<-> Underworld Mines
- <-> Oasis [Boss Arzoz] [Trader Martigan]
  
  Quest Fallen Comrades » Turtle Figurine
<-> Underworld Stronghold: Foyer [Boss Ogel]
<-> (11) Underworld Stronghold: Barracks [Boss Rakk]
- <-> Halls of Infinity [Trader Abasi]
  
  Quest-End: The Merchant’s Journal
  - ==> Halls of Infinity ==> Underworld Stronghold: Barracks
    - ==> Halls of Infinity ==> Underworld Stronghold: Barracks
      - …
==> The Pit [Boss Lezaith] ==> Perdition Harbor

Conclusion

It’s a neat game, I had hours of fun. The skill-sets are limited but sufficient to provide some variety in play-style for each of the three classes. And the graphics aren’t as polished as those of D2 (guess the graphics part simply is a lot more work than the programming?), it’s good enough. The sounds (not the music) annoyed me a bit. The music was ok, but I was reminded of that great music of D2 … So yeah, sound and graphics, that (to me) seems to be where open-source games mostly are way behind. But this one I found to be very playable, really.

I haven’t found a way to re-skill yet and don’t know if there is a max level - or if all skills can be maxed out. I did play all the three classes, though, and found them all fun. The set-items have a drop chance of 1%, so even if doubling that with item-find-rings, I probably will never get those sets (or would need to cheat). But each of the characters found one on its way (and the wizard is not through, yet).

Hints

The game has an option to make characters stay dead if they die. It’s called permadeath — I remember the hardcore mode from D2 here :) I think the game might be rather tough if you opt to choose that from the beginning …
Some of the scrolls from the vendor can be pretty useful. Perdition Scroll is what in D2 was the Town Portal - it get’s you home from anywhere, but is a one way trip here. The Reflection Scroll help a lot against the end-boss, Lezaith. It will reflect his hefty damage back on him, thus saving your hp while consuming lots of his massive pool.
I started piling up some gold after a while (playing all three classes in parallel, kind of). That came in handy when I realised the last vendor in the progression through the levels – in the beginning room of the Halls of Infinity – often has a good stock of epic items. You’ll be all epic in no time, basically :)
Easy Farms — these bosses are in particularly easy to farm:
- Kylana Is kind of at the end of the level. Not really, but she drops the Escape Boots from the Set: Temple Guard’s Outfit with 150% speed. And: Mez comes right after entering the next level. If you go back after killing him and re-enter, you can kill both again. And again. And again … Mez drops Mez’s Wraps from the Set: Temple Guard’s Outfit.
- The second to last boss, Rakk, is rather easy to farm once you have completed the level. The teleporters become active and you can use the teleporter right next to him to get to the next room, from where you can enter the Pit. Do that and then just re-enter, take the teleporter again and you’ll be right next to the boss. He drops three different items from the Set: Underworld Armament
If you intend to play some more, consider getting the Escape Boots, as they give 125% run speed. While I do not know all the items, speed bonus seems very desireable and the only other option for that that I know is the 4-parts-bonus from the Set: Underworld Armament. Oh, and those do stack. It’s awesome :)

ClearNet Links:

[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/flare/comments/94idbu/looking_for_help_withinfo_about_uniqueset_items/e3lkyqg/