SKALD: Against the Black Priory Review Summary

Balances retro charm, modern design: The game successfully blends old-school RPG elements with modern design sensibilities, offering a streamlined and accessible experience. It captures the charm of classic CRPGs while incorporating quality-of-life improvements and avoiding frustrating mechanics. This balance makes it enjoyable for both veterans and newcomers to the genre.

Simple, intuitive, engaging combat: The game features intuitive and straightforward combat mechanics that are easy to learn, making it accessible to new players. The combat system offers enough depth to remain engaging, rewarding strategic thinking and tactical decision-making. This balance ensures that combat is both enjoyable and challenging.

Appealing retro pixel art style: The game utilizes a retro pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for older games while still being visually appealing. The graphics are well-executed and contribute to the game's unique atmosphere. The art style is a primary reason for playing the game, suggesting it's visually appealing and engaging.

Engaging, well-paced story: The game features a well-written and engaging story that is appropriately paced for the game's length. The narrative effectively conveys emotion, tension, and gravity without being overly long or complex. The writing is a strong point, especially in delivering horrors through descriptive text.

Strong Lovecraftian/cosmic horror themes: The game masterfully incorporates Lovecraftian and cosmic horror themes into its story, world, and atmosphere. This creates a unique and unsettling experience that resonates with fans of the genre. The Lovecraftian elements are well-integrated and enhance the overall gameplay.

Uninspired story and characters: Many reviewers felt that the story and characters were underwhelming. They cited issues such as a linear plot with limited player choice, bland characters with weak development, and a reliance on uninspired tropes. Some also felt that the story's Lovecraftian elements were poorly executed or derivative.

Rushed, unsatisfying ending: A common complaint was that the game felt rushed towards the end, with the story and content quality declining significantly. Reviewers noted that the ending often felt abrupt, unsatisfying, and disconnected from the rest of the game, leaving many plot threads unresolved.

Lacks polish and QOL features: Several reviewers mentioned the game's lack of polish, citing issues such as bugs, performance problems, and the absence of essential quality-of-life features. The lack of localization for major languages and the unreadable font were also common complaints.

Repetitive, unbalanced, clunky combat: Many reviewers found the combat system to be a significant weakness. They cited issues such as repetitiveness, lack of depth, poor balance, and tedious encounters due to enemy resistances and high health pools. Some also noted that the combat UI and mechanics felt clunky and outdated.

Poor visibility due to graphics: Numerous reviewers criticized the game's graphics, particularly the pixelated art style and small font size. These visual elements often made it difficult to distinguish objects, read text, and understand what was happening on screen, leading to frustration and eye strain.

D&D-inspired character/combat system: The game features a D&D-inspired character system with classes, skills, feats, and spells. Combat involves dice rolls, initiative, and action points, with strategic depth arising from positioning, flanking, and crowd control. However, some reviewers found the combat simple or repetitive, with limited build variations and underutilized skills.

Classic turn-based tactical combat: The game features classic turn-based tactical combat reminiscent of old-school CRPGs like Ultima and Gold Box D&D games. Battles take place on a grid, emphasizing strategic positioning and resource management. The game also features a deliberate retro aesthetic with pixel graphics.

Linear story with sidequests: The game features a mostly linear story progression with limited branching paths and a single ending. While side quests and exploration are present, the main quest remains the primary focus. The game also features an old-school presentation style with relatively modern system sensibilities.

Dice rolls for skill checks: The game incorporates dice roll mechanics for skill checks in both combat and non-combat situations, similar to tabletop RPGs and Baldur's Gate 3. These checks influence dialogue, exploration, and quest outcomes, adding a layer of challenge and RNG to the gameplay experience. However, some reviewers found the reliance on the currently selected character for skill checks frustrating.

Customizable party with mercenaries: The game allows players to customize their party with both story-based companions and recruitable mercenaries. Mercenaries can be tailored to specific roles and builds, offering flexibility in party composition. However, some reviewers found the named NPCs sufficient, making mercenaries redundant.

Good performance, occasional crashes: The game generally runs well, especially on Steam Deck and Linux, with some control adjustments needed. Some players have reported occasional crashes, but they are not widespread.

Pixel art style, mixed opinions: The game features a pixel art style reminiscent of late 80s/early 90s EGA/VGA graphics. Some find the visuals clean, while others describe them as muddy or janky.

CRT filter affects visual clarity: The game includes a CRT filter option that affects visual clarity. The filter's effectiveness varies depending on the display resolution, appearing blurry at higher resolutions but better on lower-resolution screens or actual CRT monitors.

Minor bugs, post-release fixes: The game has a few bugs, with some players reporting spelling errors or mission-blocking issues. However, post-release updates suggest ongoing efforts to polish the game and address these problems.

Detailed, reactive character design: The game features detailed pixelized characters whose appearance changes based on equipped gear and character status. Portraits dynamically reflect the character's condition, such as appearing battle-worn when near death.

Strongly recommended for genre fans: The game is highly recommended, especially for fans of retro CRPGs, Lovecraftian horror, and those seeking a unique, story-rich experience. Reviewers praise its blend of old-school mechanics with modern design, making it accessible to both veterans and newcomers. Many express hope for future content and sequels.

Desire for more content: Many reviewers express a strong desire for more content, including DLCs and sequels, indicating a positive overall experience and a wish for the game to be expanded upon. They commend the developers and hope to see more projects from them in the future.

Gameplay may not appeal: Some reviewers suggest that players who don't enjoy the gameplay within the first two hours are unlikely to enjoy the game overall. Others recommend setting the difficulty high or toggling mechanics to improve the experience.

Excellent and a masterpiece: The game is considered excellent and a masterpiece by many reviewers, with some even considering it a Game of the Year contender. It's praised for its atmosphere, story, and overall roleplaying experience, with some reviewers giving it perfect scores.

Great value for price: The game is considered a great value for its price, especially at $15 or less. Reviewers are very happy with their purchase, citing the game's length and quality as justification for its cost.

Retro CRPG with Lovecraftian themes: The game is heavily inspired by retro CRPGs, particularly those from the Commodore 64 and Amiga eras, with a distinct visual style reminiscent of old-school pixel art. It successfully captures the essence of classic games while incorporating Lovecraftian horror themes, creating a nostalgic yet unique experience.

Grim dark fantasy setting: The game features a grim, dark fantasy setting with Lovecraftian elements, focusing on a remote location with well-developed lore. The story emphasizes survival in a world filled with violence and lawlessness, creating a dark and foreboding atmosphere.

Developed by a small team: The game was primarily developed by a single person or a very small team, which is considered an impressive achievement. This context is important for understanding the scope and limitations of the game.

Suggestions for magic system expansion: The reviewer suggests adding three major types of magic (Corruption, Reticulum, and Spiritual) with specific effects and consequences. These suggestions aim to enhance gameplay and provide more player choices.

Lacks tutorial, save system issues: The game lacks a dedicated tutorial, relying on in-game info screens, and creating a new game requires deleting save files. This can lead to initial confusion and a less user-friendly experience.