Caves of Lore

Item: Caves of Lore
Rating: 84
Author: VaporLens

Last updated: 2025-09-06

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Summary

Deep, engaging gameplay with classic CRPG elements
Impressive achievement for a solo developer
Rich exploration and rewarding spell/skill systems
Combat is often excessive and repetitive
Poor user interface and unsatisfying ending
Numerous bugs and technical issues present

Emotions

Satisfaction30%Frustration13%Enjoyment9%Excitement8%Appreciation7%

Reviews (sample size): 144
Helpful reviews: 88%
Unhelpful reviews: 12%
Protest reviews: 0%

84%
Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
16%
Helpful reviews with negative sentiment

Positive points: 612
Negative points: 328
Gameplay points: 210
Perf. points: 5
Rec. points: 109
Misc points: 60

Point	Description	Importance
Deep, Unique, and Engaging Gameplay Description Players consistently praise the game's depth, unique mechanics, and engaging design. It offers a challenging yet user-friendly experience, full of creative ideas and rewarding exploration without excessive hand-holding. The game feels both old-school and modern, captivating players from the start. Importance 91%	Players consistently praise the game's depth, unique mechanics, and engaging design. It offers a challenging yet user-friendly experience, full of creative ideas and rewarding exploration without excessive hand-holding. The game feels both old-school and modern, captivating players from the start.	91%
Impressive Solo Developer Achievement Description The game is widely lauded as an exceptional achievement for a solo developer. Players are amazed by the depth, detail, and quality, often comparing it favorably to AAA titles. The developer's passion, responsiveness, and continuous updates are highly appreciated, contributing to a largely bug-free and evolving experience. Importance 88%	The game is widely lauded as an exceptional achievement for a solo developer. Players are amazed by the depth, detail, and quality, often comparing it favorably to AAA titles. The developer's passion, responsiveness, and continuous updates are highly appreciated, contributing to a largely bug-free and evolving experience.	88%
Classic CRPG Experience with Modern Touches Description The game successfully captures the essence of old-school CRPGs from the 80s and 90s, offering party-based dungeon crawling, tactical combat, and deep character building. It blends nostalgic elements with quality-of-life improvements, appealing to veteran RPG players seeking a classic yet refined experience. Importance 68%	The game successfully captures the essence of old-school CRPGs from the 80s and 90s, offering party-based dungeon crawling, tactical combat, and deep character building. It blends nostalgic elements with quality-of-life improvements, appealing to veteran RPG players seeking a classic yet refined experience.	68%
Rich Exploration and Lore Description The game excels in exploration, offering a world brimming with secrets, mysteries, and deep lore. Players enjoy uncovering hidden pathways, solving riddles, and piecing together the world's history, which often ties into gameplay. This non-linear discovery process provides a genuine sense of accomplishment. Importance 64%	The game excels in exploration, offering a world brimming with secrets, mysteries, and deep lore. Players enjoy uncovering hidden pathways, solving riddles, and piecing together the world's history, which often ties into gameplay. This non-linear discovery process provides a genuine sense of accomplishment.	64%
Rewarding Spell and Skill Systems Description The game features an innovative and satisfying spell system where spells are learned through use and can be permanently memorized. The 'learn-by-doing' skill progression allows for flexible character development and powerful builds, encouraging experimentation and rewarding player investment. Importance 41%	The game features an innovative and satisfying spell system where spells are learned through use and can be permanently memorized. The 'learn-by-doing' skill progression allows for flexible character development and powerful builds, encouraging experimentation and rewarding player investment.	41%
Solid and Dynamic Turn-Based Combat Description The turn-based combat system is praised for its depth, variety, and tactical engagement. It offers dynamic encounters where players must think strategically, with well-animated actions and diverse enemy types, making each battle feel rewarding. Importance 37%	The turn-based combat system is praised for its depth, variety, and tactical engagement. It offers dynamic encounters where players must think strategically, with well-animated actions and diverse enemy types, making each battle feel rewarding.	37%
Charming Pixel Art and Atmosphere Description The game's pixel art style is consistently praised for being beautiful, charming, and effective. It contributes to a unique and atmospheric old-school vibe, with detailed character and environment designs that are easy to read and visually appealing. Importance 30%	The game's pixel art style is consistently praised for being beautiful, charming, and effective. It contributes to a unique and atmospheric old-school vibe, with detailed character and environment designs that are easy to read and visually appealing.	30%
Flexible Character Customization Description The game offers deep and flexible character customization, allowing players to build and specialize their characters in various ways. The classless system and abundant options for stats and abilities provide significant freedom in character development. Importance 23%	The game offers deep and flexible character customization, allowing players to build and specialize their characters in various ways. The classless system and abundant options for stats and abilities provide significant freedom in character development.	23%
Abundant and Rewarding Secrets Description The game is filled with numerous well-designed secrets, including hidden areas and surprises. Players enjoy the challenge of discovering these secrets, which often require keen observation and puzzle-solving, providing a strong sense of accomplishment and unique rewards. Importance 23%	The game is filled with numerous well-designed secrets, including hidden areas and surprises. Players enjoy the challenge of discovering these secrets, which often require keen observation and puzzle-solving, providing a strong sense of accomplishment and unique rewards.	23%
Minimal Bugs and Technical Issues Description Players report a largely bug-free experience, with very few game-breaking issues. Any minor bugs encountered are often quickly resolved by the highly responsive developer, contributing to a smooth and enjoyable gameplay experience. Importance 12%	Players report a largely bug-free experience, with very few game-breaking issues. Any minor bugs encountered are often quickly resolved by the highly responsive developer, contributing to a smooth and enjoyable gameplay experience.	12%
Robust Crafting and Enchanting Systems Description The game includes well-implemented crafting and enchanting systems that encourage player interaction. The enchanting system, in particular, allows for deep item customization by enabling players to transfer and stack enchantments, leading to powerful gear. Importance 11%	The game includes well-implemented crafting and enchanting systems that encourage player interaction. The enchanting system, in particular, allows for deep item customization by enabling players to transfer and stack enchantments, leading to powerful gear.	11%
Personal Enjoyment and Nostalgia Description Many players express a strong personal connection to the game, finding it delightful, quirky, and nostalgic. It resonates with their preferences, offering a unique world view and providing a highly enjoyable experience. Importance 10%	Many players express a strong personal connection to the game, finding it delightful, quirky, and nostalgic. It resonates with their preferences, offering a unique world view and providing a highly enjoyable experience.	10%

Caves of Lore

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