Sunderfolk
Last updated: 2025-04-26
- Easy to pick up and play.
- Engaging and strategic combat.
- Digital tabletop experience.
- Single purchase enables group play.
- Intuitive phone-as-controller integration.
- High price for the amount of content.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 94% · Negative 6%. Score: 6 / 100
Positives:
- The game is praised for its accessibility and ease of play, making it enjoyable for both casual and experienced gamers. It simplifies tabletop gaming, removing complex rules and setup while encouraging teamwork and strategic thinking. The game is also great for introducing non-gamers to the hobby.
- Reviewers consistently highlight the engaging and strategic combat, which offers depth and complexity without being overwhelming. The game provides satisfying character progression and customization options, encouraging players to experiment with different builds and playstyles. The combat is easy to understand, but has depth.
- The game successfully blends tabletop and video game elements, offering a digital couch co-op experience reminiscent of games like Gloomhaven and D&D. It captures the social and strategic aspects of tabletop gaming without the need for physical setup or complex rule management.
- A key feature is that only one player needs to purchase the game for a group to play together, significantly lowering the barrier to entry. This makes it an attractive option for friends looking for a cost-effective co-op experience. This also allows for remote play via streaming.
- The innovative phone-as-controller mechanic is well-executed and intuitive, enhancing the co-op experience. It streamlines gameplay by offloading UI elements and character-specific information to individual devices, reducing screen clutter and improving information access. Players can also set their own language on their personal devices, which is beneficial for mixed language households.
Negatives:
- Multiple reviewers experienced issues with the mobile/phone interface. These issues include input lag, finicky controls, the need for multiple clicks to register input, and unstable connections requiring frequent re-scanning of the QR code. These issues detract from the overall experience.
- Several reviewers felt that the game's price point is too high for the amount of content offered. This concern was mentioned by multiple reviewers, suggesting it is a widespread sentiment.
- Online play is hampered by the requirement for all players to view the main screen, making it difficult for remote players. Reviewers also noted that online performance is not ideal.
- Turns can be lengthy because players cannot act simultaneously, and sometimes it's unclear whose turn it is. This can slow down the gameplay experience.
- The Fate card mechanic introduces variance that some players may find annoying. This is due to the unpredictable nature of combat outcomes.
Gameplay:
- The game's core gameplay is heavily inspired by Gloomhaven, featuring tactical turn-based action selection and card-based mechanics. However, it simplifies the formula for a more accessible experience, particularly for younger players. While reminiscent of a virtual board game, it may be less complex than Gloomhaven.
- The game uses action cards, but some reviewers found that this mechanic makes the gameplay feel restrictive and repetitive. The limited options presented by the cards may lead to a sense of narrowness in strategic choices. This can detract from the overall enjoyment for some players.
- The game blends storytelling with cooperative gameplay, allowing players to experience the narrative together. It supports both solo play, where one player controls a team of four, and multiplayer, where friends can easily join to control individual characters. This flexibility caters to different playstyles and group sizes.
- Team composition significantly impacts mission outcomes, suggesting a strategic element in character selection. This encourages players to experiment with different combinations to optimize their effectiveness in various scenarios. This adds depth to the gameplay experience.
Performance:
- The game exhibits excellent performance and responsiveness across various devices and platforms. Players report smooth gameplay on phones, Steam Deck, and when streaming, with no noticeable lag or performance issues. The phone interface and controller integration are also praised for their responsiveness.
- The game's remote play functionality, including streaming via Discord and Steam Remote Play, works reliably. Players have successfully streamed the game and used remote play features without issues, even in multiplayer scenarios.
- The game incorporates tactile haptics that enhance the user experience, allowing for aiming and making moves without constant visual focus on the screen. This zero-latency feedback improves the overall feel and intuitiveness of the game.
- The game allows for easy reconnection if the app is closed. This is a quality of life feature that prevents loss of progress or disruption of gameplay.
Recommendations:
- The game is highly recommended for its fun, smooth, and engaging co-op gameplay, especially for groups of friends, families, and those familiar with tabletop RPGs like Gloomhaven. Reviewers emphasize its replayability, accessibility, and unique blend of board game and video game elements, often suggesting it as a great alternative to traditional board game nights. Some reviewers highlight the game's value, noting that only one purchase is needed for a group to play.
- Reviewers express excitement for future content and hope for continued support for the game. They are interested in seeing new classes, campaign expansions, and further development of the game's unique mechanics, such as the phone-as-controller scheme. This indicates a strong desire for the game to evolve and offer more replayability.
- Several reviewers point out the need for improvements to facilitate online play and single-player experience. Specific requests include a fully functional PC mode, mouse control, and better device connection stability for remote players. Addressing these issues would broaden the game's appeal and accessibility.
- The game is recommended for players who enjoy turn-based battles, deck-building, and visual novel-like interactions. Some reviewers suggest enhancing the role-playing experience by creating characters with unique traits and personalities. The game's difficulty is comparable to D&D or Baldur's Gate 3.
Miscellaneous:
- The game features a unique multiplayer system where only one player needs to own the game for up to four players to participate, similar to a board game. However, it also requires a separate phone or tablet even when playing in single-player mode, which may be inconvenient for some players.
- Some reviewers are in the early stages of the game, specifically Act 1, with one mentioning playing with children. This provides limited information about the overall game experience but indicates the game is accessible enough for family play.
- One reviewer questions whether the game's marketing aligns with its actual target audience. Without further details, it's difficult to assess the validity of this concern, but it suggests potential issues with the game's appeal to its intended demographic.
