- Accessible, user-friendly roguelike with freedom in world interaction.
- Extensive character customization options available.
- Compared to Elona, good for RPG party composition.
- Unpolished, incomplete, and clunky overall experience.
- Inconsistent and poor-quality art is present.
- Blacksmithing can be overpowered, breaking game balance.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 81% · Negative 19%. Score: 19 / 100
Positives:
- The game is designed to be accessible and enjoyable, especially compared to similar titles like Elona. It features user-friendly mechanics, comprehensive help features, and a relatively low difficulty, making it a good entry point for newcomers to the genre. Many reviewers found the game relaxing and easy to get into.
- The game emphasizes player freedom through town building, NPC interactions, and world exploration. Players can build and customize towns, befriend or steal from NPCs, and shape the game world through their actions. The world is randomly generated, providing a fresh experience every time.
- The game offers extensive character customization options, allowing players to create unique characters with personalized graphics, dialogue, and skills. Players can import custom content, including faces, sprites, and portraits, and share their creations with others. This appeals to players who enjoy creating their own fantasy worlds.
- The game features a balanced combat system with a variety of classes, skills, and leveling options. Players can learn all skills regardless of their starting class, opening up hybrid class options. The combat is not overly difficult, and the game avoids overwhelming complexity.
- The game supports custom content, allowing players to add sprites, portraits, and maps. The content-import features are easy to use, and there's an online downloader for user-uploaded content. This adds to the game's appeal and replayability.
Negatives:
- The game suffers from numerous issues that make it feel unpolished and incomplete. These include outdated controls, a clunky UI, lack of essential features like auto-saving and keybinding, and an over-reliance on repetitive farming. Many reviewers felt the game was more akin to an early access title than a full release.
- The game suffers from inconsistent art styles and poor-quality redrawn character art. Some reviewers also noted that the game uses RPG Maker graphics, which may not appeal to all players. Character creation is inconsistent, with portraits for NPCs that don't correlate to walking animations.
- The game is missing several quality-of-life features, such as better party control and inventory management. The small map size combined with large UI elements can obstruct the view. The party size limitations also feel restrictive, especially during escort missions.
- The blacksmithing system is overpowered, allowing players to create weapons that break the game balance. Forged equipment quickly outpaces found items, diminishing the excitement of exploration and combat. This can lead to a less enjoyable experience if players don't self-regulate.
- The game lacks post-game content, reverting to the state before the final boss fight. Initial choices made at the beginning of the game are ultimately unimportant. Save points are frequently placed before boss battles, reducing the challenge.
Gameplay:
- The game emphasizes world creation and customization through procedural generation and player actions. Players can build towns, influence NPC relationships, expand the world map, and create unique stories. This focus on freedom and emergent gameplay is a core element of the experience.
- The game balances complexity with accessibility, offering a relaxed pace and lenient difficulty. While the systems are varied, the game avoids overwhelming players, making it suitable for newcomers to the genre. Combat and exploration are central to the gameplay loop.
- The game's skill system has limitations, including capacity limits and a rank-based system that overwrites lower ranks. This restricts character specialization and makes skill proficiency feel less relevant. A proficiency-based system might be more effective.
- The game allows players to import custom images for character faces and sprites, and even share them. This feature enhances personalization and allows players to express their creativity within the game world.
- The game features randomly generated NPC adventurers with varying levels, equipment, and skills. However, the player character's lack of growth diminishes the appeal of traveling with these adventurers as the game progresses.
Performance:
- The game performs well on various platforms, including Steam Deck, Windows, and even unofficially on Linux. It is lightweight and doesn't consume much battery, making it suitable for portable gaming.
- Several issues were reported related to Steam integration. These include problems with PC mode on Steam Deck, lack of Steam overlay support, and initial problems with achievement functionality.
- Some players have reported performance slowdowns when using certain visual effects. Disabling these effects can improve the game's processing speed.
- A minor lag was noted when opening windows within the game. This does not appear to be a widespread or critical issue, but it does affect the user experience.
Recommendations:
- Many reviews compare this game to Elona, with some recommending it as a more accessible alternative or for those seeking a similar experience. However, some players may find it lacking compared to Elona, especially in depth and content. Some reviewers suggest playing Elona instead or waiting for 'Elin'.
- Many reviewers recommend the game, praising its enjoyable gameplay, freedom, and potential. However, some suggest waiting for bug fixes and quality of life improvements before purchasing. Some reviewers feel the game is not worth buying in its current state.
- The game is recommended for RPG lovers who enjoy monster fighting, treasure hunting, skill grinding, and character creation. Beginners are recommended to include a priest and a tank-like defender in their party to enjoy the game as an attacker.
- Several reviewers suggest trying the demo before purchasing to see if the game suits individual preferences. This allows players to experience the gameplay and determine if it aligns with their expectations.
- Many reviewers express hope for future updates to add new content and expand the game. Some reviewers hope that MODs and updates will turn the game into a lake or an oasis, or even a large ocean.
Miscellaneous:
- The game includes an in-game browser for portraits and animations, suggesting modding capabilities. However, the game lacks Steam Workshop support, which would greatly enhance the modding experience and accessibility for players.
- The game receives frequent updates and the creator is active in discussions. This suggests ongoing development and potential for future improvements, though major updates may be unlikely.
- The game features a unique marriage and offspring system, allowing players to marry various characters, including elves and goddesses, and even breed monsters with humans. This mechanic adds a distinctive element to the gameplay.
- The English translation is generally well-done and readable, despite occasional minor spelling errors. This ensures that the game is accessible and enjoyable for English-speaking players.
- The game is more forgiving than similar titles due to the absence of taxes and ether disease. This makes the game more accessible to new players.
