ELDERBORN Review Summary

Engaging combat, satisfying parry, and heavy-metal soundtrack shine, but the game is too short, has too few predictable bosses, and lacks a map.

Engaging combat system: Combat is described as great, fun, fast-paced, satisfying, and fluid. Players enjoy the visceral feel, rhythmic flow, and stylish execution, even if the system is simple.

Excellent weapon variety: Players praise the large selection of weapons, each with unique uses, play styles, and subtypes (sword, hammer, spear, dual sickles, etc.). Weapons feel distinct and require adaptation, contributing to engaging combat.

Satisfying parry mechanics: Parrying and blocking are highlighted as very satisfying mechanics. The combat system is skill-based, forcing movement, kicking, and counterattacks.

Great heavy-metal soundtrack: The heavy metal soundtrack is widely praised for enhancing the game experience. Music is described as memorable, excellent, and awesome.

New Game+ adds replayability: New Game+ mode is appreciated for adding replay value, with some players noting it introduces new areas and enemy types, encouraging multiple playthroughs.

Game length is too short: Multiple clusters highlight that the game is very short, often completed in 3 to 5 hours. Players felt the content was insufficient for the price, with only a few levels or chapters.

Too few and predictable bosses: With only two bosses, both described as predictable and weak, players were left wanting more. The lack of memorable boss fights is a notable flaw.

Lack of map and navigation aids: The absence of a map, mini-map, or quest tracking makes it easy to get lost and frustrating to navigate. Players found this to be a significant oversight.

Ending is anticlimactic and disappointing: The ending is widely criticized as unimpressive, anticlimactic, and underwhelming. Players felt it did not provide a satisfying conclusion to the game.

Story is minimal and uninteresting: The story is described as almost nonexistent, mediocre, or forgettable, with little atmosphere or narrative depth. This fails to engage players.

First-person melee combat: The game is consistently described as a first-person melee action game with hack-and-slash elements, featuring light and heavy attacks, blocking, parrying, dodging, and kicking.

Souls-like mechanics: The game incorporates Souls-like elements such as bonfire checkpoints, enemy respawn, and losing currency on death, similar to Dark Souls.

Weapon variety: Players highlight multiple weapon types including swords, spears, hammers, and greatswords, with different movesets and speeds, allowing varied playstyles.

Dungeon crawling: The game features labyrinthine level design with traps and hordes of monsters, emphasizing exploration and dungeon crawling.

Short playtime: Players report the game is approximately 5 hours long and can be beaten in an afternoon, making it a short experience.

Low FPS in later chapters: Players report significant frame rate drops, particularly in chapters 2 and 3, with some experiencing as low as 30-40 FPS even on mid-range hardware like GTX 1060 and RTX 2080Ti.

Mixed hardware performance: While some high-end systems like RTX 2080Ti struggle, other users report smooth performance on RX 590, GTX 1060, and RX 580.

Generally solid but with issues: A few players describe the game as technically solid-ish or acceptably smooth on Steam Deck OLED with minor frame drops.

Poor Steam Deck performance: The game runs poorly on Steam Deck, with direct feedback using strong language to describe the performance.

Occasional crashes and failures: Some users report frequent crashes or that the game fails to start on certain systems.

Wait for sale: Many players suggest waiting for a sale, especially a deep discount, to get the best value. Some explicitly say not to buy at full price.

Good value on sale: Players find the game worthwhile when purchased at a discounted price, often mentioning specific price ranges like under $10 or $15.

Price-specific recommendations: Some players suggest specific price points like $3, $5, or $8 as the maximum to pay for a fair experience.

Not recommended: A minority of players think the game is not worth the time or money, even at a discount, and advise against buying.

Recommended for hack-and-slash fans: Players who like linear hack-and-slash games, button-mashing, and melee combat often find the game enjoyable.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00.

Game completion: 6.0h.

Story completion: 5.0h.

Elderborn's combat becomes deeply satisfying after players learn to parry and master the flow, but early repetitiveness and a learning curve may deter some.

Friction: repetitive combat; slow start; steep learning curve; Souls-like death mechanic.

Unlock drivers: unlocking second weapon for parry; mastering combat rhythm.

Battle-Hardened Brawler: Aggressive close-quarters fighting, relying on parries, dodges, and environmental interactions (e.g., kicking skeletons). Often explores different weapons and abilities to find the most effective combat approach. Motivation: The thrill of intense, skill-driven melee combat and the satisfaction of mastering parries and dodges. Stance: buy.

Retro Exploration Enthusiast: Thoroughly explores every area searching for secrets and hidden lore, moves at a slower pace to absorb environments and music, and enjoys solving puzzles through brute force. Motivation: Nostalgia for classic dungeon exploration, immersive dark fantasy world, and a self-assured retro game design. Stance: buy.

Completionist Grinder: Methodically tracks achievements and challenges, often using guides; performs multiple playthroughs at different difficulties and speedruns for specific goals; grinds XP via challenges and secrets. Motivation: Earning every achievement, completing all challenges, and uncovering all secrets through repeated playthroughs. Stance: buy.

Steam Deck: The game displays a wide range of performance on Steam Deck: some users report an acceptable experience with minor frame drops, while others describe it as unplayable ('runs like shit') and experience severe FPS drops requiring extreme resolution reduction. This inconsistency contradicts a seamless green-checkmark experience.

Linux and Proton: Performance on Steam Deck is mixed; one user finds it acceptable with occasional frame drops, while another reports very poor performance. No Proton-specific workarounds were mentioned, suggesting the game may not be fully optimized for Linux/Steam Deck.