- Engaging gameplay with appealing graphics and sound.
- Responsive developers provide ongoing support.
- Character progression and varied equipment options.
- Exploration, resource management, and beat'em-up gameplay.
- Lacks content, variety, and has shallow RPG systems.
- Numerous bugs and balancing issues present.
Verdict
Mixed
Summary
Positive 72% ¡ Negative 28%. Score: 28 / 100
Positives:
- The core gameplay loop, often described as a blend of beat 'em up and RPG elements with Viking themes, is engaging and enjoyable. Players appreciate the combination of combat, exploration, and management aspects, finding it both fun and potentially addictive.
- The game's visuals, including character design, animations, and overall art style, are consistently praised as appealing, beautiful, and well-executed. The sound design and music are also highlighted as immersive and fitting, contributing positively to the overall experience.
- Players appreciate the developers' responsiveness to feedback and their active efforts to improve the game. This includes addressing difficulty spikes and fixing bugs promptly, which contributes to a more balanced and enjoyable experience.
- The game's setting in a Scandinavian/Viking world, complete with mythological creatures and cultural elements, is a major draw for players. The combination of this setting with action-oriented gameplay creates a unique and immersive experience.
- The game provides satisfying character progression and customization options, not only for the main hero but also for their companions. Players enjoy equipping and upgrading their team, as well as experimenting with different classes and roles in battle.
Negatives:
- The game feels incomplete due to its short length, limited content, and repetitive environments. Players report a lack of variety in quests, maps, and enemy types, leading to a monotonous experience with little to do after the main story. The limited number of locations further exacerbates this issue.
- The game suffers from shallow RPG mechanics, including limited character progression, uninspired skill trees, and a lack of meaningful loot. Players find themselves grinding for gear that is either too expensive or doesn't provide significant benefits, making it difficult to effectively utilize companions and progress through the game.
- Players have encountered various bugs, ranging from minor inconveniences to progress-blocking issues and softlocks. These bugs, along with balancing problems, contribute to a rough and unpolished feel, detracting from the overall experience.
- The game suffers from poor translation quality, with errors in dialogue and menus. Additionally, the plot is considered primitive and predictable, detracting from the narrative experience.
- Limited healing resources and inconvenient placement of healing locations force players to backtrack excessively. The scarcity of healing potions and the restrictions on their use create a frustrating and punishing experience.
Gameplay:
- The core gameplay loop involves exploring a global map by ship, managing a crew, completing quests, upgrading the ship and characters, and engaging in beat 'em up style combat and raiding activities. The game blends RPG elements, resource management, and tactical elements within a Viking setting.
- The game features character progression with unique classes, talent trees, and skills that can be unlocked by defeating enemies and bosses. Crew members also level up and have skill trees, adding depth to character customization and team building.
- The game features a Combat Efficiency stat that decreases when characters are injured, impacting their combat power. Players must manage stamina during combat, and character readiness affects stats, requiring strategic character rotation and resource management to maintain optimal performance.
- The narrative and open-world format feel hollow, and the travel map feels empty. The open-world aspects do not add meaningful content.
- The game suffers from balance issues, with inconsistent difficulty levels across different areas. Some areas feel too easy, while others are overly difficult, leading to an uneven player experience.
Performance:
- The game exhibits good performance, running smoothly on modest hardware configurations like an i5 processor with 2GB VRAM and 8GB RAM, and is optimized for the Steam Deck. This indicates broad accessibility across different PC setups.
Recommendations:
- Many reviewers feel the game is unfinished or rushed, but shows potential. Some suggest waiting for updates or purchasing at a discount due to bugs, grind, and limited content. A few reviewers strongly advise against purchasing in its current state.
- The game is compared to other beat 'em ups, with some suggesting it's only for dedicated fans of the genre due to its shortcomings. Controller use is recommended, and it's likened to a mix of beat 'em up style tactical combat and The Banner Saga.
- Some reviews offer simple positive recommendations without much detail. These are less informative than reviews that provide specific reasons for their assessment.
- The game is recommended for players who enjoy Viking themes, seafaring elements, and team development aspects. It provides an immersive Viking atmosphere for those interested in the setting.
- One reviewer is holding off on changing their negative review until a specific issue with sprinting/landing is resolved. This indicates a specific, impactful problem affecting gameplay.
Miscellaneous:
- The game is set in a Viking/Norse themed atmosphere. This provides context for the game's setting and may appeal to players interested in this particular theme.
- Character dialogues are not voiced, and the text is duplicated on the screen. This negatively impacts presentation and user experience.
- Some NPCs lack animations, which detracts from the game's polish. Addressing this would improve the overall visual experience and immersion.
- The game costs 10 euros and offers 6-10+ hours of gameplay for main completion. This provides information about the game's price and playtime, helping players assess its value.
- The game only features an auto-save system. This can be frustrating for players who prefer manual saves.
