1428: Shadows over Silesia
- October 4, 2022
- KUBI Games
Get on Steam"1428: Shadows over Silesia" is a 2D pixel art game set in medieval Europe. As a former soldier, you must confront mysterious shadows threatening your homeland while uncovering a conspiracy. The game features tactical combat, character development, and exploration of a rich, historical world.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features an engaging story set in a unique historical context, blending real events with dark fantasy elements.
- Puzzles are creatively designed and provide a rewarding challenge, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- The game has a charming atmosphere with decent voice acting and a distinctive art style that adds to its appeal.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and frustrating, often leading to tedious encounters and a lack of strategic depth.
- Controls can be difficult to master, resulting in a frustrating experience when navigating the game world and engaging in battles.
- The pacing of the story can feel slow, with a lot of empty travel and directionless quests that detract from the overall enjoyment.
- story116 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging narrative, interesting historical setting, and well-crafted dialogue, while others criticize it for being slow-paced, cliché, and bogged down by tedious gameplay mechanics. Many appreciate the atmospheric elements and the blend of fantasy with real historical events, but frustrations with combat and controls detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the story has potential and moments of intrigue, its execution often leaves players feeling disconnected or frustrated.
“It's one of the rare ones that captured my attention with its story.”
“The story resembles these 'old good days' as well: bold, a bit 'overboard', but only to drag the player through some interesting challenges, locations, and plot twists.”
“The story is amazing and the combat is not at all lackluster and challenging enough to give you a struggle.”
“A lot of empty directionless travel - the first hour of the game 'find where the smoke is coming from' I was literally holding down a button for two minutes as I casually ride in the direction indicated. The graphics are nowhere near nice enough to say 'just enjoy the ride' that certainly gets tedious, and the story is just so flat and uninteresting, despite hopes.”
“The story progresses so slowly it's hard to get engaged with it - because clearing endless dull dungeons in between kills my interest for what's going on (and thus far there are no plot twists, it's all fairly basic 'devilish conspiracy').”
“What I cannot forgive is a bland and random story that could have taken place in any medieval time and region.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of frustration and enjoyment, with many players finding the combat system clunky and difficult to master, particularly in the early stages. While some appreciate the variety of mechanics, including puzzles and stealth, others criticize the mandatory stealth elements and overcomplicated puzzles. Overall, the gameplay is described as thin and at times annoying, but it can become engaging once players adapt to its unique challenges.
“Once I got a grip of the well-balanced game mechanics, which are few but completely sufficient to provide a unique challenge in each of the thirteen chapters, I could not put it down.”
“Secondly, I enjoyed the gameplay, and the mechanics are impressive.”
“Gameplay is nicely balanced - mix of exploration, combat, puzzles, stealth, problem solving and more.”
“The combat is wonky and often hard to see even on a large screen, and gameplay-wise it feels a bit like a story-driven rail shooter rather than an RPG.”
“Overall, I can’t really recommend this title. Even though the setting is really interesting and the plot has a lot of promise, it's all let down by clunky combat and camera controls. Even on sale, I find it hard to recommend the game as I found my enjoyment being sucked out during play because of the constant struggle against the game system mechanics.”
“Stealth is horrible; it's mandatory and there are absolutely no mechanics that can help you. You just crouch around avoiding red cones, and that's literally all you do for hours.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many noting a simplistic style that lacks the polish of high-end titles like "Cyberpunk" or "The Last of Us 2." However, the art style is often praised for its charm and effectiveness, contributing to an atmospheric experience despite the overall graphical limitations. While some players find the visuals underwhelming, others appreciate the unique aesthetic and smooth animations that enhance gameplay.
“Very atmospheric, the story has a good premise, the art style is simple but fits so well.”
“All that's very enjoyable and the graphics are charming with a deliberate angular simplicity which is complemented by ultra smooth and expressive actions.”
“That acting is bad, the sound design is a mess, and the graphics make RuneScape look like art.”
“Graphics are no Cyberpunk or Last of Us 2, but oh boy what magic it has.”
“The graphics are simplistic, but the art style is excellent.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- -6 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for being dark, engaging, and immersive, with a strong narrative that enhances the experience. While some players find the controls clunky and the combat frustrating, the unique setting and art style contribute positively to the overall ambiance. Despite its linearity and action-focused gameplay, many reviewers appreciate the atmosphere enough to overlook these shortcomings.
“A bit clunky and unforgiving, but the story is top notch and the atmosphere is extremely dark and engaging.”
“The storytelling is great, dialogues (whistling included!) are fun, and the overall atmosphere is absolutely fantastic.”
“Very atmospheric; the story has a good premise, and the art style is simple but fits so well.”
“It's a linear game, so you have to do everything in order and it's all-action. There's no extended walking or riding around to soak up the atmosphere, and no need to make the characters eat or sleep.”
“The game feels very restrictive; the linearity takes away from any immersive atmosphere that could have been created.”
“Without the freedom to explore, the atmosphere feels flat and unengaging.”
- music10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and effective integration into the overall experience, enhancing the storytelling and atmosphere. Reviewers note its moody tones and occasional energetic guitar riffs, which contribute to the game's immersive sound design. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, even if it sometimes blends into the background.
“The music is really great and the sound design is top-notch!”
“The art and music are fantastic, with the historic background and storytelling mixed in an entertaining way.”
“The music is moody and features a nice guitar riff from time to time to keep the energy going.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features fully voiced dialogue rich in dark humor, appealing to players who appreciate clever wit and brainy content. Reviewers highlight its humor as both entertaining and thought-provoking, with a particularly memorable ending that resonates with a wide audience, including various belief systems. Additionally, there are subtle references to another notable game set in 15th century Bohemia, enhancing the comedic experience.
“Surprisingly, it has fully voiced dialogue full of dark humor.”
“I recommend this to everybody who likes to use their brains and can enjoy dark humor.”
“It's quite funny in places and there are some nice subtle references to another great game set in 15th century Bohemia.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players criticize the grinding aspect of the game for its excessive and directionless travel, which often feels tedious and repetitive. The lack of engaging graphics and a compelling story further exacerbates the monotony, leading to a frustrating experience that many feel is not worth the game's price.
“A lot of empty directionless travel - first hour of the game 'find where the smoke is coming from.' I was literally holding down a button for two minutes as I casually ride in the direction indicated. The graphics are nowhere near nice enough to say 'just enjoy the ride.' That certainly gets tedious, and the story is just so flat and uninteresting, despite hopes.”
“It is a repetitive, boring, tedious, bugged pile of shit that is somehow priced at 30 dollars.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is largely undermined by frustrating controls and clunky combat, which detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the story is criticized for being dull and unengaging, quickly resorting to clichéd elements like demons and skeletons, leaving players feeling disconnected.
“Horrible controls that lead to awful clunky combat, terrible stealth that feels like an afterthought, and a boring story that quickly devolves into demons and skeletons.”
