9th Dawn II
- October 17, 2016
- valorware
- 65h median play time
"9th Dawn II" is an epic RPG set in the rich world of Caspartia, where you must aid in the reclamation of your homeland from the Hydra Dragon. Explore diverse landscapes, battle monsters, and collect an array of weapons and armor. Engage in carefully crafted puzzles and decide the fate of mankind in this expansive adventure.
Reviews
- The game offers a large world to explore with many dungeons and a decent leveling system that rewards skill usage.
- The graphics and music are enjoyable, providing a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic RPGs.
- Multiplayer functionality adds a fun element, allowing friends to join in on the adventure.
- The game suffers from numerous design flaws, including poor navigation, lack of crafting despite abundant resources, and unbalanced gameplay.
- Controls can be clunky and frustrating, with issues like wonky targeting and a cumbersome inventory management system.
- Many players have reported bugs, including save file issues and crashes, which detract from the overall experience.
- story28 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in "9th Dawn II" is generally considered weak and lacking depth, with many quests described as uninspired and repetitive, often revolving around item collection. While some players found the main quest engaging enough to complete, the overall narrative and character development are seen as areas needing significant improvement. Additionally, the absence of a quest tracker and poor quest organization contribute to a frustrating experience for players trying to follow the story.
“That said, it was engaging enough for me to complete it start to finish, and to get 100% achievements, as well as complete all quests in the game.”
“Finding and exploring new dungeons, following the story, completing quests, finding new armor and weapons, unlocking new spells... this game is huge fun and really neatly compiled rogue-like RPG.”
“The main plot so far is pretty good, but I really haven't played enough to see much of it, although I saw the word hydra during an NPC conversation and sooo hope there are hydras or is it hydrae in the game as they are my favorite fantasy beast.”
“Whats clear about 9th Dawn II is the story-related elements are lacking; or more honestly - they are just terrible.”
“The quests you get are pretty thin and usually involve collecting 199 items of blubber or 267 wolf pelts for 20,000 gold pieces, etc.”
“There is no quest tracker, so you must write down or do the quests as you find them in the wild.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and retro, reminiscent of older titles like Ultima, which may not appeal to those seeking flashy visuals. However, many players appreciate the unique art style and smooth scrolling, noting that it complements the enjoyable gameplay and immersive world. While some mention minor graphical glitches, the overall aesthetic is considered charming and fitting for the game's old-school feel.
“A huge world with smooth scrolling Ultima-style graphics and clever writing; you could get lost in this game for hours.”
“I would give this game, for its price, lush 2D graphics, amazing sound score, and RPG feel, a solid 9/10.”
“The art style is unique and makes you enjoy looking around, even if there isn't much to interact with.”
“The art style may put off those looking for flashy graphics, as this reminds me of older games like Ultima.”
“Graphics and art design are retro and quaint, but are also over-used and monotonous.”
“Graphics are average, not great but not painful to look at.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring simplified mechanics reminiscent of classic titles like Zelda and Runescape, with a focus on exploration and engaging music. However, players have noted a lack of clarity in game mechanics, dull combat, and restrictive fast travel options, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game has its bugs and issues, particularly in cooperative play, many find it addictive and commend its value for the price.
“Gameplay reminds me of Zelda mixed with RuneScape.”
“The graphics might not be amazing, but the gameplay is very good with lots of loot, monsters, and traps.”
“This is being developed by 2 people and the content and gameplay are far more addicting than some full-price/released games.”
“- The game is crying out for a less restrictive fast travel mechanic.”
“- No explanation of the game mechanics (what do stats/skills do?).”
“Can't complain too much at this price point, the art is nice and there don't seem to be any bugs or gameplay issues, but I'm not sure there's enough to keep me interested to see the rest of the world. Combat is pretty dull and there isn't really much loot to be had.”
- music8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many users describing the soundtrack as enjoyable and even stunning. While some comments suggest it is simply "alright," the overall consensus highlights the music as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience.
“The soundtrack is super enjoyable!”
“Simple graphic but awesome music, well done gameplay.”
“And the music is stunningly wonderful.”
“The music is alright.”
“Music.”
“I enjoyed the music in the game, as well as the scrappy feel of the whole thing.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report a lack of major glitches and enjoy the multiplayer features, others have experienced significant issues, particularly in multiplayer mode, including crashes and bugs affecting gameplay. Despite these problems, many still find the game enjoyable and worth purchasing.
“I like the fact that they added in the multiplayer side of things and that it has a cross-platform feature, but the main problem is that multiplayer seems to have more glitches than the single-player side.”
“All of my game time was spent trying to get this game to work. I deleted the Steam app cache and tried every troubleshooting option, but it continued to crash before I could even see the options on screen.”
“- It's a bit buggy; on one of my saves, I cannot see item stats, which forced me to plug in my 360 controller and scroll through my items.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players appreciate it as a means to enhance their characters and enjoy cooperative play, others find it tedious and unbalanced, particularly due to repetitive tasks and enemy encounters. New players may be deterred by the initial grind required for progression, but the overall sentiment suggests that with friends, the grinding can be a fun aspect of the gameplay, albeit one that needs refinement in future updates.
“Some players may find this to be a strength of the game, but in combination with the other issues, it can make the otherwise solid old-school RPG experience feel very tedious.”
“The game isn't balanced very well, and if it weren't for a friend playing an archer with a rapid-fire macro, we'd probably still be grinding away until this game became too tedious to continue.”
“The first few hours require grinding in the first cave to better equip yourself, which may turn off new players.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its flexibility and the rewarding nature of exploration, though it is generally perceived as less complex and somewhat incomplete compared to other series.
“While not nearly as complex as any of the aforementioned series, it offers an expansive world, flexible character development, and an experience that greatly rewards exploration.”
“Character development feels incomplete.”
“The characters lack depth and growth throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by how little the characters evolved over time.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is viewed positively by some users for its low price and fair microtransaction model, while others perceive it as a cash grab, suggesting a lack of value in the overall gameplay experience.
“It becomes obvious (at least in my opinion) that this is just a cash grab.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game emphasizes that assigning stats has minimal impact on overall battle performance, allowing players to focus on specific roles, such as mages or assassins, rather than spreading their stats too thinly. This encourages strategic planning and specialization, as investing in key attributes like wisdom or dexterity unlocks new abilities and enhances effectiveness in chosen playstyles.
“Assigning stats has little impact on your battle performance, so you can plan ahead. If you want to be a mage, focus on wisdom to unlock new spells. If you prefer a swift assassin, focus on dexterity. Instead of trying to be a 'jack of all trades,' which doesn't really pay off.”
“The optimization system allows for a clear focus on character development, making it easier to specialize in a particular playstyle without feeling penalized for not diversifying.”
“I love how the optimization mechanics encourage players to think strategically about their character builds, leading to a more rewarding gameplay experience.”
“Assigning stats has little impact on your battle performance, so you can plan ahead. If you want to be a mage, focus on wisdom to unlock new spells. If you want to be a swift assassin, focus on dexterity. Trying to be a 'jack of all trades' does not really pay off.”
“The optimization system feels unbalanced, making it difficult to create a truly unique character build. Most choices seem to lead to the same outcome, which diminishes the excitement of customization.”
“I found the optimization mechanics to be frustratingly shallow. The lack of meaningful choices means that players are often left feeling like their decisions don't matter.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the replayability of the game due to the availability of multiple character builds and types, which encourages experimentation and varied gameplay experiences.
“There are several character builds and types available, which adds significant replay value.”
“The variety of choices in gameplay encourages multiple playthroughs.”
“Each playthrough feels unique due to the different paths and decisions you can make.”
“Several builds and character types are possible, giving some replay value.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play through it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying the game feel redundant.”