Aberoth
- July 17, 2015
- Castle art by Yuriy Gusev
- 3h median play time
Aberoth is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role playing game with charming retro graphics and tons of freedom.
Reviews
- The game has a unique retro style that appeals to fans of old-school RPGs.
- Gameplay can be fun and rewarding, especially when playing with friends.
- The community can be helpful, with many players willing to assist newcomers.
- The game suffers from a toxic community that often engages in player killing for no reason.
- Progression can feel extremely grindy, with players needing to invest significant time to catch up.
- The lack of a proper tutorial and confusing mechanics can make it difficult for new players to get started.
- graphics106 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are predominantly described as retro and pixelated, often likened to 8-bit or Atari-style visuals, which some players appreciate for their nostalgic charm while others criticize for being simplistic and poorly executed. Many reviews suggest that the low-quality graphics do not detract significantly from the gameplay experience, although they may deter players seeking modern visuals. Overall, the graphics are a divisive aspect, with opinions ranging from fondness for their simplicity to disappointment in their execution.
“Aberoth is a neat trip down memory lane with its simple graphics, but with some neat twists that make exploring its mechanics a pleasant trip.”
“Overall, it's an excellent RPG with 'beautiful retro' graphics and a great leveling up system.”
“This game is really great and special, it doesn't hold your hand, has nice pixelated graphics and has a lot of really cool features.”
“This is pretty awful, why does it run like crap with pixel graphics on a 3080?”
“The graphics are simple too.”
“I am not a graphics whore, but this game just doesn't even pull off 8-bit right... honestly it's something a five-year-old could plug into paint for a laugh.”
- grinding86 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is heavily emphasized in user reviews, with many players noting it as both a core feature and a potential drawback. While some find the grind rewarding and enjoyable, allowing for character progression and engagement with the community, others describe it as tedious and time-consuming, often leading to frustration, especially in PvP scenarios. Overall, the game appeals primarily to those who appreciate grind-heavy gameplay, but it may deter players seeking a more balanced experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grind is relentless, on top of slow enemy respawns and money to buy potions to drink to train drinking, the game is just a little too grindy.”
“Grinding is grinding but when you involve a low amount of mobs, a slow mob respawn rate, and an area packed with other players trying to kill the same mobs you're trying to kill you start to have a real bad time.”
“After you learn all the systems and gain a general understanding of how the game works you are left with this unsatisfied experience of grinding away hours of your life killing the same enemies over and over.”
- gameplay85 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Aberoth is characterized by its simple, grind-heavy mechanics that can be both engaging and frustrating, depending on player expectations. While some players appreciate the nostalgic feel and the freedom to explore, others criticize the lack of depth, tedious boss mechanics, and a community that can be hostile, particularly in PvP scenarios. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable and irritating experiences, with a strong emphasis on grinding and player interaction.
“Decent pixel art, free-for-all player versus player action with no penalties for murdering naked people, loads of secrets and secret collectibles + unlockable skills that aren't mentioned anywhere in-game, many areas of increasingly difficult enemies/mechanics, various fetch and kill quests to undertake, trades with NPCs make this game enticing and fun.”
“This game offers many hours of challenging gameplay and I can recommend at least trying it out.”
“Aberoth is like a whole new world to explore in 2D; although the graphics are very basic, the gameplay can be quite intriguing and very enjoyable to play.”
“A miserable game with extremely grindy gameplay and brutal PvP.”
“The gameplay itself is very simple, and the grind is slow and hard, but that difficulty seems to actually encourage player interactions, both positive and negative.”
“Love the concept, but the input lag, as well as the gameplay being downright dull just doesn't help.”
- story69 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely absent, with players noting a lack of a cohesive narrative and minimal character development. Instead, the focus is on a variety of quests that often involve simple tasks like fetching items or defeating enemies, which can feel repetitive and vague. While some players appreciate the freedom to create their own experiences and narratives through gameplay, many express a desire for a more structured and engaging storyline.
“But it gives you a sense of community that no other game does. The words 'make your own story' apply here; choose your guild and hence choose your enemies. Will you fight side A or side B? Side C scammed side D, but they are your allies. Are you going to betray them for this? You build your own legacy, and the consequences of your own actions will be felt directly as you fight your way to being a top dog in this game.”
“From this, you can hopefully see that this isn't like other games that 'steer' the story for you. Instead, you 'steer' the story however you want without having to follow some script or predetermined line.”
“The quests quickly get hard enough that you will need a group to help you once you get the first few finished.”
“Though there are quests, there's no major, engaging storyline (as far as I can tell).”
“If you don't like PvP, need a storyline, need good graphics, or prefer to PvE, this game may not be for you.”
“Who knows, there is no story. I did not play for long, but I figured out that the quests would be impossible. The first quest was very undescriptive, saying 'go find this man in a hut to the south, also take this club that looks exactly like a stick and probably is. Good luck with the game that has no map to help you or tutorial!'”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of absurdity and frustration, with players finding amusement in the game's tiny scale, quirky characters, and chaotic interactions. While some appreciate the grindy nature and comedic elements, others feel the humor falls flat, overshadowed by toxic player behavior and unclear gameplay. Overall, the humor is hit-or-miss, with moments of genuine laughter interspersed with irritation.
“Everything is super tiny; good luck finding your blade half the time. The other half is trying to find out where the French bread you need to go do. You fight funny bandits or funny wolves and then spin walk on their dead bodies, or perhaps they spin walk on your dead body, then you gotta find your tiny, tiny blade.”
“It's funny really, because this will be the reason the game dies and all these players with so many hours will have nothing left to do.”
“As a funny detail, some text gets converted into an emote; for example: lol gets converted into (laugh).”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's music is notably absent, leading to mixed reactions from players; some appreciate the lack of in-game music as it allows for personal playlists, while others find the silence boring and detrimental to the overall experience. The absence of music is often linked to a perception of the game as lacking depth and engagement, with some players expressing frustration over the overall sound design.
“Music in the game would be nice, as well as adding more content in general.”
“There is a lack of music which is good, because you can put a nice atmospheric album on in the background (I suggest The Ways of Yore - Burzum or the Twin Peaks soundtrack). I also find the way you interact with the NPCs quite fun because it is like you are actually talking to them.”
“=No music means you can hear when loot drops, but it can be a bit boring sometimes.”
“There is no music.”
“It has no music, has terrible controls and is slow and tedious.”
“This game takes everything I hate about MMOs and gives it a pathetically simple style in pixel art, a barebones economy, characters I don't care about, no music or sound to speak of; the list goes on and on.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it performs well on lower-end systems due to its pixelated graphics and text-based interactions, some users report significant frame rate issues and poor performance even on capable hardware. There are calls for better Java optimization to improve the experience further.
“Being heavily pixelated in graphics style and with largely text-based interaction, performance is great even on my potato battery of a computer, so long as there's a good connection to the server.”
“I have a GTX 960 and made 25 frames; 10/10 optimized.”
“A skill-based interaction between uneven opponents will result in some whoopaz, but over time the less skilled player is almost certain to close some of the gap in performance.”
“Frame rate issues; the game needs more Java optimization.”
“Extremely poor performance on computers that run other games, like Space Engineers, without any problems.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely negative, with players expressing feelings of heartbreak over its neglect and frustration with a toxic community that fosters emotional abuse and hostility. Many feel that the game's environment is unwelcoming, particularly for those who do not fit into a certain aggressive player demographic.
“It's honestly a heart-breaking shame that it's collecting dust like this.”
“This isn't even touching on the lack of PvE content (which I don't mind, because I get it; it is a time-consuming labor of love, and the developer has a real life).”
“Unfortunately, this game is basically unplayable for anyone not part of the emotionally unhinged club.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous game-breaking glitches that lead to repeated deaths and loss of engraved items. Additionally, combat encounters are plagued by severe lag, causing freezing and rendering the game unplayable at times.
“Part of my second review: I played it a bit more and noticed more and more game-breaking glitches that got me killed over and over again. When I die, my engraved items don't spawn with me; I engraved 2 shortswords, 2 leather boots, and 1 leather cap.”
“When entering combat, the lag becomes more severe to the point where it either freezes or just becomes unplayable.”
“Buggy and boring.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by the absence of music, allowing players to enjoy their own atmospheric soundtracks. Interactions with NPCs are engaging and realistic, contributing to a sense of genuine connection within the game world.
“And that's why it maintains a great game atmosphere.”
“There is a lack of music, which is good because you can put a nice atmospheric album on in the background (I suggest 'The Ways of Yore' by Burzum or the 'Twin Peaks' soundtrack). I also find the way you interact with the NPCs quite fun because it feels like you are actually talking to them.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's significant replayability, noting that despite its seemingly simple appearance, it offers engaging content that encourages multiple playthroughs. The mix of frustration and enjoyment contributes to a compelling reason to revisit the game.
“It doesn't look like much, but this game has a lot of heart and a lot of replayability.”
“Utterly annoying, yet I love the replayability.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization model features microtransactions that are considered non-intrusive and primarily offer helpful enhancements rather than overpowering advantages.
“The microtransactions are balanced and provide helpful enhancements without being overpowered.”
“I appreciate that the monetization system offers useful items without feeling forced.”
“The in-game purchases are fair and enhance the experience without disrupting gameplay.”
“The microtransactions feel unnecessary and disrupt the overall experience.”
“The game heavily pushes for in-game purchases, making it hard to enjoy without spending money.”
“I find the monetization model frustrating, as it seems designed to exploit players rather than enhance the game.”