Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms
- June 30, 2022
- Gamera Interactive
- 6h median play time
Set in a vibrant fantasy world, Alaloth – Champions of The Four Kingdoms offers fast paced action with a deep narrative, developed by a team of industry veterans. The game brings the aRPG dynamics to a new level with a skill based gameplay inspired by great classics such as Moonstone and modern masterpieces as Dark Souls in a gritty, dark, mature environment filled with blood and magic!
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful art style and immersive world-building, reminiscent of classic RPGs.
- Combat is engaging and requires skill, with a mix of dodging, blocking, and timing that adds depth to encounters.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and actively work on updates and improvements.
- The combat can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, especially when dealing with multiple enemies.
- The durability system is frustrating, as equipment breaks quickly and repair costs can be high, leading to tedious backtracking.
- Quest tracking is often vague, making it difficult to know where to go or what to do next, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story808 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it clichéd and lacking depth, often revolving around typical fantasy tropes like a hero opposing evil deities. While some appreciate the lore and world-building, they criticize the quest design for being repetitive and filled with fetch quests that offer little narrative engagement. Overall, the game seems to prioritize gameplay mechanics over a compelling story, leading to a disconnect for those seeking a rich narrative experience.
“Whether choosing to champion one of the four kingdoms, forging alliances with a diverse cast of NPC companions, or outsmarting the AI in a race to fell Alaloth and claim eternal renown, each playthrough crafts a unique story.”
“Your patience will be rewarded as you embark on an epic quest for victory and partake in a story worth telling again and again.”
“The story seems very solid for now; I'm a big fan of the way they introduce you to the world and the quests are all pretty interesting to the point where I don't do them for the rewards, just for the whole experience.”
“The story is a cliche cookie-cutter fantasy fiction tale of a mortal champion rising to oppose evil deities.”
“ChatGPT was obviously used to generate all story and quest-related dialogue, rendering it boringly superficial and unworthy of the player's time.”
“The quests are all variations of fetch quests, and are so poorly described in-game, you generally just collect all the quests you can in a town, and hope you complete one while out wandering around.”
- gameplay478 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the depth and challenge of its combat mechanics, while others criticize its clunky controls and repetitive nature. Many appreciate the character customization and the blend of isometric and action RPG elements, but express frustration over mechanics like durability and the lack of fluidity in combat. Overall, while the core gameplay loop shows potential, it requires significant refinement and balancing to enhance player experience.
“I enjoy the gameplay and difficulty of this huge game and look forward to many years of future updates and upcoming games from this company.”
“The gameplay manages to be quite fun and in depth with the ability to build your character however you like; abilities and spells don't have any prerequisites, so you can just learn what you want to use.”
“The core gameplay loop of the game is fun and it has gorgeous old school aesthetics: I've found some amazing views in all the areas I visited so far!”
“I expect the game to be very repetitive, so the gameplay needs to hold up and be fun, but it isn't.”
“The 'souls-like' combat is just a bad implementation of kite/dodge/summon-dummy mechanics, extremely hard first dungeon and repetitive & not really fun, but not hard at all gameplay afterwards.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay loop is ruined by absolutely absurd equipment repair costs.”
- graphics274 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its beautiful, nostalgic art style reminiscent of classic CRPGs like Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment. However, several users criticized the overall graphical quality, describing it as poor and outdated, with a lack of graphical options and a clunky user interface. Despite these criticisms, the game's aesthetic and artwork are often highlighted as standout features that enhance the immersive experience.
“The look, art style, presentation... it was everything I was yearning for.”
“The art style is really well done, and there are a ton of locations with much more visual variety than I expected.”
“The graphics are beautiful, but don't let that fool you, the gameplay is a true test of patience.”
“Very poor quality of graphics, details.”
“Graphics that can only be compared to a badly cropped thrice copied drawing and a storyline that is perfectly predictable right off the bat.”
“The graphics and visual style overall are unremarkable, but mostly serviceable - in combat the opponents can mix with the background easily (e.g. grey on grey).”
- music102 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its immersive quality and how it complements the game's aesthetic and environments. However, some tracks are criticized for being repetitive or lacking depth, with a few users suggesting that certain pieces sound outdated or poorly produced. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the experience, there are calls for improvement and variety to keep it engaging throughout gameplay.
“The soundtrack is also top-notch, because nothing sets the mood for a game of medieval politics like a pipe organ being played in the background.”
“Its world is richly designed, and the soundtrack augments this atmosphere brilliantly.”
“Seeing all the beautifully crafted locations combined with gorgeous fantasy music, I want to say that it's really worth the good effort the artists have put into it.”
“And that's not even getting into the sound/music design, which is a different can of similarly underwhelming and unappealing beans.”
“Some songs sound like they were made only using one of those old midi keyboards (the destroyed undead human village dungeon OST is a great example of a horrible song).”
“The music is still horrible and the mechanics are not that great.”
- grinding50 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and repetitive, with many expressing frustration over the lack of a traditional XP system that makes progression feel unfulfilling. The combat and quest mechanics contribute to a sense of monotony, as players often find themselves stuck in a cycle of clearing areas and repairing gear without meaningful rewards. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the enjoyment of the game.
“The progression system is overly linear, growth does not feel tangible whatsoever, and leveling up is only achieved by clearing every second 'fighting zone.' It is not possible to get stronger by 'grinding' because there is no 'XP' system, and the myriad quests are generally a waste of time because of that.”
“Repetitive as f***, grindy, unoptimized at every corner.”
“Enemies seem to have faster attacks, more range and don't stagger till you break their bar, seems hardly fair compared to your character and makes it feel extra tedious fighting them.”
- replayability38 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, bolstered by varied character customization, multiple factions, and a large map filled with lore. However, some players feel that the lack of diverse equipment and extreme repair costs limit replay value, suggesting that future updates could enhance this aspect further. While many find the game enjoyable and comparable to classics like Skyrim, others express concerns about exhausting its replay potential after a limited playtime.
“The game's brilliance shines in its depth and opportunities for replayability.”
“The lore is massive, and I love how huge the map is, with all the places you can visit, and to top it all off, the replayability factor is on point.”
“You can craft weapons and armor, recruit up to 3 companions based on how you build your character at the start, thus giving the opportunity for replayability!”
“Equipment also doesn't vary enough to produce interesting differences between combat styles, hurting replayability.”
“In total, I spent about nine hours playing this, and at this point, I feel like I have utterly exhausted any replay value this game may have.”
“Maybe this game could be better and more playable if the repair costs weren't so extreme, and maybe if they're made reasonable, I'll give this another try.”
- atmosphere30 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive world-building, beautiful art style, and effective use of lighting and sound, creating a captivating experience for players. Reviewers appreciate the rich design of cities and towns, which evoke a charming old-school vibe, while the soundtrack enhances the overall ambiance. However, some feel that certain gameplay mechanics, like mission tracking, can detract from the immersive atmosphere.
“Every map you enter is just so beautiful and interesting, and you can feel the atmosphere.”
“Its world is richly designed, and the soundtrack augments this atmosphere brilliantly.”
“The change in lighting and atmosphere in the cities and towns is great.”
“A map helps in this, which shows where to find a specific person, but on the other hand, it spoils the atmosphere of given tasks, because when you have to find someone, just press mission tracking and on the map you see an indicator that shows you where to go, so these missions become very automatic.”
“As soon as you get into the game mechanics and empathize with its world and atmosphere, Alaloth drags you into a fascinating game loop.”
“Love the art style and atmosphere, not sure if they plan to implement voice acting, but hopefully they do because that would bring the game from a 9 to a 10.”
- optimization24 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received positive feedback, with many players reporting stable frame rates, minimal overheating, and quick loading times. Some users noted that adjusting settings like vsync helped resolve initial stuttering issues, while others appreciated the game's fluid performance on various hardware, including the Steam Deck. However, there are calls for additional graphics settings and further optimizations to enhance the overall experience.
“I also can't remember any game made with the Unity engine that could be so well optimized (no CPU and GPU overheating and stable 60 fps) - my appreciation to developers for such a great merit.”
“This game is really well optimized: stable fps during play, no GPU/CPU overheating, and coolers don't scream like crazy. On top of all of this, it takes a few seconds to load/continue the game or to jump into the next location.”
“+ Great performance on Steam Deck.”
“Repetitive as f***, grindy, unoptimized at every corner.”
“Graphics settings are also missing (you do want to add them for release!) but still the game is very fluid and not demanding in terms of performance (personal opinion here).”
“-price/performance a bit too high.”
- humor20 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as offbeat and sometimes unintentionally funny, particularly through the narrator's odd pronunciations and the absurdity of certain gameplay elements, such as companions' reckless behavior and the ironic lore surrounding magic. While some players find the humor engaging, others feel it falls flat amidst the game's mundane quests and clunky mechanics, leading to mixed reactions about its comedic effectiveness. Overall, the humor is a notable aspect, though its reception varies widely among players.
“Hilariously in the game lore, magic is shunned because it is so powerful.”
“Rich with tense and sometimes offbeat and funny stories.”
“You are even insulted for dying; it was funny the first time.”
“Is this supposed to be funny?”
“Is this supposed to be funny?”
- stability12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most players reporting minimal bugs and a largely bug-free experience, especially during extended play sessions. However, some users noted quality of life issues, particularly with keyboard and mouse controls, and occasional problems with quest markers. A few players experienced significant bugs, such as one that affected save files, but these instances appear to be exceptions rather than the norm.
“Aside from one quest bug that broke my saves, which I recovered via dumps, the game was basically bug-free for me.”
“The game offers a large world with a bug-free questing experience.”
“Not really buggy, but there are lots of quality of life issues, especially on keyboard and mouse.”
“Quest markers are pretty buggy.”
“Not as buggy and camera-blocking as Elden Ring dragons.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players feeling a sense of empowerment from the combat mechanics, particularly the satisfying parrying system. However, disappointment arises from unmet expectations due to the game's comparisons to more acclaimed titles like Baldur's Gate, leading some to feel let down and disengaged.
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The character development system is highly customizable and classless, allowing players to shape their characters through various stats, traits, and active abilities that unlock post-creation. This flexibility enhances the gameplay experience by catering to individual playstyles and preferences.
“Highly customizable in options, character development, and difficulty.”
“The character development system is classless and based on the stats (attributes), traits (passive abilities), and active abilities, which become available only after the initial character creation.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for being misleading, as players feel trapped in a fighting arena with limited access to their inventory and gear, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction. This has resulted in some users opting for refunds due to unmet expectations set by advertisements.
“The game was purchased and subsequently refunded based on the misleading advertisement.”
“You cook before you start those (which ads buffs), you cannot leave them (either 'win' or die), you cannot access your inventory (only the health potions, etc. you stuffed into your belt will be available to you while in this fighting arena), no changing gear...nothing until you leave (again: either win or die, the entrance might be there but it isn't for you).”