Alder's Blood

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 232 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Alder's Blood Game Cover
Another journey into the macabre, where your worst enemy is the wind.
Starting at €19.99Buy now
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In Alder's Blood, you lead a clan of skilled hunters with unique abilities, battling supernatural creatures in turn-based combat. Manage your resources, craft equipment, and make strategic decisions to survive while uncovering the mysteries of a world abandoned by God. Stealth and evasion are crucial in this dark, atmospheric game where tactical choices matter.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 232 reviews
story57 positive mentions
stability18 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and intriguing Lovecraftian setting with beautiful art and atmosphere.
  • Combat mechanics are innovative, focusing on stealth and strategy rather than direct confrontation, which adds depth to gameplay.
  • The story is engaging, with a rich narrative that keeps players invested in the world and its mysteries.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs and technical issues, including game-breaking glitches and a lack of polish in the UI.
  • Gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, with missions often feeling similar and lacking variety in objectives and enemy types.
  • Character progression feels unsatisfying, as leveling up does not significantly impact combat effectiveness, and the corruption mechanic can lead to forced sacrifices of characters.
  • story181 mentions

    The game's story is praised for its intriguing Lovecraftian themes and well-crafted narrative, presented in a storybook style that enhances the atmosphere. However, many players note that the overall experience is marred by bugs, repetitive missions, and a lack of meaningful dialogue choices, which can detract from the depth of the plot. While the story captivates some players, the gameplay issues and linear progression may lead others to lose interest before fully engaging with the narrative.

    • “The story is original and the art is absolutely gorgeous.”
    • “The story and world feel vibrant, alive, and well-thought-out.”
    • “The story, which is both extremely - surprisingly really - well put together and written.”
    • “Very little in the way of meaningful dialog choices, so the story can be clicked through, leaving the plot feeling hollow.”
    • “The story thus far (100 turns in) has been entirely linear, and you as the player have no meaningful choices or dialogue options.”
    • “That being said, it isn't a perfect game, and there are many times where it shows clearly as an 'indie' title due to either bugs or a lack of fleshing out/polishing the story and game world.”
  • gameplay153 mentions

    The gameplay of Alder's Blood features a mix of innovative stealth mechanics and tactical turn-based combat, which many players find engaging and immersive, particularly due to its unique sound and scent mechanics. However, the experience is marred by numerous bugs, repetitive enemy encounters, and a lack of depth in certain mechanics, leading to a feeling of stagnation as the game progresses. While the art style and atmosphere are praised, the overall execution leaves players divided, with some enjoying the challenge and others frustrated by the rough edges and unclear mechanics.

    • “Interesting setting with a few unique game mechanics that result in a pretty enjoyable gameplay experience.”
    • “The gameplay revolves around the overworld travels of your misfit band, meeting the numerous factions, gathering resources, supplies and tools, and pursuing quests - and the turn-based top-down hex-based tactical squad missions, which are often stealth-oriented: positioning is key here, for your hunters are outnumbered most of the time.”
    • “A strategy RPG, Alder's Blood brings a mix of stealth and turn-based gameplay that draws you in and demands that you think ahead.”
    • “Moreover, the rewards don't seem enough for the effort; you can become overpowered with so little once you understand the battle mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay gets a bit repetitive sometimes, as different enemies don't really represent a different menace to you thanks to the ability to one-shot anything if you catch them by surprise.”
    • “Good idea and great atmosphere meet poor interface and boring gameplay.”
  • graphics83 mentions

    The graphics of "Alder's Blood" are characterized by a beautiful and unique 2D art style that evokes a grim, atmospheric tone reminiscent of Lovecraftian and Victorian aesthetics. While many reviewers praise the artwork as a significant selling point, some note that the overall graphical execution feels bare-bones and lacks variety in character designs. Despite these criticisms, the art style is generally regarded as stunning and integral to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The art style is absolutely gorgeous, and the world seems to hold enough mysteries for you to reveal.”
    • “The aesthetics and overall tone of 'Alder's Blood' is very atmospheric; the art style alone is a big selling point.”
    • “I really enjoy the gameplay and the Lovecraftian art style; creatures and lore all have me loving the game.”
    • “Graphics are... meh.”
    • “Whilst the game still has a distinct 'early-access' feel despite being fully released, notably lacking many quality of life aspects such as hotkeys for controls as well as balance issues (high stamina hunters with stamina boosting items are very overpowered), the aesthetic of 'lovecraftian western' and the gameplay cleverly avoiding the RNG which is pervasive in this genre of turn-based strategy makes the game worthy of attention for strategy veterans looking for a unique story or newcomers looking for a more methodical turn-based game.”
    • “I would describe it as Banner Saga with a Victorian gothic aesthetic.”
  • atmosphere36 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Alder's Blood" is widely praised for its dark, Lovecraftian aesthetic, complemented by impressive art, music, and a tense tone that immerses players in its unique universe. While many reviewers highlight the game's strong visual and auditory elements, some express disappointment with the writing and repetitive gameplay, suggesting that the atmosphere is a standout feature despite other shortcomings. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate a rich, atmospheric experience in tactical stealth settings.

    • “The aesthetics and overall tone of 'Alder's Blood' is very atmospheric; the art style alone is a big selling point.”
    • “The atmosphere, music, and artwork are all amazing.”
    • “It just creates a very tense atmosphere, and the soundtrack is quite fitting.”
    • “You should, it drips doom and gloom atmosphere... and so does this game.”
    • “It fails in a slew of other things, however, among which atmosphere, exploration, RPG system, and enemy intentions UI (which is absent).”
    • “The atmosphere is dark and creepy.”
  • stability20 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its significant stability issues, with many users describing it as "buggy as hell" and "unplayable." Common problems include broken saves, quest glitches, and overall poor programming, which detracts from the experience despite some positive elements like art and voice acting. While some players find enjoyment in the game, the overwhelming consensus is that it feels unfinished and in need of urgent fixes.

    • “It's not buggy, has good voice acting (when there is voice acting) and is just the kind of thing for fans of XCOM who want some Bloodborne in their lives.”
    • “Still buggy and unplayable.”
    • “Play this buggy mess on ironman and you'd not feel punished by the difficulty, you'd feel punished by the train-wreck of its programming.”
    • “But the game is buggy as hell; saves are bugged and quests too, with a quest bug you can lose all your hunters. I hope they fix it.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game is described as fitting and atmospheric, contributing to a tense, gothic ambiance, though some players find it understated and not particularly memorable compared to other indie titles. While the soundtrack enhances the unique art design and setting, opinions vary, with some considering it merely adequate rather than exceptional. Overall, it effectively complements the game's themes, despite a few critiques regarding its impact.

    • “What this game nails most is the feel of a dark, almost gothic alternate universe western; the art is awesome; the music is understated and underrated, in my humble opinion.”
    • “The atmosphere, music, and artwork are all amazing.”
    • “It just creates a very tense atmosphere and the soundtrack is quite fitting.”
    • “Soporific background music doesn't help.”
    • “The music is okay, but not earth-shattering (I've been spoiled by lots of indie games with rich, fantastic OSTs for the last few years), and some systems could use a bit more fleshing out still, which I understand might even be planned on a roadmap.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is minimal, with players controlling a nameless chief and a group of generic hunters who lack distinct personalities. The limited weapon choices and trading options further contribute to a sense of detachment, as players are encouraged not to form attachments to their hunters, who may need to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others. Overall, the character and enemy design is described as lackluster and lacking variety.

    • “There isn't a lot of specific character development, as you only play a nameless chief of a band of randomly named hunters that have no personality.”
    • “Weapon choices, trading, and character development are all a little thin (don't get attached, your hunters must sacrifice themselves to benefit the XP of others).”
    • “- lackluster variety in character design and enemy design.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and formulaic, leading to a lack of enjoyment. The combat is criticized for its lack of strategic depth, further exacerbating the monotonous experience.

    • “Additionally, the game is very formulaic and feels quite tedious after a while.”
    • “Due to the tedious nature of the game, this only gets exacerbated.”
    • “However, the combat lacks the strategic depth of the aforementioned titles and is more tedious than fun.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Many users report that while the game offers an enjoyable binge experience, it ultimately lacks significant replayability, making it less enticing to revisit after the initial playthrough.

    • “I found myself enjoying a binge session over a few days, but replayability seems lacking.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization allows players to easily recruit and deploy low-level hunters without significant impact on combat performance, making it accessible for new players.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

Buy Alder's Blood

Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
3-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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