Anvil Saga

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 592 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • stability
Anvil Saga Game Cover
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In "Anvil Saga," players transform a struggling blacksmith shop into a thriving business, dealing with various characters while managing workers and facilities to create better merchandise. Players must also make decisions and deal with the consequences as they maintain relationships and reputation with various factions. The game offers endless variety with room construction, furniture, and décor to create the smithy of your dreams, while avoiding grave consequences such as being beheaded.

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Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 592 reviews
story59 positive mentions
stability43 negative mentions
  • The game has a charming art style and engaging story, with fun characters and humorous dialogue.
  • The micromanagement aspect allows for a satisfying level of control over individual characters and their tasks.
  • The game features a unique faction system that adds depth to decision-making and impacts gameplay.
  • The game is riddled with bugs, including issues with saving, UI disappearing, and characters getting stuck.
  • The campaign is very short, lasting only about 2-3 hours, which may not justify the price for many players.
  • The micromanagement can become tedious, especially as the number of characters increases, leading to frustration.
  • story227 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying its charm and humor but expressing frustration over its brevity and the presence of bugs that disrupt gameplay. While some found the narrative engaging and appreciated the choices that impact the story, others criticized the repetitive nature of quests and the lack of meaningful progression after a few hours. Overall, the story mode is seen as a promising foundation that needs further development and bug fixes to enhance the player experience.

    • “The story is fun and there are so many options to choose from, and they all make an impact on what happens next.”
    • “The story is charming and fun.”
    • “I really love all these tiny sidequests in story mode and these 'unique' characters; I often had a good laugh.”
    • “Every upgrade has been purchased, everything is unlocked, there's no more progression and no story elements other than a random side quest once in a while.”
    • “The game tops out of content and new stuff to do around 3 hours in; after that, it is the same repeated monotonous special order cycle and every 30 minutes or so you get a major plot point which is underwhelming most of the time.”
    • “The lack of consequences and difficulty means this isn't really a management game, so it must be a narrative game and the story isn't good enough to carry this.”
  • gameplay102 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying the core mechanics and engaging gameplay loop, but expressing concerns about repetitiveness and a lack of depth. While some appreciate the fun and unique aspects of managing a blacksmith shop, others criticize the game for being overly simplistic, buggy, and lacking sufficient content. Overall, the game shows potential but requires further development and refinement to enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “Great game, amazing easter eggs, and once you get hold of the mechanics, it is very fast-paced and fun.”
    • “The gameplay loop is fun and addicting; I just wish there was more to do :) I need the full version!”
    • “The gameplay itself is awesome, but there is not much of it.”
    • “Another developer that mistakes grind for gameplay.”
    • “I reckon the life of an actual blacksmith wouldn't be that much more interesting than the life of the main character, making it a quite accurate blacksmith simulator, but man is the gameplay loop of this game boring and repetitive...”
    • “My main gripe is that it is a story game disguised as a management game and, while the story was surprisingly decent, the gameplay was shallow, the mechanics were poorly explained and didn't really work together very much, like unconnected ideas, and there are still some bugs and UI annoyances that needed some ironing out.”
  • stability43 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, making it feel unpolished and unfinished, with many players experiencing game-breaking issues that require frequent restarts. While some users find the gameplay enjoyable despite these problems, the overall consensus is that the game is currently too unstable for a full release, resembling more of an early access title. Many reviewers express hope for future improvements, but caution potential players about the current state of the game.

    • “The game is literally too buggy to be playable at this point, unfortunately.”
    • “This game is a buggy mess.”
    • “The actual game is nice, but it's so buggy right now, it's basically unplayable.”
  • graphics33 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with many users praising the cute and colorful pixel art style that enhances the overall experience. The visuals are described as smooth and cartoonish, fitting well with the game's mechanics and themes, while also evoking a sense of nostalgia. Overall, the art style is considered charming and well-executed, contributing to the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.

    • “The graphics are smooth and cute, the style is almost cartoonish but the subdued color palette adds a bit of a realistic feel anyway.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, simple but interesting story.”
    • “This game took me back to my past, made me feel those pleasant emotions with beautiful music, exciting gameplay, cute graphics and incredible work of programmers and everyone involved.”
    • “I would recommend that they do not tie progress to aesthetic elements in the game.”
    • “The graphics are very cute but 'realistic' and it sounds alright too.”
    • “+ gorgeous pixel graphics, but a little low resolution.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its catchy, atmospheric quality and its ability to enhance the medieval feel, with many players enjoying the relaxing and endearing tunes. However, there are consistent complaints about the lack of variety, leading to repetitiveness over time, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite this, the soundtrack is often described as a highlight, contributing positively to the game's charming pixel art and enjoyable gameplay.

    • “The soundtrack is catchy and has a great medieval feel to it; I've caught myself humming the tunes the last couple of days.”
    • “Great relaxing game with chill music.”
    • “The game has a relaxing atmosphere and unobtrusive music; I was also very pleased with the pixel art.”
    • “I'd like to see the zoom-out scale a little further, and I had to turn the music off by like day 30 just because of the lack of variety.”
    • “After a point, you will get tired of hearing the same soundtrack.”
    • “On a final note, I really, really hope there's a plan for some sound rework and more background music added.”
  • grinding21 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the game starts off engaging with enjoyable micromanagement, it quickly devolves into tedious grinding, especially as player responsibilities increase with more characters. Many players appreciate the busywork and time management aspects, but find the lack of automation and repetitive tasks—like resource gathering and character upkeep—can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game has potential but may frustrate those who dislike grinding as it becomes increasingly monotonous.

    • “It's not too grindy, still enjoy it!”
    • “The micromanagement of individual characters is a nice amount of control at first, but becomes very tedious later.”
    • “There is no automation at all; it gets tedious as soon as you hit 2 employees and have to tell them to go sleep or eat every time.”
    • “This all said, while fun for the first few hours, it becomes increasingly tedious in the not-fun sense.”
  • humor20 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the quirky characters, funny dialogues, and absurdist references that contribute to an overall entertaining experience. However, some reviewers feel that the humor can be heavy-handed or out of place, and the game's technical issues detract from its comedic potential. While the initial hours are filled with laughter and charm, the repetitive gameplay and bugs have led to a more critical view of the humor's effectiveness in the long run.

    • “The game is full of references, but also genuinely funny scenes; the devs have a good thing going with the absurdist humor and put their own spin on something.”
    • “Everything from art style to the quirky characters that pop up during your saga adds a little humor and fun, showing that this team loves not only 'nerd culture' but also writing and working on this game.”
    • “The characters are funny, the story is hilarious, and there is very little to not love about this game.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the multiple endings and choice-driven narrative that encourage exploration of different story paths, others find the experience repetitive and lacking depth after the main story is completed. The presence of achievements and a sandbox mode adds some value, but many feel that replaying the game may not be as enjoyable once the initial content is exhausted.

    • “There appear to be quite a few endings, so you have replayability as well.”
    • “The story is simple, and they push you to make choices that can have consequences on your game, which adds to the replayability if you want to see different sides of the story.”
    • “High replayability and variable challenge makes this a keeper.”
    • “Yes, it is a replayable game, but replaying it is not that fun.”
    • “Repetitive and not much replayability after the main story and upgrades are done.”
    • “Just too short and lacks replay value after a certain point.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charm, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack that balances dynamic pacing with a relaxing vibe. Players appreciate the pixel art and the immersive setting, which collectively create a delightful and breathtaking experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, with potential for further enhancement.

    • “The atmosphere of the game is great, and the characters add a ton of charm to the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing and atmospheric.”
    • “The game has a relaxing atmosphere and unobtrusive music; I was also very pleased with the pixel art.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The optimization of the game is polarizing; while some users report smooth performance, others criticize it as "horrifically unoptimized," indicating significant technical issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “It runs smoothly and it could be everything you want from this genre of gaming.”
    • “However, it's horrifically unoptimized.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The game is praised for its simple yet touching story that evokes strong emotions and nostalgia, enhanced by beautiful music, engaging gameplay, and charming graphics. Reviewers find it heartwarming and uplifting, noting its ability to resonate deeply with players.

    • “The story is simple yet touching and believable with an uplifting trajectory that goes surprisingly far above many others.”
    • “Very heartwarming at that!”
    • “This game took me back to my past, made me feel those pleasant emotions with beautiful music, exciting gameplay, cute graphics, and incredible work of programmers and everyone involved.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the game's straightforward monetization approach, highlighting its quality and complete experience without reliance on microtransactions or exploitative practices common in many modern titles. This refreshing model is seen as a positive contrast to the prevalent 'games as a service' trend.

    • “In the age of 'games as a service', microtransactions and other abusive practices, a short, quality game like this with a concrete ending and a fun game loop is welcome.”
    • “In the age of 'games as a service', microtransactions and other abusive practices are rampant, making a short, quality game like this with a concrete ending and a fun game loop feel refreshing.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend more than they should just to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's disappointing to see a game that could have been great marred by excessive microtransactions that detract from the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

6hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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