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Apollyon: River of Life

Apollyon: River of Life Game Cover
85%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay
91% User Score Based on 44 reviews

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PCWindows
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Apollyon: River of Life Game Cover

About Apollyon: River of Life

Apollyon: River of Life is a single player and multiplayer tactical role playing game with horror, fantasy and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by The Planar Danse and was released on October 28, 2023. It received very positive reviews from players.

Apollyon is a dark fantasy narrative RPG focused on choices, where you summon demons and spiritual entities, deal with them for power, and delve deeper into an occult universe! It is a multiplayer choose-your-own adventure RPG mixed with a roguelike strategy board game and hidden deckbuilder elements. In this 40+ hour game, you will: Use obsidian tokens upon the Apollyic table to control the…

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Apollyon: River of Life screenshot
Apollyon: River of Life screenshot
Apollyon: River of Life screenshot
Apollyon: River of Life screenshot
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Reviews

91%Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews
story4 positive mentions
  • The game features beautiful artwork, captivating card designs, and a rich narrative that immerses players in a deep, occult-themed world.
  • Apollyon offers a unique gameplay experience with its strategic token mechanics and non-linear storytelling, encouraging exploration and experimentation.
  • The game is challenging but rewarding, with a steep learning curve that ultimately leads to a satisfying sense of accomplishment as players unlock new content and master the mechanics.
  • The game can be confusing and overwhelming at first, with vague feedback on mechanics that may leave players feeling lost.
  • The steep difficulty and punishing mechanics, such as losing progress upon death, can be frustrating, especially for new players.
  • There are reports of bugs and control issues, particularly with the need to use both keyboard and mouse, which can detract from the overall experience.

  • story

    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    15% positive mentions, 73% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions

    The game's story is presented in a non-linear format, allowing players to uncover narrative elements through card events that range from simple mechanics to complex choices. While some storylines are still unfinished and there are occasional bugs, the overall narrative is described as compelling and rich, drawing players into a fantasy world that evolves with their actions. Many users express a desire for a dedicated story mode, highlighting the engaging nature of the storytelling despite initial challenges in gameplay.

    • “This is a great game, a hidden gem. It draws you in with what seems on the surface to be a card/table strategy game, but soon reveals a rich fantasy story behind the events in the game.”
    • “It's so fun to slowly explore this world and uncover how your actions on the table influence the story.”
    • “There will be bugs and not all the storylines are finished yet; that said, for what is presently available, Apollyon offers an oddly compelling style of narrative that winds between the places between worlds, and some notable locales on it besides.”
    • “The storytelling is non-linear, so you slowly gather glimpses and pieces.”
    • “I would love to see a story-only mode option.”

  • gameplay

    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    19% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 19% negative mentions

    The gameplay of Apollyon is characterized by its esoteric and text-based choose-your-own-adventure format, where players navigate multiple events using a unique token system that influences various outcomes. Progression is tied to completing rituals without dying, adding a layer of challenge as players learn the mechanics and effects of the tokens. Overall, the game encourages exploration and experimentation within its intricate mechanics.

    • “In Cultist Simulator, figuring out the mechanics is a part of the game, and the game's reaction to your actions is clear enough to understand how things work under the hood.”
    • “The gameplay takes mostly the form of a text-based choose your own adventure, where multiple events need to be tackled in succession.”
    • “Every turn you can shift a number of these tokens around, to a multitude of varying effects, ranging from making certain skill tests easier (and others harder!), to allowing or preventing certain events from showing up, to applying fundamentally changing effects upon the gameplay.”
    • “Apollyon is definitely esoteric — not only narrative-wise (that is expected), but also gameplay-wise.”
    • “The progression mechanic is peculiar, as you only save your progress when you finish a ritual (run) without dying.”
    • “I like what I see but am still learning the impacts of all the tokens, so I think I will start a new playthrough to better understand the gameplay.”

  • graphics

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 75% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The graphics are highly praised for their unique art style, with particular appreciation for the detailed artwork on the cards and the distinct visual representation of each class. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's enjoyment and immersive experience.

    • “I love the artwork on the cards, and how each class feels different.”

  • music

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised, with players expressing a strong affinity for its style and integration into the overall experience, contributing to an enjoyable and immersive atmosphere.

    • “An absolute blast that I heavily recommend! I might have a soft spot for their art style and the music in-game.”
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Apollyon: River of Life is a tactical role playing game with horror, fantasy and dark fantasy themes. Common tags for Apollyon: River of Life include co-op campaign, indie, roguelite, psychological, psychological horror and others.

Apollyon: River of Life is available on PC and Windows.

Apollyon: River of Life was released on October 28, 2023.

Apollyon: River of Life was developed by The Planar Danse.

Apollyon: River of Life has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked Apollyon: River of Life for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Apollyon: River of Life is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Cultist Simulator, Golden Treasure: The Great Green, Sultan's Game, Heretic Operative, Foretales and others.