Arakion: Book One
- May 15, 2018
- Lavidimus
In this indie role-playing game, players explore a vibrant world, building and managing their own city while batting enemies in turn-based or real-time combat. With a focus on deep strategy and immersive storytelling, "Arakion: Book One" offers a unique experience that draws inspiration from classics like Might and Magic and Dungeon Master. The game supports multiple languages, with English being the official one and various states of translation for others. Despite being developed mainly by one person, "Arakion: Book One" promises a rich and polished experience.
Reviews
- The game features a stunningly beautiful world with a unique graphics style and immersive music, creating an engaging atmosphere.
- There is a wealth of content already available, including crafting, puzzles, and a variety of gameplay mechanics that show great potential for future updates.
- The developer is responsive and dedicated to improving the game, which is promising for its future development and completion.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and clumsy controls, making navigation and combat frustrating and detracting from the overall experience.
- As an Early Access title, it feels incomplete with many areas lacking polish, and some core mechanics, like the user interface, are poorly designed.
- The game has been in Early Access for an extended period without significant updates, leading to concerns about its long-term viability and development pace.
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay in the latest build is noted for its smooth controls, though players express some uncertainty about the permanence of certain features due to the game's early access status. There is anticipation for future updates, particularly the introduction of turn-based mechanics, which could enhance the overall experience.
“Smooth controls and gameplay.”
“I'm excited for future updates, especially the turn-based mechanics coming soon!”
“Just hopping on the wagon now. I have seen earlier builds and read previous reviews, and they don't appear to be congruent with the latest build. This is fine and alright, being early access, but it is a trying time to determine what is under construction and what is permanent, even with the cryptic content of certain puzzles or mechanics.”
- music2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its gorgeous and calming quality, enhancing the scenic experience; however, some players feel that the soundtrack lacks variety, leading to a repetitive listening experience.
“The scenery is nice and the soundtrack is calming, creating a pleasant atmosphere.”
“The music enhances the overall experience, making the game world feel more immersive.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, adding depth to the exploration.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their unique and pleasant style, featuring a stunningly beautiful world filled with intricate details like trees and floating islands. Characters are aesthetically appealing, with well-developed backgrounds and diverse origins, contributing to an immersive experience enhanced by thoughtful world-building and crafting elements. Overall, the visual presentation is both refreshing and engaging.
“The world is stunningly beautiful, with love in every detail. The trees, floating islands, and puzzles create a captivating environment. The characters are aesthetically appealing, featuring well-thought-out backgrounds and unique birthplaces for each race. The world-building and crafting elements are enjoyable, providing a great introduction to the genre, and the ideas behind the NPCs are new and refreshing.”
“Seems like an interesting combination of game types, featuring a different and pleasant graphics style.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a concern, as it remains in early access after nearly four years with minimal improvements and increasing bugs. While it offers a nostalgic first-person dungeon crawling experience, players find the movement sluggish and the overall pacing unsatisfactory, suggesting that it may struggle to meet evolving gaming standards by the time it is fully released.
“The game is a nice first-person dungeon crawler that went old school. Fortunately, there weren't any glitches, and the stability of the gameplay was commendable.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues, providing a stable experience that allows players to immerse themselves fully.”
“I appreciate how stable the game feels; it rarely crashes and maintains a consistent frame rate throughout.”
“However, after almost 4 years, it is still in early access, with very little improvement and just more buggy and not fully engaging content. By the time this game is fully finished, it will be completely out of date compared to the constantly evolving gaming standards.”
“The game is a nice first-person dungeon crawler that went old school; unfortunately, it seems like it is a little early for the game. There really weren't glitches, but the movement for that type of game was very slow, and it just felt like the game dragged on.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is marred by numerous bugs and several dead-end quests, which detract from the overall narrative experience.
“The story is riddled with bugs and features several dead-end quests that disrupt the experience.”
“The narrative lacks coherence and fails to engage the player, making it difficult to stay invested.”
“Character development is shallow, leaving the plot feeling flat and uninteresting.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers feel that the game's atmosphere could be significantly enhanced with additional features such as on-screen notifications, item descriptions, and improved sound design. While they appreciate the game's potential, they believe that these enhancements are essential for creating a more immersive experience. Overall, there is a strong desire for the developers to incorporate these elements as the game nears completion.
“The atmosphere in this game is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world with stunning visuals and haunting sound design.”
“Every corner of the game is filled with detail, creating a rich and engaging environment that feels alive and dynamic.”
“The combination of ambient sounds and the art style creates a unique atmosphere that keeps you captivated throughout your journey.”