Arboria

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 404 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Arboria Game Cover
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"Arboria is a single-player mystery roguelite RPG with soulslike combat, set in procedurally-generated dungeons. As a Yotun warrior, you must heal your Tribe's dying Father Tree, defeat monsters, and mutate to grow stronger. Despite some optimization issues and bugs, Arboria offers spectacular visuals, engaging gameplay, and an immersive plot."

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 404 reviews
gameplay41 positive mentions
grinding25 negative mentions
  • Unique and vibrant art style that adds charm to the game.
  • Engaging combat mechanics with a variety of weapons and mutations that allow for different playstyles.
  • Satisfying progression system that rewards players for their efforts and encourages exploration.
  • Frequent bugs and crashes that can disrupt gameplay and lead to loss of progress.
  • Some combat mechanics feel clunky, particularly with hit detection and enemy targeting.
  • Limited content in early access, with only a few levels and enemy types available.
  • gameplay121 mentions

    The gameplay is a blend of roguelite and souls-like mechanics, featuring an addictive core loop that encourages exploration and progression through combat and upgrades. While the combat system is generally praised for its fluidity and depth, some players find it hindered by technical issues, grinding mechanics, and a lack of clarity in certain systems. Overall, the game offers a unique atmosphere and engaging mechanics, but may frustrate some with its complexity and occasional bugs.

    • “The core gameplay loop is addictive and the combat system works really well.”
    • “Unique and inspired art & lore concepts combined with addictive roguelite mechanics and simple to learn but satisfying to master hack & slash combat.”
    • “The gameplay itself is a lot of fun, with interesting mechanics and a very fluid combat system.”
    • “The gameplay is ruined by the metaprogression heavy roguelite structure.”
    • “The game introduces you to game mechanics in the tutorial and then once you get past the tutorial, most of those mechanics are now locked and gated pending an indeterminate amount of pointless and unfun grinding.”
    • “Gameplay/combat: this is probably where the game struggles the most, and I assume this is largely due to the smaller nature of the studio.”
  • graphics87 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a polarizing aspect, with many players appreciating its unique and quirky art style while others criticize the overall quality, likening it to low-budget PS2 graphics. Despite some technical issues and resource-intensive settings that can lead to crashes, the game's aesthetic is often described as charming and original, blending grotesque and colorful elements that may appeal to fans of unconventional visuals. Overall, while the graphics may not be technically impressive, they contribute significantly to the game's distinctive atmosphere and appeal.

    • “What immediately grabbed me was the combination of setting and accompanying visuals.”
    • “The overall aesthetic of the game itself is very nice, they absolutely nailed the atmosphere and 99% of the character designs.”
    • “The art style is very original and, in a way, beautiful.”
    • “The graphics are weird, not sharp enough; it's like a blur all over the place, like not wearing glasses and you're on minus eyesight, even on the main character (1440p).”
    • “Graphics aren't that good or bad, seemingly like fairly low quality ones with a ton of post-processing to make them look fancy.”
    • “The game is just plain ugly to look at even on the highest graphics; the music is annoying and repetitive, and the sound design is all over the place.”
  • story40 mentions

    The story in this game is described as quirky and simple, with some players finding it engaging enough to keep them intrigued, while others criticize it for being shallow and poorly presented. Despite its low-quality humor and predictable plot, there are moments of unexpected twists that some players appreciate. Overall, while the narrative may not be the main draw, it serves to enhance the gameplay experience and offers a unique world to explore.

    • “The story itself, while simple, serves its purpose well at encouraging your gameplay, while the nuggets of lore you find as you progress leave you interested in how this world came to be.”
    • “Interesting storyline with an unexpected twist at the end.”
    • “Experience the life of a yotun troll warrior whose mission is to go deeper and deeper in Durnar, heal the Father Tree’s roots, and uncover all of Durnar’s many mysteries.”
    • “Expect gratingly low-quality humor, poorly thought out lore, and a storyline that's so obvious I'm pretty sure I know the ending after beating one boss.”
    • “The story is presented badly.”
    • “The whole world of dem trollz is interesting and has potential, but as for now the story seems rather unfinished.”
  • grinding25 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game features significant grinding, which many players find tedious and unfun, particularly due to locked mechanics and a slow progression system. Players express frustration with repetitive gameplay, spongy enemies, and inventory limitations that exacerbate the grind. While some enjoy grind-heavy experiences, the overall sentiment leans towards the grinding being excessive and detracting from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The game introduces you to game mechanics in the tutorial and then once you get past the tutorial, most of those mechanics are now locked and gated pending an indeterminate amount of pointless and unfun grinding.”
    • “Its repetitive, needlessly and intentionally grindy, and most unfortunate of all, boring.”
    • “This game is unnecessarily grindy, mostly due to the baffling decision that the currency you collect takes up inventory space, and your inventory is heavily limited when you start.”
  • humor20 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it grating and low-quality, while others appreciate its quirky charm and childlike, gross humor. Many reviews highlight the game's vibrant art style and lovable characters, noting that the humor is consistent and adds to the overall enjoyable experience, even if it may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay, creating a unique atmosphere that resonates with fans of the rogue-like genre.

    • “I really wanted to like this game, because it's so visually unique and honestly kind of funny in a childish, gross kind of way.”
    • “A fresh take on the rogue-like genre with tons of humor, and lovable characters.”
    • “The combat is fun and doesn't feel clunky, the artwork is fantastic, and I enjoy the jokes and quirky humor in the game.”
  • optimization19 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting poor performance, frequent crashes, and significant bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some aspects, like combat, are enjoyable, many users express frustration over stuttering, lag, and resource management issues, indicating a need for substantial quality-of-life improvements. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be a major hurdle, impacting gameplay and enjoyment.

    • “There are several mod slots that dramatically affect your performance and you would really want to pick out the best combination.”
    • “Combat is fast and smooth, just like the game's performance.”
    • “Like the game, hell maybe even love the game though I do wish it were a bit more optimized.”
    • “Poor optimization and bland combat hamper a game with at least passably interesting worldbuilding and entirely too many knobs to turn with character progression.”
    • “Fun combat and customization, but poorly optimized and has fatal bugs.”
    • “It seems like there are optimization issues, and potentially resource management; I've found that a straight run tends to crash at the third major section of the game, but if I have restarted the game and/or exited to the main menu, it tends to be more stable; same thing for when I start getting frame loss.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth and variety offered by its roguelike mechanics and meta upgrades, others feel that the endgame difficulty and lack of desire to replay diminish the experience. Many users highlight the game's charm, diverse combat system, and regular content updates as factors that enhance replayability, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate the genre. However, there are also concerns about whether the game can maintain long-term engagement for all players.

    • “Great roguelite that offers dozens of hours of replayability.”
    • “There is so much replayability packed with a simple yet super fun combat system.”
    • “Offers a ton of replayability since you start facing different versions of enemies regularly.”
    • “Replayability isn't great.”
    • “Definitely replayable.”
    • “A lot of replayability in this one.”
  • stability13 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting persistent bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some acknowledge that major issues have been addressed, many still find the game to be unfinished and frustratingly unstable, leading to crashes and gameplay interruptions. Overall, the consensus is that the game is currently too buggy to recommend, despite its potential and enjoyable elements.

    • “At this point, I cannot recommend the game because it is very buggy and, unlike most indie/early access games, the timetable on which it may be polished and fixed up looks to be so long that I'll be in a nursing home by the time it happens.”
    • “The game is buggy (teleport through walls outside of the map, open menus and can never close them again, teleport animation is infinite this just within 4 hours) loot is very poorly visible; you can only unlock 1 new building at a time even if you could build 5 of them at once the game limits you to 1 per run.”
    • “It still has a lot of bugs and glitches and 'fatal error' messages that terminate the game instantly for no reason.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique and captivating design, featuring interesting vendor characters and a blend of cartoonish goofiness with deeper lore. Reviewers appreciate the game's voice acting and aesthetic, noting that it creates an engaging environment that enhances the overall gameplay experience. The tone is described as light-hearted yet unexpectedly profound, making it a standout aspect of the game.

    • “The setting is unique and the atmosphere is remarkable.”
    • “The overall aesthetic of the game itself is very nice; they absolutely nailed the atmosphere and 99% of the character designs. While the majority of the game is pretty funny, if you listen to the audio logs you find throughout the levels, the lore gets surprisingly deep and interesting.”
    • “The atmosphere has plenty of cartoon goofiness, but develops into something quite interesting and unexpected (though I don't want to give away too much).”
    • “I personally find the design of the atmosphere very captivating and have spent many hours in a few short days inside Durnar and have yet to tire of it.”
    • “I'll start by talking about my favorite aspect of Arboria: its atmosphere.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music in the game features relaxing ambient tracks that intensify during hectic moments, but opinions are mixed; some find it annoying and repetitive, with poor sound design that leads to jarring volume shifts. Overall, while the music has its moments, it is often overshadowed by negative aspects of the game's audio experience.

    • “The ambient music in the dungeon is relaxing and picks up during hectic moments.”
    • “The music is loud and immersive, enhancing the overall experience.”
    • “After the shaman performs his song and dance (literally), you find yourself in a... pre-hub?”
    • “Music is loud.”
    • “The music is annoying and repetitive, the sound design is all over the place and randomly shifts volumes leading to some ear-bleeding moments as none of it is pleasant to listen to.”
    • “After the shaman does his song and dance (literally), you wind up in a... pre-hub?”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is enhanced by its impressive aesthetic and character designs, with most characters being well-received, though one design fell flat. The humor is prevalent, but the deeper lore revealed through audio logs adds significant depth to the characters, making their development more engaging.

    • “The overall aesthetic of the game itself is very nice; they absolutely nailed the atmosphere and 99% of the character designs. While the majority of the game is pretty funny, if you listen to the audio logs you find throughout the levels, the lore gets surprisingly deep and interesting.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “While the overall aesthetic of the game is very nice, the character development is disappointing and fails to engage the player.”
    • “The characters seem one-dimensional, and their growth throughout the game is minimal, leaving me wanting more.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express mixed emotions regarding the game's inventory management, describing it as "heartbreaking" due to the limited weapon variety and underwhelming mutations or spells. The final boss encounter also evokes frustration, as it relies heavily on potion spamming rather than strategic gameplay.

    • “My only issue with the game is that inventory management is a little too heartbreaking.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

33hMedian play time
36hAverage play time
20-80hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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