Athenian Rhapsody

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It's the game about you! Brave fast paced combat alongside many other mechanics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 229 reviews

humor70 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features vibrant graphics and animations that bring the world and characters to life, creating an engaging visual experience.
The humor is quirky and often hilarious, with a mix of absurdity and clever writing that keeps players entertained throughout their journey.
Athenian Rhapsody offers a high level of replayability with multiple routes and endings, encouraging players to explore different choices and character interactions.

Some party members feel underdeveloped, with inconsistent screen time and character depth, leading to a lack of emotional connection.
The combat system can be frustrating due to large hitboxes and a lack of invincibility frames, making some battles feel unfair and overly challenging.
Certain gameplay mechanics, such as the 'survive X turns' boss fights, can lead to a sense of tedium and diminish the excitement of combat encounters.

humor
71 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of quirky, absurdist, and sometimes low-brow comedy, reminiscent of titles like Undertale, with many players finding it genuinely funny and engaging. However, opinions vary widely; while some appreciate the random and silly jokes, others feel the humor can become repetitive or cringy, particularly with an overreliance on toilet humor. Overall, the game's comedic style appeals to those who enjoy offbeat humor, but it may not resonate with everyone.
- “Many custom dialogues exist within the game that kept me laughing the entire 14 hours.”
- “The game is absurdly funny while still having a deep story and a good message, the character designs are weird, funny, and overall very pleasing, the characters are expressive and fun, and you actually feel connected to the party members you recruit, everything just feels so alive and incredibly fun.”
- “Hilarious commentary, fun gameplay, adorable graphics, really just an excellent time.”
- “It's funny until it's not funny; I'm tired of your shenanigans!”
story
41 mentions
29 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story of "Athenian Rhapsody" is characterized by its quirky humor and absurdity, offering players a variety of routes and choices that impact the narrative. While many players appreciate the comedic elements and the engaging side quests, some feel that the main plot lacks depth and coherence, with characters often appearing superficial. Overall, the game is seen as a fun, replayable experience, though opinions vary on the effectiveness of its storytelling and humor.
- “Amazing game from beginning to end, great soundtrack, and great story.”
- “The game is absurdly funny while still having a deep story and a good message, the character designs are weird, funny, and overall very pleasing, the characters are expressive and fun, and you actually feel connected to the party members you recruit, everything just feels so alive and incredibly fun.”
- “With many avenues and routes to take on your journey, you get to create a story all about yourself, the player!”
- “I'm always up for a wacky story, but so far, I don't feel there's a story in there; also, the humor and jokes didn't resonate with me.”
- “The story isn't about you, the player, but more about the game itself. It's not truly replayable since there is only one viable path, and trying to go neutral or genocidal will make the game nearly impossible later on.”
- “The story makes attempts to be something a lot grander than it is. I get that it's supposed to be satirical on Undertale games, but it misses the mark and feels lazily referential, with humor akin to modern Family Guy cutaways.”
gameplay
33 mentions
30 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a vibrant mix of bullet hell mechanics and various mini-games, drawing heavy inspiration from Undertale while infusing its own charm and humor. Players appreciate the engaging combat and unique enemy designs, though some criticize inconsistent difficulty and hitbox issues. Overall, the game offers a fun and challenging experience, especially for fans of quirky humor and creative gameplay elements.
- “The gameplay is mostly that of a bullet hell, but it gets varied with other minigames thrown into the loop (e.g. a basketball minigame, rhythm game, quiz, etc.).”
- “The combat throughout the game was stellar as each enemy has their own gimmicks and mechanics, the difficulty curve feels very fair throughout the game as well.”
- “An absolute delight of a game full of silly jokes, wacky characters, heartfelt storytelling, and absolutely bonkers unexpected combat mechanics.”
- “The gameplay (in battle) of ARHAP is a copy of Undertale; that on its own isn't a real problem, but only if the game is fair and has good hitboxes. Unfortunately, ARHAP is not the case. Sometimes when fighting a boss, you have to pray to beat them because of the clunky hitboxes and bad game design.”
- “Another annoying mechanic if you choose to go the combat-only route is that about half the bosses in the game are basically scripted to survive a certain number of turns, making them feel ridiculously tanky and unfair to deal with until they suddenly give up without warning.”
- “The constant forced dialogue popups after every attack during many boss fights basically ruin the potentially interesting strategy that the Earthbound-style HP rolling mechanic could bring to the table.”
music
32 mentions
50 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its quality and variety, describing it as "amazing," "banging," and a standout feature of the overall experience. While some noted that certain tracks may not be particularly memorable, the soundtrack is generally considered a highlight, complementing the game's vibrant visuals and humor. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The music, the look, the details, and the knee-slapping humor are all spot on.”
- “Amazing game from beginning to end, great soundtrack, and great story.”
- “The music in this game is pretty great and I like how silly it is.”
- “Couldn't find songs that stick in my head but definitely worth listening to.”
- “Athenian Rhapsody has music that is just 'okay', and the sound effects can be a tad bit annoying in most cases - especially when characters are talking.”
- “Gameplay is solid enough and the art and music are solid too but if you don't rock with the humor you may not enjoy this one.”
graphics
13 mentions
46 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty, charm, and vibrant colors, drawing comparisons to classic titles like Earthbound and Undertale. Players appreciate the expressive sprites and detailed animations, which enhance the overall experience, despite some noting that the visibility of party characters can detract from first-person immersion. The art style, combined with a captivating soundtrack, contributes to a visually stunning and engaging gameplay experience.
- “The graphical style, music, and the combat system all are phenomenal!”
- “2 hours in as of writing, absolutely fabulous Earthbound-inspired RPG with amazing music and visuals.”
- “I do feel the game has a lot to admire about it graphically at least and the music is halfway decent.”
- “Graphics and animations in this game are beautiful.”
- “The art style, despite seemingly simple at first, uses its limitations so well on the overworld and in battles; the sprites are so detailed and expressive.”
replayability
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with numerous alternate routes, endings, and meaningful choices that significantly impact each playthrough. Players appreciate the unique side quests and characters, which enhance the overall experience and encourage multiple runs to uncover all secrets and content. Overall, the game is designed to be engaging and fun, making it a title that players are likely to revisit frequently.
- “The game is fun; I laugh a lot throughout my run. It's one of the few games where I like all the side quests, which are quite enjoyable. The side characters (the optional ones) are all unique and fun in their own way. The best thing about the game is the (almost) infinite replayability, as it has many endings and routes, and every choice is important, leading to changes during your run.”
- “Another aspect I love about this game is that it is extremely replayable, and the game encourages you to play it over and over again.”
- “This game has a ton of replayability with its alternate routes and endings.”
- “The sheer amount of secrets, optional content, and experimentation with what the world lets you do absolutely helps with replayability as well.”
- “I'll probably end up playing this game a few more times since it seems to have quite a bit of replay value to it, especially since I already missed out on a few things during my playthrough.”
grinding
7 mentions
14 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
57 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unbalanced, with some noting that while it's not excessively grindy, it can become boring during repetitive runs. The combat mechanics contribute to this frustration, as leveling up can inadvertently make battles more challenging due to scaling enemy difficulty. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a necessary but unenjoyable part of gameplay.
- “At least it's not grindy, but I can always be fully stocked on items with no issue.”
- “It's boring and tedious on repeat runs when you know this.”
- “Combat's tedious in ways that feel unfair (RNG projectile directions, enemy damage scales with level but your defense doesn't, healing items are way too inefficient).”
- “In this main version of the game, I did the exact opposite—killing every single enemy I could, grinding up levels when necessary, and trying to power through the game through pure stats.”
character development
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its engaging and expressive designs, which contribute to a deep and humorous narrative. Players feel a strong connection to the diverse party members, enhancing the overall experience with their individual stories and lively interactions.
- “The game is absurdly funny while still having a deep story and a good message. The character designs are weird, funny, and overall very pleasing. The characters are expressive and fun, and you actually feel connected to the party members you recruit; everything just feels so alive and incredibly fun.”
- “Character designs are fun and varied.”
- “Character development from all points of view.”
- “Character development lacks depth and feels superficial throughout the game.”
- “The characters don't evolve in meaningful ways, making it hard to connect with them.”
- “While the character design is appealing, the individual stories are underdeveloped and fail to engage.”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game surprisingly evokes strong emotions through its wholesome narrative and heartfelt storytelling, despite its goofy and bizarre elements. Players have reported feeling a deep connection to the characters, with some experiencing tears during poignant moments, highlighting the game's ability to resonate on a personal level.
- “As a trans woman, Richard having trouble talking to me and apparently having trouble with talking to girls actually made me feel better.”
- “- The pacifist ending made me shed a tear.”
- “An absolute delight of a game full of silly jokes, wacky characters, heartfelt storytelling, and absolutely bonkers unexpected combat mechanics.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users report experiencing minor bugs and freeze glitches that occasionally lead to unsaved data loss, indicating some stability issues within the game.
- “Minor bugs and freeze glitches occurred during my run, resulting in some unsaved data being lost.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
- “I experienced several stability issues, including random freezes that forced me to restart the game.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-300 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with the game's optimization, noting the lack of support for standard features like 16:9 aspect ratio and higher framerates, which they attribute to developer oversight or negligence.
- “The game runs smoothly with impressive optimization, allowing for a seamless experience even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I appreciate the attention to detail in optimization; it really enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
- “The developers have done a fantastic job optimizing the game, ensuring it performs well across a variety of systems.”
- “Judging a game like this by performance is silly, but 16:9 support and higher framerates really should be the standard by now. I struggle to think of a reason why this doesn't support that aside from the developers' laziness.”