Banquet for Fools
- September 30, 2024
- Hannah and Joseph Games
Get on Steam"Banquet for Fools" is a party-based open-world adventure game where players explore the island of Invimona with four generated companions. The Vollings, shunned by deities, must farm a lucrative spice, facing challenges such as investigating a mysterious disappearance. Each companion has unique dialogue choices based on their stats, deepening their bonds as the journey progresses.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and beautiful art style that evokes nostalgia while feeling fresh and original.
- Gameplay is rich and immersive, with a deep combat system that encourages exploration and discovery without hand-holding.
- The developers are highly responsive to player feedback and actively working on updates, showcasing their passion for the project.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and stability issues, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Many mechanics are poorly explained, leading to confusion about gameplay systems such as spell-casting and inventory management.
- The combat system can feel clunky and unintuitive, requiring a significant learning curve that may deter some players.
- graphics28 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, reminiscent of claymation and old-school RPGs, which effectively sets a nostalgic yet fresh atmosphere. Players appreciate the attention to detail in character design and environments, noting the smooth physics and cohesive world-building that enhance the overall experience. Despite some mixed opinions on specific visual elements, the overall aesthetic is considered a standout feature that adds significant value to the game.
“The art style is beautiful and totally unique, with every detail - from the menus to the item designs - coming together to create a world that feels fully realized and consistent.”
“Absolutely gorgeous art design and aesthetic.”
“Sits looked interesting (though in my opinion the art style was still bad as it was hard to make things out) and Mechajammer is one of the two games I've scored as a '2'.”
“Graphically, the game is mind-blowing.”
“Art style is similar to Dark Crystal, very unique.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its rich and engaging mechanics, offering a unique blend of exploration and combat that feels both nostalgic and innovative. Players appreciate the crisp, fluid controls and the depth of the game world, which encourages discovery through its quirky systems and immersive design. While some old-school mechanics may feel outdated, the overall experience is described as enjoyable and captivating, making it a standout title to watch.
“It looks like one, sounds like one, plays like one and on top of that has its own very unique and interesting world and style, and interesting (albeit a bit quirky) combat system and gameplay mechanics.”
“The gameplay is excellent, exploration feels good.”
“Gameplay is crisp and fluid, feeling weighty and responsive, perfect for an action RPG.”
“I get that the designers were going for an 'old-school' feel, but some of those mechanics are gone for a reason.”
“It makes the first playthrough full of discovery right from the start, not because you get new content to explore in a game you just got, but because you’ll have to learn new and unusual systems and mechanics, a new unique world full of unfamiliar concepts, words and the way of speech.”
“It's bizarre and unique in mostly all of its aspects: gameplay, lore, graphical style, music...”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its nostalgic, old-school vibe, reminiscent of classic RPGs, enhanced by unique art styles and rustic visuals. Reviewers highlight the immersive quality of the music and graphics, creating a captivating and enjoyable experience that feels both familiar and fresh. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and appeal.
“Another thing that stands out to me and makes it feel nostalgic in a similar way as the classics, is how this game just oozes atmosphere.”
“And that atmosphere is of a particular old school vibe that is almost extinct nowadays, it’s often in the music and the visuals, that have a beautiful rustic roughness to them.”
“Awesome gem dripping with atmosphere, really excited to see more as it comes out.”
“And that atmosphere is of a particular old school vibe that is almost extinct nowadays; it’s often in the music and the visuals, which have a beautiful rustic roughness to them.”
“If you've played Joseph and Hannah's previous games, you know well they convey atmosphere, and they deliver in spades here.”
“Another thing that stands out to me and makes it feel nostalgic in a similar way as the classics is how this game just oozes atmosphere.”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its unique and atmospheric qualities, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the killer soundtrack and its ability to evoke a mystical, old-school vibe, enhancing the game's rustic visuals and immersive storytelling. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that complements the gameplay and art style beautifully.
“And that atmosphere is of a particular old school vibe that is almost extinct nowadays, it’s often in the music and the visuals, that have a beautiful rustic roughness to them.”
“Killer soundtrack and art style.”
“The writing and music is unparalleled, it gives you a feeling of being in a mystical Icelandic saga.”
“If you have a musical instrument, you can summon a temporary animal that doesn't seem to do anything and disappears quickly.”
“It's bizarre and unique in mostly all of its aspects: gameplay, lore, graphical style, music...”
“Music is also appropriate so far.”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is still developing but shows significant depth and uniqueness, drawing inspiration from various classic RPGs. Players must navigate the narrative without traditional quest markers, relying instead on a beautifully designed notes system to track their progress, which adds a layer of challenge and immersion. Overall, the storytelling approach is engaging, though it may require some adjustment for those accustomed to more guided gameplay.
“This is definitely an up and coming game you should keep your eye on; the gameplay is rich and interesting, and while the story is still in its infancy, the depth is already apparent.”
“The story and lore are in-depth and unique.”
“Like Mechajammer and Serpent in the Staglands before it, there is no quest log, or map markers or a compass pointing you in the right direction - you take notes (via a journal that you just... write in), pick up clues and ask NPCs for directions.”
“No quest or location tracking at all.”
“I don't mind having to track quests in notes; I just have to hope I don't forget to do so!”
“Like Mechajammer and Serpent in the Staglands before it, there is no quest log, map markers, or a compass pointing you in the right direction - you take notes (via a journal that you just... write in), pick up clues, and ask NPCs for directions.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game currently suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs, particularly during character creation, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players remain hopeful for improvements, the existing problems indicate that the game requires further development to enhance stability and user satisfaction.
“I was enjoying it, but it's very buggy at the moment and still needs more work.”
“I find it somewhat difficult, and the character creation is a little buggy and not as exciting as I usually like. I couldn't create the characters I really wanted or fantasized about, but I will see how it flows in-game.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as the combat often devolves into a repetitive cycle of pausing, attacking, and running, leading to a lack of engagement and excitement.
“Combat becomes a repetitive pause-attack-unpause-run cycle, which is quite tedious, to be honest.”
“The grinding feels endless and lacks any real reward, making it a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
“I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again, and it quickly becomes boring and unengaging.”
