Barbaria
- February 9, 2023
- Stalwart Games, LLC
- 17h median play time
Get on Steam"Barbaria is a VR fantasy hack and slash game with both multiplayer and single-player options. Experience systemic combat and enemy AI while building defenses and using a variety of weapons. Competitive asynchronous multiplayer allows you to attack other player-created realms to increase your mightiness and receive rewards."
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of base building and engaging melee combat, reminiscent of titles like Gorn and Dungeon Keeper.
- Players appreciate the humor, graphics, and the ability to watch replays of their raids, adding depth to the gameplay experience.
- Despite some performance issues, the game is highly addictive and has a solid amount of content, with frequent updates from enthusiastic developers.
- There are significant bugs, including issues with losing earned items and inconsistent matchmaking that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Performance can be inconsistent, with lag spikes and glitches that disrupt immersion and gameplay flow.
- The game lacks comprehensive tutorials and guides, leaving players confused about certain mechanics and progression.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its engaging mechanics, combining fun, combo-based combat with a unique base-building system that encourages player interaction through invading and defending. While some players find certain mechanics frustrating and the progression a bit grindy, the overall experience is described as enjoyable and accessible, particularly in the context of VR. The humor and intuitive controls further enhance the gameplay, making it a standout title in the VR hack-and-slash genre.
“The gameplay is fun.”
“This game is fun, has good humor, interesting mechanics, engaging combat, and castle building.”
“Barbaria realizes, unlike some VR games, that being a VR game doesn't mean you can't have a fun gameplay loop that stays fun for more than 30 minutes.”
“The mechanics are just so frustrating at times that it makes you want to toss it into the dark corner of your library to play some other day.”
“Sadly, invading is a borderline necessary portion of the gameplay, so I fear that I'll have to get accustomed to the '2 losses - 1 win' routine so my ranking keeps placing me at a level where my skills can stand a chance.”
“As others have pointed out, the combat mechanics are a lot like Gorn, but the whole build-your-realm and raid other players' realms has a similar vibe to Dungeon Keeper.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their high quality, even at lower settings, with many reviewers noting the clean and sharp visuals that enhance the overall experience. The art style, while not universally appealing, is appreciated for its unique charm and fits well within the game's aesthetic. Overall, the combination of graphics, sound design, and animations contributes to a top-tier visual experience that complements the gameplay.
“The graphics on the lowest settings are insanely good; the game plays really well, getting those chain reaction hits or hitting a guy's head off mid-air and then chopping his head so it sticks to your axe so you can smash it into the next guy is so much fun.”
“I also love the graphics and art style; very clean and sharp for a VR game and reminiscent of 'Orcs Must Die.'”
“Graphics, sound design, and animations are all really top tier!”
“Personally, the art style is not for me, but I have to admit it helps take the sting out of losing when the person who beat you looks like a goofy 80's style He-Man.”
“From the concept to the music, right down to the art style, the graphics leave much to be desired.”
“The graphics and art style feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- music9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in Barbaria is highly praised for its energetic and fitting orchestral style, enhancing the game's humor and overall experience. Players appreciate how the soundtrack complements the gameplay, with many expressing a desire for the soundtrack to be made available due to its quality. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that adds to the fun and charm of the game.
“The music is definitely on point and puts a little pep in your step while you slay.”
“I thought the ridiculous orchestra music was just for the trailer... I was wrong and, like so much about this game, it is weird, but fits perfectly.”
“The music is great and fits well.”
“I thought the ridiculous orchestra music was just for the trailer... I was wrong. Like so much about this game, it is weird, but fits perfectly.”
“I'll write a more detailed review, but I'll leave this here in case someone knows: please make the soundtrack available!”
- story7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is considered underrated, with players noting a basic narrative that supports gameplay progression through acquiring new heroes, weapons, and abilities. However, many reviewers express a desire for a more developed story mode, similar to other titles like Bone Lab, to enhance the overall experience. The game draws comparisons to the discontinued "Mighty Quest for Epic Loot," highlighting its blend of dungeon building and combat in a rogue-lite format.
“There's a bit of story to give us progress and items (getting new heroes, traps, weapons, minions, bases, magics, etc).”
“I think this is a good game but I wish it had a story mode or something like Bone Lab and a long story too.”
“An amazing game and a flashback to the criminally underrated The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot, Barbaria combines dungeon building with Gorn-style combat in a rogue-lite style.”
“The story is minimal, providing just enough context to facilitate gameplay without any real depth.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and lacks the engagement needed to draw players into the experience.”
“There is a bit of story to give us progress and items, but it feels more like an afterthought than a central element.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is lacking, with users reporting performance issues that can lead to significant lag, especially during intense combat scenarios with multiple enemies. While initial gameplay may run smoothly, glitches and frustrating mechanics can detract from the experience, particularly for players less skilled in combat. Additionally, the design of player-created dungeons may not adequately challenge players, contributing to a sense of frustration.
“At first, the game runs smoothly, but then some glitch happens and everything starts lagging horribly, essentially breaking the game.”
“You go in, beat some stuff up, and grab any crystals you see until they break. The only glitches I've seen involve blocking, where sometimes the fist block or the weapon block gets you hit by arrows, but I've only seen it twice and it went away after a new map I invaded, along with a small bit of performance issues.”
“The only word of warning: performance chugged a little when there were multiple enemies coming at me.”
“Performance could be better.”
“The only word of warning, performance chugged a little when there were multiple enemies coming at me.”
“You go in, beat some stuff up and grab any crystals you see till they break. The only glitches I've seen involve blocking, where sometimes the fist block or the weapon block gets you hit by arrows, but I've only seen it twice and it went away after a new map I invaded, along with a small bit of performance issues.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for being well-integrated and entertaining, contributing to its fun and engaging gameplay. Players appreciate the silly, cartoonish elements and clever writing, which enhance the overall experience and make the game accessible to a wide audience.
“There's a solid amount of content here, it continues to get updated, and I appreciate the humor injected into the game.”
“Hilarious and well thought-out.”
“Its the most unique and detailed VR hack and slash game I think I've ever played; its silly sense of humor and cartoon brutality is great.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly regarded for its replayability, featuring daily challenges that provide a fresh experience each time, contributing to its status as a top VR title. With a substantial playtime already logged, players express a strong desire to return, highlighting its engaging and varied gameplay compared to others in the genre.
“This is a very replayable VR game; with 22 hours in so far, I can say it's probably in the top 5 of my favorite VR titles.”
“The game is very replayable with 2 daily challenges every day that almost feel custom-made each time but are on a rotation.”
“I'd see myself playing this again, as it has a replayable edge over other games in the same genre.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express concern over potential monetization strategies, noting the presence of a second currency, blue diamonds, which may indicate future paid content. There is a hope that the game will avoid "pay to win" or excessively grind-heavy models.
“I noticed in the shop that there is a second currency, a blue diamond, but I haven't seen it anywhere in the game, hinting that it might be a paid currency introduced in the future.”
“Hopefully I'm wrong, and if I'm not, then I hope that the monetization will not be 'pay to win' or 'pay or grind till you die' type.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and monotonous, often requiring excessive time investment, with some expressing frustration over the need to spend up to 17 hours on farming currency.
“When you're forced to farm currency, it can be tedious and monotonous.”
“Do you have 17 hours to spend on grinding this game forever?”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only minor glitches reported, such as occasional issues with blocking mechanics and some performance hiccups. These problems appear infrequently and tend to resolve themselves after changing maps.
“You go in, beat some stuff up, and grab any crystals you see until they break. The only glitches I've encountered involve blocking, where sometimes the fist block or the weapon block gets you hit by traps and arrows. I've only seen this twice, and it went away after I invaded a new map, along with some minor performance issues.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress. It's incredibly frustrating.”
“I experienced constant lag and stuttering during gameplay, which ruined the overall experience. Stability is a major issue.”
