Batora: Lost Haven

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 95 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Batora: Lost Haven Game Cover
Overall, despite some questionable design elements, Batora: Lost Haven is a solid action RPG once given time to properly gel.
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"Batora: Lost Haven" is an isometric action-adventure game with RPG elements and a unique duality system that affects combat, story, dialogues, puzzles, and endings. Players control Avril, a survivor who embarks on a journey across the universe to uncover ancient secrets and restore her lost haven while making life-changing decisions. The game features a variety of unique alien planets, abilities, and combat styles to defeat enemies and solve intricate puzzles.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 95 reviews
story29 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating story with engaging characters and multiple endings based on player choices.
  • The combat system is enjoyable, allowing players to switch between melee and ranged attacks, and the puzzles add variety to the gameplay.
  • The visuals are stunning, with a unique art style and well-designed environments that enhance the overall experience.
  • The writing and dialogue can feel rushed and inconsistent, making it hard to connect with the characters and their motivations.
  • Combat can be unbalanced and frustrating, with some players finding it difficult due to enemy difficulty spikes and lack of impactful feedback during attacks.
  • The game suffers from pacing issues, with long unskippable cutscenes and tutorials that disrupt the flow of gameplay.
  • story97 mentions

    The story of the game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where players navigate through a mix of intriguing lore and character-driven choices, although many reviewers found the narrative to be somewhat predictable and linear. While the premise and character development are appreciated, the execution suffers from pacing issues and a lack of meaningful impact from player choices, leading to a feeling of frustration amidst frequent loading screens and combat encounters. Overall, the story is engaging but could benefit from deeper integration of its lore and more significant consequences for player decisions.

    • “The story takes place on a post-apocalyptic Earth, where Avril, the main character, suddenly becomes a champion for two gods, the Sun and the Moon, and gets infused with superpowers.”
    • “The story is intriguing (I want to know what really happened and what will happen with my choices… it scares and excites me at the same time!) and the dialogues are really nice.”
    • “The variety of characters and storylines seems to be quite deep for an indie game; it feels like there is a whole universe behind the lore of Batora.”
    • “The story is just kind of there; the voice acting is also just kind of there, but I do recommend it because I am having fun playing the game.”
    • “Game is short, story nonsensical, and characters are either weak, bland, or annoying.”
    • “The story choices, being only two at every major event, ultimately do not change the endings; despite trying different choices, I saw nothing different in my playthroughs.”
  • gameplay50 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a blend of action and puzzle-solving elements, featuring a dual combat system that allows players to switch between melee and ranged attacks, enhancing combat strategy. While the action remains consistent throughout, the puzzles vary in complexity, and the game offers a rewarding New Game+ mode that increases difficulty. Overall, players appreciate the engaging mechanics and visuals, though some feel certain aspects lack polish and depth.

    • “The gameplay works very well because it has a lot of positive characteristics of similar games (the way it indicates the street ahead pressing RS is a wonderful feature).”
    • “The art style is unique and extremely fancy, gameplay is smooth and the combat system is easy to learn and hard to master, like all good RPG games should be.”
    • “The simple and not too complicated mechanics make the game itself very fluid; the fighting style is quite varied as it is possible to use different moves depending on the power you're currently using while playing.”
    • “The puzzles are another one of these things that could've been great but suffered from incompatibilities with the gameplay; in this case, the controls.”
    • “It feels unfinished or that they didn't fully commit to the execution of some of their ideas and mechanics.”
    • “I tried to optimize my settings, but the game crashed frequently and upon reaching the combat sections the gameplay was choppy.”
  • graphics43 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its unique and stylized art style, vibrant colors, and smooth animations. While some noted that the graphics could be more detailed or sophisticated, the overall visual experience is described as engaging and enjoyable, contributing to the game's appeal. The combination of attractive visuals and a well-designed gameplay experience has left a favorable impression on most players.

    • “What brought me to this game was the visuals: a nice whirlwind of purple and orange around pretty landscapes.”
    • “The game has a really cool art style, great music, amazing set pieces with a very distinct look and feel, and a lot of replay value thanks to the decision system, a new game + mode, and four different endings.”
    • “Very nice, beautiful graphics and fun gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are basic, cartoon-styled.”
    • “On the graphics there's some strangeness...”
    • “The game has catchy visuals, but for me it ran poorly.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it unremarkable and barely noticeable, while others praise its quality and integration with the game's atmosphere. Many highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, particularly appreciating its cyberpunk nuances and how it complements the game's art style and setting. Overall, the music is generally seen as a positive aspect, enhancing the overall experience without overshadowing gameplay.

    • “The game has a really cool art style, great music, amazing set pieces with a very distinct look and feel, and a lot of replay value thanks to the decision system, a new game + mode, and four different endings.”
    • “Wonderful soundtrack and art style, and gameplay that flows really well for me.”
    • “The story, setting, music, and voice acting are all top notch.”
    • “On the other end, the big entities are voiced quite poorly, barely audible over the music because of some reverberation.”
    • “Music is unremarkable.”
    • “I didn't notice the music too much and apart from some dialogues, it never got in the way of the game, so I'd say they did a good job for this.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with clever and funny dialogues, humorous cut scenes, and likable characters contributing to an enjoyable experience. However, some players noted inconsistencies in the main character's attitude, which detracted from the overall comedic effect. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay, particularly in combat scenarios.

    • “They were clever and funny.”
    • “Good plot line with likable characters and humorous cut scenes.”
    • “The game is really funny to play and the possibility to play it with a gamepad makes it even more enjoyable.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly at 60 fps on the Steam Deck without any stuttering or crashes. Users noted no significant performance or stability differences between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, despite the recommendation for the former.

    • “The optimization runs well.”
    • “I encountered no stuttering, crashes, or issues.”
    • “It runs smoothly at 60 fps on the Steam Deck; it's a perfect game for portability.”
    • “Additionally, while DX11 is recommended for some reason over DX12, there was no difference in performance or stability between the two.”
    • “Optimization: runs well.”
    • “I encountered no stuttering, crashes, etc.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the protagonist's intense reactions to character deaths, even those of brief acquaintances, creating a deeply affecting narrative. However, some players feel that the story lacks sufficient context, leading to abrupt emotional shifts that can be jarring. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a poignant experience, albeit with some narrative gaps.

    • “The protagonist has emotional meltdowns about the death of characters she met literally 10 minutes ago.”
    • “Just wait for a sale and definitely check out this heartbreaking story.”
    • “At times, it felt like the story or dialogue was missing, which would have helped me better understand some of the, in my opinion, wild emotional and tonal swings the character experiences at certain points.”
  • character development2 mentions

    While the character design and art in the game are praised for their impressive quality, players note a lack of actual character development throughout the storyline.

    • “The character design is also very impressive, and I love the art in the game.”
    • “There is no actual character development.”
    • “The characters feel flat and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable and one-dimensional the character arcs were.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through its decision system, new game + mode, and multiple endings, enhanced by its unique art style and music. However, some players find the experience hindered by unskippable cutscenes and a complicated inventory system that detracts from combat, leading to mixed feelings about its overall replay value compared to similar titles.

    • “The game features a unique art style, fantastic music, and incredible set pieces, all contributing to its high replay value due to the decision system, a New Game+ mode, and four different endings.”
    • “With multiple endings and a decision-making system, this game offers significant replayability, encouraging players to explore different choices and outcomes.”
    • “The inclusion of a New Game+ mode and various endings enhances the replayability, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
    • “The inventory system is complicated for almost no impact on combat, the replayability is made annoying by unskippable cutscenes, and the overall game just seems weaker than others in its category.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the engaging lore and its integration with gameplay, others feel that certain design choices, such as character aesthetics, detract from the intended post-apocalyptic setting. Overall, the narrative elements are compelling, but the visual presentation may not align with the desired tone for all players.

    • “I found the lore very interesting; despite not being a fan of fantasy atmospheres, the story captivated me from the beginning, and every element of it is justified by the gameplay in an almost never banal way.”
    • “Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with bodacious midriffs being bared, but neither of these is exactly conducive to building a post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
    • “I found the lore very interesting, despite not being a fan of fantasy atmospheres. The story took me from the beginning, and every element of it is justified by the gameplay in an almost never banal way.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game is noted for being buggy and unpolished, leading to a somewhat chaotic experience; however, despite these stability issues, players found it enjoyable enough to replay and explore different endings.

    • “It was buggy, unpolished, and somewhat chaotic, which affected the overall stability of the game.”
    • “The game frequently crashed, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
    • “I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted gameplay and made it feel unstable.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect has been criticized for falling short of expectations set by previews and advertisements, leading to disappointment among users.

    • “In comparison to previews and advertisements, this is a huge disappointment.”
    • “The monetization system feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players note that level grinding is not a significant aspect of the game, with some expressing frustration over a lack of enemies to defeat for experience, suggesting that the game's design may limit opportunities for character progression.

    • “Level grinding doesn't seem to be a thing, and I'm pretty sure I killed everything I could, so I can't help but blame this on the game itself.”
    • “The grinding feels tedious and unbalanced, making progress feel more like a chore than an achievement.”
    • “I spent hours grinding for resources, only to find that the rewards were minimal and not worth the effort.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
6-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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