Born Again

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 356 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • grinding
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Become an honorable Ronin in the Realms of Born Again. Explore an enchanting world with friends or on a solo adventure. Experience fast-paced gameplay against engaging enemies, and immersive abilities that change the pace of each duel. Each victory progresses your Ronin, offering increases in strength, equipment, and blessings.Path to HonorHack-n-Slash your way through minions of the Outer Realm i…

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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 356 reviews
gameplay18 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • The game is free-to-play and offers a fun, lightweight experience that can be enjoyed casually with friends.
  • It features a unique character progression system with various classes and abilities, making each playthrough feel fresh and rewarding.
  • The community is generally supportive and the developers are responsive to feedback, showing promise for future updates and improvements.
  • The game suffers from a lack of content, leading to repetitive gameplay and limited endgame options after reaching max level.
  • There are concerns about predatory monetization practices, with some players feeling pressured to spend money to access certain features or items.
  • The item drop rates are low, and many items feel either unusable or lack value, which can be frustrating for players seeking meaningful rewards.
  • gameplay45 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its polished mechanics, engaging character progression, and unique art style, while others criticize it for being shallow, slow, and lacking in long-term content. The bullet-hell action combat is generally well-received, but some players feel that the dodging mechanics can be frustrating and that the game leans towards a grind-heavy experience. Overall, while the game shows promise and has a fun core loop, it may require further content and depth to fully satisfy all players.

    • “The art style of this game is amazing and there isn't really a true pay-to-win aspect, and even then the gameplay and grind more than make up for that.”
    • “While the gameplay loop is simple and is what most players come back for, the game thrives with how you can build your character.”
    • “In its current state, it definitely shows promise with a fun gameplay loop - spawn, kill enemies and level, get better loot, get blessings, upgrade them, then die and get honor to unlock more classes and do it all over again.”
    • “In recent updates, the game’s events have seemed rushed and incomplete, with a noticeable shift toward pay-to-play mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is pretty shallow; there is no skill system, and the loot drops are almost non-existent.”
    • “As of patch 1.0.3, the game is somewhat lacking content for the gameplay loop.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its retro pixel art style as thematic and visually appealing, while others criticize it as low-quality or "pixelcrap." Many players appreciate the game's art style and colors, noting that it enhances the overall experience, though some express disappointment in the lack of graphical depth and variety. Overall, the graphics are seen as a fitting choice for the game's design, but opinions vary on their execution and impact on gameplay.

    • “The art style of this game is amazing and there isn't really a true pay-to-win aspect, and even then the gameplay and grind more than make up for that.”
    • “It has a retro graphical art style that is pleasing to look at and thematic.”
    • “The graphics and gameplay are just as smooth as the PC version, making it a convenient and enjoyable experience.”
    • “Bonus points for garbage pixel art instead of proper graphics in this trash-tier hack and slash mobile app.”
    • “I don't mind low graphics games, but this one didn't feel any level of good.”
    • “Failure of gameplay, graphics, and purpose.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding is a central aspect of the game, with players experiencing a mix of enjoyment and frustration. While some find the grind engaging and rewarding, others feel it becomes tedious and repetitive after a few hours, often leading to boredom. Despite the grind, many appreciate that it can be managed without resorting to microtransactions, although the time investment can be significant.

    • “But there are better ways to spend your time than grinding away at the RNG millstone that is this game while the devs find increasingly more insidious ways to nickel and dime you.”
    • “I guess my main point is that it's interesting for a couple of hours, then you're just grinding the same 3 bosses until you quit.”
    • “After playing around 20 hours, I found myself in a loop of boredom. The warrior is the most enjoyable class for me, 8/8 pretty easy with a bit of mythical gear... a loop of making a character, getting gear, blessings, and gems, then repeat until it's 8/8 blessing. After that, the only thing left is farming gear, which there isn't much of.”
  • story7 mentions

    The game's story revolves around a cyclical quest system where players create characters, level up through combat and quests, and face a final boss, only to reset and start anew upon death. Recent updates have significantly revamped the quest mechanics and gameplay experience, making it feel fresh and engaging, though some players criticize the monetization of event quests. Overall, the narrative is driven by the thrill of progression and the challenge of survival in a dynamic, hack-and-slash environment.

    • “The game is a top-down, almost hack-and-slash type combat, with fun classes to pick from, each you can gear up with item drops from monsters in the game, add perks with the scrolls, and fight fun quest monsters while trying to keep your character alive.”
    • “But here’s the kicker—you can only get the item after purchasing two $5 quests and completing the first one!”
    • “Basic loop is create character -> level up by killing enemies and completing bounty quests -> face final boss with other players -> level reset to come back stronger -> repeat until you inevitably die tragically -> profit.”
    • “The latest update 1.1 really changes everything with the new quest system, the rebirth overhaul, totem drop reboot; it feels like a whole different game.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its fitting and atmospheric qualities, significantly enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many players found it so engaging that they preferred to focus solely on the game rather than multitasking with other media. Overall, the combination of beautiful music and visuals contributes to a captivating artistic experience.

    • “The music is also incredibly fitting for this game; I tend to watch shows on the side while playing games like this, but I quite enjoyed leaving the sound on as it really enriched the gameplay, in my opinion.”
    • “The music is superb; I could hardly listen or watch anything on the side due to the music being so fitting and atmospheric.”
    • “Beautiful art and music.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The game's monetization model features mobile app store-like microtransactions, but it is generally considered free-to-play (f2p) friendly, allowing players to avoid purchases through grinding. While there are optional in-game purchases for cosmetic enhancements, they are not essential for enjoying the game, distinguishing it from more aggressive cash grab models.

    • “Monetization - f2p friendly”
    • “As far as I've gone, I have yet to see any microtransactions that can't be avoided through grinding.”
    • “The game offers in-game purchases for those who want to enhance their looks, but it is not necessary to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “This isn't really free as the game is infested with mobile app store-like microtransactions.”
    • “As if these projects are just a rinse and repeat quick cash grab.”
    • “People who were burned by ROTMG would find this fun though, since it's not chock full of the same in-your-face microtransactions.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players find the game to be a deeply emotional experience, highlighting its wholesome nature and the strong sense of community that fosters meaningful connections. Many have shared that it evoked strong feelings, even leading to tears, and they highly recommend it for the memories it creates.

    • “Such a wholesome game and community; I made some good memories while I played.”
    • “Also, the community is quite wholesome.”
    • “Made me cry; I would recommend.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game exhibits significant issues with controller optimization, making it difficult to use despite allowing for compatibility. However, users have praised the network optimization as stellar, indicating a strong performance in that area.

    • “Network optimization is stellar.”
    • “The game's optimization is impressive, providing a smooth experience even on lower-end hardware.”
    • “I appreciate how well the game runs after the latest optimization updates; it really enhances gameplay.”
    • “The game is just not optimized for controller; it’s aggressively incompatible while still allowing you to use it.”
    • “Performance issues are rampant, making the game feel sluggish and unresponsive.”
    • “The lack of optimization leads to frequent frame drops and stuttering, ruining the overall experience.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the player's enjoyment of its mechanics, particularly the absurdity of negative reviews regarding permadeath in a game designed around that concept. The comparison to other games, like Realm of the Mad God (rotmg), emphasizes a preference for the game's more engaging and less frustrating approach to gameplay, which adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience. Additionally, the player's reflections on the game's design evoke a sense of nostalgia, further enhancing the humorous undertone.

    • “Also, the fact that there are people leaving negative reviews because of permadeath, in a permadeath game, is honestly hilarious.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the superb and fitting music that captivates their attention, enhancing the overall immersive experience.

    • “The music is superb; I could hardly listen or watch anything else due to how fitting and atmospheric it is.”
    • “The game's environment is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
    • “Every sound and visual detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players find "Born Again" to have strong replayability due to its simple yet appealing pixel graphics and easy-to-learn gameplay, making it enjoyable both solo and with friends. The supportive community further enhances the overall experience, encouraging repeated play.

    • “The game 'Born Again' is a decent title to play with friends or alone. Its advantages are: simple but nice pixel graphics, easy-to-learn gameplay, and high replayability. Additionally, the community is very helpful.”
    • “The game lacks significant replayability, as once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return.”
    • “After finishing the game, I found that there were no new challenges or content to explore, making it feel repetitive on subsequent playthroughs.”
    • “While the game is enjoyable, the limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying it feels more like a chore than a fun experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
30hAverage play time
8-71hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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