Braveland

About

Braveland is a single player casual role playing game with fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Tortuga Team and was released on March 17, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Braveland is a single-player, historical turn-based strategy game with a good story and awesome gameplay. It features phenomenal graphics, a fantastic soundtrack, and humor that will make you laugh. The game offers a hand-drawn world, various warriors and creatures, intense boss fights, and 50 battles, providing hours of entertainment. You can find the game and its sequel, Spaceland, on Steam.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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76%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,144 reviews

story40 positive mentions

replayability10 negative mentions

Charming hand-drawn art style that enhances the game's appeal.
Accessible gameplay that serves as a good introduction to turn-based strategy for newcomers.
Engaging combat mechanics that reward careful unit placement and strategy.

Very short campaign, taking only about 3-5 hours to complete.
Lacks depth and complexity, making battles feel repetitive and straightforward.
Limited unit variety and no real strategic choices, leading to a lack of replayability.

story
250 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
75%
9%
The story in Braveland is generally described as simplistic and linear, serving primarily as a backdrop for the game's combat rather than a focal point. Players note its clichéd themes of revenge and banditry, with minimal character development and humor that occasionally shines through the basic dialogue. Overall, while the charming art style and lighthearted tone are appreciated, the narrative lacks depth and engagement, making it feel more like a placeholder than a compelling storyline.
- “The hand-drawn look gives characters and environments a storybook quality, making the world feel warm and inviting despite the constant warfare.”
- “The three unique story chapters and intense boss fights kept me engrossed for hours.”
- “Braveland follows a linear path and story and for what it is, it is very enjoyable.”
- “The story is non-existent and the text doesn't even fit in text boxes, so it's pretty hard to read.”
- “The main story is very short (~5 hrs or so to complete on hard difficulty), is bland and shallow with weak writing or quests.”
- “The story is poorly written: not only is it generic (with the main character being the typical 'I want revenge' protagonist), everything seems repetitive or makes little sense.”
gameplay
226 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
63%
12%
The gameplay of Braveland is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, making it suitable for newcomers to turn-based strategy games. While the mechanics are straightforward and lack depth, the gradual introduction of new units and abilities keeps the experience engaging, albeit repetitive. The game offers a charming aesthetic and a relaxed pace, but players seeking complex strategies or extensive content may find it lacking.
- “While the mechanics remain relatively straightforward throughout, the gradual introduction of new units and enemy types keeps battles from feeling static.”
- “As you complete encounters, your hero gains experience and access to new abilities or equipment, subtly enhancing your strategic options without radically altering the core gameplay loop.”
- “The game is very simple and shallow, nothing about it stands out; there are no real tactics during gameplay and even in the hardest difficulty it was meh.”
- “The game is very simple and shallow; nothing about it stands out; there are no real tactics during gameplay, and even in the hardest difficulty, it was meh.”
- “Very dull gameplay and a ton of useless 'story' texts.”
- “The gameplay loop is lacking, and there's nothing else but the gameplay loop.”
graphics
164 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
59%
6%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, hand-drawn cartoon aesthetic that appeals to fans of lighthearted fantasy. While many reviews praise the colorful and cute art style, some criticize it for being simplistic and reminiscent of mobile games, lacking depth and innovation. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received for their pleasantness and suitability to the game's casual nature, though opinions vary on their uniqueness and impact.
- “The game boasts a distinct, beautiful, hand-drawn cartoon art style, perfect for its lighthearted fantasy world.”
- “The overall aesthetic of the game is visually pleasing and adds to the immersion of the experience.”
- “The most distinguishing feature of this game is the graphics – all sceneries and characters are nicely drawn and animated in a cartoonish style that is cute and precise at the same time.”
- “Shallow story, shallow combat, simplistic graphics and sound.”
- “Bland art-style and underwhelming graphics.”
- “The entire game plays like an average mobile game with crisp yet uninspiring graphics and art.”
music
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
52%
8%
The music in the game is generally described as charming and fitting for its art style, with a medieval/fantasy feel that enhances the overall atmosphere. However, many reviewers note that the soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety, with only a few tracks that can become monotonous over time. While some players appreciate the relaxing and well-produced music, others find it forgettable or uninspired, suggesting it may not leave a lasting impression.
- “The soundtrack supports this tone with upbeat, adventurous themes that maintain momentum during long stretches of combat.”
- “Wonderful atmosphere and brilliant music... many congratulations to the composer of the music soundtrack!”
- “The music is well produced and fits the game's art style to a t, with a somewhat medieval/fantasy feel and a nice mellow overworld theme and battle music that conveys tension but keeps with the smooth and relaxing feel of the rest of the game.”
- “Completely forgettable soundtrack, I can't even remember if it had one.”
- “There only appears to be about 3 music tracks in the whole game (1 for overworld, 1 for battle, 1 for menu), and they all start to get old by hour 2.”
- “The music isn't anything too special, kinda generic medieval themes.”
replayability
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
58%
30%
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many players noting that it is very short and lacks depth, making it unlikely to engage players after the initial playthrough. While some mention the option to replay on different difficulty levels or engage in a survival mode, these features do not significantly enhance the overall replay value. Most reviewers recommend the game primarily for a casual, one-time experience rather than for extended play.
- “High replayability (for a short game): I enjoyed it so much that I played and completed the game twice.”
- “There's replayability to be had in attempting the other difficulty levels.”
- “There's a survival mode where you can play battle to battle, losing characters and buying new ones, and see how far you get.”
- “The game has no real replay value once you beat it and have all the achievements, if that is your thing.”
- “Finished it in 3 hours, and I don't feel like there's much replay value.”
- “First of all, the game has absolutely no replay value.”
humor
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by funny dialogues, witty remarks, and a lighthearted tone that appeals to both kids and adults. While the story is basic and somewhat stereotypical, it provides amusing moments and charming visuals that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's comedic elements, making it a worthwhile purchase for those seeking a relaxing and entertaining strategy game.
- “Funny dialogs, appealing graphics, and a good cost/fun ratio.”
- “It's a stripped-down experience whose main attraction is the colorful art, humorous writing, and charming music.”
- “All in all, if you are looking for a relaxing strategy game and enjoy some silly childish humor, then this is totally worth the purchase!”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
5%
68%
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" highlight a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the lack of traditional grinding mechanics, noting that battles cannot be replayed and there is no need to level up, others find certain elements tedious, particularly slow animations and the final boss battle. Overall, the game is seen as accessible for newcomers to tactics games, but some players still feel that it requires grinding in specific scenarios, leading to a sense of monotony.
- “What I especially like about it is that you only recruit troops once, and if you lose them after the battle, they are automatically replenished on the spot for some gold—no tedious backtracking like in the mentioned bigger games.”
- “Also, because there’s no grinding to level up and earn extra gold, every combat counts.”
- “There is no grinding to earn extra gold to get better gear or more units.”
- “Animations are quite slow, making everything 10x slower and more tedious than they need to be.”
- “The combat is just plain uninteresting, with the no-risk element making it feel extremely tedious.”
- “A rather basic tactical RPG that requires grinding rather than skill to beat some levels on hard.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, as it lacks the typical microtransactions and energy systems found in many mobile games, making it a refreshing experience for players. However, some users express disappointment with the game's quality and the developer's focus on advertising rather than improving the gameplay, drawing unfavorable comparisons to other monetized titles.
- “To put it simply, it's just like a mobile game nowadays without any in-game purchases, and so far I like it.”
- “The kind of game you are more likely to spot on Facebook/Kongregate, minus the energy system and microtransactions.”
- “Braveland Heroes exists, a free-to-play version of this with heavy monetization and a mixed percentage score, so that was kind of expected from those kinds of developers.”
- “Instead of providing any kind of proper excuses for the woefully poor quality of this tablet port compared to proper turn-based strategies decades older, the developer goes on an advertising spree for the copy-and-paste reskins of exactly the same game.”
- “The only redeeming part about this so-called 'game' is that it's not filled with microtransactions like other mobile games.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the character designs are praised for their uniqueness and visual appeal, the reviews do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the narrative. The focus seems to be more on aesthetics rather than character growth or complexity.
- “The character designs are unique and eye-catching, and the environments are beautifully rendered with attention to detail.”
- “The depth of character development is impressive, allowing players to form genuine connections with the characters as their stories unfold.”
- “Each character has a distinct personality and backstory, making their growth throughout the game feel meaningful and impactful.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some users report a smooth experience with no bugs, others criticize the lack of PC-specific optimizations, indicating that the developers have not made significant improvements for the platform.
- “+ no bugs and runs smoothly.”
- “[h1]System Info & Performance Report[/h1]”
- “The game runs exceptionally well with no noticeable bugs, providing a smooth experience.”
- “No PC optimizations: It would be acceptable if the developers actually put effort into the port, but as it stands, there are little to no improvements.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with most users reporting it as bug-free and entertaining. However, some players on Mac have encountered minor glitches, though these do not significantly impact gameplay. The consensus suggests that while the game is stable, it may not justify its price due to its brevity and minor issues.
- “8/10 - It only loses 2 points for being short and having one or two minor glitches.”
- “I'm playing on a Mac, so there are a few glitches I encountered (I don't know if this is true for other OSes), none of which were deal-breakers, but there were a few other minor irritations.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for lacking depth, with players feeling disconnected and uninvested in the story, which is described as boring and poorly written.
- “A boring story with some lazy writing.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is characterized by a light-hearted and fun vibe, enhanced by fitting music and simple graphics that contribute to an overall enjoyable experience.
- “The graphics are okay, and the music fits the atmosphere.”
- “Light-hearted fun; the overall simplicity creates a pretty light-hearted atmosphere.”