Brutal Orchestra

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In "Brutal Orchestra," players strike a deal with Bosch, a demon, to seek revenge in a purgatory filled with strange pigment and degenerate characters. This turn-based strategy game incorporates resource management and deck-building elements, allowing players to employ the help of damaged companions and wield ancient items. Purgatory's pigment, a vital resource, enables powerful abilities and comes in various colors, each with a unique source.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,431 reviews

music236 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

Brutal Orchestra features a unique and innovative turn-based combat system that requires strategic planning and resource management.
The game's art style and soundtrack are exceptional, creating a captivating and immersive atmosphere.
The writing is humorous and thought-provoking, with a compelling story that keeps players engaged throughout their runs.

The game can be punishingly difficult, especially for new players, which may lead to frustration.
Some players may find the reliance on RNG for character and item unlocks to be a drawback, as it can lead to runs feeling stale.
The UI can be clunky at times, making it difficult to track enemy actions and manage resources effectively.

music
432 mentions
55 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in "Brutal Orchestra" has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and diversity, with many reviewers praising its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and gameplay. Each enemy features unique battle themes that dynamically change during encounters, creating an engaging and immersive experience. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout element of the game, with many players expressing a desire to purchase it separately due to its memorable and captivating compositions.
- “The soundtrack is amazing throughout the whole game and really adds to the whole experience; the lore that is slowly unveiled as you progress instigates involvement and curiosity with each run, with every new unlock.”
- “The music is insanely well done with an extreme amount of tracks that are unique per encounter.”
- “The music and atmosphere are also phenomenal.”
- “The soundtrack isn't anything to scoff at either - it has so many good tracks and is one of the few game soundtracks that I've actually been tempted to buy (and likely will in the near future).”
- “The music keeps you engaged and fits very well with each enemy arrangement.”
- “The music and the art captivated me immediately, the ominous and familiar lullaby of a track 'dreams of purgatory' came on and I felt like I was being hypnotized.”
gameplay
380 mentions
41 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Brutal Orchestra" is widely praised for its innovative mechanics, particularly the unique pigment system that adds depth to turn-based combat and resource management. Players appreciate the strategic nature of battles, where positioning and character abilities require careful planning, making each encounter feel engaging and rewarding. The combination of creative enemy designs, a compelling narrative, and a captivating soundtrack further enhances the overall experience, solidifying the game as a standout in the roguelike genre.
- “The gameplay is incredibly slick.”
- “The gameplay mechanics blend with the lore in a smooth and clever way; the characters each have a distinctive identity that translates well into their abilities and role in combat.”
- “The gameplay is a good example of 'easy to learn, difficult to master.' The story and art style are surreal and are inspired by the 15th-century artist who shares the same name as the demon in the game.”
- “Definitely not worth the price tag for how little variety in gameplay there is.”
- “Just felt like a typical turn-based combat game with an annoying color pigment mechanic.”
- “While the information on this game is, unfortunately, scarce at the moment, the mechanics and gameplay are enthralling.”
story
269 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of the game is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and unique presentation, often drawing comparisons to classic works of art and literature. Players appreciate the blend of humor and darker themes, with many finding the narrative both thought-provoking and impactful, despite some noting its vagueness and brevity. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience and encouraging replayability through its intriguing lore and character interactions.
- “The story of Nowak and Bosch genuinely brought a tear to my eye, and I can't recommend this game enough because of it.”
- “The story is dark and sad, but beautiful, like a lot of Bosch's works.”
- “The story is thought-provoking and impactful, leaving a lot up to interpretation while sending a message that was especially meaningful to me.”
- “I also wasn't impressed by the story of the game.”
- “The story's alright, but it didn't resonate with me the way it seemed to be trying to.”
- “However, while I really like these aspects of the game, the story and dialogue aren't as great.”
graphics
186 mentions
51 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Brutal Orchestra" are widely praised for their unique and surreal art style, heavily inspired by the works of Hieronymus Bosch, which creates a visually striking and immersive experience. Players appreciate the vibrant character designs and atmospheric environments that enhance the game's dark humor and challenging gameplay. While some find the aesthetic off-putting initially, many agree that the combination of stunning visuals, engaging music, and innovative mechanics ultimately makes for a captivating roguelike experience.
- “The art style is incredibly visually striking due to both the elements lifted from the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch as well as the elements unique to the game itself.”
- “The visuals are a haunting and often comical mishmash of surrealist, supernatural decay combined with elements taken from the Garden of Earthly Delights, a real-life artwork by Hieronymus Bosch, and the writing similarly covers the whole spectrum from absurd and funny to haunting and scary.”
- “Brutal Orchestra practically oozes style, the soundtrack and visuals present such a unique and fascinating world.”
- “I had to refund this game because it's not performing so well on Proton (I use Arch, by the way), but I was very intrigued by what I did get to play in the 45 minutes or so before the graphical glitches made it unplayable for me.”
- “I imagine that the visuals will turn some people away from this game before they get to experience the incredible gameplay, which is rather unfortunate.”
- “The art style is not for everyone, and the hardest time I had getting friends to try this game was just getting them over the initial look of the game.”
humor
94 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and ability to balance dark themes with genuinely funny dialogue, creating a unique experience that ranges from absurd to profound. Players appreciate the quirky characters and their interactions, which often lead to laugh-out-loud moments amidst the game's serious undertones. Overall, the humor is seen as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay and storytelling, making it a memorable and engaging experience.
- “The dialogue is often genuinely funny and a pleasure to experience.”
- “Explore purgatory with a varied, delightfully charming, yet hilariously flawed cast of characters.”
- “The humor is amazing and the game is pretty dark.”
replayability
38 mentions
47 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, driven by a wealth of unlockable characters, items, and diverse gameplay mechanics that encourage experimentation and strategic planning. While some players note a limited number of final bosses, the overall variety in builds and challenges keeps the experience fresh and engaging. Many reviews highlight the game's clever design and unique elements, making it a must-play for fans of the roguelike genre.
- “You would be surprised at how replayable and consistently enjoyable this game is.”
- “Genuinely fantastic game, if you like a difficult and replayable game with an emphasis on strategy, I highly recommend picking this up.”
- “The amount of replayability, the music, the small little hints to other games, like Lisa, and the amount of creativity poured into this game is just, wow.”
- “The problem with mid roguelikes is that the genre by nature has a lot of replay value, so it's rarely if ever worth your time to play a mediocre one versus revisiting an excellent one.”
- “A roguelike is most replayable when every run is wild and unpredictable, and on that front, I'm not sure this game delivers.”
- “Within the 5 hours I've played this game, I have completely finished the main storyline and killed most of the bosses, and I can say that this is a beautifully crafted project; the humor, heavy but subtle themes evident in the items and the lore, and the general game mechanics are creative and refreshing enough for the replay value to feel fresh with every run as you unlock new characters, quests, and items.”
atmosphere
38 mentions
55 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of dark humor, surrealism, and emotional depth, creating a compelling experience that ranges from silly to nightmarish. The combination of stunning visuals, exceptional music, and well-developed characters enhances the overall ambiance, making it feel both bizarre and immersive. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of unease and hopelessness while maintaining a captivating and original aesthetic.
- “The atmosphere, story, and visuals are similarly incredible.”
- “The visuals and music combined with battles that feel downright insurmountable at times create such a heart-wrenching atmosphere that it would be a crime to call it anything short of a masterpiece.”
- “The aesthetic is incredible and unique, the atmosphere of the game is unmatched (in no small part thanks to the great soundtrack), and the game has a ton of strategic depth and granular customization options.”
- “The whole game has a strange atmosphere that I can't explain, and there will be a lot of times that you will feel uneasy and hopeless with some of the monstrosities you will have to fight against.”
- “The atmosphere/music/art are all very surreal and creepy and well done, with a generous serving of dark humor.”
- “It's got a very silly atmosphere for taking place in some kind of purgatory, but it also seems to be surprisingly well-written.”
emotional
29 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players expressing surprise at how deeply it resonated with them, often leading to tears. The combination of a touching story, compelling characters, and an evocative soundtrack creates a heart-wrenching atmosphere that balances humor with poignant moments, making it a memorable experience. Overall, players find the emotional depth and narrative richness to be standout features that elevate the game beyond typical expectations.
- “The music bangs, the story made me more emotional than I was expecting, and my only real critique is that I'd love more of it.”
- “The visuals and music combined with battles that feel downright insurmountable at times, create such a heart-wrenching atmosphere that it would be a crime to call it anything short of a masterpiece.”
- “The story, while vague most of the time, doesn't pull its punches when it needs to either express something or tell something to the player; I'd never expect to get somewhat emotional playing a roguelike that takes place in purgatory about a quest to torture someone, but I did.”
grinding
17 mentions
6 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can become tedious, particularly when it involves repetitive actions like generating pigments or preparing for challenging bosses. While some players appreciate the unique combat mechanics, many express frustration with the grindy nature of certain achievements and the slow pacing, which can detract from the overall experience. However, others note that the game still offers enjoyable elements despite these grinding aspects.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding attempts for the secret final boss was really annoying when it's so unlikely to even show up in most runs.”
- “This just becomes tedious quickly because often you can't easily generate sufficient pigment of the colors you want, so you end up spending your turns clicking much more than feels necessary.”
- “The game in all of its excellence starts out extremely slow, tedious even by my standards.”
character development
12 mentions
58 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised for its impressive and unique designs, which range from grotesque to whimsical, enhancing the overall chaotic and engaging atmosphere. Players appreciate the humor and creativity behind each character, with many expressing fascination and intrigue at their distinct appearances and animations. The combination of artistic direction, fun mechanics, and a compelling story further enriches the character experience, making it a standout aspect of the game.
- “Extremely fun gameplay, fantastic story, and some of my favorite character designs and landscapes ever.”
- “Their designs are all delightfully intriguing and each new character I met had me wondering 'excuse me, sir/madam, but what the f*** are you???' from the oily-black flesh of the demon Bosch, to Nowak's shattered skull, to the unusual communal existence that is Hans, all of the character designs are as fascinating as the characters themselves.”
- “Love the humor, the character design is insane and grotesque, the music is amazing.”
- “But it's also so very unlike Bosch, with its pixel graphics, simple playable character design, real-life names like Anton, goofy writing, and overall vibe.”
- “The game is so chaotic, from the character designs to the mechanics and the boss encounters.”
- “Their designs are all delightfully intriguing and each new character I met had me wondering, 'Excuse me, sir/madam, but what the f*** are you???' From the oily-black flesh of the demon Bosch, to Nowak's shattered skull, to the unusual communal existence that is Hans, all of the character designs are as fascinating as the characters themselves.”
stability
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized, with users experiencing significant graphical glitches and issues with save management, particularly on platforms like Proton and Steam Deck. These problems have led to frustration and, in some cases, prompted refunds despite initial interest in the gameplay.
- “I had to refund this game because it's not performing well on Proton (I use Arch, by the way), but I was very intrigued by what I did get to play in the 45 minutes or so before the graphical glitches made it unplayable for me.”
- “Then we spent like 3 hours troubleshooting how to get the new save applied because of some problem with how the Steam Deck handles games.”
- “There were some bad glitches at the beginning (that ended up being my fault, whoops) and the frustration from dealing with that soured me on the game for a while.”
optimization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its depth and engagement, with players discovering new strategies and nuances even after extensive playtime. Combat feels fair, and every outcome is perceived as a result of the player's performance, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and improvement in gameplay.
- “That said, it generally feels fair, and every single outcome, win or loss, has felt earned based on my performance.”
- “Mechanics are engaging and deep enough that I'm still catching misplays I'm making, and optimizations I'm missing after 8+ hours of gameplay.”
- “Despite having finished several successful runs, the combat is still revealing new angles to consider fights, dangers I hadn't anticipated, and little optimizations that really matter to pick up on.”
- “Mechanics are engaging and deep enough that I'm still catching misplays I'm making, and optimizations I'm missing after 8+ hours of game time.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization in the current gaming landscape is criticized for being dominated by poorly executed AAA titles and a surge of indie games that prioritize quick profits over quality, highlighting a troubling trend in the industry.
- “As 2024 opens to yet another litany of terrible AAA games, and the indie stuff devolves into rapid cash grabs, comes this wonder.”
- “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend more just to enjoy basic features.”
- “It's frustrating to see a game that could be great overshadowed by aggressive microtransactions.”