Castle of the Underdogs
- April 14, 2023
- House of Pandas
Get on SteamCastle of the Underdogs is a comedy JRPG game inspired by Suikoden and FFX, with strategic turn-based combat, mass recruiting and a castle HQ. Join Hikaru, a mischevous and carefree girl that learns magic, in an absurd adventure where she must recruit dozens of friends in order to restore the peace in the Bestann Federation despite spreading chaos to most places she steps on.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Castle of the Underdogs features a charming and humorous narrative with quirky characters that keep players engaged and entertained.
- The battle system is innovative and strategic, requiring players to exploit enemy weaknesses and utilize a unique 'corb' customization mechanic for team building.
- The game successfully combines elements from beloved JRPGs like Suikoden and Final Fantasy, creating a nostalgic yet fresh experience for players.
- The game is relatively short, with Chapter 1 being completed in about 8-10 hours, leaving players wanting more content and feeling abruptly cut off at a cliffhanger.
- Some technical aspects, such as repetitive music and clunky UI, detract from the overall experience, making it feel less polished.
- The game currently lacks a clear direction for future episodes, leading to concerns about its completeness and the potential for future content being sold separately.
- humor30 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is consistently praised for its light-heartedness and clever writing, with many players reporting genuine laughter throughout their experience. The dialogues are filled with charm and comedic timing, making interactions memorable and enjoyable, while the game's silly references and situations provide a delightful escape from reality. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that enhances the game's appeal, particularly for fans of JRPGs seeking a fun and uplifting experience.
“This game had me smiling and laughing... if you are going through some tough times and like JRPG-type games, pick this one up.”
“I was belly laughing throughout and may have accidentally pulled a few abdominal muscles playing through this!”
“The writing here is funny, and it has good use of comedic timing with its scripting system.”
- story22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story features a humorous blend of JRPG elements and engaging characters, quickly drawing players in with its charm and fourth wall breaks. However, it ends on a significant cliffhanger, leaving players eager for more, while the current content is perceived as only a fraction of the overall narrative. Despite some pacing issues due to the game's early hours, the story's potential and quirky questing are highly recommended for those seeking an eclectic experience.
“The story leaves you at a pretty significant cliffhanger - I found myself really excited for what is to come, only for the chapter to end.”
“The soundtrack slaps, the characters are all charming (and some of them are hilarious), the story is simple and quickly hooks you in.”
“Yes, there's a bunch of fourth wall drops, and the main character is hyper and self-centered, but they still manage to stamp out important story beats without needlessly trying to toss jokes into it.”
“All mechanics and graphics seem final, but the story ends right when you think it's starting to take off.”
“I think it's still in development, so the plot is totally incomplete (presumably episode 1 is only 15% of the whole game).”
“There is a 'new game plus' like mode where you can run around to collect any items, monster guide information, or recruits you have missed, but with the game still being only in its opening hours, it can be a little jarring to grind to a screeching halt just when the story is really speeding up.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a blend of mechanics reminiscent of classic RPGs like Suikoden, Final Fantasy, and Octopath Traveler, focusing on party recruitment, formations, and strategic combat that involves exploiting enemy weaknesses. Players can enjoy a solid experience with adjustable difficulty settings, allowing for both casual and challenging playstyles. The humor in the writing and quirky gameplay elements add a unique charm, though some players feel the story concludes abruptly just as it gains momentum.
“The combo attacks are silly as hell, and I imagine that if I got more of those, team composition will be a really fun mechanic to play with.”
“The gameplay is solid, and the difficulty setting lets you auto-pilot or struggle through a nightmare depending on your preference.”
“All mechanics and graphics seem final, but the story ends right when you think it's starting to take off.”
“Mechanically, the game is a toss-up between mechanics found in Suikoden, Final Fantasy, and Octopath Traveler in that you recruit party members to a castle and have formations, switchable party members, and equipment screens that look like they're from Suikoden.”
“Combat is where the Octopath-styled mechanics come into play, where you have to figure out weaknesses and then 'shatter' the enemy to deal more damage.”
- music14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with an upbeat and cheerful soundtrack that enhances the lighthearted tone and complements the charming characters. However, some players find the music in the initial zone repetitive after extended play, leading to a desire for more variety. Overall, while not everyone is a fan of video game music, many appreciate the quality and energy of the soundtrack.
“The soundtrack is pretty great too and often adds to the lighthearted tone of the game.”
“The soundtrack slaps, the characters are all charming (and some of them are hilarious), the story is simple and quickly hooks you in.”
“The music is great, it's upbeat and cheerful.”
“Honestly, the music in the first zone/village gets repetitive.”
“I never was one for video game music anyway; I'm the type that always has a podcast or my own music playing while I game.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics are described as having a Minecraft-like aesthetic, which may initially deter some players but ultimately fits the game's unique art style. Reviewers appreciate the smooth pixel graphics and the balance between realism and simplicity, allowing for quick animations and humor. Overall, the visuals are considered polished and well-suited for a small development team.
“Bought it due to the style of the graphics and how absurd it seemed.”
“By not going super-realistic, nor super-dumbed down for pixel art, they struck a median that makes it easy for them to do a moment's artwork and animation for many quick, one-off jokes.”
“So far so good, the graphics considering they are pixels are overall smooth, no loading screens when going to different areas.”
“The world has a Minecraft-like aesthetic, which would have turned me off if I had known beforehand, as I'm not a Minecraft type of player. However, if I hadn't recognized the blocks, you wouldn't know it; it just feels like a different art style fitting for a small dev team game.”
“All mechanics and graphics seem final, but the story ends right when you think it's starting to take off.”
“By not going super-realistic, nor overly simplified for pixel art, they struck a median that allows for quick, one-off jokes through momentary artwork and animation.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find that grinding is largely unnecessary in the game, as it is designed to be easy and enjoyable, with humorous dialogues. The only reason to grind would be to collect all badges.
