Castle Xenon

About

Castle Xenon is a single player role playing game. It was developed by SteepleSoft and was released on February 21, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

About this game:Castle Xenon is a new, retro-themed, console-style RPG downloadable for Windows. Traverse a war-torn land on foot and fly over the highest mountains on the back of a friendly dragon, in your quest to save your friends and prevent an evil sorcerer from plunging the world into eternal darkness! This game is recommended for those who have already completed the classic Final Fantasy a…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

music3 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

The game features a unique and appealing 16-bit presentation that sets it apart from typical RPG Maker titles.
The challenge level is high, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment when overcoming difficult dungeons and bosses.
The game successfully evokes nostalgia for classic JRPGs, with engaging character interactions and a retro-style job system.

The game suffers from excessive grinding and a high encounter rate, which can make exploration feel tedious and frustrating.
Combat mechanics are slow and often result in a high miss rate, leading to prolonged battles and a sense of imbalance.
Quality of life issues, such as limited save points and inconsistent character management, detract from the overall experience.

grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be excessive, particularly in the second half, leading to fatigue and a runtime that feels unnecessarily prolonged. While some appreciate the strategic elements of grinding and routing, many criticize the high encounter rates and lack of balanced experience points, making the process tedious and at times unmanageable. Suggestions for improvement include reducing encounter frequency and providing better grinding spots, as well as implementing features like New Game Plus to alleviate the grind.
- “The most fundamental issue I have is just that the second half of the game gets very grindy, and it wore me out.”
- “The total runtime is probably 10+ hours too long from grinding alone.”
- “However, without a new game plus and XP bonus options, it seems hardly worth it to go through the grinding again unless you just mod your save file.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's story is described as fairly minimal and reminiscent of classic, story-light JRPGs, featuring a mix of serious themes and comic relief, along with some fanservice. While there are side stories that enhance the experience, many players find the main narrative vague and lacking in depth, with some elements feeling tedious or poorly executed. Overall, the story is considered acceptable but not a primary draw, appealing mainly to those who appreciate nostalgic RPG elements.
- “And I do mean that - you have a serious story with occasional comic relief and, well, fanservice.”
- “Some areas have side stories that advance as the game goes on, which can lead to quests later in the game, which is nice.”
- “Turn-based challenging combat, class change system, fascinating cutscenes, fun story.”
- “Fairly minimal characterization, on par with very story-light JRPGs like Arcana or Phantasy Star II.”
- “The story follows this as well; the game doesn't know what it wants to be.”
- “Vague story; had to get lucky to figure out some story triggers.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The gameplay is criticized for lacking essential mechanics such as positioning, meaningful equipment options, and a defend command, which detracts from the overall experience. While it incorporates elements inspired by classic games, these features are not executed effectively, leading to a grindy experience that feels unrefined and inconsistent.
- “The last thing to note about the gameplay is the actual grinding and dungeons themselves.”
- “The rest of the mechanics are inspired by other great games of its time, like the job system, yet none of them are done better. For example, Dragon Quest required you to go to a church to bring allies back to life; that's here, but sometimes they come back still poisoned.”
- “This would be fine, but there's no row or positioning mechanic to protect them, no meaningful equipment options to improve their defenses, and not even a defend command.”
- “These mechanics, combined with the option to choose different classes for some characters, clash severely with the fact that the available characters vary throughout the game.”
- “Last thing to note about the gameplay is the actual grinding and dungeons themselves.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with players appreciating its nostalgic Sega Genesis style that complements the overall aesthetic. Many users enjoy the soundtrack, noting its ability to evoke classic gaming vibes while enhancing their experience.
- “I also want to say I'm really enjoying the soundtrack in this game.”
- “I also love the characters, art style, and music.”
- “Classic Sega Genesis-styled game complete with similar sounding music.”
- “Like the visual vibes and the music so far, I'm not expecting too much of the story - but I'm also pretty forgiving of titles emulating the old days.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics of the game are praised for their charming NES-era pixel art, imaginative worlds, and appealing character designs. Reviewers appreciate the lovely mapping and the overall aesthetic, which effectively captures the essence of retro titles while offering hidden items in intriguing locations.
- “If you enjoy the artwork and imaginative worlds of NES-era pixel art, with plenty of hidden items in curious-looking spots, this game has those and seems to be doing them well.”
- “The graphics look great.”
- “The graphics and mapping look lovely for a retro title.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Replayability is considered minor, as players can experiment with different class choices and attempt to collect missed starpieces earlier in the game, but these options may not significantly enhance the overall experience.
- “Replayability is great! You can experiment with different class choices and hunt down star pieces you might have missed earlier in the game.”
- “The game offers fantastic replayability, allowing you to explore various strategies and character builds each time you play.”
- “With multiple paths and choices, every playthrough feels unique, making you want to dive back in for more adventures.”
- “Replayability is minor; you can try some different class choices and maybe hunt down star pieces earlier in the game that you may have missed.”
- “The game lacks significant replay value, as the story remains largely the same regardless of the choices you make.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there isn't much incentive to play through it again since the experience feels repetitive.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the characters' witty dialogue and charming interactions, which contribute to an overall lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- “The characters often have funny dialogue and cute interactions.”
- “The humor in this game is spot-on, with clever jokes that keep you laughing.”
- “I love how the game incorporates humor into its storytelling, making every moment enjoyable.”