Skip to main content

Celestian Tales: Old North

Celestial Tales is a beginner’s JRPG with all the good and bad things that implied by such a distinction. Buy it if you seek a somewhat pleasant diversion, but expect nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary.
Celestian Tales: Old North Game Cover
68%Game Brain Score
story, music
grinding, character development
70% User Score Based on 343 reviews
Critic Score 55%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

LinuxPCMac OSSteam DeckWindows
Celestian Tales: Old North Game Cover

About

Celestian Tales: Old North is a single player role playing game with a historical theme. It was developed by Ekuator Games and was released on August 10, 2015. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"Celestian Tales: Old North" is a turn-based RPG with a mature, moralistic storyline focused on six protagonists. Its hand-painted environments and memorable characters create an engaging experience, with decisions affecting future installments. Players explore the responsibilities of heroism in a beautifully drawn world.

Skip User Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 343 reviews
story169 positive mentions
grinding35 negative mentions

  • Beautiful hand-drawn art style and engaging soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
  • Interesting character dynamics and moral dilemmas that encourage players to think about their choices.
  • Solid turn-based combat system with a unique stamina mechanic that adds depth to battles.
  • Extremely short gameplay, averaging around 6-10 hours, leaving players wanting more.
  • Limited replay value as the differences between character storylines are minimal.
  • The story feels incomplete and ends abruptly, with many plot threads left unresolved.
  • story
    570 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Celestian Tales: Old North" is generally well-received, featuring a rich narrative filled with political intrigue and character-driven arcs, though it suffers from linearity and a lack of impactful choices. Players appreciate the unique perspectives offered by the six protagonists, but many express disappointment over the game's short length and the feeling that the story is incomplete, as it is intended to be part of a trilogy. While the writing and character development show promise, the abrupt ending and the necessity to replay the game multiple times to grasp the full narrative detract from the overall experience.

    • “The storytelling is rich and immersive, filled with political intrigue, moral dilemmas, and personal conflicts.”
    • “Set in a fantasy world, this game offers a classic RPG experience with a focus on storytelling and character-driven narratives.”
    • “The story is intriguing, the characters are well-written and developed versions of typical fantasy tropes, the combat system is turn-based, and the party is made up of more women than men.”
    • “Even still, I hung with it for a few hours until reaching a point where I had no idea where to go to trigger the next story event and didn't find it worth the time to keep hunting around.”
    • “The story is completely unfinished, and this feels like it should be 'chapter 1' in a long series of tales.”
    • “The story is pretty linear and your decisions as the player do not seem to make much of an impact on the story.”
  • music
    133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional impact of the story. While some describe it as standard for the fantasy RPG genre, others highlight specific tracks as breathtaking and memorable, particularly in key moments. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, though some players note a desire for more variety and additional tracks.

    • “The soundtrack complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing the emotional impact of the story and battles.”
    • “The music is absolutely fantastic, and is beautifully orchestrated all throughout the game.”
    • “The music brings emotional value to the player.”
    • “The music is all right and is what you'd normally expect in fantasy RPGs, but I've heard much better soundtracks in other games personally.”
    • “At some points, it really annoyed me because it was such a short loop which kept repeating itself (the music in the castle).”
    • “The soundtrack has comparatively few tracks you might expect from the usual genre fare where musical offerings span multiple disks and whatnot, but developers made good mileage with what they have.”
  • graphics
    130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Celestian Tales: Old North" are characterized by a charming watercolor aesthetic and hand-drawn art style that many players find appealing, particularly in the context of indie RPGs. While the visuals are generally praised for their beauty and creativity, some users note issues with clunky animations, limited variety, and technical problems such as poor fullscreen support and graphical glitches. Overall, the artwork and music contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, though the execution can feel inconsistent at times.

    • “Fortunately, this is where the beautiful watercolor aesthetic pulls all the weight.”
    • “Visually, Celestian Tales: Old North has a charming and hand-drawn art style.”
    • “The artwork is gorgeous, and the overall design of towns, forests, battlefields, and even the world map is top-notch.”
    • “Despite not being an RPG Maker game, the game displays poorly in fullscreen and doesn't have full HD support or any graphics tweaking options, making this unacceptable for any dedicated modern PC gamer.”
    • “The character animations are all very linear and non-exaggerated, and with the mixing of both pixelated graphics and hand-drawn ones, it does not contrast well at all.”
    • “The visuals can't decide whether they want to be retro or just bad.”
  • gameplay
    105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Celestian Tales: Old North" is characterized by traditional turn-based combat and a narrative-driven approach, featuring solid mechanics that allow for character customization and strategic decision-making. While the combat is generally enjoyable, some players find it lacks depth and variety, leading to repetitive gameplay over time. Overall, the game offers a casual and engaging experience, though its short length and limited gameplay elements may not justify its price for some players.

    • “One of the strengths of Celestian Tales: Old North lies in its narrative-driven gameplay.”
    • “The combat mechanics are solid and satisfying, offering a good balance of challenge and strategy.”
    • “Additionally, the game features a skill development system that allows players to customize their characters' abilities and playstyles, adding depth and personalization to the gameplay experience.”
    • “The gameplay is solid but lacks in depth where there could be more.”
    • “It's a several hour adventure which at times seems too long because of very repetitive gameplay and actions.”
    • “I found the majority of the gameplay pretty boring as a long-time JRPG lover due to the lack of depth in the fighting system which looked like it had deeper potential.”
  • grinding
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, player feedback on grinding in the game is mixed. While some players appreciate that grinding is not a necessity and can be avoided with proper team management, others find the lack of depth and variety in combat tedious, leading to a desire for more grinding opportunities. The game's difficulty spikes and uneven pacing have also contributed to a perception that grinding could enhance the overall experience, despite many players completing the game without it.

    • “It's not really tedious, anyway.”
    • “I maxed out my characters (level 30 is the top) 7 hours in with no grinding or detours.”
    • “There's no grinding.”
    • “I understand some JRPGs do this, but they also have an option for difficulty when you're trying to go for story and not sit there grinding the hardest monsters for hours on end.”
    • “Grinding is necessary a few hours into the game as the difficulty of enemies spikes wildly and without warning between zones.”
    • “I used to be happy to spend hours grinding in RPGs, though I'm a little less enthusiastic about it now when my gaming time is so limited due to a full-time job and two other part-time jobs.”
  • replayability
    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers the chance to experience the story through six different characters, many players feel that the core narrative remains largely unchanged, limiting the incentive to replay. Some appreciate the unique perspectives and choices available, but others criticize the lack of a "new game +" feature and the repetitive nature of the gameplay, leading to a perception of minimal overall replay value. Overall, the potential for replayability exists, but it may not be compelling enough for all players to engage multiple times.

    • “This element of choice and consequence adds replayability and encourages players to explore different paths and storylines.”
    • “Replayability is high as you can experience the story through the eyes of six different characters, all with their own unique backgrounds and outlooks on life, not to mention the achievements that you can't get with just one playthrough.”
    • “They also have some unique cutscenes where they have to make certain decisions, and paired with how you can play different character compositions, it adds to replayability.”
    • “Additionally, I haven't had the courage to play through the game a second time, so I'm not sure of its replayability factor.”
    • “The replay value is minimal, as most of the story involves all six characters anyways.”
    • “There may be some minimal replay value in playing through each of the six characters, but the main storyline is the same and there's almost zero choices to be made.”
  • character development
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in "Celestian Tales: Old North" is generally praised for its depth and storytelling, with main characters experiencing significant growth as they navigate their world. However, some players note inconsistencies, citing sudden changes in character arcs and a lack of cohesive team dynamics. Overall, while the character designs are well-received, the execution of character development varies, with some feeling it is rushed or insufficient.

    • “Overall, Celestian Tales: Old North offers a compelling RPG experience with a strong emphasis on storytelling and character development.”
    • “The main characters have their own quirks, yes, but they all receive the much-needed character development as they learn more about the world they live in.”
    • “I like the dynamic between the different character personalities, and I can see a lot of character development just within the first few hours of play.”
    • “Any character development that does happen does so suddenly and without proper explanation as to why they're having these changes of heart.”
    • “Character development is done after the first few level ups.”
    • “- lack of character development.”
  • stability
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is characterized by occasional glitches and bugs, though most players report that these issues do not significantly detract from their enjoyment. Common problems include rendering issues, unresponsive menus, and minor gameplay glitches, but many users feel confident that these will be addressed in future updates. While some players experienced critical bugs, the majority found the game playable despite its imperfections.

    • “On top of that, there are some bugs and glitches and plot holes.”
    • “Bugs and glitches like characters having their top-level skills when starting a new game or graphics popping up behind the character when they should be in front, or vice versa (i.e. walking in front of a house's corner, but said corner suddenly popping up over the character leaving only the feet visible).”
    • “Plus, near the release, the game is riddled with glitches.”
  • atmosphere
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is richly enhanced by a complementary soundtrack and handpainted art that effectively captures its medieval setting, creating a storybook aesthetic. While the visuals and music are praised for their quality and emotional impact, some players feel that the overall experience may lack substance, likening it to a beautifully presented but small dish. Overall, the atmosphere resonates well with fans of classic JRPGs.

    • “The use of hand-painted art here is a bold move, and one that suits the medieval setting of this atmospheric RPG very well.”
    • “The soundtrack complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing the emotional impact of the story and battles.”
    • “Adding to the atmosphere is high-quality music, which blends seamlessly with the visuals to invoke a storybook aesthetic.”
    • “The atmosphere and style of the game is definitely in tune with JRPGs of old.”
  • humor
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty dialogue and engaging character dynamics, with players appreciating the varied and funny personalities of the six characters. While the humor adds charm and depth to the interactions, some feel it can be immersion-breaking at times, and the game's brevity limits character development. Overall, the humor effectively enhances the storyline and keeps players entertained throughout.

    • “In particular, I enjoyed that because you could play any of the 6 characters, the story unfolds with a form of group dynamic rather than a 'leader + whoever has a useful/funny line' way.”
    • “They are varied, funny, and have some depth (but the game is too short for any real character building).”
    • “Also, the game does have its share of witty dialogue and humorous pokes to keep you going even in the slower scenes.”
  • emotional
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game emotionally engaging due to well-developed characters and evolving relationships that foster investment in their journeys. The soundtrack significantly enhances the emotional atmosphere, with some moments being particularly gripping, especially towards the end. However, there are minor critiques regarding the looping of certain background music tracks.

    • “The characters are well-developed and their relationships evolve over the course of the game, making players feel emotionally invested in their journey.”
    • “The soundtrack complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing the emotional impact of the story and battles.”
    • “Some moments are genuinely emotionally gripping, particularly near the end.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as being exploitative, with users labeling it a "cash grab" and noting a lack of meaningful content or advertising to justify any potential future purchases. Overall, players advise against buying the game due to its perceived focus on profit over quality.

    • “Do not buy this game, it is a cash grab!”
    • “Even if there perhaps are some later, they are obviously so sparse, they're hardly worth mentioning let alone prime advertising.”
Skip Critic Reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy Celestian Tales: Old North

10h Median play time
9h Average play time
7-11h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs
Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Celestian Tales: Old North

Games Like Celestian Tales: Old North

Tower of Time Image
Cosmic Star Heroine Image
Skyborn Image
Earthlock: Festival of Magic ImageEarthlock: Festival of Magic ImageEarthlock: Festival of Magic Image
Lost Eidolons Image
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Celestian Tales: Old North is a role playing game with historical theme.

Celestian Tales: Old North is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing Celestian Tales: Old North.

Celestian Tales: Old North was released on August 10, 2015.

Celestian Tales: Old North was developed by Ekuator Games.

Celestian Tales: Old North has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Celestian Tales: Old North is a single player game.

Similar games include Tower of Time, Cosmic Star Heroine, Skyborn, Earthlock: Festival of Magic, Lost Eidolons and others.