Children of Zodiarcs
- July 18, 2017
- Cardboard Utopia
- 15h median play time
An in depth RPG that brings together the best mediums within the genre.
Get on Steam"Children of Zodiarcs" is a story-driven, tactical RPG set in the fantasy realm of Lumus, where players control a group of outcasts using a deck and dice-based combat system. The group, composed of professional thieves, is in pursuit of an ancient relic, facing challenges from city guards, rival gangs, and cannibalistic families in the underworld. As they brave the dangerous world, they must confront their own reality and the harsh social systems that have abandoned them.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The innovative battle mechanics combining cards and dice create a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
- The art style and character designs are visually appealing, contributing to an immersive atmosphere.
- The option to listen to the story as you progress adds a nice touch to the overall experience.
- The game becomes repetitive after a certain point, with limited enemy variety and mission objectives.
- The story suffers from pacing issues and character development feels rushed, leading to a lack of emotional investment.
- The combat can feel unbalanced, especially in later missions where enemies outpace the player's characters significantly.
- story284 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it unengaging and the characters unlikable, leading to a lack of emotional investment. While some appreciate the dark themes and potential for depth, others criticize the narrative for being linear, repetitive, and poorly executed, with rushed plot developments and wooden dialogue. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point in an otherwise enjoyable tactical RPG experience, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics.
“This is a story about a girl seeking freedom.”
“The story is interesting and serviceable to advance the plot and even has some really good moments, but the game is a little too short.”
“The story is centered around a band of children thieves and murderers.”
“Also while the general narrative of the story is fine, the writers decided to go for a 'warriors' style where everything happens in 24 hours, and the issue with that is that they try to squeeze too many twists and character arcs which by the end ended up breaking the narrative.”
“The story isn't engaging and the characters are completely forgettable.”
“The story is painful to read through because of the cringy dialogue and a painfully stupid plot.”
- gameplay175 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Children of Zodiarcs" is characterized by its innovative blend of card and dice mechanics, offering a unique tactical experience that stands out in the genre. While many players appreciate the strategic depth and engaging combat system, some express concerns about the game's pacing, randomness, and lack of character diversity, which can lead to repetitive gameplay. Overall, the mechanics are seen as fresh and intriguing, though they may require further refinement to enhance the overall experience.
“The gameplay is smooth, the strategies interesting, and the visuals distinct and well-textured.”
“The gameplay was downright fantastic, an original blend of board with cards and dice, when damage values, buffs, debuffs, and special effects are determined not by how well you've raised your character's stats, but by how well you've crafted and chosen your dice.”
“The mix of mechanics is interesting and fun (dice, deck building, turn-based strategy), but the characters and the story are that terrible, I finally gave up playing this game.”
“The gameplay becomes quite repetitive; there are not many playable characters, some cards are quite unbalanced, and the story, which seems quite interesting at first, has some development issues.”
“The dice and card mechanics add some interaction to what would otherwise just be a simple move and attack system, but they take too many steps to process via mouse.”
“Not only is this awkward gameplay, it's also incredibly slow; a single turn can end up taking more than five minutes to get through as you watch characters go in and out of shroud over and over while killing enemies and drawing cards.”
- graphics44 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many praising its distinctive art style and decent quality visuals that complement the gameplay. While some users noted minor issues like blocky models or a lack of memorability, the overall aesthetic is described as charming and polished, with a hand-drawn feel that enhances the experience. However, opinions vary, with a few reviewers finding the graphics competent but not exceptional, suggesting room for improvement.
“The graphical style was coherent and of decent quality.”
“The gameplay is smooth, the strategies interesting, and the visuals distinct and well textured.”
“Zodiarcs is a tactical RPG with a great art direction and aesthetic; it features a fairly low squad size yet battles can get quite lengthy due to every action requiring the roll of a die.”
“Graphic: as a game published in 2018, it is below the level.”
“The art style is an opinion, but I think they tried to copy FFT's weathered animated style and absolutely failed, resulting in a child-like cartoon style.”
“Graphics/sound/writing... none of these are game ruining but none of them really shine either and I would rate all of them around 5/10.”
- music34 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players finding it competent and well-integrated into the gameplay, though not particularly memorable. While some tracks are praised for enhancing immersion and fitting the game's atmosphere, others describe the overall soundtrack as average or forgettable. Overall, the music is generally considered good but lacks standout moments that would elevate it to exceptional status.
“The soundtrack is pretty good as most of the songs mesh well with the game maps; you can tell the feel of a scene instantly from the music, and it helps the immersion.”
“The music of the game is beautiful and feels like it fits.”
“I don't find myself overly engrossed in the story nor enchanted by the music.”
“The music followed suit, and while nothing stood out enough to become memorable, the music rounded everything up and kept everything perfectly paced and correctly emphasized.”
“The music, while not over the top, is totally forgettable.”
- grinding33 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, particularly in the late stages, where it can become tedious and detract from the overall experience. Players note that while grinding is necessary for progression, especially on harder difficulties, it often feels repetitive and unengaging, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Some players appreciate the challenge it presents, but many express a desire for a more balanced approach that doesn't rely so heavily on grinding to advance.
“The process of grinding skirmishes and checking the story mission to see if I am now strong enough is tedious and the opposite of fun.”
“There's a lot more grinding needed than I would have expected, making this technically short game drag out.”
“Combat becomes tedious rather quickly; the developer listened to the players and added a feature to speed up enemy animations, but each action the player takes causes the camera to zoom in and watch the static boring animation you've likely seen a hundred times already.”
- character development9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal and poorly paced, with most of the main cast experiencing little to no growth until the very end. While the character designs and art are praised for their charm and appeal, they do not compensate for the shallow writing and lack of depth in personalities. Overall, the game struggles to deliver meaningful character arcs, leaving players wanting more from the narrative experience.
“From the simple yet eye-catching levels and assets to the gorgeous and charming character design, you can feel the love just oozing from every little detail.”
“The character portraits are beautiful and read well during the dialogue segments, the character designs are also quite solid (except for a handful of nobles/guards), and overall the game evokes a bit of a low-fi JRPG feeling in the character models, environments, visual effects, and graphic design.”
“There are some interesting ideas in the character design and world building, but the pacing can be a little wonky.”
“It feels as if the main cast goes through no character development until the very end, and even then, kind of, but not really.”
“Character development as shallow as spilled milk.”
“Without spoiling too much, the first ten hours or so of the game are structured as a journey to and from a burglary, but I haven't really seen much character development going on in the very small (6-person) main cast.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players appreciating the heartfelt moments and touching ending, while others find the story simplistic and unengaging, leading to a lack of emotional investment. Despite some emotional highs, many reviewers feel that the narrative fails to resonate deeply, often due to unlikable characters and a lack of compelling storytelling. Overall, while there are moments that can evoke feelings, the overall execution leaves much to be desired.
“A nice game with a heartfelt story of revenge.”
“The ending is very touching, and the campaign is a solid tactical RPG experience.”
“The role and the silent moments within characters talking get you into the story in a most touching way.”
“Boring story you don't care about because you're too busy hating the characters in your party.”
“Boring story.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some users find it to be a failed attempt, others appreciate the funny jokes and charming characters, particularly noting the hilarious ragdoll animations of defeated enemies. Overall, the humor can be hit or miss, but there are moments that resonate well with players.
“There are also lots of funny jokes.”
“The concept is great, the dice-crafting system was a nice idea, the art is pleasant, and Xero and his friend (to avoid spoilers) was adorable and humorous!”
“Hilarious ragdoll animations when enemies died.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered poor due to its short length, linear story, and lack of end-game content. While the initial experience is enjoyable, players feel that the absence of customization options and varied gameplay mechanics limits the incentive to replay. Suggestions for improvement include introducing features like booster packs or character customization to enhance replay value.
“The game is short, the balancing is wobbly at times, the late game scaling feels off, there is no proper end game, and the replayability is poor.”
“The seriously dark story contrasts heavily with the light-hearted art style, making the game a wonderful surprise on the first run. Sadly, it lacks replay value due to its linear story and lack of end game content.”
“Using something like booster packs or allowing players to customize the card upgrade process would give many more options, as well as offering replay value since your characters would be different each time.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Children of Zodiarcs" is immersive and evocative, drawing players in and allowing them to fully engage with the game's world. Reviewers highlight that it is not just visually appealing but also emotionally resonant, encouraging players to envision themselves within the experience.
“At my first run of the game, I recall feeling completely immersed in its atmosphere.”
“Children of Zodiarcs' atmosphere is something you not only see, but also feel and imagine; you can truly put yourself inside it.”
“At my first run of the game, I recall feeling dragged inside its atmosphere.”
“Children of Zodiarcs' atmosphere is something you not only see, but also feel and imagine; you put yourself inside it as well.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, featuring a smooth framerate and decent graphics, with users reporting no issues or glitches during gameplay.
“The game runs smoothly, with a good framerate and decent graphics.”
“It runs smoothly with no issues so far, and I haven't encountered any glitches.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers criticize the monetization strategy of Square Enix, labeling it as a blatant cash grab that undermines the game's value.
“Square Enix threw it away for a simple cash grab.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly without any issues or glitches, indicating a high level of stability.
“Runs smoothly with no issues as of yet, no glitches.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a seamless experience.”
“I've encountered no crashes or bugs, making for a very stable gameplay experience.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experience constant lag and frame drops, which ruin the experience.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay and hinder progress.”
Critic Reviews
Children of Zodiarcs Review - Turn Based Tragedy
One to try for fans of strategy RPGs, Children of Zodiarcs has a solid combat system with an interesting hook. The game is let down by a poorly told story that fails to satisfy but it does have it's moments nonetheless.
65%Children of the Zodiarcs Review
An in depth RPG that brings together the best mediums within the genre.
85%Children of Zodiarcs Review
Children of Zodiarcs is a great example of passion and innovation. A kickstarter that succeeded in funding and rewarded everyone in the process. A great example of what a studio can achieve when the right people behind it.
85%
