Cladun Returns: This Is Sengoku!

43%
Game Brain Score Based on 26 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Cladun Returns: This Is Sengoku! Game Cover
ClaDun Returns: This is Sengoku! should be thoroughly appreciated by fans of random adventures and Sengoku history buffs alike.
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"Cladun Returns: This Is Sengoku!" is a retro-style action RPG set in feudal Japan. Create and customize your own pixelated character, then explore various historical periods and battle supernatural foes. The game also features a robust crafting system and local co-op play.

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Reviews

43%
Audience ScoreBased on 26 reviews
gameplay6 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • The game features a rich Japanese lore with many dungeons to explore, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Players can create highly customizable characters and enjoy a variety of gameplay styles with different skills and weapons.
  • The game includes new features such as random dungeon generation, quests, and various modes like co-op and arena, adding depth to the gameplay.
  • The game is prone to crashing, which can lead to lost progress and frustration for players.
  • Some game mechanics and spells are not well explained, causing confusion and hindering the gameplay experience.
  • The online functionality appears to be unreliable or possibly non-existent, limiting the multiplayer experience.
  • story26 mentions

    The story in the game has been widely criticized for being poorly executed and forgettable, with minimal character development and infrequent cutscenes that fail to engage players. While some players appreciate the added challenges from new dungeons and missions, they feel these do not compensate for the lack of a compelling narrative, especially when compared to previous titles in the series. Overall, the storyline is seen as a significant disappointment, lacking the charm and interest found in earlier installments.

    • “New story missions and new post-game dungeons give new challenges.”
    • “It does get a little bit better in the later chapters with some cutscenes during and after boss fights, but still the story expects you to care about the characters when they are so forgettable and have so little screen time that it's really underwhelming.”
    • “Now I'm not saying Cladun 1 and X2 had amazing stories, but at least they were enjoyable and interesting, and had a couple of memorable characters; here in Sengoku there is none of that, story cutscenes only happen at the start and the end of a chapter, so it barely feels like a story is going on.”
    • “The downside is that the story is almost non-existent, especially for western audiences.”
    • “To be honest, the story has been my biggest disappointment with the game by far; it is a really poorly done and forgettable story.”
    • “Now I'm not saying Cladun 1 and X2 had amazing stories, but at least they were enjoyable and interesting, and had a couple of memorable characters. Here in Sengoku, there is none of that; story cutscenes only happen at the start and the end of a chapter, so it barely feels like a story is going on.”
  • gameplay13 mentions

    The gameplay in "Cladun Returns: This is Sengoku" is characterized by its deceptively simple mechanics that offer significant depth, encouraging players to experiment with character swapping and various playstyles. While the game retains familiar elements from previous titles, it introduces new features like the magic circle and additional weapon types, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the engaging combat system and the enjoyable grind, making it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the series and those seeking a customizable ARPG.

    • “Overall, Cladun has amazing gameplay with fun mechanics and a ton of depth; heck, it even makes grinding fun!”
    • “Gameplay, as mentioned before, is basically the ultimate Cladun experience. At first glance, the game seems simple and straightforward, but you soon realize there's so much to it: the way your characters level up encourages constant swapping between them, allowing you to experience multiple playstyles. The magic circle is an awesome mechanic that can keep you engaged for hours, creating powerful setups. The game also introduces two new weapon types: shurikens, which are a faster but weaker version of the bow, and sickles, which offer longer range and greater strength compared to the spear.”
    • “The gameplay is the same as in Cladun X2; classes and enemies got renamed, and there are like 5 new mobs.”
    • “The combat system and overall gameplay is deceptively simple.”
    • “Gameplay, as mentioned before, is basically the ultimate Cladun experience. At first glance, the game looks pretty simple and straightforward, but eventually, you realize there's so much to it: the way your characters level up makes you constantly swap between them, allowing you to experience multiple playstyles. The magic circle is an awesome mechanic that can make you spend hours creating amazing setups that will make you really powerful. The game also introduces two new weapon types: shurikens, which are basically a weaker, faster version of the bow, and sickles, which are a longer-range version of the spear (and a lot stronger, in my opinion).”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the series, particularly in Sengoku, is praised for its traditional Japanese focus and innovative remixes, with standout tracks like the arena theme. While some fans believe that Cladun 1 has the superior soundtrack, Sengoku is still recognized for its impressive musical contributions. However, opinions vary on the newer music, with some players preferring the classic tracks available in the game.

    • “Sengoku, being themed on feudal Japan, has a clear traditional Japanese focus on the music, but it still manages to make some really cool remixes out of this music style. Some tracks from the traditional Japanese music sound just great (like the arena theme). I personally think that Cladun 1 still has the best overall soundtrack, but Sengoku did an amazing job on its own.”
    • “Cladun has always had amazing music.”
    • “What transforms Cladun from being an okay-looking game with good music into a fantastic game you can waste your life away on.”
    • “However, I feel like the new music isn't on par with the old.”
    • “You can still play the old music in ran-geons (which is the only dungeon that matters, let's be honest), but I feel that I'll be disabling most of the newer music as time goes on.”
    • “Not much to say here, music is a bit too subjective for potential ratings.”
  • graphics7 mentions

    The graphics of Cladun X2 feature a nostalgic 8-bit pixel art style that enhances character customization, appealing to fans of retro aesthetics. While some players find the graphics decent and fitting for the game, they are generally considered good but not exceptional, with a rating of 6.5/10. Overall, the visuals serve the gameplay well, despite minor graphical glitches reported by some users.

    • “The game's aesthetic is that of 8-bit pixel art, and Cladun uses the 8-bit's simplicity to its advantage, allowing players to customize their characters literally from head to toe.”
    • “I think the graphics work for the game.”
    • “Graphics: 6.5/10 (good, but not breathtaking)”
    • “If you don't love the series, or think that 40 is way too much for this kind of game (retro graphics, etc), then wait for it to go on sale for 20-25 dollars; it's worth it.”
    • “I don't really mind the graphics; they're decent enough for me.”
    • “I can't tell you if this is a bad port or not, because I never had any issues (aside from a minor graphical glitch) on Cladun X2.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Cladun Returns features a grindy dungeon-crawling experience with enjoyable combat, but the game's design allows players to achieve significant power early on, undermining the traditional grind. While the main campaign can be completed with minimal grinding, the introduction of new mechanics, such as title additions at the blacksmith, makes extensive postgame grinding feel unnecessary. Despite this, many players still find the gameplay engaging and the mechanics deep, making grinding a more enjoyable aspect than in other titles.

    • “Cladun Returns is no different, and the main campaign can be finished with only minimal detours and grinding.”
    • “Due to the fact that Cladun Returns allows you to add these titles to sufficiently powerful weapons through a new feature at the blacksmith shop, it's very easy to achieve effective immortality very early into the postgame if you know what you're doing, making any further grinding completely pointless.”
    • “Given the entire premise of NIS games is endlessly grinding in the postgame to grow stronger, the title additions undercut the game's entire premise - why take 300 hours to boost your stats to absurd levels, when you can be handed total immortality in 30?”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game suffers from significant bugs, leading to a lack of stability that prevents it from being recommended.

    • “While the game could've been okay, it's too buggy to recommend.”
    • “The frequent crashes make it impossible to enjoy the gameplay.”
    • “I encountered numerous glitches that completely broke my experience.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Players note that games like Dragonfangz and Touhou Genso Wanderer: Reloaded offer better optimization for keyboard and mouse controls compared to other titles, enhancing the overall gameplay experience for those not using a controller.

    • “If you're playing with keyboard and mouse, try looking at DragonfangZ or Touhou Genso Wanderer: Reloaded. They're fairly similar games but much better optimized for play without a controller.”
    • “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance, making it accessible for a wider range of hardware.”
    • “If you're playing with keyboard and mouse, try looking at Dragonfangz or Touhou Genso Wanderer: Reloaded. They're fairly similar games but much better optimized for play without a controller.”
    • “The game suffers from severe performance issues, making it frustrating to play even on high-end hardware.”
    • “I constantly experience frame drops and stuttering, which completely ruins the immersion.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

62% average critic score

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