Dark Deity

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,863 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Dark Deity Game Cover
Dark Deity is an homage to classic SRPGs offering quite a bit of depth and polish.
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In Dark Deity, lead a group of students-turned-soldiers in a tactical RPG with branching storylines and class systems. Wield unique weapons, engage in strategic battles, and navigate complex relationships in a desperate fight to save your homeland. With over 27 playable characters and thrilling, hand-crafted battles, every decision matters in this epic fantasy adventure.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,863 reviews
story221 positive mentions
stability98 negative mentions
  • Fun strategy RPG with enjoyable characters that captures the essence of classic Fire Emblem games.
  • Innovative class and weapon systems that allow for diverse character builds and strategies.
  • Engaging combat mechanics with various objectives that keep gameplay fresh.
  • Numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
  • Weak story and character development, with many characters feeling underutilized and generic.
  • Poor UI design and lack of tutorials make it difficult for new players to understand game mechanics.
  • story1,149 mentions

    The story of "Dark Deity" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be a standard, predictable fantasy narrative that lacks depth and coherence. While some appreciate the character interactions and bond system, others criticize the pacing and rushed plot developments, leading to a disjointed experience. Overall, the story is seen as serviceable but not particularly engaging, often overshadowed by the gameplay mechanics and character customization.

    • “The story is engaging, even if some of the character types feel a bit familiar, and the pixel art is really well done.”
    • “The story writing mirrors the writing of the bond system; at first, it seems pedestrian, but it grows from typical beginnings to an interesting conclusion that I didn't predict with some really cool boss designs along the way.”
    • “The story is not its strong point, it's a decent fantasy story sure but it feels like it was rushed, like there were things that should have happened but simply did not.”
    • “The story is a bit on the generic side.”
    • “The story is extremely standard.”
    • “The story is so thin and generic that I fell asleep after three sets of dialogues.”
  • gameplay705 mentions

    The gameplay of "Dark Deity" has been described as a blend of familiar turn-based strategy mechanics reminiscent of the Fire Emblem series, with some unique twists such as a complex weapon and armor system, and a "grave wounds" mechanic that replaces traditional permadeath. While many players appreciate the depth and customization options available, they also note significant issues with the lack of tutorials and explanations for various mechanics, leading to confusion and frustration. Overall, the core gameplay is engaging and enjoyable, but it suffers from bugs, unpolished UI, and a convoluted presentation of its systems.

    • “The gameplay is satisfying, with a lot of depth in how you can customize your characters and plan your strategies.”
    • “The gameplay is solid; after they managed to patch the worst bugs.”
    • “The gameplay captures the feel of a good GBA Fire Emblem.”
    • “The developers failed one of the most basic, fundamental requirements of game design: 'show, don't tell.' You'll spend a huge amount of time not playing the game, but clicking through endless lines of poorly written visual novel text cutscenes because the developers couldn't work out how to relate their narrative through the game mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay systems are needlessly overcomplicated, and the game does very little in effectively teaching anything about the mechanics beyond the very basics.”
    • “The bond mechanic is meaningless. The story mechanics offer a lot of busy work for very little payoff, by which I mean that the bond system is not connected to the combat in any meaningful way, which makes it all flavor text.”
  • music278 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it forgettable or poorly implemented, particularly noting abrupt transitions between tracks and a lack of fitting themes for various scenes. While some tracks are praised for being pleasant or catchy, others are criticized as generic or out of place, leading to an overall impression of a soundtrack that fails to enhance the gaming experience. Despite a few standout pieces, the consensus suggests that the music lacks the memorable quality often expected in similar titles.

    • “The music is good and the voice acting is very good when it does happen.”
    • “The art is cute, the music is pretty good, writing is decent, and it is an overall great first impression.”
    • “The music is quite beautiful though - I did love it.”
    • “The music transitions in and out of fights very abruptly, with no fading in or out.”
    • “The music is honestly kind of bad; it stays in the background as white noise and never succeeds in doing better.”
    • “The music is a cacophony of some of the worst sounds you can expose the human ear to; so any self-loathing sadomasochists out there or CIA agents looking to create a psychological torture playlist, look no further!”
  • graphics234 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the character artwork and animations as vibrant and appealing, reminiscent of classic Fire Emblem titles. However, criticisms arise regarding the simplistic and sometimes inconsistent pixel art, particularly in combat and map visuals, which some players find outdated or lacking polish. Overall, while the art style has its charm and nostalgic appeal, it struggles to meet modern graphical standards, leading to a divided reception among players.

    • “The graphics and animations are charming, and artfully making the most out of what they have.”
    • “The art style is nice to look at, and the vibrant colors demand your attention.”
    • “The character artwork is gorgeous, and they are full of personalities.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “Visually, this is a ham-fisted mess, a dog's breakfast of bad visuals, and this kind of laziness and poor quality should never be foisted on gamers.”
    • “The graphics are very jarring.”
  • stability100 mentions

    The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, significantly impacting the overall experience and gameplay stability. Many players report game-breaking issues, inconsistent mechanics, and a lack of polish, leading to frustration and a sense that the game feels unfinished. While some enjoy the core gameplay, the overwhelming presence of technical problems suggests that potential buyers should wait for significant updates or a price drop before investing.

    • “The game runs great once I disabled VSync in my NVIDIA settings, which was locking it to 30fps. After that, everything flowed smoothly.”
    • “While there are minor areas that feel a bit unpolished, overall, the stability of the game is commendable.”
    • “Once I adjusted my settings, the game performed excellently without any major stability issues.”
    • “The sad thing is that I think this could be a real gem if they cleaned up the bugs and glitches, as I like the Fire Emblem games.”
    • “After reading up about all the random glitches people are having, I decided that I don't want to invest more time in a game that is still this prone to bugging out this long after release.”
    • “The game launched in a very buggy state, although the dev team has been running overtime to get everything fixed up and implement requested changes, so there's little to fear here for new buyers.”
  • replayability83 mentions

    The game offers high replayability through extensive customization options, including growth rates, recruitment order, and built-in randomizers, allowing players to experiment with different strategies and character combinations. While the large roster of characters and branching class systems enhance replay value, some players note that the lack of alternate story paths and side content limits overall replayability. Overall, the combination of customizable settings and diverse gameplay mechanics provides a solid foundation for multiple playthroughs.

    • “This creates a depth of customization that bolsters replay value significantly.”
    • “The game definitely has a lot of replay value, not being able to use basically more than half the roster each playthrough, needing to use characters in battle to unlock support conversations and then the modifiers and randomizers that you can use to customize your campaign.”
    • “What I really like was on game start you have a ton of options to select to alter game difficulty and variety such as unit recruitment order, enemy classes, enemy weapons, gold and exp gains, I can tell that's going to be very helpful down the line for replayability.”
    • “The lack of alternate story paths, extra missions, and side content really kills the replayability.”
    • “Replay value is pretty limited, no story choices to speak of so you're only replaying for class combinations or character usage.”
    • “Dark Deity also lacks side quests, a postgame, a new game plus, or anything else which would otherwise provide replay value.”
  • character development71 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the bond system and engaging character designs, while others criticize the pacing and depth of character interactions. Many reviews highlight the visual appeal of the characters but note that the storytelling often lacks meaningful development, leading to superficial relationships. Overall, while there are strong elements in character design and some enjoyable moments, the character development itself is seen as inconsistent and in need of improvement.

    • “The bond system of relationships between party members is a fun way to include optional little bite-sized chunks of story and character development.”
    • “I really like the character designs; while some are the basic main character protagonist design, there are some characters that really stand out and had me invested in the story and interested to learn more about them as characters and how they interact with others!”
    • “The character designs are top tier, the maps have varied and fun objectives, the innovations to the class system allow for a great variety of builds and styles, and the armor vs damage type system, while confusing at first, allows for some strategic decision-making that Fire Emblem craves.”
    • “The item interface is tedious, the storytelling quality vacillates between droll exposition and breakneck character development that happens off-screen, and the maps are overly large without much intrinsic strategic depth; the way damage is calculated against armor/class feels almost completely arbitrary.”
    • “Character development doesn't really happen.”
    • “There's just no character development that is engaging in the story cut scenes (with one or two exceptions).”
  • grinding57 mentions

    Overall, reviews indicate that the lack of grinding in the game is a significant point of contention among players. Many express a desire for optional grinding maps to enhance character development and strategy, while others find the absence of grinding leads to a more skill-based experience, albeit with some tedious elements in gameplay and inventory management. The consensus suggests that while the game has enjoyable aspects, the limited opportunities for leveling up characters detracts from the overall experience for those who appreciate grinding mechanics.

    • “The game is good, but it doesn't have the grinding that makes these games fun for me, so it's not my cup of tea.”
    • “There is no going back to areas you've been in, no farming experience, and you are constantly thrown new units at your party. If you're not prepared for this, your units will become irrelevant quickly.”
    • “The game lacks a grinding aspect that allows you to easily level up and promote characters, as well as stockpile gold to buy items from the shop between chapters.”
    • “However, this game is not challenging where grinding is necessary.”
    • “It almost feels as if some battles are meant to be drawn out as long as possible, grinding experience while the enemies heal over and over, as enemy scaling far outstrips what your party is capable of leveling in a more natural way.”
  • optimization29 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues, including lag, stuttering, and bugs that can disrupt gameplay. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these flaws, the overall consensus is that it suffers from poor optimization, particularly in later levels and during battles, which can lead to frustrating experiences. Despite these challenges, some improvements have been noted, suggesting that the developers are working towards better performance.

    • “This can get a bit overwhelming depending on how much optimization is desired, but it is not mandatory and can actually lead to a bit more challenge in a mission if the micromanaging feels like too much.”
    • “The fact they included battle saves and increased optimization among a host of other bugs already puts them in a better light than other developers leaving their projects as is.”
    • “When you're playing with a controller, the game feels like it's better optimized for mouse and keyboard.”
    • “It does sometimes have performance issues, so be wary.”
    • “Your characters' performance scales inversely with level, meaning that as you gain experience, you actually get weaker.”
    • “Bad optimization and bugs.”
  • humor28 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by witty dialogues, charming character interactions, and a mix of deadpan and absurd comedy. Players appreciate the clever writing and humorous character designs, though some find certain jokes and anime tropes to be hit-or-miss. While the game has its share of bugs, many of them add an unintended layer of humor, contributing to an overall lighthearted and engaging experience.

    • “Their dialogues and interactions are witty, funny, charming, and interesting - watching characters interact, it becomes apparent that a lot of love and care has gone into this game.”
    • “The most hilarious example is the pre-battle conversation that actually takes place on the battle map, with your units already loaded into the deployment area.”
    • “The weapon and class descriptions are occasionally hilarious.”
  • emotional15 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while it attempts to deliver deep and poignant moments, many players find these moments awkward and lacking in impact, often feeling sudden and unearned. The music fails to enhance the emotional experience, becoming repetitive and overshadowed by the writing, which struggles to carry the weight of the narrative. However, some players appreciate the nostalgic elements and character development, suggesting that the game can evoke warm feelings reminiscent of classic titles in the genre.

    • “The pacing and what is elaborated on and what isn't is all over the place, such that emotional moments feel ridiculous at how suddenly and without reason they happen.”
    • “There are moments in the story where you can tell it's trying to be emotional and deep, but it usually comes across being awkward more than anything.”
    • “I've only done the first couple maps but the game has made me feel all sorts of warm and fuzzy nostalgia for the Fire Emblem that E3 was lacking.”
    • “Chapters are also very short; you can easily beat the game in 8-10 hours without even trying to speed run or skip the boring story.”
    • “The story is boring.”
  • monetization10 mentions

    The monetization strategies in these games have drawn significant criticism, particularly for their reliance on aggressive in-game advertisements and promotional tactics that detract from the overall experience. Users express frustration over the intrusive nature of ads, which not only slow down gameplay but also overshadow the game's content, suggesting that developers prioritize marketing over quality. Overall, the heavy focus on advertising and monetization tactics has led to a negative perception among players, who feel that these practices undermine the integrity of the games.

    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers a variety of ways to earn in-game currency, making it accessible for everyone regardless of their spending habits.”
    • “The cosmetic items available for purchase are purely optional and do not affect gameplay, which keeps the experience balanced and enjoyable.”
    • “What strikes me the most and absolutely boils my blood is the in-game advertisement.”
    • “It's a shame that the company embedded its own launcher to push ads for its other titles; the only reason I would not recommend it is to punish this tactic from them.”
    • “I think they spent a little too much on the advertising and should have put it into the game itself.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the retro graphics, engaging music, and interesting world premise. However, some find the setting and themes to be bland, suggesting a mixed reception regarding the overall ambiance. Despite these criticisms, the characters and plot contribute positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “It's a really well done Fire Emblem upgrade; I like the plot and the characters have a lot to say, even a bit too much for an add like me ;) Plus, I like the retro graphics and atmosphere!”
    • “I guess it's a fresh take on the FE series' formula, and they've built that atmosphere well.”
    • “I won't refund the game for now, because characters seem interesting and I love the world premise and music/atmosphere, so I'll wait for a fix to at least saves and SFX separation.”
    • “The setting, the personalities, the atmosphere, and themes are bland.”
    • “I won't refund the game for now, because the characters seem interesting and I love the world premise and music/atmosphere, so I'll wait for a fix to at least saves and SFX separation.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
5-16hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs

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