Dark Throne
- March 2, 2017
- Marcin Mikołajczyk
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamIn Dark Throne, play as a knight on a mission to lift a curse from the kingdom of Trimont, plunged into eternal night by a mad king. This 2D sidescrolling RPG features nine skills to develop and nine teachers to free, each offering new abilities. Battle various enemies and five bosses, using key combinations for fluid movement. Skills include damage, vitality, and energy expansion for archer, and unique abilities for spy and sorceress.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic mix of NES platforming with mild RPG elements, making it enjoyable for fans of old-school gaming.
- At a price of just 99 cents, it provides good value, especially for achievement hunters looking to unlock 80 achievements quickly.
- Despite its flaws, the game shows effort in its design and has a decent level-up system with a variety of enemies and bosses.
- The controls are unintuitive and clunky, making gameplay frustrating and difficult to enjoy.
- The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including crashes, poor animations, and unclear hitboxes.
- Overall, the game lacks polish and feels like a poorly executed attempt to replicate the Dark Souls experience.
- music8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 88 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it repetitive and reminiscent of tracks from South Park episodes. While the overall quality is deemed acceptable, with some standout pieces, many users have noted issues with volume levels and the use of music sourced from free platforms, including compositions by Kevin MacLeod. Additionally, certain tracks are criticized for being out of place within the game's context.
“The music is fine; some tracks are better than others. However, I find it too loud at times.”
“Well, I read the pros and cons about this game, and I have to agree with what people are saying. It still has excellent entertainment value, and the music is good as you play along.”
“On the audible side, the music seems to have been collected from a range of free music sources, including every YouTuber's favorite composer, Kevin MacLeod.”
“The music is, by the way, meh; I've heard some of it too often in South Park episodes.”
“On the audible side, the music in particular seems to have been collected from a range of free music sources, including every YouTuber's favorite composer, Kevin MacLeod.”
“While the soundtrack for the most part is passable, featuring your standard piano and baroque ensembles, some tracks are completely out of place.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by a steep learning curve, requiring players to exploit game mechanics for success. While combat becomes enjoyable after initial training, some users feel that the overall experience lacks enough engaging elements to motivate further exploration.
“I feel like the only way to win in this game is to exploit the mechanics.”
“Massive 2-3 hours of gameplay.”
“The mechanics of the fight are difficult at first, but after training, the combat becomes enjoyable.”
“I feel like the only way to win in this game is to exploit the mechanics.”
“The mechanics of the fight are difficult at first, but after training, the combat becomes enjoyable.”
“Massive 2-3 hours of gameplay.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised, with reviewers noting that the developer put significant effort into creating visually appealing visuals, especially for a smaller, budget-friendly title. While some acknowledge that graphics aren't the sole indicator of quality, they still appreciate the game's attractive aesthetic.
“The graphics look like the developer put in serious effort to make it look as great as it does.”
“A little and inexpensive game with very nice graphics.”
“I'm slowly starting to learn that visuals aren't everything, but they're usually a good indicator.”
“The graphics look like the developer put in serious effort to make it look as great as it does, but I'm not sure about the prize.”
“I'm slowly starting to learn that visuals aren't everything, but they're usually a good indicator.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of clever wordplay and exaggerated animations, which some players find amusingly chaotic. However, the overall comedic effect is perceived as inconsistent, with some elements being described as "hilariously bad."
“Except for the souls, there are no souls... hehe... funny aspect...”
“All of the animations are hilariously fast, yet the gameplay isn't, so I'm pretty sure it's not because my computer is running the game mega-quick.”
“Hilariously bad.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and rough, likening it to a blend of NES platformer and mild RPG elements. The controls for item management, particularly using the Q and E keys during battles, are seen as cumbersome and confusing, detracting from the overall experience.
“Using Q and E to move your active selected item at the bottom is extremely tedious in the heat of battle, and using the 'right arrow' to actually use the item is just downright confusing.”
“Very rough around the edges and tedious; this game does a good job of feeling like a mix between an NES platformer with mild RPG elements.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers feel that the atmosphere in the game could be significantly improved with better ambient effects and more varied sound design, as the current music choices, such as the incongruous track from Kerbal Space Program, detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the lack of diversity in enemy sounds contributes to a repetitive gameplay feel, further diminishing the immersive quality of the atmosphere.
“The ambient effects in the game significantly enhance the atmosphere, creating a more immersive experience.”
“The variation in enemy grunts is essential to maintain the atmosphere, preventing the gameplay from becoming repetitive and stale.”
“The music choices contribute to the overall atmosphere, although some tracks may feel out of place in certain contexts.”
“For instance, the song that plays in Kerbal Space Program when entering the upper atmosphere has, for some reason, found its way into Dark Throne, which does not fit at all.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users express confusion regarding the story, indicating that it may be poorly communicated or difficult to follow, suggesting a lack of clarity in the narrative.
“I didn't understand the story. My English isn't the best, but it seems like the creators struggled with it too.”
“The narrative was confusing and poorly executed, leaving me lost throughout the game.”
“I found the story to be shallow and unengaging, making it hard to stay invested in the characters.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with only minor glitches reported. Players appreciate the effective save feature, which allows them to quickly resume gameplay after restarting.
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the immersion.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, forcing me to restart often.”
