Darkblood Chronicles
- November 22, 2017
- doriantoki
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn Darkblood Chronicles, players navigate the Dark Realm as Samantha, a protagonist with a mysterious past. The game features a mature story, decision-based dialogue that determines one of five endings, and an active-time battle system. With over 40 unique skills to learn and over 20 hours of gameplay, players can explore and solve puzzles while building a character that suits their playstyle. The game also includes 3 main characters and over 40 support characters.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning retro graphics and a captivating atmosphere, reminiscent of classic RPGs like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI.
- The story is engaging and thought-provoking, with well-developed characters and multiple endings that encourage replayability.
- The gameplay includes a unique battle system with interesting mechanics, such as the ability to dodge encounters and utilize familiar spirits in combat.
- There are frustrating difficulty spikes and some battles can feel unbalanced, leading to wasted turns and a lack of power progression.
- The game suffers from pacing issues, with excessive cutscenes that disrupt gameplay and no option to skip them upon death.
- Some areas are poorly designed, making navigation difficult, and the absence of a map can lead to confusion during exploration.
- story28 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story of Darkblood Chronicles is generally well-received, characterized as captivating, mysterious, and thought-provoking, with themes of death, loss, and personal growth. Many reviewers appreciate its homage to 80s dark fantasy and classic RPGs, noting its clever storytelling and well-scripted narrative. However, some criticism arises regarding pacing, as excessive cutscenes can disrupt gameplay, leading to a mixed overall impression of the game's narrative experience.
“The story is also mysterious and captivating.”
“Darkblood Chronicles is an intelligent and often thought-provoking RPG with a decent cast, a good story, and an interesting setting.”
“Alright, let’s get into the likes: the story is very good with some good twists, turns, and some nice buildup. Some of the story also takes inspiration from the Persona games with character exploration. I also like the themes of death, loss, grief, saying goodbye, and overcoming the past; it was very touching and some of the story can be quite thought-provoking.”
“Dark Blood Chronicles is an okay but mixed bag of a JRPG, RPG Maker game; the story is just okay.”
“After watching a long cutscene, you go explore the level only for a minute or two later for another cutscene to happen. It feels unnatural, like there's too much story and not enough gameplay, which really bogs down the game.”
“The story is overly convoluted and detracts from the gameplay experience.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of Darkblood Chronicles are highly praised for their excellent quality, featuring smooth animations and a captivating pixel art style that effectively combines somber and bright colors to enhance the game's atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the stunning retro graphics and how they complement the clever storytelling, contributing to an overall immersive experience.
“The animations, graphics, and overall look and sound of the game are excellent.”
“The graphics and animation are smooth and perfectly suit the game's atmosphere.”
“Darkblood Chronicles is an awesome blend of stunning retro graphics and clever storytelling.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring a standard turn-based JRPG system with random monster encounters and item collection, which some players find enjoyable. However, the frequent cutscenes disrupt the flow, leading to a feeling of imbalance between story and gameplay. While the battle system and overall presentation are praised, the pacing issues may require players to exercise patience.
“This game is not only beautiful; it offers amazing gameplay with a cool battle system.”
“The spritework is solid, the music is good, and the gameplay is quite good.”
“So with that done, Dark Blood Chronicles is an okay but mixed bag of a JRPG, RPG Maker game, with a very good story, okay gameplay, and good enemies and bosses.”
“After watching a long cutscene, you go explore the level only for a minute or two later another cutscene happens. It just feels unnatural, like there's too much story and not enough gameplay; it really bogs down the game.”
“The gameplay is just okay; it's your standard turn-based JRPG where you fight random monsters, pick up healing items to heal your party, or collect weapons and clothing to improve your characters. It's pretty standard stuff.”
“The gameplay is pretty standard; you fight random monsters and collect items like healing supplies or equipment to enhance your characters, but it doesn't offer anything particularly exciting.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users noting its captivating pixel art and smooth graphics that evoke nostalgia reminiscent of classics like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. The combination of a compelling atmosphere and an engaging soundtrack creates an immersive experience that keeps players hooked. Overall, the game is recognized as atmospheric and deserving of attention.
“I love the game's pixel art and atmosphere; it reminds me a lot of Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, and Silent Hill.”
“The graphics and animation are smooth and perfectly suit the game's atmosphere.”
“Between the atmosphere and the great soundtrack, the game will make you want to keep playing.”
- music8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its suitability and ability to enhance the atmosphere, making it engaging and enjoyable. While some tracks stand out, others are considered average, leading to mixed opinions on its overall impact. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the gaming experience, though it may not be memorable for everyone.
“Between the atmosphere and great soundtrack, the game will make you want to not put it down.”
“The spritework is solid, the music is good, and the gameplay is quite good.”
“The music has some nice tracks to listen to, adding to the overall experience.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players report that grinding is a significant part of the gameplay, often requiring substantial time investment to unlock all choices, with some noting that they still enjoyed around 20 hours of content in a single playthrough despite the grind.
“I spent a lot of time grinding to unlock all the choices, but I still only got about 20 hours out of one playthrough.”
“Grinding took up so much of my time, and even after all that effort, I felt like I barely scratched the surface of the game.”
“The grinding in this game is excessive; it feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the experience.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised for its compelling story, which features engaging twists and character exploration reminiscent of the Persona series. Themes of death, loss, grief, and the process of saying goodbye resonate deeply, making the narrative both touching and thought-provoking.
“The story is very good with some great twists and turns, featuring a nice buildup. It draws inspiration from the Persona games with its character exploration. I appreciate the themes of death, loss, grief, saying goodbye, and overcoming the past. It was very touching, and some parts of the story can be quite thought-provoking.”
