Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 907 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest Game Cover
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Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest is a tactical, single-player RPG with turn-based battles and handcrafted missions. Assemble a party of heroes to stop the spread of corruption and evil in a unique fantasy world full of ancient forests, standing stones, and puzzling ruins. This game is a labor of love from the creators of the Legend of Grimrock series.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 907 reviews
story191 positive mentions
grinding30 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and charming art style.
  • Engaging tactical combat that requires strategic thinking.
  • Unique character progression system with customizable abilities and gear.
  • Story and dialogue are often clichéd and lack depth.
  • Difficulty spikes can feel frustrating, especially with endless enemy respawns.
  • Limited character customization and options can make gameplay feel restrictive.
  • story1,061 mentions

    The story in "Druidstone" is generally described as a mix of classic fantasy tropes with a light-hearted tone, featuring well-written and lovable characters. While some players find the narrative engaging and humorous, others criticize it for being generic, clichéd, or poorly delivered, with dialogue that can feel tedious. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the tactical gameplay, with many players appreciating the character interactions and humor despite the narrative's shortcomings.

    • “The story is competent and fun even if it treads well-worn territory.”
    • “The story starts a bit slow but really picks up and has some good twists.”
    • “The story is simple, but characters are okay; Oiko the mage is pretty funny.”
    • “The dialogue is also awful, and the story makes no sense.”
    • “The story is lackluster unfortunately but for anyone that likes a real challenging turn-based game where you really have to think every move and there is character progression I highly recommend buying this game.”
    • “The story is a conglomeration of banalities and cliches and the writing is absolutely juvenile... it's really, really terrible.”
  • gameplay268 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its tactical turn-based mechanics that blend puzzle-solving elements with RPG features, offering a challenging yet rewarding experience. While many players appreciate the straightforward mechanics and the absence of randomness, some express frustration with certain design choices, such as infinite enemy respawns and time limits that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging combat and character progression, though opinions vary on its depth and complexity compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “Loved the game, the gameplay is very challenging and rewarding.”
    • “The gameplay is very tactical and heavily rewards clever thinking.”
    • “Once you grasp the basic mechanics of the game and realize that every move and action is extremely precious, you'll understand how to navigate it and come out victorious, all while facing an engaging challenge.”
    • “Don't expect a Divinity: Original Sin or XCOM type of combat; the actual gameplay is closer to puzzle solving than anything.”
    • “The majority of missions have annoying mechanics that always keep you stressed and push you to finish the main objective faster.”
    • “A combination of poorly implemented mechanics and mistweaked difficulty completely ruined the experience for me.”
  • graphics165 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the charming, cartoonish art style and vibrant visuals that enhance the overall atmosphere. While some found the graphics appealing and polished, others criticized them as standard or dated, suggesting that they may not meet the expectations set by larger titles. Overall, the visuals are generally considered pleasant and fitting for the game's tone, though opinions vary on their quality and impact on gameplay.

    • “Even with close-up shots, I found myself being impressed with the slightly cartoonish graphics that seem to capture the essence of the real world.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, puzzles are difficult enough to be satisfying but not frustrating, cute dialogue that reminds me of Magicka-type humor.”
    • “The game feels very polished with clean, charming visuals (which the twelve-year-old version of me would have loved).”
    • “This game is a flop in every way; the graphics are standard, the menu is horrendous, and the music is murder.”
    • “Awful, childish graphics, no voice acting, terrible sound effects, and awful music.”
    • “Graphics and music are nothing to write home about; they are functional.”
  • music135 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, often likening it to classic JRPG soundtracks. While some tracks are described as catchy and enjoyable, others are noted as repetitive or generic, leading to a varied experience depending on individual preferences. Overall, the soundtrack is generally considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's charm and immersion.

    • “The music is enjoyable and never gets old, which is a lifesaver for the longer missions.”
    • “The game is gorgeous, the story is entertaining and the music transports you to a world of druids.”
    • “The combat music puts you right in the mood of the fight, happy music for happy scenes, sad music for sad scenes... every single track happens at the right time!”
    • “This game is a flop in every way, graphics are standard, menu is horrendous and the music is murder.”
    • “Cheap, poorly designed and uses out of place generic game asset music.”
    • “The music is very forgettable.”
  • humor77 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the witty and light-hearted dialogue that often pokes fun at fantasy tropes, while others find it hit-or-miss, with some jokes feeling forced or juvenile. Characters like Oiko the mage stand out for their comedic lines, contributing to a generally entertaining narrative, though some critiques highlight that the humor can become repetitive or awkward. Overall, the game successfully integrates humor into its storytelling, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate a more whimsical approach.

    • “Very well made turn-based strategic RPG with a fun story and humorous dialogs.”
    • “The writing is funny and doesn't take itself seriously, poking fun at the genre and classic tropes.”
    • “The dialogue is hilarious!”
    • “One of those games with unfunny jokes and pop culture references.”
    • “All this leads to a feeling that this game was intended to make you feel like you got kicked in the teeth most of the time, which is quite unfunny and not enjoyable.”
  • replayability34 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with many players expressing a desire for more content, such as additional playable characters, varied endings, and customizable scenarios. While some aspects, like optional missions and difficulty levels, offer a degree of replay value, the consensus is that once the main objectives are completed, there is little incentive to revisit the game. Future updates or expansions that introduce new features could potentially enhance replayability.

    • “Fun 'roguelike' crawler - story is light - characters are entertaining - enough strategy and variables to make scenarios replayable without the feel that you are just mindlessly grinding.”
    • “Druidstone is a very competent turn-based tactical RPG that creates replay value with the additional, optional level challenges that often require you to return to the level when your team has acquired more abilities.”
    • “They also add to replayability, because you can return to these missions later to complete the secondary goals and get the rewards.”
    • “Replay value is low as the toughest parts of the game are the surprises, and not challenging enough to beat the top difficulty while also completing 100% objectives.”
    • “There is no real replay value, so once you finished it, you're done. Thus, I suggest you play with the hardest difficulty.”
    • “The missions/maps do not have any randomness to them and are not replayable much because of it.”
  • grinding31 mentions

    Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; some players appreciate that grinding is not necessary to progress, as completing objectives can yield sufficient rewards, while others find the game can become tedious and grindy, especially due to a steep difficulty curve. Many note that replaying missions offers limited benefits, leading to a sense of frustration when trying to level up or acquire items. Overall, the game is seen as balancing between engaging gameplay and moments of grind, with opinions varying on whether this enhances or detracts from the experience.

    • “I've reached a level where I cannot progress because it is very difficult. Also, there is no way to grind experience to level up. Leveling up is not that effective to make your character stronger; clearing a level did not help.”
    • “But it's worth noting things do get a bit grindy due to an insane difficulty curve near the end.”
    • “This fails to give you any feeling of reward for the continuing barrage of tedious and relentless difficulty that it puts on levels.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming, fairytale-like quality, enhanced by bright graphics, fitting music, and clever sound effects that evoke nostalgia for old-school RPGs. Players appreciate the warm and welcoming presentation, though some note that the writing could be improved. Overall, the atmosphere successfully immerses players in a delightful and engaging fantasy world.

    • “This is a very atmospheric fairytale game.”
    • “The graphics look bright and the atmosphere is warm.”
    • “Quite delightful and welcoming with its presentation, sound effects, music, and atmosphere.”
    • “The story was alright and did try to be a bit more grandiose than it accomplished, but the soundtrack and atmosphere is what sticks.”
    • “Regarding atmosphere there is one certain place that is very much of the opposite of previous colourful locations and it works really really well.”
    • “I'd love to see a stealth option, a more relaxed atmosphere sometimes and the possibility to explore freely.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the ability to respec and experiment with builds, others feel that the overarching narrative lacks depth and that character arcs are underdeveloped, particularly for secondary characters. The dialogue is noted for its wit, and the game offers enjoyable tactical gameplay, but it doesn't reach the narrative complexity found in more acclaimed RPGs. Overall, while there are rewarding elements in character customization, the depth of character development may not satisfy those seeking a profound storytelling experience.

    • “Druidstone is short and simple, but deceptively offers more compelling character development and plot than is common in tactics games.”
    • “Character development: you can respec after (and during, if you want a retry) every mission for free, which allows for testing some very interesting combos.”
    • “Advancing characters is enjoyable; the gem/slot and equipment systems make it almost impossible to screw up character development and allow you to try out many different fun builds for each character.”
    • “In my opinion, there should've been more character development stories and less (slightly stale) overarching story of good vs. evil.”
    • “While the dialog is somewhat witty and reasonably well written, the game makes only a half-hearted effort at character development for just one character.”
    • “For a computer game, it has a solid story and the main characters are likable and fun; just don't expect Baldur's Gate 2 level of story or character development.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many players reporting solid performance and minimal loading times. However, some users experienced crashes when alt-tabbing, indicating potential issues for certain setups. While the visuals and production value are high, there are suggestions for further improvements in graphics performance and optimization techniques.

    • “You gain additional crystals which boost your abilities as you complete special objectives and are needed for future battles; and they are battles so you can boost your skills as you see fit, lots of choices and optimizations.”
    • “Wonderful visuals, great production value, almost no loading time, great optimization, not a single bug so far.”
    • “The mechanics are tight, the sound and visuals are great, it has some cool surprises, and performance was great.”
    • “In terms of performance, the game runs fine, but it did crash twice for me when I alt-tabbed to a different monitor; I thought it was worth noting.”
    • “Lastly, please touch up and improve the performance of the graphics.”
    • “You have a fixed camera and lighting given the level layout; pre-bake stuff, i.e., shadow maps, etc., to optimize performance.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The reviews for stability are mixed; while some users report significant bugs and glitches, others praise the game as being bug-free and polished. Overall, there seems to be a divide in user experiences, with some finding the game challenging and well-executed, while others criticize it for being shallow and buggy.

    • “It's a challenging, original, fast-paced, beautiful, rich, unpredictable game with the right amount of puzzles, not too long, not too short, and polished.”
    • “The programming appears to be bug-free as well.”
    • “Seemingly, this is a buggy game with a very shallow and predictable method to it.”
    • “I'm seeing people claim that Druidstone is buggy.”
    • “It's way too basic for its price; it gives you a weird aftertaste and it's pretty buggy.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lackluster and repetitive story, which fails to engage players on a deeper level. Many found the characters and narrative boring, leading to a reliance on the option to skip cinematics, and overall, the emotional impact does not measure up to higher-quality titles in the genre.

    • “The emotional depth of the characters really drew me in, making their struggles feel personal and relatable.”
    • “I was genuinely moved by the story's twists and turns; it left a lasting impact on me long after I finished playing.”
    • “The game masterfully weaves emotional moments into the gameplay, creating a connection that makes every decision feel significant.”
    • “The story is really hard, repetitive, and ultimately boring, along with the characters.”
    • “The narrative is dull; thankfully, there's an option to skip the cinematics, which I found myself using after just a couple of them.”
    • “The characters lack depth, making it difficult to connect emotionally with the story.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

18hMedian play time
22hAverage play time
10-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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