Earthlock: Festival of Magic
- September 1, 2016
- Snowcastle Games
- 23h median play time
You won't find much in Earthlock that you haven't seen in hundreds of other RPGs, but there is a charm here that you may just want to be a part of.
"Earthlock: Festival of Magic" is a single-player, fantasy role-playing game set in a world that stopped spinning thousands of years ago. The game boasts an original turn-based combat system, engaging storyline, and impressive graphics and soundtrack. However, be prepared for lots of grinding. In this world of machines and magic, players must strategize and build their team to save the world from destruction.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Xbox One
Linux
PlayStation
Wii
Wii U
Xbox
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and art style reminiscent of classic JRPGs.
- Engaging turn-based combat system with unique mechanics like character pairing and talent boards.
- Charming soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Weak and generic storyline with underdeveloped characters and dialogue.
- Inconsistent enemy scaling leading to frustrating difficulty spikes.
- Lack of equipment customization and limited interaction with the game world.
- story150 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it generic, shallow, and lacking depth, often describing it as cliched or overly simplistic. While some appreciate the engaging characters and nostalgic elements, others criticize the plot for being rushed, filled with unresolved threads, and lacking a compelling narrative arc. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable for its gameplay and visuals, but the story does not meet the expectations of those seeking a rich and immersive RPG experience.
“The story is engaging enough, if not very deep, and it does have varied and interesting characters.”
“It has a great story, soundtrack, and artwork.”
“The story is nice.”
“The plot leaves dozens of dangling threads.”
“The story and dialog writing is flat and unintriguing.”
“The story was, for me, definitely the weakest part of the game.”
- gameplay85 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Earthlock: Festival of Magic" is characterized by its blend of classic turn-based mechanics and innovative features, such as character pairing and a unique talent board, which add strategic depth. While some players appreciate the nostalgic homage to 90s JRPGs and find the mechanics engaging, others criticize the overall simplicity and repetitiveness, noting that the game lacks depth in both gameplay and story. Overall, it offers a casual RPG experience with charming visuals and enjoyable mechanics, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more challenging or intricate gameplay experience.
“Invest the time, and Earthlock: Festival of Magic will reward you with a depth in gameplay that will test the most strategic of players.”
“Some clever choices like the pairing mechanic, a wide array of mix-and-match damage types, and a spin on the always-popular limit break added just enough strategy to keep combat from ever getting stale.”
“The gameplay itself is easy to learn, but still gives you some new interesting takes on the well-established (and much loved) turn-based RPG.”
“Only played three hours and don't really desire to go any further - the story didn't draw me in, the mechanics were very bland, and it was just too easy.”
“The story is slow to non-existent and the gameplay gets repetitive very quickly.”
“It looks beautiful, but the gameplay is more tedious than fun.”
- graphics68 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming art style and colorful environments reminiscent of titles like Torchlight and Final Fantasy. While some players find the visuals beautiful and well-designed, others criticize them as unpolished or lacking uniqueness. Overall, the graphics are generally considered appealing, though opinions vary on their execution and impact on gameplay.
“The graphics are wonderful and the characters are fun.”
“A great game with sumptuous graphics, interesting story line and unusual characters.”
“Firstly, the art style and graphics are truly beautiful; at first glance you wouldn't have thought this was a Kickstarter project!”
“Don't let the modest graphics fool you; this game has some horrible difficulty spikes where enemies have stupid amounts of health and 1-hit kills (we call that 'challenging').”
“Maybe this game could seem a little bit 'too unpolished' when it comes to graphics, combat system, leveling up/talent gameplay, and such, but it's really worth it to me.”
“Underneath the passable graphics are layers of wasted potential and missed opportunity.”
- music61 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its quality, atmospheric nature, and ability to enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack is often described as beautiful and fitting for the game's environments, reminiscent of Studio Ghibli films, though some reviewers noted that it could become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersion.
“The soundtrack is amazing.”
“The music is high quality and fits in well with the art direction.”
“The dynamic music, how the overworld track would go right into the combat version of a song then seamlessly right back out once combat ended, was a great touch.”
“Had the developers been more strategic in their music choice (special music for certain cutscenes?)”
“The music is well produced, but not all that fantastic.”
“The music was forgettable, as was the presented story.”
- grinding36 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often described as tedious and repetitive, particularly in combat and farming mechanics. While some players appreciate the nostalgic RPG elements and find the grinding manageable, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, especially when leveling up characters or preparing for tougher bosses. Despite these criticisms, some players note that the game offers workarounds to minimize grinding, making it less of a chore for those willing to engage with its systems.
“The method of grouping enemies together could be more reliable, especially if you're trying to get that trophy for the tournaments. The dog has a move where she learns abilities from only specific enemies, which is never fully explained and only works randomly. Additionally, not having a faster way to level up your teammates who are taken away from you and come back way behind, even when you're not grinding, could all be improved in an expansion or sequel.”
“Unfortunately, some grinding is required, because you won't always reach the next boss level-matched (but the game will tell you if you aren't).”
“What Earthlock does badly: the game is pretty grind-heavy (especially with the poorly implemented farming system that means a patient player never runs out of healing items or ammo), but the big problem is the story.”
“I'm about 80% of the way through, and nothing has happened except some shark man who I call 'uncle' has been kidnapped and I've spent most of the time grinding mobs to level up.”
- character development8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is often criticized for being formulaic and lacking depth, with many players feeling that it serves merely to guide the plot rather than enrich the characters themselves. While the character designs and visuals are praised, the overall narrative and dialogue are described as generic and choppy, detracting from the potential of the game's engaging environments and gameplay.
“And character development in this game would have easily jumped to my top 5 favorite RPGs.”
“The unique and beautiful environments, gameplay, its absolutely lovely soundtrack, character designs, and graphics so far have been very enjoyable and quite nice to experience, and I think that this game is quite fun to play, and it has quite a bit of potential.”
“Though not particularly unique, the character designs were also good.”
“While the game went through the motions of character development, nearly everything is done for the sole purpose of 'that's where the game wants us to go next'.”
“The story here is pretty generic, with some choppy character development and character dialogue.”
“Struggles with character development and dialogue at times.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its soothing qualities, enhanced by nostalgic music and a charming visual style that complements the gameplay. Players report that the atmosphere grows on them over time, creating a strong emotional connection to the characters and overall experience. The combination of atmospheric music and engaging combat contributes significantly to the game's immersive environment.
“This unique atmosphere soothes my stress from work very well.”
“The music is also nice and quite atmospheric.”
“Almost every track fit right in and strengthened the atmosphere of the entire game.”
“But this game's atmosphere and tone are lacking.”
“I wasn't blown away at first, but given time, I grew attached to the game's atmosphere, its characters, music, and its combat system.”
“The nostalgia atmosphere feels forced and doesn't resonate well.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its light-hearted moments and amusing character interactions, particularly in the context of the gameplay. While the story incorporates humor without becoming overly cheesy, some users noted that it may not be consistently engaging. Overall, the game balances fun gameplay with a sprinkle of humor, making it an enjoyable experience.
“It's a great game with a cool and funny story.”
“The story is great, with just a touch of humor (Uncle Benjo's moves when he wins a fight), but not so much as to have a high cheese factor.”
“Some funny moments.”
- stability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game's stability is generally good, with no major bugs or glitches affecting gameplay. However, some players have experienced minor issues, such as occasional combat freezes when defeating multiple enemies simultaneously.
“The coding itself is good, not buggy, everything works the way it's supposed to.”
“Bugs and glitches are a common issue.”
“I experienced a few combat freezes; if I killed too many monsters at once, there would be a few seconds where nothing happened.”
“Other than that, I haven't had any game-breaking bugs or glitches, so overall a good experience for me!”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Despite some optimization patches, Earthlock continues to experience significant performance issues, including frame stuttering and occasional hangs after actions. Many users feel the game resembles an early access title due to its lack of polish, clunky animations, and persistent bugs.
“Earthlock runs smoothly.”
“But after several optimization patches, the game still runs poorly.”
“Frame stuttering is normal, and the game hangs from time to time after certain actions.”
“Currently, this game feels like an early access title due to the lack of optimization, clunky animations, and random bugs.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game is considered to have low replayability due to its short length and lack of side content, with players noting that it offers little incentive to play again after completing the main story.
“And there's no real replayability.”
“The game is also very short, with very little side stuff to do, and zero replay value.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game's plot suffers from a significant lack of emotional depth, resulting in an overall flat and uninspiring experience.
