Edge of War
- August 24, 2023
- Action Squad Studios
- 10h median play time
"Edge of War" is an isometric CRPG set in a world inspired by Laplands and Finnish Folklore, offering a unique path through intricate grid-based combat. Every quest holds significance, influencing the narrative and other characters. With semi-procedural world creation, each playthrough presents a distinct story, filled with varied trials and tribulations. Mastering the environment is crucial for success in this tough turn-based RPG.
Reviews
- The combat mechanics are solid and enjoyable, with tactical elements that make gameplay engaging.
- The game features a unique setting inspired by Finnish mythology, which adds a fresh perspective to the genre.
- The developers are responsive and open about the game's development, showing promise for future updates and improvements.
- The game currently lacks substantial content, with limited story and character development, making it feel somewhat empty.
- There are technical issues, including poor optimization, bugs, and a lack of essential features like a minimap and voice acting.
- The inventory system is flawed, with players unable to drop items and merchants not replenishing their funds, leading to frustration.
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by solid combat mechanics and functional skills, though some players feel it lacks depth due to limited content and the absence of voice acting or cutscenes. While the core mechanics are enjoyable and the influence of player actions on the game world is a notable feature, many reviewers anticipate further development and additional content as the game progresses in its early access stage. Overall, the foundation of gameplay is strong, but enhancements are needed to fully realize its potential.
“The combat is solid with great mechanics, the music fits the world nicely, and the art style is gorgeous.”
“I like the combat mechanics, especially the need to have elements in play to use some of the abilities.”
“The gameplay mechanics just work.”
“Basically, the game is still in the demo stage (expect 5-10 hours of gameplay until you begin to feel that the amount of content is limited).”
“The only exception would be mechanics (lockpicking), which is essential to get the best possible loot.”
“I really hope the team gets a chance to develop the game further and add more story content, as the basic mechanics work really well.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful environments and attention to detail, particularly in character customization and Finnish folklore elements. However, there are significant concerns about performance issues, including stuttering and frame rate drops, even on high-end hardware. Overall, while the art style is appreciated, technical shortcomings detract from the experience.
“The graphics are really pretty at times.”
“The visuals of the game are really nice, especially the environments.”
“The combat is solid with great mechanics, the music fits the world nicely and the art style is gorgeous.”
“When the graphics look like a 15-year-old game and are unable to render smoothly, then something is wrong.”
“I experienced constant stutter and major frame rate drops every time the camera auto-moved, even when lowering all the graphic settings to low using an RTX 3080 and i9 processor.”
“The downside about the graphics is that sometimes the tops of trees hide your view of the party, and you may not see the ground level without turning the camera.”
- story9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The current story content in the game is minimal, with limited character development and quests, but players express hope for future updates that will expand the narrative and introduce more NPCs, lore, and quests. While the existing mechanics are enjoyable, the game is primarily focused on exploration and combat rather than a rich storyline. Overall, players are eager for more substantial story elements in upcoming updates.
“A lot of new story content, NPCs, places to go, items, and game mechanics.”
“There's not that much story content yet, but just roaming around the northlands and fighting random encounters is fun and keeps the game interesting.”
“Though currently there is very little story and little in the way of character development outside of stat and skill choices.”
“At the moment the game is still lacking story content; NPCs and quests are few, but it is their next update.”
“I really hope the team gets a chance to develop the game further and add more story content, as the basic mechanics work really well.”
- music5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the immersive experience, complementing the visually appealing environments and solid gameplay mechanics. Reviewers highlight its fitting nature within the game world, contributing to an overall enjoyable atmosphere.
“The environments are good looking, and the nice music creates a truly immersive experience!”
“The combat is solid with great mechanics, and the music fits the world nicely while the art style is gorgeous.”
“I like the music and the sound.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is currently lacking, with users noting that it requires significant improvement. While acknowledging its early access status, many feel that better optimization should be expected at this stage of development.
“Optimization is still something they need to work on.”
“To begin with, it is poorly optimized.”
“I know it's early access, but I believe games should be more optimized at this stage.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is minimal, with limited storytelling and primarily focused on stat and skill choices rather than deeper narrative or character arcs.
“There is very little story and minimal character development outside of stat and skill choices.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of depth in character arcs; they don't evolve in any significant way.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game's system promises significant replayability, suggesting that players will find ample reasons to return even after completing it.
“On full release, this system alone will give this game an insane amount of replay value!”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users expressing a strong enjoyment of its immersive qualities.
“The atmosphere in this game is absolutely captivating; it draws you in and keeps you engaged.”
“I love how the atmosphere creates a sense of immersion that makes every moment feel intense and meaningful.”
“The game's atmosphere is beautifully crafted, making every environment feel alive and full of detail.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report issues with a buggy inventory system, indicating that stability in this aspect is a concern.
“The inventory system is incredibly buggy, making it frustrating to manage items.”
“I frequently encounter crashes that disrupt my gameplay experience.”
“The game suffers from constant lag and performance issues, which really detracts from the overall enjoyment.”