ELDERBORN

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,576 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • story
ELDERBORN Game Cover
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Elderborn is a single-player, fantasy hack and slash game with brutal first-person melee combat and souls-like/RPG progression. Immerse yourself in its dense atmosphere, featuring fantastic game mechanics, awesome graphics, and an amazing soundtrack. Despite some grinding and bugs, Elderborn offers a good plot and hilarious moments for fans of the genre.

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,576 reviews
gameplay186 positive mentions
stability34 negative mentions
  • Engaging and satisfying melee combat that feels fluid and responsive.
  • Great heavy metal soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
  • Interesting level design with a mix of linear and open areas, encouraging exploration.
  • The game is quite short, taking around 4-6 hours to complete.
  • Some enemy attacks can feel unfair and lead to frustrating moments.
  • The final chapter feels rushed and lacks a proper boss fight, ending abruptly.
  • gameplay592 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by a solid and engaging combat system that combines elements from various genres, notably first-person melee mechanics reminiscent of "Doom" and "Dark Souls." Players appreciate the tight controls, satisfying parry mechanics, and a variety of weapons, although some find the overall experience somewhat repetitive and the RPG elements lacking depth. While the game is relatively short, many reviewers highlight its fun and frenetic gameplay loop, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of action-oriented titles.

    • “Gameplay is honestly amazing, great difficulty curve, 8/10 for sure.”
    • “The gameplay is hitbox based melee like Vermintide, it has all of the mechanics you would expect from a modern melee game, and they are tight.”
    • “The core gameplay loop, where you're a dude or dudette whacking the shit out of a bunch of goons with varied and interesting weapons, is very, very fun and rewarding.”
    • “However, you will also be spending half of that gameplay wandering maze-like stages with only a vague idea of where to pull a lever or insert a key.”
    • “If I can ignore 90% of your gameplay systems and play it brain-dead, your game is fundamentally broken.”
    • “Not very often do I come across a game where all the mechanics are poorly implemented, yet the game has a 'very positive' rating.”
  • music576 mentions

    The music in "Elderborn" has received widespread acclaim for its heavy metal soundtrack, which enhances the game's fast-paced melee combat and overall atmosphere. Many players appreciate the energetic and thematic nature of the music, likening it to the soundtracks of iconic games like "Doom," while some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's enjoyment and immersion.

    • “The soundtrack definitely has some inspiration from Mick Gordon, but very quickly it starts doing its own thing and going places which are pretty damn amazing.”
    • “The music in this game enhances the combat experience so much; if they chose another genre of music, I think the game's experience would have not been as enjoyable.”
    • “Great combat, fantastic art design, and an adrenaline-pumping heavy metal soundtrack to accompany the barbarian brutality; what's not to love?”
    • “The music is mediocre, which is a shame as some intense action moments do occur and could really use the bump of some heavier metal.”
    • “And for a game that prides itself on being 'metal', there is very little music in it.”
    • “The metal soundtrack in my opinion is not utilized enough, but that is because the enemy spacing is methodical so you have to approach each area with at least some half-assed plan to execute every enemy before you and move on.”
  • story328 mentions

    The story in "Elderborn" is generally considered simplistic and underdeveloped, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players found the lore and setting intriguing, many noted that the narrative felt rushed and lacked depth, with most of the storytelling conveyed through codex entries and brief cutscenes. Overall, the game is not heavily story-driven, but it offers enough context to enhance the action without detracting from the core gameplay experience.

    • “Its got great gameplay with huge weapon variation, but also a killer soundtrack and the story is actually pretty good, which surprised me pleasantly since I don't usually expect a good story in games like these.”
    • “The story and world are interesting, and I feel could be expanded further in a sequel.”
    • “Elderborn is a masterful creation of its own, with a fantastic Conan-inspired art style, music that made me purchase the soundtrack, an actually fun story if you read the meticulously crafted lore entries, and the best first-person melee combat I've played in years, if not ever.”
    • “The story failed to draw me in at first; it seemed like the classic paper-thin plot.”
    • “I found the story to be really bland—I wasn't expecting much—but Elderborn seems to think it's really clever.”
    • “It's a shame it doesn't fit the boring, not at all intense gameplay or the poorly written and generic story.”
  • graphics204 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its striking art style and aesthetic reminiscent of 80s heavy metal, while others criticize the inconsistency in texture quality and performance issues. Many players appreciate the unique visual design and immersive environments, but note that the graphics can feel dated or lack polish, particularly in certain areas. Overall, while the visuals may not reach AAA standards, they are often described as charming and fitting for the game's indie nature.

    • “Polished, great weapon variety, tight movement and combat, gorgeous graphics and -- very important -- you can kick people off of ledges.”
    • “The game has an incredibly striking art style too.”
    • “Elderborn takes the aesthetic of good old sword & sorcery, injects it with heavy metal and sci-fi, and gives it a beautiful stylized look.”
    • “However, the game lacks much polish; the animations can be very janky, especially the Chapter 1 boss. The graphics and textures range from competent to abysmal (main offenders are metal floor and wall textures in Chapter 2), janky hitboxes, and some enemies are just 'why' (mainly looking at you, scorpions).”
    • “Graphics are a disappointment, about the same as Skyrim before the HD remaster.”
    • “The visuals are unpolished and make the game look older than it is, and there is a lot of jank in general.”
  • atmosphere80 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and darkly captivating design, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack that complements the gameplay. Players appreciate the art direction and environmental details that evoke a sense of loneliness and depravity, reminiscent of the Souls series. However, some reviews note that while the atmosphere is strong, the game can feel empty in terms of story and depth, particularly in later acts.

    • “The atmosphere and art direction is also really great for this game and that caused me to pause and just look at the landscapes a lot.”
    • “The atmosphere in the game is really nice and puts you in this dark, dilapidated world where only your sword and other weapons are your friends.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is amazing, I felt really immersed in the environment.”
    • “The story and atmosphere seem a bit lacking.”
    • “In act II, the atmosphere disappears and the gameplay doesn't feel as crisp due to a lot of 'rusher' type enemies.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is more in line with the Souls universe, let down a little by the voice acting and cut scenes... would prefer they removed them, but it's not a deal breaker.”
  • replayability70 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the inclusion of New Game+ and Ironman modes that enhance the challenge and encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some reviewers feel the game is too short, limiting its overall replay value, while others find it enjoyable enough to revisit despite its brevity. Overall, while there are options for replayability, opinions vary on how substantial it is.

    • “There's a new game+, and ironman mode, a bunch of challenges and quite hard achievements for replayability.”
    • “Surprisingly nice story, fantastic style, fast and intense gameplay, short and sweet but very replayable and has a lot of involvement from the devs. A fantastic game through and through.”
    • “Short but sweet and replayable with new game+, challenging but fair all the way through, fun to explore due to a semi-open level design nature.”
    • “No replay value.”
    • “At that price, it's worth goofing around with, but I don't see any replay value to Elderborn.”
    • “I think it is a bit too short for a game with (almost) no replayability.”
  • stability40 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a range of bugs and glitches that can affect gameplay, particularly in combat mechanics. While some users report a smooth experience with minimal issues, others highlight significant problems, such as freezing and collision errors, which detract from overall enjoyment. Overall, the game runs well on various platforms, but its stability issues are frequent enough to be a concern for potential players.

    • “As of this review, the game runs great on Linux via Proton; the only issue is that videos don't work.”
    • “This game is a lot of fun, runs great, and is good to play again too.”
    • “All in all, this game very much feels like a Unity project, with buggy gameplay, exploits that just degrade the already easy combat, and an at-best strange design philosophy.”
    • “Don't waste your money on this buggy game.”
    • “Really buggy and inconsistent combat.”
  • optimization32 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant framerate drops, particularly in the second act, which detracts from the overall experience. While some users report decent performance on higher-end systems, others with older or lower-end rigs face persistent issues, indicating that optimization efforts are still needed. Despite these challenges, some players find the game enjoyable, albeit wishing for smoother performance.

    • “Performance could be better; some places in Act 2 chugged a little bit, but not enough to get me killed or ruin the game.”
    • “At least the game is well optimized and presented.”
    • “Performance is generally really good.”
    • “Performance is fairly subpar - while the developers make consistent effort to optimize the game, there are still way too many FPS drops to simply overlook it.”
    • “Neat idea and greatly developed by most parts of the story, but it has horrible optimization, poor audio problems, and poor voice acting.”
    • “Finally, though this might just be a sign I need a better computer, I've found that performance, even on the lowest settings, to be really lacking - which is a shame, because Elderborn is clearly a game to be played at high speed with heavy metal blasting your eardrums.”
  • grinding26 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and tedious, often requiring significant time investment for leveling up and completing challenges. While the combat is enjoyable and provides a sense of progress, the necessity of grinding can lead to frustration, especially with enemies respawning after death. Overall, the game offers a fun experience but may not be recommended for those who dislike repetitive gameplay.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The fact that all enemies resurrect every time you die makes the game exasperating and tedious past a certain point.”
    • “While its gameplay mechanics are pretty solid, the game gets too tedious at times and doesn't have much to break the monotony.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding enjoyment in over-the-top physics and clever references, such as the recurring "jurmum" joke. While the combat may feel stiff and the enemies lack inherent humor, the absurdity of certain mechanics, like a powerful lightsaber that sacrifices blocking ability, adds a comedic layer. Overall, the game offers moments of laughter, though it may not consistently prioritize humor in its design.

    • “You could just kick the hell out of everything and the physics were hilarious and over the top.”
    • “It's hard to tell how much of it was homage vs copying another kid's homework, but it made me laugh either way.”
    • “Just to start, I want to mention that this game makes reference to 'jurmum' quite a lot and myself being Scottish, the pronunciation sounds a lot like 'your mum', so I had an absolute ball laughing at that.”
  • character development14 mentions

    Character development in the game is widely regarded as shallow and lacking depth, with a simplistic mastery system that offers minimal choices and little incentive for players to engage with it. Reviewers express a desire for more meaningful progression options, such as diverse skills and itemization, suggesting that the current system feels more like a preliminary framework rather than a fully realized feature. Overall, while the game's aesthetics are praised, the character development aspect leaves much to be desired.

    • “To me this feels more like a proof of concept for a larger project with (hopefully), more character development in terms of additional skills and stat differentiation, and perhaps even a bit of itemization or weapon specialization.”
    • “Great game, beautiful level and character design and epic music.”
    • “The voice acting and character design is also very Conan.”
    • “I don't feel like the mastery system and the challenges add much of anything to character development, which basically asks 'do you want attacks to do more damage, be faster, or do you want more HP?' with some useful perks in between.”
    • “The skill tree and character development might as well not even exist because they are so basic that they aren't worth mentioning - the game would be better for it, honestly.”
    • “Character development is shallow and gives you very little to look forward to.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization of the game is criticized as a cash grab, failing to deliver on its advertised features and lacking innovation. However, a positive note is that there are no intrusive microtransactions, allowing players to experience the game as intended without additional costs.

    • “A big plus is that there are no microtransactions shoved in your face; this is a game and sold as a game.”
    • “A big plus is that there are no microtransactions shoved in your face; this is a game and sold as a game.”
    • “It's just a cash grab with nothing new or interesting.”
    • “I can't recommend it largely because it doesn't live up to the advertising; it's only 'soulslike' in the most surface fashion: you have bonfire-like fountains (a lot of them), and enemies that are fairly slow to attack (a lot of them) and if you die, you have to recover your experience (not very often).”
    • “Big plus is no microtransactions shoved in your face ... this is a game and sold as a game.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling motivated to achieve 100% completion due to its manageable length and engaging content. This sense of accomplishment and comfort in revisiting the same material enhances their overall experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
4-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 32 analyzed playthroughs

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