Elin

About

Elin is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Lafrontier and was released on November 1, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Elin" is a sandbox, open-world RPG that combines roguelike gameplay with survival elements, base building/management, and various activities such as crafting, fishing, and farming. The game offers a seamless blend of randomly generated and fixed content, set in a continuously expanding world with regular updates. The prologue to an epic story, "Elin" allows players to live freely as an adventurer, shaping the world through their actions and decisions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,109 reviews

gameplay71 positive mentions

grinding209 negative mentions

Elin offers a vast and immersive sandbox experience, allowing players to engage in various activities such as farming, crafting, dungeon crawling, and town management.
The game features a unique and deep character progression system where players can level up skills through actions, making every choice impactful.
Regular updates from the developer ensure that the game continues to evolve, adding new content and improving existing mechanics.

The steep learning curve and lack of comprehensive tutorials can make it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and progress effectively.
The user interface is often criticized for being clunky and unintuitive, leading to frustration during gameplay.
Some players have reported issues with the game's translation, resulting in confusing dialogue and unclear instructions.

gameplay
371 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
78%
3%
The gameplay of "Elin" is characterized by its deep and complex mechanics, offering a rich sandbox experience that encourages exploration and experimentation. Players can engage in a variety of activities, including dungeon crawling, crafting, and base building, but the steep learning curve and lack of clear tutorials can make initial gameplay overwhelming. Despite these challenges, many players find the gameplay loop rewarding and addictive, with a wealth of systems to discover and master, making it a unique blend of traditional RPG elements and modern sandbox mechanics.
- “This game is just amazing; there's so much you can do. You can customize almost everything you can think of, and something I personally liked is that you don't have to follow the main quest. You can just freely adjust your gameplay and do whatever you want to do. This game is simply incredible.”
- “The deeper you go, the more variety and complexity emerge, both in gameplay and in the world itself.”
- “If you love JRPGs but hate the typical repeated mechanical limitations in the genre, then Elin is a perfect choice.”
- “You can argue 'muh realism' or 'muh hardcore gameplay' but I've played a lot of games like this and I've never seen them let you die mid-tutorial, forcing you to immediately restart said tutorial.”
- “It can maybe be tough to get into initially for some as there's a lot to learn with so many things to do; you can spend more time just getting a grip on the basic mechanics than what it takes to complete many games.”
- “This game has a lot of mechanics that just aren't explained.”
story
301 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
90%
2%
The story in the game is still in its early stages, with many players noting that it lacks depth and coherence, often feeling like a collection of quirky, randomly generated quests rather than a cohesive narrative. While some find the absurdity and humor in the quests enjoyable, others express frustration with the forced progression tied to the main storyline, which can detract from the sandbox experience. Overall, players appreciate the potential for emergent storytelling and the freedom to create their own narratives, but many are eager for more substantial story content as the game develops.
- “The story so far is excellent, with a good mix of intrigue, unique characters, and just barely enough explained to get you theorizing without spelling out what will happen next.”
- “The story, as I've seen so far, has not been drawn out the entire way, but it has a solid foundation and is already very charming.”
- “Elin is everything I loved about Elona with more developed exploration and a ton of crafting, base building, and quests all tied in.”
- “The story is very young, but the underlying systems of the game are robust.”
- “There is also a bit of a story to follow, but as of right now it's not that fleshed out.”
- “The story didn't drive me to find out more and the RPG aspects aren't much to write home about due to a severe lack of meaningful NPC interaction.”
grinding
211 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The reviews highlight that the game features a significant amount of grinding, which can be both tedious and rewarding. Players often find themselves engaged in various activities like farming, crafting, and dungeon crawling, with many noting that while the grind can feel excessive, it is often enjoyable due to the depth and variety of gameplay options available. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate complex systems and the satisfaction of incremental progress, but may deter players who dislike grind-heavy experiences.
- “The survival elements aren't tedious either.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Insanely grindy, no real goals or anything to work towards except grinding out stats and skills forever.”
- “After that, you simply must spend the majority of the early game engaging in (rather tedious and repetitive) micromanagement and grinding, for little return except not becoming a wanted criminal, and spending none of the time of this 'roguelike' game actually having fun adventures, and instead feeling like a shitty Animal Crossing.”
- “It's a grindy sort of game, but it does a good job painting a picture of how far you've come.”
music
149 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
9%
The music in *Elin* is widely praised for its calming and nostalgic qualities, enhancing the game's whimsical atmosphere. Players enjoy the humorous interactions tied to music, such as performing poorly and facing comical consequences, while the soundtrack complements the diverse gameplay experiences, from farming to dungeon exploration. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm, though some players note a desire for more variety in the tracks.
- “The music is very nice, it gives a very nostalgic feeling of MapleStory and helps create a cozy atmosphere; surely nothing can go wrong, right?”
- “The music haunts me and keeps drawing me back to find layers and layers of depth.”
- “The aesthetic, artwork, and music speak for themselves.”
- “Learning to play music in the world of Elin is truly a scary thing, and be ready to have your skull caved in by a brick thrown by a guard 50 levels higher than you.”
- “I spent the whole time playing as a bard, traveling from town to town, playing terrible music in the hopes that someone would pay me any type of money so I could get out of crippling debt, only to eventually get killed because someone threw a particularly sharp rock directly at my head because I was so bad at playing the lute.”
- “If your character had low music skill, you'll just straight up be murdered for your straight up garbage performances.”
graphics
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
73%
3%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel art style, often compared to classic titles like "Final Fantasy Tactics" and "Stardew Valley." While some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and improved visuals over its predecessor, others feel that the graphics may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking high-end visuals. Overall, the game's art style is seen as a significant enhancement that complements its deep gameplay mechanics, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “Graphically, the game is isometric top-down with beautifully drawn pixel art.”
- “The graphics and tilesets are also among the prettiest for a game in the genre which houses many expected complex subsystems and status effects, this makes for one of the most compelling dungeon crawling/procedural based roguelike games out there.”
- “The good old elona-style game and dungeon-delving are still there, but with tighter balance and a fresh coat of paint with beautiful pixel graphics and wonderful Final Fantasy Tactics-esque character portraits.”
- “The graphics are quite pretty—I think the only significant flaw with the graphics is the character pixel art, which could be improved.”
- “It lacks pretty severely graphically but still has some decent looking characters and sprites.”
- “The graphics don't really stand out, but there's an underlying depth similar to something like RimWorld.”
humor
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as zany, absurd, and often dark, with a unique charm that emerges from its random generation mechanics and quirky interactions. Players appreciate the unexpected hilarity found in quests, character generation, and item descriptions, often leading to laugh-out-loud moments. While the humor can sometimes veer into crass territory, it resonates well with fans of bizarre and offbeat comedy, making the game a delightful experience for those who enjoy unconventional humor.
- “The game is zany and weird, and has a sense of humor all its own.”
- “The more you play it, the more hilarious and funny things you discover, and the more you notice that this game is almost as deep and offers that much of a sandbox as Dwarf Fortress.”
- “Every item and dialogue in this game is essentially randomly generated, making for some funny scenarios, but I have to say, it's difficult to feel immersed when your armor is made of sand, your bow is made of edible jelly, and your pet cat talks to you like a 50-year-old dock worker with a pill problem.”
optimization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
73%
20%
The game's optimization is currently lacking, with users noting that the user interface and overall gameplay experience could benefit from refinement. Players often feel overwhelmed by the harsh consequences of poor performance, particularly in non-combat roles, which can lead to frustrating gameplay. However, the potential for engaging mechanics, such as musical performances and unique quests, suggests that with further optimization, the game could become a more enjoyable experience.
- “If you perform around people, they will give you tips if they enjoyed your performance.”
- “This game feels like an uncut gem as of right now - with some time and optimization of the UI and so on, along with a bit more direction, this game could be very engaging.”
- “If your character had low music skill, you'll just straight up be murdered for your garbage performances.”
- “Money is just hard enough to earn and the tax bills for your land are just frequent enough to make me always check in on the local quest board when I'm in a town to see what I can do easily like kill requests or music performances.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its extensive freedom, crafting and building systems, and diverse play styles. Players appreciate the depth and variability in gameplay, with many expressing confidence in its potential for hundreds of hours of engagement. However, some concerns exist regarding the management of additional content to avoid bloating, which could impact long-term replay value.
- “Even more so with the addition of the crafting and land building system, giving it tons of replayability.”
- “Very solid RPG with a pretty nuts amount of replayability.”
- “There's so much content, so much to learn, so much replayability.”
- “This reduces the replayability as getting on your feet with a new character is quite a bit of work which many will find apprehensive.”
- “Adding that everything has levels and leveling up is pretty slow, it is impossible to judge the replayability before much more playing.”
- “Endless hours of replayability, endless playstyle.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game offers extensive character development, allowing players to evolve their characters through various systems reminiscent of RPGs and crafting mechanics. Users appreciate the depth of personal growth alongside engaging gameplay elements like town building and dungeon crawling. Overall, it caters to those who enjoy rich character progression in a dynamic and expansive world.
- “Deep character development and endless dungeon crawling make for a fantastic adventure in a world where you can do just about anything.”
- “It truly feels like it has endless possibilities of character development and progress.”
- “To me, as someone who's bounced off of Dwarf Fortress and similar games numerous times, it feels like a game for people that are interested in that sort of experience, but not actually engaged by it, insomuch as there are definitely rich colony-sim elements to explore, but that's not the only thing to engage with; personal character development is still front and center.”
- “Similarly, in terms of character development, Elin resembles Kenshi; you start off as a nobody, and everything can kill you.”
- “I love the character development with the Fallout style of (get better at whatever you do/use) and a crafting system almost as deep as Dwarf Fortress.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique blend of creepiness and charm, enhanced by nostalgic music that creates a cozy and engaging environment. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the game's presentation, which contributes to a rich and immersive experience filled with fun discoveries. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both relaxing and captivating, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “I personally recommend people give it a try since it has a great atmosphere, lovely music, engaging gameplay, and can be quite a challenge for those looking for things like that.”
- “One moment you're just sitting back, enjoying the music, appreciating the vista of the place you're in and how peaceful and atmospheric it feels with every NPC doing their thing.”
- “Also, the game is creepy and disturbing, and not because it uses that for storytelling or atmosphere like a horror game might.”
- “The music is very nice; it gives a very nostalgic feeling of MapleStory and helps create a cozy atmosphere. Surely nothing can go wrong, right?”
- “The game oozes atmosphere: from UI to mapping to music choice, no recent game has given me this much soul with its presentation and attention to detail.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of humor and heartfelt moments, with quests that evoke laughter and surprise through engaging storytelling. While some players may find the repetitive nature of quests and dialogues tedious, the overall experience is enriched by a quirky community and the freedom to explore both mischievous and wholesome gameplay.
- “Quests that have made me laugh until I cried.”
- “It's silly, engaging, and constantly surprises me with some new thing, mechanic, or suddenly touching writing.”
- “The community is as wholesome as it is weird, and asking questions and reading the wiki will get you far.”
- “The story is tightly bound to mechanical progression, so if you don't want to repeatedly listen to the same dull dialogue and engage in cookie-cutter quests over and over, you're out of luck.”
- “The emotional impact is undermined by the repetitive nature of the quests, making it hard to feel invested in the characters or the story.”
- “The game fails to evoke genuine emotions, as the predictable plot twists and lackluster character development leave players feeling disconnected.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with stability issues, particularly highlighting instances where spells can lead to the loss of items, creating a chaotic and unpredictable gameplay experience. This has led to feelings of regret and helplessness during intense moments in the game.
- “I regret not bringing blankets as I dive into a nefarious situation and cry as a mage incinerates/freezes all of my items with spell spam.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it impossible to enjoy the experience.”
- “I constantly encounter bugs that disrupt gameplay and ruin my immersion.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Many users express frustration with the trend of games becoming cash grabs, prompting them to rely on demos to determine value before purchasing. However, some appreciate the absence of microtransactions, likening the experience to an MMO without the typical monetization pitfalls.
- “It really does feel like an MMO but without the microtransactions; the random NPCs are even approximately as chatty as most players are in MMOs these days.”
- “I started noticing that most games were becoming quick and crappy cash grabs, so I began downloading demo versions of every new game to see which ones were actually worth paying for.”
- “It really does feel like an MMO, but without the microtransactions. The random NPCs are even approximately as chatty as most players are in MMOs these days.”