Elin
- November 1, 2024
- Lafrontier
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Elin is a worthy successor to Elona, expanding on its mechanics while maintaining the charm and complexity that fans love.
- The game offers a vast amount of freedom, allowing players to choose their playstyle, whether it's farming, crafting, or dungeon crawling.
- The graphics and user interface have been significantly improved, making the game more accessible and enjoyable for newcomers.
- The mouse-based control scheme can be awkward, with limited hotkeys, making movement and interaction cumbersome.
- The early game can feel tedious due to the survival and crafting mechanics, which some players find overwhelming and restrictive.
- The tutorial and initial quests may not adequately prepare players for the complexities of the game, leading to confusion and frustration.
- gameplay112 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Elin" builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, "Elona," offering a mix of base-building, crafting, and RPG mechanics that provide a sandbox experience, though some players find the survival elements and complexity overwhelming. While many appreciate the optional nature of these mechanics and the freedom to explore various playstyles, others criticize the game for its slow start and punishing systems that can detract from enjoyment. Overall, the game is seen as a polished sequel with significant potential, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its intricate mechanics and design choices.
“A really great follow-up to Elona, different enough to feel fresh and expand on underdeveloped mechanics in Elona while still being similar enough to not feel like it was oversimplified.”
“Though it's a bit challenging to initially figure out how to do the basics (i.e., survive combat and not starve), the core gameplay loop after those basics are figured out is quite fun and rewarding.”
“This game gifts you its mechanics, wrapped up in a neat little bow, and from then on you’re free to play with them however you want to.”
“Don't expect much of a game here, it's mostly time-wasting and not gameplay.”
“The sheer amount of annoying mechanics and unintuitive systems in this game made me quit after only 3 hours or so.”
“The time-wasting mechanics from crafting games are a very poor addition to traditional roguelikes, in my opinion, and there needs to be a way to toggle this slow mode off.”
- story60 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in the game is often described as secondary and not particularly memorable, with players frequently opting to engage in side quests and various activities rather than focusing on the main storyline. While there is a narrative present, many players find it easy to ignore in favor of the game's diverse mechanics and sandbox elements, leading to a lack of engagement with the overarching plot. Overall, the game offers a rich world filled with quirky characters and numerous side activities, but the main story does not seem to be a significant draw for most players.
“The art style is obviously very anime with lots of great looking portraits for random NPCs, and unique ones for those special story NPCs.”
“Elin takes everything, all the systems and all the content from Elona that everyone loved, it updates the UI, upgrades the graphics, adds tons of quality of life and new mechanics, and throws in a new great story that is still completely optional.”
“Just general weirdness to find in this game; the world presents itself as your typical fantasy world only to smack you on the side of the head with just a real refrigerator, your quests will be given to you by a puppy named something like 'Nutbag' and he wants you to find a stockpile of assault rifles for his research, no he will not elaborate.”
“It's been 3 in-game years and I have accomplished zero of the main storyline.”
“Honestly, I don't really do the story quests until in-game years later.”
“But, as I said before, I can't really remember what the main storyline is supposed to be for either game.”
- graphics52 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the charming pixel art and improved lighting that enhance the overall aesthetic, reminiscent of classic titles like Final Fantasy Tactics. However, some critics feel that the graphical upgrade is minimal and argue for a shift to more modern 3D visuals, expressing disappointment that the game does not utilize contemporary graphics technology. Overall, while the art style appeals to many, there are calls for further enhancements to meet current gaming standards.
“Graphics are surprisingly good, the lighting and pixel art looks great in motion.”
“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.”
“Its better than elona, I'm loving the graphics and art direction as well; it reminds me a lot of Final Fantasy Tactics in a way.”
“The graphics are a half step up, and sideways (it can feel a bit cluttered).”
“You would think with how much time they had, they would have upgraded the graphics to something 3D.”
“Based on the gameplay, graphics, and story sucking, I am going to have to give this one a 2/10.”
- music39 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and nostalgic qualities that enhance the overall experience, while others criticize it for being uninspired and lacking variety. Some players enjoy the role-playing aspect of music, finding it integral to gameplay, while others express a desire for a more modern or dynamic soundtrack. Overall, the music contributes to the game's charm, but opinions on its quality and appeal vary significantly.
“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.”
“Aside from that, I love how the game looks, the depth, the music, and the dialogue has made me laugh out loud a few times.”
“The music is very nice; it gives a very nostalgic feeling of MapleStory and helps create a cozy atmosphere.”
“Music is boring, uninspired, lacking any sort of bass or treble.”
“I was hoping for something more modern like Minecraft music C418 or even something dubstep related/EDM would have been awesome, but this has none of that and it is super boring to listen to.”
“[h3] music sucks [/h3]”
- grinding35 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is described as both extensive and varied, offering players numerous ways to progress without feeling overly tedious. While some early game mechanics can be frustrating, the overall experience is enhanced by streamlined controls and quality-of-life improvements, making even traditionally grind-heavy tasks enjoyable. Players appreciate the freedom to choose their gameplay style, whether through combat, crafting, or exploration, resulting in a fun and engaging long-term experience.
“I finally hit the point where I realize the only thing I'm grinding for is poorly balanced gameplay where I either kill an enemy with barely any resistance, die in 3 turns, or sit there for 5 minutes attack spamming the same enemies that just won't die.”
“Note: this is an extremely grindy long-term game.”
“The obsession with the survival-crafting mechanics makes the early game tedious and annoying.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is consistently described as funny, with players enjoying humorous scenarios, such as characters hauling crates in absurd ways. The combination of witty dialogue, engaging visuals, and a cozy atmosphere contributes to its comedic appeal, often eliciting genuine laughter from players.
“Also, picturing my character hauling multiple crates on her back Death Stranding style across Elona because she doesn't know how to sew is quite hilarious.”
“The do-everything-anytime game that is funny, real, and somehow cozy.”
“Aside from that, I love how the game looks, the depth, the music, and the dialogue has made me laugh out loud a few times.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players note that while the game offers endless hours of replayability and diverse playstyles, the slow leveling system makes it difficult to fully assess its replayability until more time is invested in gameplay.
“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.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its rich atmosphere, characterized by meticulous attention to detail in its UI, mapping, and music, which evokes a nostalgic and cozy feeling reminiscent of classic titles like MapleStory. Reviewers highlight the game's soulful presentation as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience.
“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.”
“The music is very nice; it gives a nostalgic feeling reminiscent of MapleStory and helps create a cozy atmosphere.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The optimization in the game appears to be inconsistent, as players report that performance quality is heavily influenced by character skills, leading to extreme consequences for poor performances. Additionally, the chaotic environment can distract from gameplay, with unexpected events occurring during quests, which may affect overall immersion and enjoyment.
“If you perform around people, they will give you tips if they enjoyed your performance.”
“If your character has low music skill, you'll just straight up be murdered for your terrible performances.”
“I found a microphone somewhere, so I decided to live my pianist dream again. I took on a performance quest and saw a group of little girls with green hair and dead eyes. I played my mic for them, saw something or someone being attacked outside my vision, and exploding meat chunks, but I still passed the quest.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its supportive and unique community, which fosters a sense of belonging and encourages players to engage deeply through questions and shared knowledge.
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its Fallout-style progression, allowing players to improve skills through use, complemented by a crafting system that rivals the complexity of Dwarf Fortress. This depth in character growth enhances the overall gameplay experience.
“I love the character development with the Fallout style of getting better at whatever you do or use, and a crafting system almost as deep as Dwarf Fortress.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its MMO-like experience while notably lacking microtransactions, which enhances the overall enjoyment and immersion. Players appreciate the engaging interactions with NPCs, reminiscent of typical MMO player behavior.
“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.”
