Elium: Prison Escape
- February 28, 2018
- Lone Artisan Games
Get on Steam"Elium: Prison Escape" is a swordfighting action roguelite set in a medieval prison. As Jarren Sorengar, a master swordsman, players must escape the unforgiving prison environment through reactive combat AI and action or stealth playing styles. With random dungeon generation, each playthrough offers a new experience in first and third-person views.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The combat system is challenging and rewarding, requiring skill and timing, which adds depth to the gameplay.
- The game offers a dark and immersive atmosphere with a unique blend of stealth and melee combat mechanics.
- Developed by a single person, the game showcases potential and creativity, making it a commendable indie title.
- The game suffers from repetitive gameplay and a lack of enemy variety, leading to a feeling of monotony.
- Controls can be clunky and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall combat experience.
- There is minimal story content and progression feels shallow, with many mechanics needing further development and polish.
- gameplay32 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is characterized by a mix of stealth mechanics and melee combat, though many players find the stealth elements ineffective and the overall mechanics shallow and repetitive. While the combat system has its charm, particularly with the inclusion of dismemberment, it lacks depth compared to similar games like "Dark Messiah of Might and Magic." Overall, the game offers straightforward, solid gameplay but could benefit from more variety and engaging mechanics.
“With a medieval setting, stealthy gameplay, and real sword fighting simulation, this game is totally worth playing.”
“Everything about Elium pointed toward a gameplay experience that I would absolutely love.”
“No unnecessary embellishments, just straightforward, solid gameplay.”
“There are no traps, clever puzzles, or mix-it-up gameplay surprises along the way.”
“It's janky, it's sparse, and the gameplay loop is literally just find a guy to stab and see if he has any money or slightly better armor than you.”
“Tl;dr: the game is mechanically shallow and rather repetitive; you should probably get Dark Messiah of Might and Magic instead, as it is available for about 10 bucks on Steam.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered decent but not groundbreaking, typical of indie titles, with consistent and immersive visuals despite some complaints about lighting and repetitiveness in design. While performance can be lacking, the game offers various graphics options to enhance the experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as a redeeming quality amidst other gameplay issues.
“Being an indie game, the graphics are not cutting edge, but everything looks consistent and immersive.”
“It's brutal and unforgiving, which fits the art style.”
“Did not enjoy at all, incredibly glitchy controls, terrible lighting, visuals, music.”
“Every room aesthetically looks the same, and nothing ever changes.”
“The animations and graphics combine to make it look like you're fighting possessed mannequins that shout at you in a language that may or may not be real.”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and lacks depth, primarily revolving around a simple premise of escaping a dungeon without any substantial narrative or character development. Players find the storyline to be limited to the introduction, with repetitive gameplay and no significant plot progression or variety in enemies. While some enjoy the gameplay mechanics, they express a desire for a sequel that offers a more developed story and world.
“The whole escape story as a motivation is secondary to me, but provides a nice excuse to catch a breath after a tough fight and just skip some enemies with sneaking or stealth kills.”
“I really enjoy this game and would love to someday see a sequel with a bigger world and fleshed out story.”
“Not much of a storyline.”
“Story-wise, there really isn't any.”
“The storyline only goes as far as the intro and there's no further narrative, so you're just left having to find a way out of the prison levels.”
“There is no story segments to unravel, no new abilities to acquire, and no variation in enemies to amp up the challenge.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, effectively drawing players in with a dark and engaging environment. Reviewers highlight the combination of challenging yet fair combat within this well-crafted atmosphere, making it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.
“The whole atmosphere of the game is well done and really draws you in.”
“If you enjoy difficult but fair combat in a dark atmosphere, you should definitely give Elium a try.”
“+ nice atmosphere”
- optimization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally poor, particularly during larger brawls, which can lead to significant performance issues. However, it offers a variety of graphics options that allow players to adjust settings for better performance on their systems.
“Performance-wise, it's not great, but it luckily has plenty of graphics options to tweak.”
“Larger brawls are a mess, both combat-wise and performance-wise.”
“Here's my PC (laptop) so you can put the performance in some context:”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game received mixed reviews; while some players appreciated it for effectively setting the tone, others found it lacking and associated it with overall negative experiences related to glitches and poor visuals.
“The music is good and really sets the tone.”
“The music is good and really sets the tone.”
“Did not enjoy at all, incredibly glitchy controls, terrible lighting, visuals, music.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability due to its short length of only 9 levels, with players encouraged to engage in the combat system, tackle challenging achievements, and compete in endless mode. Additionally, the inclusion of random dungeons, unlocks, and global leaderboards provides ample opportunities for dedicated players to pursue new records and maintain interest over time.
“It is, however, a relatively short game with only 9 levels; replay value would rely on whether you liked the combat system and would like to complete the challenging achievements or score high in the endless mode.”
“It is, however, a relatively short game with only 9 levels; replay value would rely on whether you liked the combat system and would like to complete the challenging achievements or score up in the endless mode.”
“There is also a lot of replay value between random dungeons, unlocks, achievements, and the global leaderboards, which should keep a dedicated fan base trying for new records for years to come.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model is praised for its fairness, as the game is offered at a reasonable price without any microtransactions or gimmicks, reflecting a commitment to transparency and appreciation for the player's investment.
“It seems like a lot of work that really went underappreciated despite asking for a fair price, including no microtransactions, no gimmicks, and showcasing the game as honestly as possible.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the nostalgic kick ability, reminiscent of "Dark Messiah," which elicits laughter as players watch guards' bodies comically ragdoll off cliffs. This playful element adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience.
“The addition of a kick ability is a welcome throwback to the Dark Messiah days, and I won't deny chuckling while watching the guards' bodies ragdoll off the edge of a cliff.”
