Elminage Gothic
- September 18, 2014
- Starfish-SD Inc
- 77h median play time
Get on Steam"Elminage Gothic" is a dungeon crawler RPG that offers a classic challenge with a dark, gothic atmosphere. The game is set in a world where humans have formed a contract with the Great Gods to seal away the Dark Gods and maintain peace. However, the player must form their own party of adventurers to explore dangerous areas and keep the balance of power in check. With permadeath and challenging gameplay, players must strategize and make tough decisions to survive.
Reviews
- Elminage Gothic offers a deep and challenging dungeon crawling experience reminiscent of classic Wizardry games, with extensive class options and party customization.
- The game features beautiful monster artwork and a variety of themed dungeons, providing a nostalgic and immersive atmosphere for fans of old-school RPGs.
- Despite its difficulty, the game is addictive and rewarding for players who enjoy hardcore RPG mechanics and resource management.
- The user interface is clunky and poorly designed, making navigation and inventory management tedious and frustrating.
- The map system is a significant drawback, as maps are consumable items that can only be used once, leading to confusion and potential party wipes due to getting lost in dungeons.
- Many players find the game overly punishing, with random stat gains during level-ups and a lack of clear guidance on mechanics, making it inaccessible for casual gamers.
- gameplay28 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Elminage is deeply mechanics-driven, offering a challenging experience that rewards players familiar with classic RPGs like Wizardry, but it suffers from poor explanations and a lack of guidance, making it difficult for newcomers. While the game features extensive character customization and hours of dungeon crawling, many players find the user interface frustrating and the mechanics obscure, often requiring external resources to fully understand. Overall, it appeals to dedicated fans of the genre but may alienate those seeking a more accessible experience.
“Overall, this game is one of the few on Steam that lasted me hours of gameplay and I'll recommend it to everyone.”
“Gameplay: 4/5 - plenty of classes which you can customize your party with, many hours of dungeon crawling goodness.”
“Gripes aside, the real meat and bones is the wizardry gameplay and from the get-go the game does not pull its punches.”
“There are lots of enemies who can easily wipe your whole party with one-shot mechanics, or you can teleport inside the wall from a chest's trap.”
“The first big problem is that this is an intensely mechanics-driven game that is awful at explaining those mechanics.”
“The in-game explanations for mechanics are usually vague or misleading, in a tiny scrolling one-line box.”
- grinding22 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, often leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Players note that the difficulty is artificially inflated by the need for extensive grinding, which can detract from the overall experience, especially for those unfamiliar with the genre. While some find a sense of fun in the grind, many agree that it quickly becomes dull and is exacerbated by a poor user interface and monotonous dungeon design.
“It's not going to make you love the genre if you don't already, and this being a notably difficult (which in this genre really means grindy) entry means that it may turn you away from them; if you haven't played first-person dungeon crawlers, or if you're more familiar with entries like Etrian Odyssey, Elminage Original is a better entry point.”
“The game relies immensely on grinding and repetition, but then has an absolutely awful UI to make that experience as lame as possible.”
“Maybe this was wrong of me, but I went into this game with the thought of an Eye of the Beholder / Lands of Lore style of dungeon crawling, I ended up feeling quite disappointed with this; it's surprisingly tedious and way too boring for a dungeon crawler.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the top-notch artwork and monster designs that blend classic Western RPG aesthetics with JRPG influences. However, criticisms arise regarding the overall graphical quality, with some describing it as mediocre and reminiscent of outdated styles, leading to a basic visual experience. While the artwork is appreciated, it is noted that the lack of animations and the removal of custom character artwork detracts from the overall graphical appeal.
“The artwork/spritework is absolutely top-notch.”
“Beautiful, wonderful monster artwork for the enemies.”
“The art style alone is worth the price of admission.”
“Lastly, the graphics are horrible as well.”
“The artwork sucks, and the gameplay is just a basic slideshow with number generators that don't work right.”
“Even the artwork looks like it was taken from the Wizardry: Proving Grounds booklet from the late 80s.”
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The story in the game is largely criticized for being minimal and vague, often reduced to simple directives without significant character development or engagement. While some players note a deeper plot and intriguing elements beneath the surface, the overall narrative is described as barebones and poorly translated, failing to captivate or immerse players. Many reviewers express disappointment, suggesting that those seeking a rich story experience will likely be left wanting.
“Good atmosphere, puzzles, and even a cool little story underneath it all.”
“The story is short but is pretty intriguing, if you can progress through the game at a steady rate and remember what's going on, but is otherwise barebones and nonexistent if you go after everything else.”
“There's a deeper plot than meets the eye and dark undertones, which I wouldn't spoil for you.”
“The story is non-existent, seldom anything more significant than: 'ok, now go here.'”
“The interactions with the story and NPCs are incredibly vague: characters stand alone in dungeons and bark a short paragraph of vague, badly translated info at you, and then you're supposed to put 2 and 2 together and figure out what they need.”
“No real story and what there is is badly translated, a lot of items you can equip that make very little difference to how you play, you level up your characters in random dungeons that you will never even care about getting to the end of.”
- music17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the themed dungeons and the progression of the soundtrack, particularly the battle themes. However, some players find the limited number of tracks repetitive and the sound effects grating. Overall, while the music enhances the game's atmosphere, it may not satisfy those looking for a more diverse auditory experience.
“The starting music at the menu screen was really cool.”
“The 2D art and music were very good, though.”
“Finally, the music works well with the atmosphere the game is trying to convey and is properly implemented.”
“Can't turn the music down.”
“The music is non-existent with the same few tracks playing over and over; the sound effects are so grating to the ears.”
“Pretty terrible sound effects/music.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game effectively captures a gothic horror atmosphere, enhanced by well-integrated music and engaging puzzles that contribute to its underlying story. However, some players feel that certain dungeons lack distinctiveness and atmosphere, contrasting with the overall immersive experience.
“The game is very atmospheric and pulls off the gothic horror vibe really well.”
“Good atmosphere, puzzles, and even a cool little story underneath it all.”
“Finally, the music works well with the atmosphere the game is trying to convey and is properly implemented.”
“- Generic looking dungeons, no atmosphere.”
“They annoyed me at first, but have grown on me and suit the atmosphere of the dungeons well enough.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is influenced by its connection to Ghostlight and its sister company, Laughing Jackal, suggesting a playful and lighthearted tone that may resonate with fans of their previous works.
