Endica VII The Dream King
- January 13, 2016
- Dream Within
Get on SteamIn Endica VII: The Dream King, players enter a surreal dream world to defeat the titular Dream King and save humanity. Traverse through unique, hand-drawn environments and solve puzzles to progress. With a variety of weapons, abilities, and customizable characters, experience a thrilling and immersive action-adventure game.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience with its old-school graphics and enjoyable soundtrack, reminiscent of classic 16-bit titles.
- There is a decent amount of variety in characters and gameplay mechanics, allowing for different play styles and exploration.
- Despite its flaws, the game can be fun and engaging, especially for fans of retro platformers and cooperative play.
- The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including long loading times, bugs, and unresponsive controls, making it frustrating to play.
- The story and writing are poorly executed, often feeling childish and lacking depth, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Many players report that the game feels unfinished, with confusing level design and mechanics that lead to frequent cheap deaths.
- gameplay18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of metroidvania elements with intricate mechanics that become apparent after the initial stages, offering a rich experience as players explore the open world and level up characters. While some reviewers found the early gameplay simplistic and repetitive, others praised the fast-paced mechanics and variety of character options, highlighting a satisfying combat system that evokes nostalgia for classic side-scrollers. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a mix of simplicity and depth, with potential for improvement through updates.
“Once you reach town, the game starts taking shape, and we begin to notice all the intricate and well-arranged gameplay mechanics that are set in place to draw you into this epic open-world action RPG.”
“I was misled to believe that this was a simple game by its first half an hour of gameplay, but the truth is that the game hides its leveling up and complexity. The world map is littered with upgrades for the vast cast of characters, and if you use a character more than others, they start leveling up.”
“The fast-paced mechanics and quick reactions make this game a phenomenal blend of what I have always wanted in a side-scroller. It combines all the elements of a metroidvania into one.”
“The tag says it is a metroidvania game and in a way it is, but the game hides its mechanics making the experience seem more simple than it is.”
“I was misled to believe that this was a simple game by its first half an hour of gameplay, but the truth is that the game hides its leveling up and complexity and for a long time makes you think there is nothing to collect, but the truth is that the world map is littered with upgrades for the vast cast of characters and if you use a character more than others they start leveling up.”
“Gameplay is very simplistic just going across linear corridors fighting off the same enemies over and over again with the same attacks over and over.”
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story is described as a mix of poorly written yet charming elements, reminiscent of classic RPGs and anime influences, set against a backdrop of conflict in a cursed land. While some find the narrative simplistic and skippable, others appreciate its nostalgic appeal and lovable characters, suggesting that it captures the essence of 16-bit fantasy side-scrollers. Overall, the storytelling may not be groundbreaking, but it complements the game's engaging gameplay and fantastic soundtrack.
“The story starts in the middle of a conflict, with the backdrop of a cursed land under the spell of war.”
“Now, personally, this game charmed me the minute the cutscene started, since it channels an RPG story fairly well, similarly to one you'd play on the Super Nintendo, and seeing that put into a platformer with some 'vania elements, I couldn't help but fall in love with it.”
“It offers amazing gameplay, a stunning soundtrack, a nostalgic story and boasts so much more.”
“The story and dialogue are god awful, the music and art are probably infringing on a number of copyrights, and the lack of any coherent direction in the game make this nigh unplayable.”
“The story is kinda poorly written from what seems like an idealistic child but I still like it and still think it's worth getting.”
“Once you get into the game itself, the story is somewhat skippable and gives a quick description of abilities and lets you go.”
- music14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its magical quality and nostalgic ties to classic titles like Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. The soundtrack is described as delightful and fitting for various game settings, enhancing the overall experience. However, some critiques mention that while the music is exceptional, it cannot compensate for other shortcomings in gameplay and storytelling.
“The soundtrack is magical, inspired by Secret of Mana, Ys, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.”
“This soundtrack should be on sale, because it has a lot of replay value by itself.”
“The music in this game is enjoyable; it fits well with the current settings of the game, whether you're in town or fighting enemies.”
“Doesn't start, just leaves me with a black screen with music.”
“The story and dialogue are god awful, the music and art are probably infringing on a number of copyrights, and the lack of any coherent direction in the game make this nigh unplayable.”
“A close comparison to me is Secret of Mana, which one of the original composers helped with the soundtrack for the game as well (disclaimer: the soundtrack is fantastic and holds true to the backdrop of the story and type of game).”
- graphics11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic SNES-style pixel art and character designs, while others criticize the low-quality visuals, blurry backgrounds, and repetitive imagery. Overall, the art style is seen as a highlight for some, but many feel that the execution is lacking and unfinished.
“Just love the game and the art style.”
“Overall, I enjoyed my time with this game; the SNES-style graphics and music take you on a nostalgia trip back to the glory days of gaming!”
“Nice graphics and music.”
“The sound is bad, the graphics are bad, the gameplay is dull, the characters are uninspiring.”
“I'd revamp a lot of the background graphical assets, but wow.”
“Terribly done, clearly unfinished, disgusting graphics and colors.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, frustrating collision issues, and frequent code error pop-ups. Many feel it is unpolished and unfinished, likening it to an early access title rather than a completed product.
“Extremely buggy, frustrating, and unfinished.”
“Overall, the game is just an unpolished, buggy pile of crap that should be labeled 'early access' at best.”
“A bit buggy with suspect collision and a few code error pop-ups.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is enhanced by finely tuned sound design that creates a magical experience, with immersive audio elements like howling wind, dripping water, and distant echoes, particularly noticeable in cave environments.
“The sound design is finely tuned to create an atmospheric and highly magical experience; when you enter caves, you hear the wind howl, water dripping, and subtle echoes in the distance.”
“The game's atmosphere is immersive, drawing you into its world with stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack that perfectly complements the environment.”
“Every location feels alive, with ambient sounds and dynamic weather that enhance the overall mood and make exploration a truly captivating experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The soundtrack is noted for its high replay value, suggesting that it enhances the overall experience and encourages repeated listening.
“This soundtrack should be on sale because it has a lot of replay value by itself.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express frustration over the emotional impact of encountering the "tutorial" boss, as its instant kill can create a jarring and disheartening experience right at the game's start. This unexpected challenge may lead to feelings of confusion and disappointment, detracting from the initial engagement with the game.
