Epic Battle Fantasy 4
- February 25, 2014
- Matt "Kupo" Roszak
- 25h median play time
Get on Steam"Epic Battle Fantasy 4" is a turn-based RPG with light-hearted humor and mature themes, inspired by 16-bit classics. Battle over 140 enemies, customize characters with 170 items and skills, and enjoy a full soundtrack. The game offers 25 hours of gameplay, including Newgame+, survival, and boss rush modes, suitable for both casual and hardcore players.
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Reviews
- humor368 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky, self-referential style, filled with internet memes, puns, and playful dialogue that resonates with fans of classic RPGs. While some players note that certain jokes may feel dated or crude, the overall comedic tone is seen as charming and entertaining, enhancing the gameplay experience. Many reviews highlight the balance between humor and engaging mechanics, making it a fun and memorable RPG for those who appreciate lighthearted storytelling.
“The game captivated me from the very beginning with its charming pixel art style and humorous storyline.”
“I recommend the game wholeheartedly, the gameplay is amazing and the storyline is very funny and you will definitely find your favorite character out of the four idiots that are there.”
“The humor is amazing and holds basically nothing back, the battle system is super polished and extremely well done.”
“Epic Battle Fantasy 4 sadly makes a joke out of everything, which ends up making everything unfunny.”
- story357 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Epic Battle Fantasy 4" is characterized as lighthearted and humorous, often parodying traditional RPG tropes with a simple plot centered around retrieving three jewels to prevent a cat goddess from destroying the world. While some players find the narrative engaging and filled with comedic moments, others feel it lacks depth and complexity, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay. Overall, the story is appreciated for its charm and wit, making it enjoyable despite its simplicity.
“The game captivated me from the very beginning with its charming pixel art style and humorous storyline.”
“The story is interesting, the character's banter is funny.”
“The story is funny and kind of adorable.”
“The plot is near nonsensical and does not take itself seriously.”
“The story is mostly an excuse plot, but the skill and combat system is surprisingly deep.”
“In the end, I cannot help but feel that the lack of any kind of story to get invested into really hurts the game since it really only has the gameplay going for it.”
- music319 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Epic Battle Fantasy 4" is widely praised for its exceptional quality and fitting compositions, crafted by the talented composer Phyrnna. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance gameplay and evoke nostalgia, with many considering it one of the best in the RPG genre. The inclusion of the soundtrack as a free bonus with the game further adds to its appeal, making it a standout feature that resonates with players.
“The soundtrack in Epic Battle Fantasy 4 was fantastic and perfectly complemented the gameplay.”
“The music by Phyrnna is both catchy and fitting, while the sound effects are satisfying.”
“The music is amazing; Phyrnna, the composer of the game, did a great job.”
“I recommend it, but both EBF3 and 5 are better than it in many aspects, in my opinion (music, for example).”
“Don't get me started on the music.”
“The music loops a bit too much in battle.”
- gameplay270 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Epic Battle Fantasy 4 has been praised for its strategic depth, engaging mechanics, and nostalgic turn-based RPG elements, building upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, EBF3. Players appreciate the introduction of a fourth character that can be tagged in during battles, as well as the variety of quests, secrets, and humorous dialogue that enhance the overall experience. While some find the humor dated and the gameplay occasionally repetitive, the combination of solid mechanics, charming visuals, and a fantastic soundtrack makes it a highly enjoyable and addictive RPG.
“Epic Battle Fantasy 4 is a delightful journey that successfully combines captivating visuals, a charming narrative, and strategic gameplay.”
“The gameplay is deep and there's lots of strategy to win the battles.”
“Ebf4 improves the already amazing gameplay from ebf3 and continues to deliver a fun and sometimes challenging experience.”
“While there is some kind of nice (nerdy) humor, the gameplay is quite repetitive and boring.”
“In the end, I cannot help but feel that the lack of any kind of story to get invested into really hurts the game since it really only has the gameplay going for it.”
“The combat mechanics are competent, but there's nothing that distinguishes it from any other turn-based RPG.”
- graphics194 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of Epic Battle Fantasy 4 are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, vibrant colors, and engaging animations, which contribute to the game's whimsical atmosphere. While some players noted performance issues on lower-end systems, many found the visuals appealing and well-suited to the game's humorous narrative and RPG mechanics. Overall, the art style is considered unique and nostalgic, reminiscent of classic JRPGs, with a delightful blend of humor and creativity.
“The graphics are unique and are based on flash animations, similar to lots of web games, which I loved.”
“The graphics are appealing, the writing is witty, and the story is great, and has plenty of callbacks to previous games.”
“The art style is really neat, while the game knows how to have fun with itself.”
“I'm running an RTX 3080, yet somehow my computer can't play the game properly, even on the lowest graphics.”
“Ebf3 did not have slow-down, but even with turning off animations and making the graphics as low as possible, my game still slows down and seems to freeze when changing to a new scenery.”
“The only downside I can see is the game lagging on my computer at max graphics, even though I have a fairly powerful computer - it doesn't really matter so much as it's turn-based and the lag isn't so bad.”
- grinding73 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
Overall, players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game. While some appreciate that grinding is not overly necessary and can be minimal, especially on normal difficulty, others find certain battles tedious and feel that grinding can become a chore, particularly when facing tougher bosses. The game offers a balance, allowing for strategic play without excessive grinding, but acknowledges that some players may still choose to grind for better equipment or skills.
“It's fun, it got achievements and it's not too grindy.”
“If you choose to bump into an enemy, the fighting starts; no tedious random encounters after any x steps.”
“- no grinding for equipment, just some for upgrading them.”
“The stat curve between levels in this game is the most intense, and especially when it comes to bosses it makes the experience curve favor grinding above all else.”
“You spend a lot of time doing a tedious amount of micro-management every few fights, or you'll quickly fall behind, and the game doesn't really do much to show you what you should be doing (upgrading gear, skills, specials, what the differences are, etc), so you'll just kind of suffer along.”
“I honestly give it a 9/10 for me only, because some of the non-boss battles can get really tedious and it does lose entertainment value after a while.”
- replayability39 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits high replayability due to its multiple difficulty settings, new game plus options, and a variety of character builds and achievements. While some players noted a decline in replay value after completing the game, many appreciated the engaging combat, charming characters, and extensive postgame content that encourage repeated playthroughs. The combination of strategic gameplay and a rich array of extras contributes to its lasting appeal among players.
“A classic from the Newgrounds days brought to the present with even more content means even higher replay value.”
“Fantastic game, with challenging encounters and great replayability to try all sorts of silly builds, plus the dialog does not get old (mostly because there is so much of it, you are unlikely to remember all of them in the first 100 runs).”
“The myriad ways to distribute skills and the beloved new game plus allow for plenty of replay value.”
“The replayability, however, approaches zero.”
“However, having completed everything in the game, there is one little thing that irks me: while the 2nd and 3rd quests (and maybe epic difficulty) add some replay value, it does get very boring.”
“I've only been on my first playthrough but I don't think replayability is high; but for the price, you have a decent 20-hour minimum game on your hands.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users reporting issues such as frame rate drops and stuttering, particularly during extended play sessions or area transitions. While some players find that restarting the game temporarily alleviates these problems, others appreciate the ability to adjust quality settings to improve performance. Overall, despite its optimization quirks, the game is considered enjoyable and worth the investment, especially for shorter play sessions.
“Now this game does have some intermittent performance issues when it comes to frame rate, but you can toggle the quality to deal with it, and other than that, I believe this is well worth the money.”
“For a game optimized to be played 30 minutes at a go, you can spend a lot of effort fine-tuning your characters' skills and loadouts for tough fights (and it will *really* pay off if you are playing epic and going for the achievements).”
“Thankfully the game's playstyle doesn't require more optimization but it would be nice.”
“But the only problem I have is with the FPS/stuttering issue.”
“What I can't ignore, though, is the performance.”
“For some reason, I almost had a lot of stuttering during some moments in the game.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a lighthearted and humorous tone, providing a wholesome experience over its 20+ hour campaign. Players appreciate the blend of silly references and comedic elements, which stand in contrast to the often gritty narratives found in other RPGs, making it a refreshing choice for those seeking fun and levity. Overall, the game evokes a range of emotions through its playful storytelling and engaging gameplay mechanics.
“It makes you feel emotional.”
“That was a wholesome 20+ hours of gameplay.”
“The story is light and full of silly references and humor - just the kind of thing we need these days, especially when a lot of other RPGs are going for the gritty, emotional stories.”
- character development7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the depth and upgrades available, others find the characters themselves forgettable despite the development efforts. The character design is noted as memorable and appealing, particularly for non-human characters, though some players feel the human designs lack consistency. Overall, the game features a blend of strong character design and development, but opinions vary on the impact and memorability of the characters themselves.
“Great character development, including weapon upgrades and skills.”
“Character designs are very memorable, especially things like the slimes, nolegs, and godcat.”
“I'm not a huge fan of the character design (at least for humans) outside of battles, as it seems inconsistent with the rest presented.”
“It has an amazing battle system and incorporates a lot of old concepts that game developers have just thrown away in exchange for newer ideas that are less developed, but (and this is a big but) I'd have to say every character in this game is forgettable. Even the characters you play as are very forgettable, even though there is a lot of character development.”
“But if you like hand-drawn 2D sprites and comical anime-style character designs, this game has all of that!”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its soothing graphics and enjoyable humor, creating a relaxing experience even during intense battles. The stunning and variable music, composed by halcyonicfalconx, enhances the atmosphere by adapting to different regions and themes, contributing to a light-hearted yet immersive environment. Overall, the combination of visuals and music results in a captivating and engaging atmosphere.
“The music, which is written by halcyonicfalconx, is absolutely stunning and as it changes from every region you visit, it also changes the game's atmosphere.”
“Music 10/10 - is amazing and every place has its own theme and combat mode themes adding atmosphere.”
“The relaxing nature of the game carries over into even the more intense battles, and the music sets the atmosphere well.”
“The music, written by halcyonicfalconx, is absolutely stunning. As it changes from every region you visit, it also changes the game's atmosphere.”
“Music 10/10 - is amazing, and every place has its own theme and combat mode themes, adding to the atmosphere.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, stability in the game is mixed; while many users report smooth performance without issues, some experience frustrating freezes and crashes, particularly when using specific abilities like the limit break genesis. Players on lower-end PCs may encounter more frequent stability problems, especially at minimum graphics settings.
“Despite being made in Flash, it is very smooth and runs great with no issues.”
“The game maintains a consistent frame rate, which enhances the overall experience.”
“I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, making for a stable gameplay experience.”
“I hope it fixes the game freezes and crashes on low minimum graphics on slow PCs.”
“Attention: the game freezes sometimes if you cast the limit break Genesis, which can be very annoying during a long boss wave.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is available for free on Kongregate, but players appreciate the absence of ads in this version, enhancing the overall experience.
“It's free on Kongregate, but this version is better because there are no ads.”
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't hinder gameplay.”
“I appreciate that the in-game purchases are optional and not pay-to-win.”
