Eschalon: Book I

About

Eschalon: Book I is a single player role playing game with fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Basilisk Games and was released on February 10, 2009. It received positive reviews from players.

"Eschalon: Book I" is an old-school, turn-based RPG set in a tile-built game world. The outcome of every action is statistically determined, emphasizing strategy in combat and exploration. Discover numerous creatures and items in this immersive, classically inspired game, where each playthrough offers a unique experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 256 reviews

story33 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

Eschalon: Book I offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic RPGs, with a detailed world and engaging character customization.
The turn-based combat system allows for strategic gameplay, rewarding careful planning and character development.
The game features a rich story and immersive atmosphere, making it enjoyable for fans of old-school RPGs.

The game suffers from slow pacing, with tedious walking and frequent need to camp for health and mana recovery.
Combat can feel repetitive and lacks depth, often relying on RNG mechanics that can frustrate players.
Some mechanics, such as character progression and skill utility, can be poorly explained, leading to confusion and potential character builds that hinder gameplay.

story
117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
The game's story is generally described as simple and somewhat generic, often following classic RPG tropes like amnesia and saving the world, but it is well-written and engaging enough to keep players interested. While some players appreciate the depth of character development and the variety of quests, others find the main plot lacking and the world feeling sparse due to a limited number of NPCs. Overall, the narrative is considered decent for RPG fans, especially those who enjoy exploration and side quests, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more intricate storyline.
- “The game has a great story and even better writing.”
- “The story will take you through a lifetime of betrayal, friendships, and evil that will leave you speechless.”
- “The story is simple but effective, and you consistently feel there is a purpose to your actions, propelling you on to the next area or quest.”
- “The story here is a by-the-numbers quest by quest deal until you reach the big bad type, so there's nothing to write home about there.”
- “The main plot remains elusive, and the sparse number of NPCs makes the world feel empty and less engaging.”
- “The story is cliche; save the world by finding the macguffins and slaying the big bad.”
gameplay
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
74%
8%
The gameplay of Eschalon Book 1 is characterized by its old-school mechanics, offering a mix of turn-based combat and real-time movement that appeals to fans of classic RPGs. While the game provides depth through character customization and strategic elements, some players find the mechanics archaic and occasionally tedious, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall enjoyment and accessibility. Despite its challenges, the game is praised for its engaging world and rewarding gameplay, making it a hidden gem for those seeking a nostalgic RPG experience.
- “The gameplay is challenging and creative, and I enjoyed how you can create your own character with their own job, religious beliefs, cultural background, strengths, and weaknesses.”
- “Eschalon has an interesting world, with challenging gameplay that makes every success feel even better because it's harder to get there.”
- “The time progression mechanic (time moves when you move) is also pretty cool, and lends itself to better strategic planning during fights.”
- “Additionally, the mechanics and overall gameplay can feel archaic, and the writing often comes across as amateurish, detracting from the experience.”
- “Its dedication to the old school RPG feel must be commended, but there are some gameplay mechanics in old RPGs that were phased out for a reason: if they add nothing but tedium to the gameplay, get rid of it.”
- “Unfortunately, gameplay is a bit slow, even for an Ultima-like game.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
69%
8%
The graphics of Eschalon Book 1 are characterized as old-school and retro, with pixelated visuals that some players find charming, while others consider them dated and lacking in detail. Many reviews note that the graphics are adequate for the gameplay experience, though the heavy reuse of assets can lead to a repetitive feel. Overall, while the graphics may not impress modern standards, they align with the game's classic RPG aesthetic and do not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment for fans of the genre.
- “Eschalon series is a turn-based role-playing game series with astounding graphics and sound.”
- “The graphics are rather good and the sound effects even better.”
- “This game was so aesthetically pleasing and I can't wait to get the next two!”
- “This is an older game, as best illustrated by its fixed low resolution and pixel graphics.”
- “It's hard to recommend this because despite being released in 2007, the graphics are incredibly dated; it's hard to say if that was a deliberate attempt at making a retro-looking game or if the developer was just really bad at art.”
- “Because this game is true old-school RPG with very poor animations and weak graphics (as for today).”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
28%
11%
The music in Eschalon Book 1 is widely praised for its soothing and nostalgic qualities, enhancing the game's charm and atmosphere. While the soundtrack consists of only 18 tracks, each is well-composed and fits seamlessly into the gameplay, contributing to a delightful experience. Overall, the music stands out as one of the game's stronger elements, complementing its old-school RPG aesthetic.
- “The beautiful, soothing music also adds to Eschalon's charm.”
- “This is a great game with a fantastic soundtrack and lots of atmosphere.”
- “There are only 18 tracks in this game's soundtrack, but each one of them has an impact and is composed very well.”
- “This game is just too darn slow and they stole music from Siege of Avalon, a much better game.”
- “Remove music.”
- “Music is one of the few parts of the game that isn't just 'meh' or just 'average'.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
11%
83%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can become tedious, particularly due to slow walking speeds and repetitive travel without engaging enemies. While some players appreciate the balance in leveling up, many find the early game fights and the need for frequent resting to be time-consuming and monotonous. Overall, the experience is described as enjoyable for hardcore RPG fans, but the grind can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “The work required to level up was very well calibrated, not grindy nor trivial.”
- “At under 20 hours to complete, the game ends just as it starts to get tedious.”
- “Your walking speed isn't that much, so after a while it does become a little tedious (at least it did for me) to travel, especially when there weren't any enemies to break up the monotony.”
- “I cannot count the number of times I rested for 48 hours on one map before loading the next to kill one bad guy, go back and rest another 48 hours, etc. I respect the developer's decision to keep it old school, but there is a point where it gets tedious.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Character development in the game is praised for its complexity and depth, offering players a variety of stat upgrades and talents reminiscent of classic RPGs like Baldur's Gate. However, while the system allows for significant customization, some players feel that the limited replay value and potential for mistakes can hinder the overall experience. The game successfully combines engaging character progression with an immersive world, though it may lead to repetitive paths in subsequent playthroughs.
- “It looks fine, has solid music, and plays basically like a turn-based (but still fast-paced as the turns go as quickly as you click) Diablo with more complex character development and arguably a more interesting story.”
- “I liked that there is a lot to explore and complex character development.”
- “Seriously deep character development is coupled with a world that you will completely get lost in.”
- “I mean, all that character development, experience... to just hack at a boss and use one healing potion?”
- “The only real bummer is that this game has a rather expansive character development system, but the replay value is low because you're just going to go down almost the exact same path you did last time if you want to get anywhere.”
- “Monsters are always vastly overwhelming for you to fight and will make you more aware of the previously mentioned complaints regarding character development.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised, with users highlighting its strong soundtracks, engaging story, and effective graphics that contribute to an immersive experience. Despite some criticisms regarding its visual quality, the overall ambiance is considered compelling and worth experiencing, especially for fans of old-school RPGs.
- “This is a great game with a fantastic soundtrack and lots of atmosphere.”
- “The graphics create a good atmosphere.”
- “Old-school RPG in the style of D&D, interesting story, nice soundtracks, and all in all great atmosphere.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users found the emotional aspect of the game effective, noting that the scary tracks successfully evoked feelings of unease and tension, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The tracks that were meant to be scary truly delivered, leaving me feeling uneasy and on edge.”
- “The emotional depth of the story resonated with me long after I finished playing.”
- “I found myself deeply connected to the characters, experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report issues such as frame rate drops and long loading times. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations.
- “The optimization in this game is outstanding, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I was impressed by how well the game runs after the latest optimization update; it feels much more responsive now.”
- “The developers have done a fantastic job optimizing the graphics without sacrificing performance, making it visually stunning and fluid.”
- “The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
- “The optimization is so bad that loading times are excessively long, making it hard to stay engaged.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely absent, with players noting that the writing is passable but lacks any real comedic elements or engaging twists. While the game offers a satisfying conclusion, it does not provide a consistently humorous experience throughout.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is commendable, with users reporting only a couple of crashes over extensive playtime and no significant bugs or glitches affecting gameplay.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game features an extensive character development system, many users feel that its replayability is limited, as players are likely to follow a similar path in subsequent playthroughs, reducing the incentive to replay.
- “The only real bummer is that this game has a rather expansive character development system, but the replay value is low because you're just going to go down almost the exact same path you did last time if you want to get anywhere.”