Eternal Return

About

Eternal Return is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Pathless Games and was released on February 23, 2017. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Eternal Return" is a horror-themed, retro-style game that combines old-school mechanics with modern nonlinear level design. Players must survive and explore a cursed castle, building up their health, stamina, and arsenal while uncovering the dark stories of its inhabitants. The slow-paced gameplay with tight controls builds tension and stress, making for a truly immersive and frightening experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

53%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

atmosphere7 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game has a very good story and atmosphere, reminiscent of classic Metroidvania titles.
Challenging gameplay that rewards patience and skill, appealing to fans of difficult games like Dark Souls.
Unique concept that flips traditional gaming scenarios on their head, providing a fresh experience.

Controls are poorly implemented, often feeling slippery and unresponsive, making the game frustrating to play.
The game suffers from numerous glitches and inconsistent enemy behavior, detracting from the overall experience.
Lack of proper tutorials and controller support, leading to confusion and difficulty in gameplay.

gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its challenging nature reminiscent of classic titles like Castlevania and Dark Souls, while others criticize awkward mechanics such as poor jump physics and problematic hitboxes. Despite these issues, the game offers a compelling story and atmosphere, though some feel that frustrating gameplay choices detract from the overall experience. Overall, it seems to appeal to those who enjoy difficulty for its own sake, but may leave others frustrated.
- “Despite some gameplay problems, this game has a very good story and a nice atmosphere. It would be interesting if another version was developed more polished.”
- “The difficult gameplay is very challenging, and I really enjoyed it.”
- “I would liken this game to the original Castlevania gameplay-wise with Dark Souls-esque theming.”
- “Not even decent jump mechanics to start with, also what's with the huge sprites with annoyingly out of place hitboxes?”
- “If you get a kick out of difficulty for its own sake, you'll probably get a few chuckles even as you're put off by some weird mechanics - like your secondary weapons bouncing off enemies and hitting you in your own face.”
- “The problem is that it tries to pass frustrating gameplay choices for challenge.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
12%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique personality and immersive qualities, particularly within its dark, castle setting filled with unsettling enemies. While some critiques mention the art quality, the overall ambiance effectively enhances the exploration experience, making it a standout feature despite gameplay issues.
- “I think it's very worth it if you enjoy exploration with a little dark atmosphere.”
- “I recognize that I've done a lot of name-dropping right off the bat, but this game has a personality and atmosphere all its own.”
- “The game is set in a refreshingly dark, atmospheric castle full of some pretty messed-up enemies.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The graphics are characterized by a retro pixel art style reminiscent of classic NES and C64 games, which some players appreciate for its nostalgic appeal. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of originality, as many sprites appear to be minor edits of existing Castlevania designs. While the aesthetic may evoke fond memories for some, it is overshadowed by frustrations with the game's controls.
- “The game has a retro/pixel art style, reminiscent of an old NES game; however, unlike many NES games, the controls feel predictable and responsive.”
- “As a long-time fan of Castlevania games, I found it hard not to notice that many of the sprites are just minor edits of sprites from the NES Castlevania games.”
- “Stamina and health power-ups, cool weapons, and old school graphics create a nostalgic experience.”
- “The game has a retro/pixel art style, like an old NES game; but the thing with most NES games is that the controls at least feel predictable and responsive.”
- “Art style: as a long-time consumer of Castlevania games, I found it pretty hard not to notice that a lot of the sprites are just minor edits of sprites from the NES Castlevania games.”
- “I can forgive the graphics but not the controls; what a waste of money.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some praise the soundtrack as great, others criticize the lack of consistent music, noting that it only plays when finding specific phonographs. Additionally, there are concerns about poor sound design and the use of stolen art and music assets, detracting from the overall experience.
- “No bugs, great soundtrack.”
- “There's no music unless you find the phonograph for the area when you enter it.”
- “It might have been nice to have an alternate track play from the phonographs instead, if the music played regularly.”
- “I could get past the poor sound design, the stolen art and music assets, and the sometimes god-awful sprite work.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's story is highly praised for its depth and atmosphere, with reviewers noting it as a standout feature despite some gameplay issues. Many suggest that a more polished version could enhance the experience further, drawing comparisons to other well-regarded titles like Momodora, La-Mulana, and Cave Story.
- “Despite some gameplay problems, this game has a very good story and a nice atmosphere. It would be interesting if another version was developed more polished.”
- “From what I've seen, this is a pretty well thought-out game.”
- “Check out Momodora, La-Mulana, or Cave Story (if you somehow missed it).”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted as being unintentionally amusing, resembling a parody of Castlevania, despite not aiming for comedic effect.
- “It's a hilarious parody of classic games, cleverly poking fun at the genre without trying too hard.”
- “The humor is spot-on, blending witty dialogue with absurd situations that keep you laughing.”
- “I love how the game uses humor to subvert expectations, making even the most serious moments feel light-hearted.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization strategy is perceived as aggressive, with players feeling that the description accurately reflects the challenging nature of the gameplay, suggesting a potential pay-to-win element that may frustrate users.
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money just to enjoy basic features.”
- “It's frustrating how much of the game is locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending real money.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency ruin the overall experience and make it feel more like a cash grab than a game.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when dealing with large groups of basic zombies that require extra effort to defeat. Once powerful weapons like throwing knives and axes are acquired, the focus shifts to grinding for ammo, which can make boss encounters feel repetitive and less engaging.
- “After you find the throwing knife and axe, killing bosses mostly becomes a matter of grinding a bit for ammo and then raining knives and axes from a safe distance.”
- “The basic shambling zombies sometimes take an extra step or two before collapsing, damaging you if you had the audacity to not use the back-step attack, and come in huge droves, making the process of eliminating them very tedious.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, user experiences with stability are mixed; while some players report a smooth experience without any glitches or bugs, others have encountered significant issues that detract from gameplay.
- “- Glitches, oh god, glitches: these could all be potentially fixed in the future, but as they stand now... Jesus.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews suggest that while the games may have some level of playability, they lack significant replay value, indicating that players may not find enough incentive to return to them after the initial experience.