Eternal Return

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

55%

Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews

atmosphere7 positive mentions

grinding2 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 level design and exploration elements that create a sense of mystery and discovery.

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 leads to confusion and difficulty in navigating the game.

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 design choices detract from the overall experience. Overall, it seems to appeal to those who enjoy difficulty for its own sake, but may frustrate players seeking polished mechanics.
- “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%
13%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique personality and immersive dark setting, particularly within the intricately designed castle 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 of the game 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 sprites, leading to mixed feelings about the overall visual execution. While the aesthetic may evoke fond memories for some, it is overshadowed by concerns over the game's controls.
- “The game has a retro/pixel art style, reminiscent of an old NES game.”
- “As a long-time consumer 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.”
- “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
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the soundtrack, others criticize the limited availability of music, which only plays when finding specific phonographs. Additionally, there are concerns about sound design quality and the use of potentially unoriginal music assets. Overall, the music aspect is seen as a missed opportunity for more consistent and engaging audio.
- “No bugs, great soundtrack.”
- “I like the music!”
- “It might have been nice to have an alternate track play from the phonographs instead if the music played regularly.”
- “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
67%
33%
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, comparing it favorably to 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 in a more polished manner.”
- “From what I've seen, this is a pretty well thought-out 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 repetitive tactics 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 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
150%
Overall, user experiences with stability are mixed; while some players report a glitch-free experience, others encounter significant bugs that detract from gameplay. There is hope that future updates may address these issues.
- “- Glitches, oh god, glitches: these could all be potentially fixed in the future, but as they stand now... Jesus.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I've encountered numerous bugs that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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 taking itself too seriously.”
- “The humor is sharp and witty, making every encounter a delightful surprise.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the clever dialogue and absurd situations throughout the game.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The feedback suggests that while the games may have had some redeeming qualities, their overall replayability is questionable, indicating a lack of engaging content that encourages players to return.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization strategy is perceived as aggressive, with players feeling that the initial warning about its difficulty reflects a broader theme of frustration tied to in-game purchases. This has led to mixed feelings about the fairness and transparency of its monetization practices.