Etrom 20th Anniversary Edition

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In Etrom - The Astral Essence’s 20th Anniversary Edition, play as a former elite soldier with a mysterious past who must navigate through a dark futuristic Middle Ages filled with arcane rituals, endless wars, and otherworldly realms. Explore diverse locations, uncover secrets, and battle enemies using techno-mystical blades in this immersive point-and-click action RPG. Discover the truth about the Astral Essence and your existence in a captivating and treacherous world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 65 reviews

atmosphere5 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Etrom offers a unique blend of magic and technology, creating an intriguing and immersive atmosphere that captivates players.
The game features a rich narrative and lore, enhanced by the inclusion of a novel that deepens the player's experience.
Despite its technical issues, many players find the challenging gameplay and dark, poetic setting to be rewarding and worth the effort.

The game suffers from frequent crashes and technical glitches, making it frustrating to play and often requiring players to restart.
Controls are awkward and difficult to manage, which can detract from the overall experience and make gameplay unnecessarily challenging.
The lack of modern updates or improvements leaves the game feeling outdated, with limited content and a punishing save system.

story
18 mentions
17 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The story of "Etrom" is described as both captivating and eccentric, featuring a unique setting and well-developed characters that draw players into its mystical narrative. While the gameplay can be challenging and the quest journal is criticized for being unhelpful, the intriguing plot surrounding astral essence and deities keeps players engaged. Overall, the game's dark atmosphere and unconventional storytelling make it a worthwhile experience for fans of atmospheric RPGs, despite some gameplay frustrations.
- “But somehow, after a series of ferocious and endless fights, after some violent, rough and somehow mystical dialogues, the world of Etrom captures you and you want to understand what the hell is happening with this story of the astral essence and the deities of abysses that hunt you.”
- “Judging a title like Etrom is not at all easy: on one hand, we have an excellent setting and a story with beautiful characterization of all the characters who live within its universe, even the most marginal.”
- “Its dark and poetic atmosphere, coupled with its unique storytelling and setting, make it a journey well worth undertaking for those seeking something different from their gaming experience.”
- “That's pretty much the whole story, and even multiple endings feel more like a dull and uninspired choice.”
- “There's only a few maps, there's only a few optional objectives, while the rest of the gameplay is just you fighting the enemies (which are everywhere, hiding on every corner and usually just start running at you all at once with no intellect or tactics involved) and trying to figure out where to go and what to do (map aside, the quest journal in this game is useless too).”
- “I read the old development story on IGN and I think it's a shame there never was a larger sequel.”
gameplay
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by frequent technical issues, including bugs and crashes, which can hinder the experience across various hardware setups. Players find the action-RPG mechanics simplistic, with limited maps and objectives, leading to repetitive combat against unstrategic enemies. However, the game offers a variety of weapons and unique narrative elements that contribute to its challenging atmosphere, particularly in the early stages.
- “Although the gameplay is a fairly simple action RPG, it has a series of details and game and narrative mechanics that make it very difficult, particularly at the beginning, when you enter a truly dark and bizarre world.”
- “It would not be appropriate to compare the mechanics and systems of Etrom to games that are released today, but Etrom has a great variety of weapons that suit different occasions.”
- “From the point of view of the originality of the gameplay, we have several elements such as:”
- “We regret to share that bugs and system crashes, both during game launch and during gameplay, can happen frequently on some hardware and software configurations. That's what they say right on the store page, while recommending us to Google for a third-party software and fix things manually.”
- “There's only a few maps, there's only a few optional objectives, while the rest of gameplay is just you fighting the enemies (which are everywhere, hiding on every corner and usually just start running at you all at once with no intellect or tactics involved) and trying to figure out where to go and what to do (map aside, the quest journal in this game is useless too).”
- “Technical issues such as crashes and other technical hiccups may rear their ugly heads from time to time, disrupting the flow of gameplay.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Etrom is praised for its captivating and haunting atmosphere, blending medieval and sci-fi elements with a dark, poetic narrative. Reviewers highlight the immersive experience it offers, making it a compelling choice for fans of unconventional storytelling and atmospheric RPGs, despite a challenging start.
- “Its unapologetically odd narrative, coupled with a dark and poetic atmosphere, creates an immersive experience that's as captivating as it is haunting.”
- “Its dark and poetic atmosphere, coupled with its unique storytelling and setting, make it a journey well worth undertaking for those seeking something different from their gaming experience.”
- “Etrom has a great atmosphere and plot, not to mention the great mix of medieval, godly weapons with sci-fi machinery!”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while the game is still buggy, it is less prone to game-breaking issues compared to previous versions, resulting in a more stable experience.
- “It's much more limited and way less buggy.”
- “Don't get me wrong, the game is buggy as hell; you just won't encounter a game-breaking bug at every turn.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding in the game excessive and unenjoyable, leading to a negative impact on their overall experience.
- “There is a lot of grinding, and it doesn't feel fun at all.”
- “The grinding is excessive and makes the game feel tedious.”
- “I find the grinding to be monotonous and draining.”
graphics
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-300 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The graphics are considered dated, but players quickly become immersed in the game, often forgetting about the visuals after a short period of play.
- “The graphics are stunning and truly bring the game world to life.”
- “I was blown away by the level of detail in the environments; every scene is a work of art.”
- “The vibrant colors and smooth animations make the gameplay experience incredibly immersive.”
- “I hardly remember anything anymore, but I play it again with pleasure, moving on to the dated graphics (which after a few minutes I don't even notice anymore).”