Expeditions: Viking
- April 27, 2017
- Logic Artists
- 33h median play time
Leaving behind the Conquistadors, developers Logic Artists take us to Scandinavia for this instalment.
In "Expeditions: Viking," become a Viking chieftain and manage your village, assemble a crew, and set sail to discover and conquer new lands across the sea. With a focus on historical accuracy, you'll engage in strategic combat, diplomacy, and resource management to leave a lasting legacy. Create your own character, make important decisions, and shape the story of your clan in this immersive RPG from Logic Artists.
Reviews
- Engaging story with meaningful choices that impact the game.
- Fun tactical turn-based combat that encourages strategic planning.
- Rich historical setting that immerses players in Viking culture.
- Combat can feel unbalanced, with surprise rounds often favoring enemies.
- Repetitive looting mechanics that can become tedious.
- Time limits can create pressure, potentially hindering exploration.
- story1,320 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in "Expeditions: Viking" is a central highlight, featuring a rich narrative that allows players to make meaningful choices that significantly impact the game's outcome. While many players appreciate the depth and historical context of the storyline, some criticize the quest design for being formulaic and occasionally buggy, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game is praised for its engaging characters and the immersive Viking setting, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven RPGs.
“The story is engaging and choices are meaningful, sometimes hard.”
“Expeditions: Viking has an amazing story and portrays Danish and Scandinavian culture incredibly well, with rituals and beliefs that are so greatly portrayed, it makes me proud of my Danish ancestors.”
“The story is captivating, with many choices and different endings.”
“The writing is weak, the quest design is weak, the encounter design is weak, the combat mechanics are unrefined, and the campaign map travel is an absolute chore.”
“As far as the story goes, I don't know... none of the characters or story arcs felt engaging.”
“The story is cliche, with tropes aplenty.”
- gameplay372 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Expeditions: Viking" is a mix of turn-based tactical combat and RPG mechanics, featuring a camping system that adds depth but can feel tedious. While many players appreciate the engaging story and character development, they also note issues with unrefined mechanics, a lack of clear explanations, and some frustrating design choices, such as the time limit mechanic. Overall, the game offers a solid experience for fans of the genre, though it may require patience to navigate its complexities.
“Though a little underbaked in places, this was a fun and often challenging adventure with some interesting mechanics that kept me invested the whole way through.”
“The gameplay is solid, but suffers from some anti-player decisions/oversight that really try my patience.”
“The writing is weak, the quest design is weak, the encounter design is weak, the combat mechanics are unrefined, and the campaign map travel is an absolute chore.”
“The gameplay is strong, the RPG aspects are interesting, and the story is reactive.”
“The story is engaging, but the combat and the general gameplay is a bit tedious for my taste.”
- graphics180 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Expeditions: Vikings" receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated and unpolished compared to more recent titles. While some appreciate the game's art style and atmospheric visuals, others criticize the graphics as mediocre or lacking detail, particularly in character models and animations. Overall, the visuals are considered adequate for an indie RPG, but they may not meet the expectations of players accustomed to modern AAA graphics.
“The graphics are fantastic, too.”
“The graphics, soundtrack, and partial voice acting are adequate.”
“The graphics are very good, especially for an indie game.”
“Expeditions Vikings originally released in 2017, so obviously its biggest flaws when compared to newer games relate to the presentation of graphics and voice acting.”
“The graphics are plain poor and the main storyline is fine at best.”
“I was hoping this would be a good game as I like these types of games, but terrible graphics, graphics are different from the graphics displayed on Steam, the quests are boring and silly.”
- music178 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, particularly during exploration and key story moments. While some tracks are described as beautiful and memorable, others, especially battle themes, are criticized for being repetitive or lacking intensity. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its immersive Viking setting, despite some noted limitations in variety and occasional silence during gameplay.
“This game has one of the most memorable soundtracks of all the games I've played.”
“The music is beautiful and synchronizes very well with everything, dare I say on an emotional level.”
“The soundtrack is a mix of historical instruments and a swelling orchestra that hand off to each other repeatedly, especially during battles.”
“Battle music is just bad; I really think it's far too soppy and does nothing to get the adrenaline rolling.”
“The music is repetitive; that should change in the next expeditions.”
“Music usually cuts out in the middle of the exploration, and from there on, silence... only sound effects remain, but those are scarce and seem to be coming directly from a cheapskate sound bank.”
- stability86 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a significant number of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including crashes, freezes, and quest-breaking issues. While some users noted improvements over time and found the game generally playable, others expressed frustration with the frequency and severity of the problems, suggesting that potential players might want to wait for further patches before diving in. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" but still enjoyable for those willing to tolerate its flaws.
“No glitches or crashes experienced ever.”
“No glitches or bugs, a really thoughtful and amazing experience.”
“Relatively bug free, it's a bargain at the asking price and only a patch or two from being rock solid.”
“The mechanics of battle are buggy; combat does not flow that well as there are times where you have to restart the game and redo the battle.”
“Experiencing game-breaking freezes whenever I try to make camp, so I can't even play the game.”
“This game is broken and buggy as hell.”
- replayability64 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a strong replayability factor, with many players highlighting the impact of choices, character builds, and multiple story paths that encourage exploration of different outcomes. While some reviews note limitations in replay value due to the game's length or certain gameplay mechanics, many agree that the engaging narrative and diverse quest solutions provide ample motivation for multiple playthroughs. Players appreciate the depth of decision-making and the potential for varied experiences, making it a worthwhile investment for those who enjoy replaying RPGs.
“There is quite a lot of replayability, as you can solve quests in multiple ways, but be aware that you can only rarely avoid combat.”
“This game has a ton of replayability, and the story can change drastically depending upon your choices.”
“The combat is challenging and complex, but fair; the backstory is a great point of balance between grounded historical accuracy and mysticism; the narrative is personal and framed by a great system of choice and consequence; the absence of usual RPG magic is very refreshing; the graphics are detailed and immersive; the sound effects are sufficiently satisfying; and the replayability factor, due to the myriad choices available, is astounding.”
“Playing this game on your own the first time is very important (in my opinion) and it will help shape your understanding of the game while developing appreciation of choices made, not made, and the overall replay value (easily warrants a minimum of two playthroughs if not more).”
“After finishing the game, I tried to replay on the hardest level to try to add more challenge, but found little replay value so uninstalled it.”
“The replayability will entirely depend on how you play - it's possible if you really want and try to explore as much as you can, to see most of the content in one (long) playthrough, and you might not be very compelled to replay the game - which in my opinion is fine since you will almost definitely get more entertainment out of that one playthrough than most 70€ games offer.”
- atmosphere61 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Expeditions: Viking" is widely praised for its immersive and captivating representation of the Viking age, enhanced by a strong soundtrack and well-crafted visuals. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke the gritty lifestyle of the era, with many noting that it successfully captures the essence of Viking adventures through its storytelling and environmental design. Despite some criticisms regarding graphics and gameplay mechanics, the overall atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly enriches the gaming experience.
“The atmosphere of raiding far from home was excellently captured.”
“It's honestly one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played, and the excellent soundtrack and narrative do a lot to immerse you in the Viking age.”
“The atmosphere, the decisions, the fights, the music, the artwork, and the rich and deep knowledge of Norse culture accompany you and your hird in this well-written story.”
“It really takes away from the atmosphere and as mentioned...grows tedious.”
“Comparable games like Baldur's Gate or Jagged Alliance 2 have a better gameplay, atmosphere, and music quality.”
“Probaby because of the lack of atmosphere and feelings, something this game has a lot.”
- grinding33 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with repetitive battles and cumbersome looting mechanics that detract from the experience. While some appreciate the steady character development and resource gathering, the constant need to click on individual items and manage inventory feels laborious and detracts from immersion. Many reviewers express a desire for a more streamlined approach to crafting and looting, as the current systems often lead to frustration rather than enjoyment.
“I could never say I had fun with the endless stream of tiny, tedious pitched battles.”
“They do drop minor loot, but the fact that you have to individually (and awkwardly, the cursor sometimes has difficulty clicking objects) click each inventory to loot it makes combat so tedious as to incentivize skipping all encounters if possible.”
“Good premise, nice setting, okay combat system, but the combination of tedious exploration plus constantly resetting said exploration by having to restart the game from the last save is a no go.”
- character development23 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while players appreciate the fun and strategic aspects, many feel that options are limited, leading to characters that can feel similar by the end. There is praise for the customizable elements and meaningful choices, but some users express disappointment over the lack of depth in minor character development and the stagnation of skills as the game progresses. Overall, the character design and writing are highlighted as strong points, but there is a desire for more interaction and growth throughout the game.
“Excellent RPG game, can't get enough of the character development and role-playing aspect of this game.”
“Fantastic RPG, great turn-based combat, lots of freedom and character development, a short and crisp story with replay value due to meaningful choices.”
“The character development and the writing for the game are phenomenal.”
“Things I would say are a negative: character development of your crew could have been built upon a little more. I was eager to learn more and more detail about them, yet nothing more seemed to come after certain stages.”
“The later character development becomes a little stagnant and could use more options.”
“There was basically no character development for the minor characters, so I didn’t feel anything at the end for the relevant character(s), except disappointment that the game was over.”
- optimization17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant loading times and poorly optimized character interactions, particularly with custom characters lacking dialogue. While many users report stable performance on high-end systems, others experience issues with combat balance and quest functionality, suggesting that the game may still require further optimization and bug fixes. Overall, while performance is generally acceptable, there are notable areas that feel unpolished or under-optimized.
“Running a RTX 2070 Super with the game at max settings, I didn't experience any conspicuous performance drops in the game.”
“Performance - nothing to complain about performance.”
“I hope this dev sticks around and that their next game is better performance-wise, but this is easily one of my favorite games in a while.”
“First, it was poorly optimized, so loading times could take a long time and second, combat would sometimes end in a couple of turns either because the enemy dealt too much damage or your shields didn't block enough.”
“They have so many horribly optimized triggers.”
“It does still feel like it hasn't been optimized yet, but I also read it's made in Unity, which almost always has those issues.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of clever writing, cultural references, and amusing gameplay moments, such as unexpected character interactions and funny easter eggs. While some players find the humor hit-or-miss, with certain mechanics lacking impact, many appreciate the lighthearted touches that enhance the storytelling and overall experience. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor into its design, making for entertaining moments amidst its more serious themes.
“If you give it a chance, you will find some excellent writing, great storytelling, humor, and plenty of violent choices.”
“The world you roam in seems alive and representative of the period, and the devs have put in many lovely details, historic and mythological references, and even funny easter eggs (like the Monty Python one), showing this was indeed a very passionate endeavor on their part.”
“Other than that and a few tweaks, this game offers a lot of good story, some funny cultural references, and fun dialogue options.”
- emotional11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its beautiful music and relatable character development, which deeply engages players and evokes strong feelings. Many reviewers noted that the story's simplicity and believable goals foster a genuine investment in the characters, leading to moments of heartbreak and satisfaction, particularly in the context of player choices. However, some players found the combat experience frustrating, which could detract from the overall emotional impact.
“The music is beautiful and synchronizes very well with everything; dare I say, it reaches an emotional level.”
“This is the first game in a long while that has made me feel for the characters that inhabit it.”
“If a game can truly make me stop and think about something emotionally rather than logically, it is an excellent game in my book.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is perceived as challenging, yet players appreciate the overall quality of the game, including its story and gameplay. There is a desire for increased investment in advertising to enhance its visibility.
Critic Reviews
Expeditions: Viking Review
While Expeditions: Viking won’t be winning any awards for ground-breaking storytelling or innovative gameplay, it’s compelling in just the right way that keeps commanding attention throughout. I found it to be a lot of fun, if a little unpolished in places.
80%Expeditions: Viking
Expedition: Viking is a fun turn-based RPG that is unfortunately marred by various technical issues. While the combat and story are intriguing, the “same-y” environments and characters leave a lot to be desired.
55%Expeditions: Viking Review
My adventure as a Viking Thegn was a rocky one, but one that I still enjoyed. If you think the idea of playing as a viking is fun, or think the time period is interesting, give it a shot if you can overlook the bugs.
70%