Garshasp: Temple of the Dragon
- September 24, 2012
- Dead Mage
Get on Steam"Garshasp: Temple of the Dragon" is an expansion pack to the original "Garshasp: The Monster Slayer" game, featuring the mighty hero Garshasp in a hack and slash adventure. The game is set in a cinematic fantasy world filled with creatures from Persian Mythology, and offers a deep combat system with various combo moves. The story is based on ancient mythology, taking place before the original game's events in the cursed lands of the temple of the dragon.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Some players find the game fun and enjoyable, appreciating its fluid combat engine.
- The graphics, while dated, are considered decent by some, and the game has a consistent style.
- A few players noted that the game can be entertaining if approached with low expectations.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, crashes, and poor controls, making it frustrating to play.
- Many reviews highlight the game's short length and lack of content, with some finishing it in under two hours.
- Voice acting and writing are criticized as laughable and poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience.
- graphics16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized for their dated quality, reminiscent of 2008 standards, with many reviewers noting laughable animations and a poorly executed camera system. While some appreciate the consistent style across levels, the overall impression is that the visuals are subpar, with cut scenes that feel hastily assembled and audio that detracts from the experience. Despite these shortcomings, a few players find the graphics acceptable within the context of the gameplay.
“Graphically, Temple of the Dragon doesn't really impress; however, it features a style that I would call consistent throughout its levels.”
“Let's start with the positive: the graphics in the game are not bad and work well with the game.”
“It sort of feels like Dead Mage blew the entire budget on graphics at the expense of every other aspect of gameplay.”
“Buggy game, yes.. on rails, yes.. easy to jump to your death, yes!!.. but still scratches that fun tickle spot just right - if you can look past the 2008-style graphics and barely serviceable audio.”
“Everything I could say has been said: terrible controls, laughable animations with dated graphics, a camera that is actively fighting the player.”
“Averaging around 21fps on graphics that a Dreamcast could do with ease.”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it as poorly executed and feeling unfinished, while others appreciate its simplicity and connection to mythology. The narrative is described as minimal, serving merely as a backdrop for gameplay, though some find it decent enough to support the overall experience. Overall, the story lacks depth and quality, with voice acting also being a point of contention.
“Garshasp - a game with a solid storyline, like Prince of Persia, only inspired by actual mythology.”
“Combat is good, the platforming bits are good, and a decent storyline ties it all together.”
“Storywise, the game's premise is pretty simple: Garshasp and his brother are looking for a legendary mace that is hidden somewhere in a jungle, near the Temple of the Dragon.”
“The story and voice acting is utterly terrible.”
“Truthfully, I think this is an unfinished game - despite it having a beginning and an end, it's the bare minimum for qualifying as a 'story' (a really bad story) and being a 'game'.”
“Storywise, the game's premise is pretty simple: Garshasp and his brother are looking for a legendary mace that is hidden somewhere in a jungle, near the temple of the dragon.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as excellent, while others criticize it as bland and clunky, particularly when using a keyboard and mouse. Players noted that the experience improves with a controller, but overall, many found the gameplay to be lacking in creativity and engagement.
“Excellent gameplay”
“I've played plenty of low-budget games that had incredible gameplay and imaginative stories (VVVVVV is one that comes to mind).”
“Gameplay: 5”
“The gameplay was bland, combat felt clunky with the keyboard and mouse, but improves with a controller.”
“The gameplay is... well, awful.”
“Gameplay is horrid.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is described as buggy and prone to design flaws, such as being on rails and having issues that can lead to unintended deaths. Despite these stability concerns, players find it enjoyable and believe that with improvements to its technical aspects, it could become a standout title.
“I would like to see the game reworked with these bugs and bad design glitches fixed; then it might be something spectacular!”
“Buggy game, yes... on rails, yes... easy to jump to your death, yes! But still scratches that fun tickle spot just right - if you can look past the 2008-style graphics and barely serviceable audio.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its "hilariously bad writing" and absurd cutscenes, with some players finding moments of unintentional comedy, such as a particularly memorable line during the opening animation. However, the overall execution of humor is often overshadowed by complaints about dull combat and uninspired level design.
“The opening animation is comedy gold: 'Well, at least let's take a rest. I'm your brother. Can't you see I'm dying?!'”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is inconsistent, with performance occasionally dropping below 30 frames per second, particularly during certain gameplay moments, though these dips are generally not present outside of action sequences.
“Similar to 'The Monster Slayer', it still has points during the game where the performance will drop below 30 frames per second, but thankfully this occurs outside of action sequences.”
“Similar to 'The Monster Slayer', there are still points during the game where the performance drops below the 30 frames per second mark, but thankfully this occurs outside of action sequences.”
“Similar to 'The Monster Slayer', there are still points during the game where the performance drops below the 30 frames per second mark, but thankfully this occurs outside of action sequences.”
