GemCraft: Frostborn Wrath

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,832 reviews
  • gameplay
  • grinding
  • story
GemCraft: Frostborn Wrath Game Cover
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"GemCraft: Frostborn Wrath" is a tower defense game where players build and upgrade gem towers to defend against enemies. Gather resources, create powerful gems, and strategically place towers to survive increasingly difficult waves. This installment features improved graphics, a new frozen setting, and challenging new game modes.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,832 reviews
gameplay70 positive mentions
grinding213 negative mentions
  • The game offers a deep and complex tower defense experience with a variety of strategies and mechanics to explore.
  • The addition of new towers and the talisman system adds fresh gameplay elements that enhance the overall experience.
  • The game has a significant amount of content, including multiple game modes and achievements, providing hours of replayability.
  • The difficulty curve is steep, making it frustrating for new players and requiring extensive grinding to progress.
  • Some mechanics, such as the trial modes, can feel overly punishing and may require specific strategies that are not well explained.
  • The game suffers from performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios with many enemies on screen, leading to lag.
  • gameplay301 mentions

    The gameplay in "Gemcraft: Frostborn Wrath" is characterized by its deep and complex mechanics, offering a blend of traditional tower defense elements with RPG-style progression. Players appreciate the strategic depth required to succeed, as well as the innovative gem crafting and customization options, although some find the game grindy and challenging, particularly for newcomers. Overall, while the core mechanics remain familiar, the game introduces new features and improvements that enhance the experience, making it a worthy addition to the series.

    • “Very in-depth mechanics make it a lot more complex than other tower defense games; it's not just placing a good tower at a corner and winning; you actually have to strategize in later levels.”
    • “Absurd amounts of content, a good chunk of depth to the gameplay, and an addicting progression.”
    • “The gameplay itself is simple, but there's a lot of strategic depth to be explored - or you can just stick to one strategy and use it over and over again.”
    • “While it maintains some of the essence of what makes Gemcraft good as well as the original tower-defense style gameplay, it is stripped of virtually all the fun aspects of chasing shadows and labyrinth while at the same time making all the annoying ones even more unbearable.”
    • “The main problem with this game is that there is a single solution to each scenario, and rather than be a sandbox tower defense game where understanding the game mechanics allows you to adapt to the enemy and prolong game sessions, this game punishes you for not playing each level in exactly the way the developer has written it.”
    • “Skills to improve your gem crafting are locked behind hours and hours of grinding repetitive gameplay that is too frustrating to maintain interest.”
  • grinding213 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game is significantly grindy, often requiring players to replay levels multiple times to progress, which can lead to frustration and a sense of tedium. While some players appreciate the depth and challenge that grinding adds, many feel that the excessive grind detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it feel more like a chore than a rewarding experience. Overall, the game's grinding mechanics are polarizing, appealing to those who enjoy a challenge but potentially alienating players who prefer a more streamlined experience.

    • “It is much more grindy than CS, and the puzzles are downright infuriatingly difficult and specific, with very little reward.”
    • “The amount of time you spend grinding for nothing or unable to make real gains sucks the life out of this game.”
    • “The game seems to expect me to grind a ton for XP, which would be fine if any of the levels felt possible to get past wave 14 in the endurance mode made for grinding XP.”
  • story133 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered to be a secondary focus, with many players finding it easy to skip without losing much enjoyment. While some appreciate the lore and its connection to previous titles in the series, others feel it lacks depth and can become convoluted, especially as gameplay difficulty increases. Overall, the narrative is described as decent but not compelling enough to drive the experience, with many players primarily engaging for the gameplay rather than the story itself.

    • “The gemcraft series takes the tower defense genre to its peak with the combination of fantasy narrative, solid and engaging storytelling, as well as very flexible gameplay not too complex for the casual player, as well as cryptic and extra long-term goal achieving for hardcore players.”
    • “Each level is wonderfully designed, providing a sense of grandeur and a chilling atmosphere that perfectly complements the gameplay and story.”
    • “The story is well-written, the map style has mostly been carried over from the Chasing Shadows game, and the trial modes remind me of the vision fields from the previous game which were fun.”
    • “The story doesn't add anything to the lore, and some pages aren't even illustrated.”
    • “The progression seems very grindy, and the story is very sparse.”
    • “It's a great endgame system, but should not be required grinding to simply play through the story maps and unlocks.”
  • graphics70 mentions

    The graphics of "Gemcraft: Frostborn Wrath" have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the improved visuals and atmospheric design compared to previous titles in the series. While some find the graphics beautiful and immersive, others criticize them as simplistic and lacking variety, particularly in tower differentiation. Overall, the game balances solid graphics with engaging gameplay, though performance issues may arise on lower-end PCs.

    • “The game boasts beautiful graphics that bring the frozen landscapes and towering monsters to life.”
    • “Very nice game, requires lots of strategy & it's very satisfying to watch, amazing visuals.”
    • “Graphics are much better than previous renditions of the series and runs much smoother.”
    • “Despite the graphic style remaining the same, this game may be trickier for lower-end PCs to run.”
    • “The graphics are simplistic, but the setting is well done.”
    • “First of all, the graphics and animation are pretty terrible.”
  • optimization37 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting persistent performance issues, including lag and stuttering, especially in late-game scenarios and on lower-spec systems. While some users noted that adjusting settings could improve performance, the outdated engine and high CPU usage remain major concerns, leading to frustration for those who enjoy optimization. Despite its engaging gameplay, the lack of substantial improvements in optimization compared to previous titles in the series has left many players disappointed.

    • “If you like tower defense or optimization, you'll enjoy this game.”
    • “Very good tower defense; as the gameplay progresses, your strategies adapt, not just due to differences in level design, but the build you have is encouraged to evolve to find optimized play.”
    • “The settings have been substantially expanded, each coming with an annotation of how much of a performance impact you should expect.”
    • “None of the performance issues and end-game lag was addressed.”
    • “But their balancing is abysmal and they are pretty much useless unless you pour in endless amounts of upgrades, but even then, the performance is questionable.”
    • “The real issue, and one that I believe is a dealbreaker, is the absolutely atrocious optimization resulting from the outdated, sluggish engine written in Flash.”
  • replayability31 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with multiple modes, diverse strategies, and extensive progression systems that encourage players to revisit maps and challenges. Users highlight the depth and complexity of gameplay, alongside various customization options, making it a standout in the tower defense genre. While some feel it may lack the staying power of its predecessor, the overall consensus is that it offers nearly endless replay value and engaging mechanics.

    • “Great replayability, best tower defense series around.”
    • “With nigh endless replay value, and more types of challenges and mechanics than could possibly be listed here, get ready for the ultimate tower defense experience!”
    • “Perfect mix of complexity and challenge to give hundreds of hours of replayability.”
    • “A great tower defense game, a sequel to one of my favorites, but despite all of the improvements made, I don't really feel as though this game has the same amount of staying power and replayability.”
    • “Tldr: endless replayability with thrilling complexity and power creep mixed with many maps leads to a long game that some might consider grindy over pleasurable.”
    • “This developer has released multiple games of this genre and is, in my opinion, the standard maker for replayable tower defense games; he pays attention to data and feedback and patches bugs as they are found.”
  • music21 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful, enhancing the overall immersion and experience. While some players appreciate the subtlety and soothing quality of the soundtrack, others prefer to mute it and listen to their own music, indicating a mixed reception. Overall, the sound design, including music and sound effects, is considered solid but not essential for enjoyment.

    • “Lastly, the game's soundtrack deserves special mention.”
    • “Although I often play games muted, this soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful and perfectly complements the wintry ambience, enhancing the immersion and adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the overall experience.”
    • “The music is appropriately subtle and sparsely used, so it never annoyed me in over 200 hours of playtime.”
    • “The few times I have played with music, it has been alright; I would recommend listening to your own music though.”
    • “Personal note: I find it best when paired with a TV show or movie with the in-game music muted.”
    • “And the music is better to just turn off and to have something else playing in the background.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique blend of horror and tower defense elements, creating a chilling and immersive experience. Players appreciate the well-designed levels and atmospheric sound effects that enhance the gameplay and story, contributing to a sense of grandeur and oppression. Overall, the atmosphere is consistently rated as a standout feature, with many reviewers giving it a perfect score.

    • “Each level is wonderfully designed, providing a sense of grandeur and a chilling atmosphere that perfectly complements the gameplay and story.”
    • “Gemcraft really feels like its own thing - it's surprisingly atmospheric.”
    • “Over 100 hours on record and I was depressed for every one of those hours; there's just something about the oppressive atmosphere of the game.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability remains a significant issue, with players reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and game freezes that hinder gameplay. Despite some improvements since its initial release, many users find it unplayable due to unresponsive tech support and ongoing balance problems. Overall, the consensus is that the game is still not ready for a positive recommendation.

    • “It's super buggy and the developer doesn't respond to tech support requests.”
    • “The number of glitches and patches do nothing to suggest this game was ready.”
    • “At this stage, the game is completely unbalanced; the amount of bugs and glitches makes it unplayable. I literally died over a dozen times to a monster that died, but the game did not register it as dead, which resulted in it running until it drained me out of mana. Features such as speed up only ramp up difficulty because of the way the game engine works.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as less effective compared to its predecessor, with players noting a lack of funny mechanics and engaging storytelling. While some new mechanics are introduced, the overall tone is more serious and gritty, leading to a less humorous experience than expected.

    • “Funny gem game”
    • “Funny new mechanics”
    • “A continuation of the GemCraft formula, but with a little less of the hilarious gem scaling that Chasing Shadows had.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a mix of initial enjoyment and growing frustration with the game's emotional impact, citing a grindy progression system and the removal of challenging elements that previously engaged them. This shift has led to feelings of disappointment and a diminished sense of accomplishment, particularly for those with perfectionist tendencies.

    • “The emotional weight of the story really resonated with me, making me feel deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.”
    • “I found myself genuinely moved by the choices I had to make, as they often reflected real-life dilemmas and emotions.”
    • “The game's ability to evoke such strong feelings made my experience unforgettable, leaving a lasting impact long after I finished playing.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Users express concerns that the game's monetization strategy resembles EA's approach to microtransactions, particularly highlighting the grind for endurance stones as a potential pay-to-win element.

    • “The grinding for endurance stones feels just like EA's microtransactions.”
    • “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

45hMedian play time
123hAverage play time
12-200hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

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