Gemstone Keeper

About

Gemstone Keeper is a single player arcade shooter game. It was developed by Gamepopper and was released on March 31, 2017. It received neutral reviews from players.

Gemstone Keeper is a twin stick shooter where avid explorers go down into the Cistershire Caverns, a large, dangerous and mysterious set of caves and caverns that are filled with vast amounts of rare and valuable gemstones. This game combines the quick and reactionary feel of a shooter with the exploration and decision making of classic roguelikes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 10 reviews

music3 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

The ASCII art style is visually appealing and adds a retro charm to the game.
The controls are responsive and the shooting mechanics feel smooth, making gameplay enjoyable.
There is a variety of enemy types and weapon combinations, which adds some depth to the gameplay.

The game lacks content and replayability, making it feel repetitive after a short time.
Sound design is weak, and the overall atmosphere can feel dull and unexciting.
The difficulty ramps up very gradually, which may not satisfy players looking for a challenging experience.

graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's graphics feature a distinctive ASCII art style that evokes nostalgia for classic roguelikes, appealing to fans of retro aesthetics. While some players appreciate the unique visual design and flexible graphics settings, others find the overall presentation to be somewhat out of focus and hard on the eyes. Overall, the graphics are a polarizing aspect, with enjoyment largely dependent on individual preferences for retro-inspired visuals.
- “First of all, I really loved how this game pretty much only uses ASCII symbols for its graphical design.”
- “The somber, suped-up ASCII art style is awesome and shows from the dev a particular reverence for the roguelikes that started it all.”
- “With some fun retro-inspired ASCII art graphics, and a variety of enemies & weapons.”
- “The ASCII art and faux CRT beveling lend a strong visual aesthetic, but it tends to always be a bit out of focus and hard on the eyes.”
- “Outside of the art style, the overall game design and gameplay feel is so uninteresting and unexciting for a shooter.”
- “I have no problem with the ASCII style; I enjoy it, but creating a gallery from gems of low polygon graphics isn't really worth looking at either.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is characterized by a solid foundation of rogue-lite mechanics, engaging twin-stick shooting, and appealing art style, with well-executed shooting mechanics and enemy variety. However, players have noted issues such as bugs, design flaws, and a lack of meaningful progression or content, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game offers enjoyable elements, it may not be fully polished for general release.
- “I can only recommend this game if you love the gameplay loop of rogue-lites, like twin-stick shooters, and enjoy the art style.”
- “I really liked the base gameplay mechanics and interesting enemy variety; the music is wonderful too, really gets me into the mood to delve deeper.”
- “It was nice seeing variety in level designs and mechanics, and I think the enemy mobs are cute.”
- “The shooting mechanics, enemy behaviors, weapon combinations, and art are well done and feel good, but between bugs, design failures, boring procedural generation, and just a lack of content overall, I don't think this game is ready for general consumption.”
- “I also had trouble with a lack of progression; there's nothing to spend money on since I couldn't figure out if it's possible to upgrade anything, though it seems like the mechanic is in the game.”
- “These add flavor and interest to the floors where they occur, but I must admit the pulsing effect makes me a little queasy; I understand their gameplay-altering intent, but some control over the intensity of these effects would be most welcome for sensitive players.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is highly praised for its atmospheric and polished sound design, featuring cold, ambient electronic tracks that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the dynamic tempo shifts that correspond to in-game conditions, as well as the captivating main dungeon theme, which many would enjoy listening to outside of gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack effectively immerses players in the game's environment.
- “The music is wonderful too, really gets me into the mood to delve deeper.”
- “The soundtrack sets the perfect mood and I'd totally listen to the main dungeon theme outside the game.”
- “One special detail worth noting is the tempo of the music shifts in response to a floor's current mist, turning slow and heavy when submerged or going double time when meth'd (for lack of a better term).”
- “One special detail worth noting is the tempo of the music shifts in response to a floor's current mist, turning slow and heavy when submerged or going double time when heightened.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Users express a desire for a more immersive story that enhances interest and engagement in the game.
- “The story is incredibly immersive, drawing you in and keeping you engaged throughout the entire experience.”
- “The narrative is well-crafted, with rich character development that adds depth to the gameplay.”
- “I was captivated by the twists and turns in the plot, making every moment feel significant and impactful.”
- “The story feels underdeveloped and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found the plot to be predictable and uninspired, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
- “There are interesting concepts, but the execution of the story is lacking, leaving many questions unanswered.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is highly praised for its excellent sound design, featuring polished ambient electronic music and a variety of sound effects, such as glass shatters and eerie monster noises, which collectively create an immersive and chilling experience.
- “The sound design is excellent - atmospheric and polished with cold, ambient electronic music, glassy shatters, satisfying crumbles, and squeaking monsters comprising the majority of the soundscape.”
- “The game immerses you in a hauntingly beautiful world, where every sound and visual detail contributes to an overwhelming sense of dread and wonder.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with a perfect blend of eerie silence and unsettling noises that keep you on edge throughout your journey.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game repetitive, as they often exhaust the available weapons and content by the time they reach the second boss, leading to a monotonous experience of battling through similar levels until completion.
- “There are 5 bosses, and by the time you've reached the second, you've probably bought all the weapons and seen everything the procedural generation can throw at you. Then it's just grinding through a lot of samey levels until you reach the end.”