Goblins of Elderstone
- March 8, 2023
- Outerdawn
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Goblins of Elderstone" is a city-building game that puts you in charge of a goblin tribe. Build, manage, and defend your village in a chaotic and creative way, while keeping your goblins' needs met and navigating the politics with other races. Gather and craft over 30 different resources as you rebel against the traditional grid-based city-building format. Appease the goblin gods and lead your tribe to success in this goblin tribe simulator.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The art style is charming and the goblins are adorable, creating an endearing atmosphere.
- The game features intuitive systems and mechanics that are easy to understand, making it accessible for both new and veteran players.
- The developers are actively improving the game based on player feedback, which shows dedication to enhancing the overall experience.
- The game suffers from significant AI issues, leading to goblins not performing tasks as intended, which can result in chaos and frustration.
- There are numerous bugs and crashes that disrupt gameplay, making it difficult to progress without losing progress.
- The late game becomes unmanageable as the population grows, leading to a 'death spiral' where resource demands outpace supply, causing riots and unhappiness among goblins.
- graphics52 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and endearing art style, which features cute low-poly visuals that appeal to both new and veteran players. Many reviewers appreciate the smooth performance and accessibility of the graphics, noting that they run well on a variety of systems. Despite some bugs and AI issues, the overall aesthetic and unique charm of the goblin-themed visuals contribute positively to the gameplay experience.
“The adorable aesthetic of the game gives it a unique charm, and I've enjoyed the time I've spent on the game.”
“From the opening screen, I was taken by the unique, mystical art style.”
“Overall, this game has the potential to be amazing; I love the graphics.”
“Another game with RTS graphics, a tech tree, and nothing else.”
“Well because the game wants me to care about my goblin meeples and it wants me to enjoy watching them going about their business and doing goblin things, but I can't do that; there is a total disconnection between the art style and that whole sort of voyeuristic watching my meeples thing and the underlying mechanics.”
“Do not be fooled by the child-like graphics.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally intuitive and supported by a solid tutorial, allowing players to dive in easily. However, many users express frustration with clunky mechanics, particularly regarding the population system and resource management, which can lead to frequent restarts and a sense of disconnect between the game's charming art style and its underlying mechanics. While the game offers moments of immersive decision-making and a cozy atmosphere, it currently lacks depth and variety, leaving players wanting more engaging content and clearer information about gameplay elements.
“The mechanics are intuitive for the most part, and there is a really good tutorial; you can just start playing until you exhaust yourself.”
“It is really cute, with great voice acting, and the mechanics make sense and are easy to learn.”
“Oddly cozy and relaxing - this city builder has strong mechanics and an even stronger community.”
“I've started/restarted this game dozens of times trying to get the perfect start, but in a matter of seconds, because the priorities aren't set right, you lose all your goblins and it's irrelevant because you're so far behind you may as well just restart until the clunky mechanics break your save.”
“At first, the population mechanic seems alright enough, but you will quickly run into the issue of your goblins wanting new resources over time; which normally would be fine except that new wants will appear faster than you can feasibly acquire them even on low difficulty. This is mainly due to the fact that to get these resources you need the appropriate harvesters, then processors, then distributors.”
“4 game starts and I get a bit further, but it's not the game that is challenging; it's trying to work around broken mechanics.”
- stability16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and core functionality issues that hinder gameplay. While some appreciate the developers' commitment to improvements, many feel the game is not yet ready for early access due to its persistent glitches and poorly designed menus. Overall, the experience is marred by instability, making it difficult for players to fully enjoy the game.
“Bit too buggy for me to recommend, with core functionality breaking.”
“There are the usual glitches - unfinished tooltips, a hinky navigation that gets 'stuck,' poor tutorial/explanations of roles, difficulty clicking on objects, and so on.”
“This is extremely buggy and just not good enough to be early access.”
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect has received mixed feedback, with some players expressing a desire for more impactful narrative elements related to the goblin tribe's alignment and choices. While the ability to create a custom background and make decisions adds depth and replayability, others feel that the overall story is lacking and that the reliance on AI for key tasks detracts from the experience. Overall, the foundation for an engaging story is present, but it needs further development to fully resonate with players.
“I have to say though, the story elements to it, from creating a custom background for your tribe, choosing your pantheon, and the various decisions you make give this game a great foundation and a very interesting atmosphere.”
“Story popup good replayability!”
“- story-mode, what kind of goblin-clan do you want to lead?”
“Behind infuriating, there is not a single ounce of actual story in the game so far.”
“I want more impact from the story of the goblin tribe you're starting (good, neutral, evil or trade, war, faith, etc.).”
“The automatic nature of the game forces you to rely on the AI to perform important tasks, including deity timed quests that require a specific amount of materials.”
- music12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for being fitting and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience with its relaxing qualities. However, some users note that the game can be too quiet at times, which may be an issue for streamers or players seeking a more dynamic audio environment. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's charm, its volume levels may require adjustment for optimal enjoyment.
“The music is awesome, it's a perfect fit for the experience, the buildings and the goblins have some great designs and animations, the atmosphere is top notch.”
“I can only say that your mileage may vary - with it being in early access, it's going to take time to make sure that everything runs the way it is intended, but if you enjoy cute goblins that talk ala the orc peons from Warcraft 1-3, wacky city builder games, amazing atmospheric music and have the patience for the learning curve and bugs/crashes, this game is a sure hit.”
“Sound / music also.”
“It is a cute little game, and you can see potential in what the creators are trying to make; the music is relaxing... sadly that's all.”
“The game is too quiet; if you're a streamer and you don't talk, all you (and your viewers) hear is the music.”
“Sound/music also.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its charming city-building mechanics, delightful art and sound design, and the endearing presence of goblins. Players appreciate the immersive music and the engaging story elements that enhance the overall experience, although some caution that the early access status may lead to occasional bugs and a learning curve. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it appealing to fans of whimsical city builders.
“The music is awesome, it's a perfect fit for the experience, the buildings and the goblins have some great designs and animations, the atmosphere is top notch.”
“I have to say though, the story elements to it, from creating a custom background for your tribe, choosing your pantheon, and the various decisions you make give this game a great foundation and a very interesting atmosphere.”
“Interesting city-building system, well done arts and sound, nice atmosphere and adorable goblins.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, particularly in its charming and cute presentation, featuring amusing goblins that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone, especially in the early stages of gameplay.
“Funny little city/colony builder.”
“It's kind of funny and cute in the beginning, which is a big plus.”
“The art is cool with funny goblins!”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, particularly in the later stages where resource management becomes unbalanced. The reliance on early-game resources for late-game needs leads to a cycle of dissatisfaction among characters, resulting in riots and further complications. Overall, the lack of sustainable gameplay mechanics limits the potential for long-term success, making the experience feel repetitive and ultimately unsatisfying.
“I really wanted to like this game, but it can be tedious at best and rage-inducing at worst.”
“Nothing in the game is sustainable in any way, so short games are all that's possible. Eventually, your village will run out of wood as you will have drained the entire map dry, and as there are no foresters, tree farms, or fields for farming, this game will always leave you failing with no long-term way to win.”
“I find the game very enjoyable the first few years, but for some criticism to the game developers, the later years need a bit more balancing. I find the current state of the 'voodoo' item from the voodoo hut to be too tedious to gather resources for, since it's a later game building that a lot of goblins use, but requires a very early game resource 'frog', which the majority of your goblins will just consume as food. This means that most of your goblins that want the 'voodoo' item won't be able to have it often and will be upset about not having this item, either committing murder for it and never finding it if you don't have enough or rioting.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is currently in alpha stage, leading to noticeable optimization issues, particularly midgame lag. Reviewers suggest waiting for a more refined and complete version before diving in for a smoother experience.
“Bought this when it came out and just came back to it. It's a pretty good little game, but it started lagging about mid-game for me, so I think optimization may be an issue.”
“Bought this when it came out and just came back to it. It's a pretty good little game, but it started lagging about midgame for me, so I think optimization may be an issue.”
“However, this is in alpha stage after all, so if you want a complete, optimized, and more refined game, wait till it's out of alpha.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the portrayal of goblins in the game to be emotionally uplifting, appreciating the departure from the typical trope of goblins as inherently evil. This refreshing perspective resonates positively with fans of the genre, creating a heartwarming experience.
“As an avid enjoyer of goblins, seeing a game where goblins are not default evil is heartwarming.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight that the game offers good replayability, particularly due to its engaging story elements that encourage multiple playthroughs.
“The story has great replayability!”
“The game offers excellent replay value with its engaging story!”
