Gravethorn

About

Gravethorn is a single player role playing game with fantasy, dark fantasy and violence themes. It was developed by Volviir and was released on February 3, 2026. It received very positive reviews from players.

An ancient curse has spread its malignant thorns across every living soul, shattering the fragile balance between hope and despair. Awaken as the Inquisitor—a solitary wanderer marked by the roots—and step into a realm where the echoes of forgotten legends merge with the relentless grip of darkness. Embark on an epic journey through a non-linear world where decaying temples, spectral forests, and…

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93%Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

story10 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Engaging and mysterious story with multiple endings and meaningful player choices.
Challenging but fair combat system, featuring fluid movement, satisfying parries inspired by Bloodborne, and diverse build customization options with sigils, trinkets, and mutations.
Well-designed interconnected metroidvania world with intuitive map system that includes notes and quest tracking, enhancing exploration and reducing backtracking frustration.

Presence of bugs and technical issues including crashes, invisible dialogue choices, enemy spawning problems, and occasional camera glitches.
Fast travel system is costly and its price increases over time, which some players find frustrating and grind-inducing.
Platforming and some gameplay mechanics like ledge grabs and parrying timing can feel imprecise or clunky, occasionally affecting the overall fluidity of experience.

story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
52%
11%
The story is praised for its engaging, dark, and atmospheric narrative that complements the gameplay and art style, though some find it cryptic and requiring multiple playthroughs to fully grasp due to missable quests and subtle story elements. Player decisions significantly impact the plot and lead to multiple endings, adding depth and replayability. While not universally seen as groundbreaking, the story is considered a strong highlight, especially for fans of dark, souls-like metroidvania games.
- “Phenomenal story, art, progression, and story.”
- “Your decisions matter in the story and that's all I will say.”
- “There are also many unique story elements in the game that are quite hard to discover, but once found they add a very different atmosphere to the experience.”
- “Some of the missable quests could do a much better job letting the player know that their choices have permanent consequences that will necessitate an additional playthrough.”
- “The story is meh.”
- “Unfortunately, this is still true: had a number of unpleasant bugs on a second playthrough, including issues related to quest dialogue.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The gameplay is engaging, responsive, and well-paced, offering enjoyable combat with memorable bosses that provide varied challenges. Its fun and addictive nature keeps players invested, complemented by solid mechanics and thoughtful progression. Overall, it delivers a satisfying experience comparable to similar titles in the genre.
- “For a solo dev soulsvania game, it has solid artwork, atmosphere, gameplay, and storytelling.”
- “The bosses are fun to fight, and their moves are often easy to memorize, so you'll have them beat after a few tries. Nonetheless, the game is engaging and tempting enough to keep you playing - I played for 5 hours straight after purchase, which speaks to the game's fun and addicting gameplay.”
- “The game does a good job of introducing mechanics to you at a steady pace, and bosses will test you in different ways.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's graphics feature solid, atmospheric artwork that effectively complements its dark, gritty storytelling, reminiscent of Bloodborne and Souls-like aesthetics in a 2D metroidvania style. Fans appreciate the satisfying visuals that enhance the overall immersive experience.
- “For a solo dev soulsvania game, it has solid artwork, atmosphere, gameplay, and storytelling.”
- “I bought the game after I read the reviews and was intrigued by the visuals and setting.”
- “Would recommend if you’re into the dark aesthetic of Bloodborne and souls-likes embodied in a 2D metroidvania styled game with a great story!”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game's atmosphere is thick, moody, and immersive, with a consistently grim and dark tone throughout. While some levels feel similar, unique and hidden story elements enhance the overall atmosphere, adding depth and variety to the experience.
- “For a solo dev Soulsvania game, it's got solid artwork, atmosphere, gameplay, and storytelling.”
- “The atmosphere is thick, moody, and immersive.”
- “There are also many unique story elements in the game that are quite hard to discover, but once found they add a very different atmosphere to the experience.”
- “The atmosphere feels the same in almost every level.”
- “Atmosphere is really grim and dark.”
- “For a solo dev Soulsvania game, it's got solid artwork and atmosphere.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Grinding is minimized and integrated smoothly into gameplay, with no stamina constraints or traditional stat progression, making backtracking enjoyable through a well-connected world filled with secrets and shortcuts. Challenges require skill rather than overpowering through upgrades.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game is generally perceived as unremarkable and lacking personality, with some players finding it boring. Additionally, the use of AI for music and voice acting contributes to a less engaging auditory experience.
- “I also didn't mention the fact that they used AI for the voice acting and music.”
- “The music, whenever you do hear it, feels boring.”
- “There's no personality to the music at all.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers performance that exceeds expectations for its price, though users hope for further fixes and optimization improvements in the future.
- “Overall, it delivers a performance above expectations for its price.”
- “Would love to see more fixes and optimization in the future.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers a fun and engaging experience as a spiritual successor to titles like Blasphemous and Last Faith, but it is noted to have some bugs affecting stability. Despite this, its low price makes it a worthwhile purchase.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the character design, noting it is well-crafted and visually appealing, though they mention the pixel art lacks the detailed close-up quality seen in some other games. Overall, character development through visuals is solid, especially in backgrounds and general design.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the game's replayability to be engaging and entertaining, suggesting it offers lasting enjoyment and encourages multiple playthroughs.