Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds
- October 10, 2024
- Ocelot
- 15h median play time
In "Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds," players enter the realm of Aarde to confront an ancient entity threatening humanity. With turn-based combat inspired by classic RPGs, players must assemble a diverse party and utilize each member's unique abilities in tactical battles. The game offers a rich narrative with meaningful choices, immersing players in a meticulously designed world filled with lore and vibrant environments.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful pixel art and engaging music that evoke nostalgia while providing a fresh experience.
- Combat is robust and challenging, with a deep character customization system that allows for diverse playstyles.
- The storytelling and world-building are well-crafted, with interesting quests and a mix of dark themes and humor.
- The user interface, particularly the text font and quest markers, could use improvement for better clarity and navigation.
- Some combat mechanics feel repetitive, as enemies tend to swarm the weakest character, leading to predictable battles.
- There are a few bugs and quality of life issues, such as the lack of a quicksave feature and limited character creation options.
- story80 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by a dark and brooding atmosphere, infused with humor that maintains immersion without detracting from the overall tone. Players appreciate the rich lore, engaging character interactions, and the potential for branching storylines, although some express a desire for improved quest tracking and voice acting in future updates. Overall, the narrative is compelling and well-crafted, making it a strong draw for fans of story-driven RPGs.
“The story is rich with lore, and you can tell a lot of thought went into creating a setting that feels alive.”
“Interactions between characters seem genuine; the situation the heroes find themselves in is intriguing and the quests aren't a chore but are fun and make sense in the context.”
“The streamlined game progression kept the story rolling at a nice and consistent pace and yet there were always lots of side quests and things to do besides the primary missions.”
“I think it'd be best to increase the drama and perhaps have them be more involved with the story besides rare objections.”
“And I thought the dialog options in the game felt as though they had little impact on the story or things that happened in the game.”
“My first playthrough was a bit rough, because it was tricky to keep track of all the quests and unlocked locations.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art style, stunning detail, and charming animations, making it visually appealing and enjoyable. While some players initially found the graphics challenging to adjust to, the modern rendering techniques enhance the overall experience, although there are calls for better adaptation to larger screens. Overall, the art style and visual presentation contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
“The pixel graphics are lovely.”
“It has beautiful pixel-art visuals, in both maps, items and characters with every movement/action/skill having their own animation.”
“The level of detail in the graphics is stunning, especially for a game that uses pixel art.”
“The locations are beautiful, although it took me some time to get used to the graphics, and I feel a constant urge to zoom out.”
“One thing is a must: adapt the graphics for big screens. Knowing this is a game where you are going to spend a lot of time reading, the pixel graphics should be smoother for larger screens and resolutions.”
“Standard CRPG, just with pixel graphics.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its streamlined design and meticulous attention to detail, offering a deep and challenging experience reminiscent of classic RPGs like Divinity: Original Sin 2. Players appreciate the integration of exploration mechanics, such as treasure hints from notes, and express a desire for more cooking recipes to enhance strategic elements in battles. Overall, the game combines engaging combat with varied mechanics, promising a rich and immersive experience.
“Fantastic personality, incredible attention to detail, deep gameplay that is challenging and feels honest.”
“I really like the use of the notes you find around the world for hints at hidden buried treasure (good use of the digging mechanic).”
“A lot of the same gameplay mechanics.”
“Recipes: I really hope we get more recipes and that they become an important part of the gameplay, as in you need to actually cook things to make battles less challenging instead of just hoarding a bunch of crafting items and never using them, which takes me to my last issue.”
“Very streamlined gameplay throughout with obvious attention to every detail.”
- music20 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to evoke nostalgia for classic titles like Suikoden and Final Fantasy. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a key element that enhances the immersive experience, complementing the game's art and storytelling. Overall, the music is described as catchy, pleasant, and integral to the game's rich atmosphere.
“The music is absolutely beautiful, bringing my brain back to such classic games as Suikoden and the mainline Final Fantasy franchise.”
“The world feels fleshed out and the music is great.”
“Artistic direction, narration, and music: all these elements blend together seamlessly.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-balanced, providing levity amidst a dark and brutal narrative without disrupting immersion. Players appreciate the clever writing, engaging dialogues, and amusing item descriptions, which contribute to a fun experience without being overwhelming. Overall, the humor enhances the game's lore and character development.
“The descriptions of some items and objects are pretty funny.”
“Humor in this game is actually funny and not overbearing.”
“Well thought-out lore and characters, good dialogues, just the right amount of humor, engaging combat, all interesting quests... there is much to appreciate here.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight the impressive pixel art and HD character design, emphasizing the strong customization options that enhance character development. Players appreciate the depth and variety in personalizing their characters, contributing to a more engaging gameplay experience.
“Customization and character development”
“Customization and character development”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
“I was disappointed by the limited options for customization and character growth.”
“The characters don't evolve in a way that feels rewarding or engaging.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report smooth performance.
“Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly noting that combat encounters on normal difficulty often last 2-5 rounds, leading to a repetitive experience.
“On normal difficulty, my combats were typically 2-5 rounds, which seemed a bit tedious.”