Heroes of a Broken Land

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 294 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
Heroes of a Broken Land Game Cover
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"Heroes of a Broken Land" is a turn-based strategy RPG where players must reclaim a shattered world. Recruit teams of heroes, explore randomly generated dungeons, and rebuild ruined towns to expand your territory. The game features tactical combat, town management, and a variety of quests to complete. With multiple factions, persistent world effects, and a wide range of customization options, every playthrough is unique.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 294 reviews
gameplay22 positive mentions
graphics22 negative mentions
  • Engaging mix of dungeon crawling and town management, providing a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic RPGs.
  • Highly customizable gameplay with options for world size, difficulty, and character progression, allowing for a tailored experience.
  • Addictive and fun, with a satisfying loop of exploration, combat, and loot collection that keeps players coming back.
  • Repetitive gameplay with limited enemy variety and dungeon design, leading to potential boredom over extended play sessions.
  • Clunky user interface and inventory management that can detract from the overall experience.
  • Graphics and sound design are dated, which may not appeal to all players, especially those seeking modern aesthetics.
  • graphics106 mentions

    The graphics of "Heroes of a Broken Land" are characterized as retro and simplistic, often evoking nostalgia for classic dungeon crawlers, though they are frequently described as dated and lacking in detail. While some players appreciate the charming aesthetics and functional design, others criticize the small and cutesy enemy models, poor UI, and uneven visual quality, particularly in combat effects. Overall, the visuals are seen as adequate for the gameplay experience, appealing primarily to fans of old-school graphics rather than those seeking modern graphical fidelity.

    • “However, the aesthetics and the art direction of the game are more striking.”
    • “I love the retro-style graphics; while I often sigh at games that jump on the retro bandwagon, it really does suit this game's tone as an old-style dungeon crawler, like the early Elder Scrolls games or Heroes of Might and Magic.”
    • “It has a simplistic interface, graphics, and sounds, but the developer has taken care to effectively implement these elements to create a charming, rather than crude experience.”
    • “If a game has a way to underwhelm you with visuals and setting, it has to be how this game throws you into a barren 'town' where nothing but puke-green grass exists with an ugly avatar statue of your god in the middle.”
    • “Ignoring the ugly puke-green world you'd be staring at, blurry low-res art blown up on screen, the game suddenly switches to a 3D dungeon experience that doesn't match the art style of the overworld map.”
    • “The graphics are from 1995, the music is repetitive, the gameplay is super simple, and it's so easy to raise dead characters that permadeath is more of a suggestion than a gameplay feature.”
  • gameplay78 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a satisfying progression system where adventurers grow in strength and players learn about various monsters, promising hundreds of hours of engaging dungeon crawling and town management. While the mechanics are smooth and the combat intuitive, some players note a lack of variety in enemy types and repetitive elements that can lead to a sense of monotony. Overall, the game successfully blends turn-based dungeon crawling with overworld exploration, offering a solid and addictive experience despite its dated graphics and minimal attention to other game aspects.

    • “That your adventurers growing in strength, as well as your own understanding of different monsters, make for a satisfying gameplay progression.”
    • “It promised hundreds of hours of dungeon crawling action plus town management and potentially endless gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay is nice and quick, combat is intuitive, and the system of learning more about enemy weaknesses as you fight them is natural.”
    • “Unfortunately, you can't carry over anything between worlds/saves in normal gameplay, though it's easy to edit the save files if you want to do a kind of NG+ of your own.”
    • “The basic elements upon which the procedural gameplay is based aren't terribly varied, so at a certain point, it's a little 'you've seen one thing, you've seen them all' repetitious.”
    • “This is one of those games where the underlying game mechanics are a developer's passion project, but while those are good, there are all the other parts of the game that have received minimal attention.”
  • story56 mentions

    The game's story is minimal and often feels generic, serving primarily as a backdrop for combat and exploration rather than a driving force. Players can engage in various quests and manage multiple parties, but the lack of character depth and narrative complexity leaves many feeling that the experience is more about grinding and loot collection than meaningful storytelling. While there are occasional choices and some unique dungeons, the overall narrative engagement is limited, making it suitable for those seeking straightforward gameplay rather than a rich story.

    • “You can do your best, but your quest will never end; the council will struggle for eternity to make amends, but they can never undo what was done.”
    • “It also has a generic plot, but the difference is that the game feels like an adventure, where you explore, learn, and get stronger while doing various side quests before dealing with the bigger ones.”
    • “Very simple to pick up and play, and with what looks to be a very interesting story, I'm probably going to be playing this all night.”
    • “There's not much story here, but it's perfect for when you just want to kill some monsters, gain some experience, and grab some loot without spending too much energy on brain activity.”
    • “So these heroes you buy have no backstory, have no personality, and have no stake because they keep coming the more you play.”
    • “The quests feel really aimless; all the dungeons are unique but it's all kind of the same. There is no skill involved in this game; it's just a grind fest to get better levels than your enemy.”
  • grinding48 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, especially in larger worlds and higher difficulties, leading to a sense of monotony in gameplay. While some players appreciate the fast loading times and the ability to play in short bursts, many find the inventory management and dungeon crawling mechanics cumbersome and unenjoyable. Overall, the game is seen as heavily grindy, with a mix of fun elements overshadowed by its repetitive nature.

    • “The game is grindy and will be repetitive.”
    • “I was over-leveled and it still took me 3-4 tedious hours.”
    • “Winged Pixel managed to distill the absolute worst aspects of dungeon crawling, city management, and character building into one of the most hideous, grindy, repetitive, boring, and otherwise unpleasant games I've ever suffered through.”
  • music44 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to create a melancholic atmosphere, with a soothing piano soundtrack that enhances the emotional depth of the experience. However, many reviewers criticize the limited variety, noting that the repetitive nature of the tracks, especially in longer gameplay segments, detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some find the music lovely and fitting, others feel it lacks sufficient diversity and can become monotonous.

    • “As for the audio, the music reinforces the melancholic atmosphere, and this pervading sense of loss and longing for the world that was.”
    • “I’ll be honest – I love everything about this game: old-school graphics, gameplay, the high randomization, the blending of genres, and the gorgeous piano soundtrack.”
    • “The music is also very soothing yet yearning, which adds to the feeling of being in a small group standing against a dangerous world.”
    • “It is especially egregious for the final dungeon because you are there for a while, and it only has a single song looping infinitely.”
    • “The only thing I dislike about the game is the music; it is bad, and every 3 minutes there is a break and the music starts again. This is really disturbing; hopefully, the developer will fix it with an endless song or a better alternative.”
    • “I found the music limiting; I want more tracks and more variety in music.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability thanks to its procedural generation, offering randomly created worlds, towns, and dungeons that keep players engaged for hours. Users consistently highlight the almost limitless variety, making it easy to return for another playthrough.

    • “Everything is randomly generated, so it has almost unlimited replayability.”
    • “Replayability is excellent, with fully randomized worlds, town types, dungeons, caves, towers, etc. You keep getting drawn back in for another game. Hour... what do you mean it's 4 AM?”
    • “High replay value due to the procedural generation.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere is characterized by a melancholic tone, enhanced by music that evokes feelings of loss and nostalgia, particularly resonating with older gamers who appreciate this emotional depth.

    • “The music reinforces the melancholic atmosphere, creating a pervading sense of loss and longing for the world that was.”
    • “Especially if you're an older gamer like me, this atmosphere evokes a strong sense of nostalgia.”
    • “As for the audio… the music reinforces the melancholic atmosphere, and this pervading sense of loss and longing for the world that was.”
    • “Especially if you're an older gamer like me that gets some nostalgia from this kind of atmosphere.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its nostalgic elements and engaging gameplay that evokes fond memories. The combination of turn-based mechanics and a forgiving learning curve contributes to a satisfying experience, making it a fulfilling choice for fans of the genre.

  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in Hobl is subtle and avoids the cheesy or immersion-breaking elements often found in games with similar graphics. Instead, it maintains a serious tone, allowing players to engage with the game without being distracted by forced comedic moments.

    • “Don't let the funny-looking graphics fool you.”
    • “The graphics look dated, but unlike most new games with a graphical approach like this, Hobl takes itself seriously and doesn't hit you with immersion-breaking cheesy humor or lame mechanics.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Overall, the game runs smoothly and offers enjoyable gameplay, though initial character generation and some user interface elements are considered weak and finicky.

    • “The game runs smoothly, and the gameplay is fun.”
    • “The initial character generation is a bit weak, but aside from that, the game runs smoothly.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

107hMedian play time
262hAverage play time
80-600hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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