Heroine's Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok

About

In "Heroine's Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok," players control a newly appointed Norse heroine on a mission to prevent Ragnarok, the end of the world. The game features puzzle-solving, character customization, and choice-driven dialogue in a charming pixel art style. Players will journey through various environments, battling mythical creatures and making decisions that impact the story's outcome.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Heroine's Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok screenshot

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 826 reviews

story189 positive mentions

grinding11 negative mentions

A nostalgic homage to the Quest for Glory series, capturing the charm and humor of classic adventure games.
Engaging gameplay with multiple character classes, each offering different approaches to puzzles and quests.
High production values for a free game, including fully voiced characters, beautiful pixel art, and a captivating soundtrack.

The survival mechanics can be frustrating, as players must manage hunger and cold, which may hinder exploration.
Some puzzles can be obscure or illogical, leading to potential frustration without a guide.
Combat mechanics may feel simplistic or clunky, detracting from the overall experience for some players.

story
665 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
70%
2%
The story of "Heroine's Quest" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, which draws heavily from Norse mythology while maintaining a nostalgic connection to the classic "Quest for Glory" series. Players appreciate the well-developed characters, humor, and the multiple class system that allows for varied gameplay experiences and story outcomes. While some critiques mention the dialogue can be lengthy and occasionally meandering, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully captures the charm and spirit of old-school adventure games, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.
- “Heroine's Quest is a fantastic epic adventure/rpg hybrid with excellent artwork, writing, music, and voice acting.”
- “The story is well crafted and engaging, not to mention delightfully humorous at times and the Sierra adventure game-like style is pulled off perfectly, blending the old and new together seamlessly.”
- “This game is a wonderful act of love full of adventure, puzzles that make you think, beautiful graphics, great voice acting, and an excellent story.”
- “It's like a Quest for Glory game from the 90s, but without any of the humor or charm.”
- “The story is somewhat generic for this type of game, but I like that it doesn't hold your hand too much, and you are free to do what you want.”
- “Where Quest for Glory was your story, this game is set on telling its own story and forces you to take part in it.”
gameplay
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
67%
5%
The gameplay of this game is a nostalgic homage to classic adventure titles, particularly the Quest for Glory series, featuring a blend of RPG mechanics, intuitive controls, and engaging puzzles. Players can choose from different character classes, each offering unique gameplay experiences and replayability, while survival elements like hunger and cold add depth and challenge. Overall, the game successfully combines old-school charm with modern design sensibilities, making it accessible for both veterans and newcomers to the genre.
- “The various mechanics all work well - like combat, building up your skills, etc. The game has a strong emphasis on basic survival, such as finding food and money, which creates some interesting challenges.”
- “The game offers a lot of options for gameplay, beyond the three classes of character--fighter, mage, rogue--most of the puzzles have multiple solutions and whole sections of the game are only accessible based on your class, adding to the replayability.”
- “Great mix of adventure and RPG gameplay mechanics that is really a gift from Screen 7 to the fans of old-school games.”
- “The only flaw is the inconsistent and rather repetitive gameplay, that may also be another charm for some.”
- “When you start, it's almost impossible to explore, fight or develop skills due to the starvation and freezing mechanics.”
- “If there were more things you could do early on to mitigate the cold and source food that might be fun, but it's something you're really stuck having to endure and awkwardly work around on your first week or so of gameplay.”
graphics
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming retro aesthetic, reminiscent of classic 90s pixel art, which appeals to fans of old-school adventure games. While some reviews note that the environments can appear primitive and uneven compared to modern standards, many players appreciate the nostalgic visuals and the overall artistic quality, considering them a fitting tribute to the genre. Overall, the graphics evoke a sense of nostalgia and are well-received by those who enjoy the pixelated style, despite some criticisms regarding their simplicity.
- “The graphics, music, and voice acting are all reminiscent of the highest quality adventure games from the 90's.”
- “The pixel graphics are a nice touch with each sprite, backdrop, and portrait boasting talent in abundance.”
- “The graphics pop with fun colors, without giving you a headache, and the music and sounds are done in such a way as not to drive you nuts.”
- “The graphics are uneven; the character portraits are generally excellent, but the environments look primitive even for a 256-color game.”
- “I had serious reservations about playing this game because of the apparent very old-style ugly graphics.”
- “I'm sure the graphics will make most new players stay away from this game.”
music
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
28%
4%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its charm, fitting atmosphere, and nostalgic quality reminiscent of classic adventure games. While some noted occasional repetitiveness, the soundtrack is generally described as excellent, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the game's visuals and story. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack is excellent and perfectly fits both the Norse setting and the classic adventure game aesthetic.”
- “The music is whimsical and charming.”
- “The game contains superb music and dialogues, mostly voice acted along with nicely done character portraits.”
- “The only good thing I can say about the game is you can shut off the awful music.”
- “I didn't like this game enough to keep it and now I can't get all of its data (including a music list) deleted, which adds to my disinterest in this game.”
- “Cept it keeps glitching out and sometimes the music or voices start fuzzing, and characters take about 30 seconds to move.”
humor
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers noting its clever writing, witty dialogues, and nostalgic references to classic titles like the Quest for Glory series. Players appreciate the blend of quirky humor, engaging characters, and entertaining easter eggs that enhance the overall experience, making it both charming and fun. While some feel the humor may not reach the heights of its inspirations, it still delivers plenty of laughs and enjoyable moments throughout the gameplay.
- “This game is truly a love letter to the King's Quest franchise--the sense of humor is spot on, with Monty Python references echoing the snark of the narrator.”
- “The voice acting alone had me sold on these characters being alive, and the writing is clever and full of humor to keep me amused and wanting to speak to each villager and monster thoroughly.”
- “The humor alone is worth your time, and it's free so you can't go wrong.”
replayability
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
41%
8%
The game boasts high replayability due to its three distinct character classes—fighter, mage, and rogue—each offering unique gameplay styles and multiple solutions to puzzles. Players can explore various routes and side quests, enhancing the experience and encouraging multiple playthroughs, especially for those seeking to unlock all achievements. Overall, the combination of varied gameplay options and engaging storytelling contributes to its substantial replay value.
- “The game offers a lot of options for gameplay, beyond the three classes of character--fighter, mage, rogue--most of the puzzles have multiple solutions and whole sections of the game are only accessible based on your class, adding to the replayability.”
- “Three classes with different playstyles bring good replayability, providing more than a hundred hours of gameplay (especially if you’re after some of the harder-to-get achievements).”
- “I can see some replay value in it, but it's the kind of game that you replay maybe once a year, not right away several times, so those missing Steam achievements are really eating away at the back of my mind.”
- “Granted in early King's Quest games, the storylines were all very simple and focused more on puzzle solving and exploration, but still, Heroine's Quest will leave you wanting more, and there's a big replayability factor so that you can choose a different class to play as, and each class shapes the story a bit differently and brings about a different playthrough while keeping the basic storyline at its core.”
- “There is a lot of replayability as you can solve the puzzles in many different ways depending on what you do and what class you play.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
7%
73%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming. Some describe it as a long, monotonous grind that detracts from the overall experience, while others note that it can be manageable if approached strategically. Overall, the consensus suggests that while grinding is present, its impact varies depending on player expectations and playstyle.
- “It's like exploring the world, not grinding, and it's a crime to have this free.”
- “A bit grindy at times, but it adds to the overall experience.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding, but it's worth it for the rewards.”
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “This is exceptionally tedious, especially against one particular foe that constantly turns to stone when low on health.”
- “In very first hours, players can get access to an unlimited amount of food, and all this 'surviving' quickly turns into a tedious and boring process: 'once again, travel to the city just to sleep and eat.' It is just a waste of time.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The game's atmosphere is described as both nostalgic and immersive, effectively capturing a retro, fantasy vibe reminiscent of the 90s. Players appreciate the combination of engaging music, sound effects, and quirky characters that enhance the overall experience, although some find the winter setting challenging at first. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its ability to evoke emotions and support the game's storytelling and gameplay.
- “Very atmospheric.”
- “The music and sound effects are crisp and enjoyable and fit the atmosphere of the current screen well.”
- “An atmospheric backdrop makes this game really come alive - with quirky characters and great music to accompany you on your adventures through the winter tundra and beyond.”
- “It inspires a sad atmosphere a little (I don’t know, Skyrim also affected me).”
- “I am a big believer that things change, and trying to re-create the atmosphere of the 90s is a bit of a futile effort.”
- “The game has a quite simple story, but it keeps you engaged with its lively atmosphere and decent characters.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game features a completely free monetization model, with no downloadable content, microtransactions, or in-game purchases, ensuring players can enjoy the full experience without any financial barriers or cash grabs.
- “No in-game purchases, no begging for cash, no nothing.”
- “This game is 100% free, no microtransactions, nothing.”
- “Well for one it's awesome and second off it's completely free, it doesn't have microtransactions or game-breaking cash shops or anything; it's the full game for free!”
- “There is no microtransactions of any kind.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its powerful soundtrack, which enhances both intense combat and poignant moments, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia and connection to classic adventure games. Players feel deeply engaged in the journey, reminiscent of their childhood experiences with fantasy narratives, making it a heartfelt recommendation for fans of the genre.
- “There is a cool soundtrack which can inspire any Viking to enter a berserker rage during combat, or shed a tear during a sad scene.”
- “A heartfelt tribute to the mythical quest for glory games.”
- “This game reminded me of the kind of games that I first started out playing as a kid... the kind that made me feel like I was stepping into the pages of an adventure and/or fantasy book, where the journey itself was everything!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with players noting that it runs smoothly on modern computers. While some users suggest alternative input methods for a better experience, the game's visuals and audio quality are praised, indicating that the optimization does not detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Players are treated to glorious 2D art, fully voiced characters with commendable performances, beautifully orchestrated score, and superb writing, world-building, and overall game design.”
- “Excellent quest-for-glory ripoff that runs smoothly on a modern computer.”
- “I was going to suggest using a wireless mouse and keyboard and playing from a few meters away, or using Steam Link, even though it's not optimized for this game. However, after playing for a while and turning on the smooth scaled sprites option, I kind of got used to it.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The Quest for Glory series combines adventure gameplay with RPG-style character development, featuring a unique cast and steady character growth. Players appreciate the intriguing storylines and subtle dialogue that enhance the experience, although the expansive map can sometimes lead to confusion about progression.
- “It's a point and click adventure game with an RPG style of character development.”
- “It is strong on having a unique cast of characters with good, steady character development, intriguing storylines, and subtle dialogue in spots, that if missed may have you wondering what to do next.”
- “The quest for glory series by Sierra were basically adventure games with RPG character development and combat tacked on.”
- “The Quest for Glory series by Sierra were basically adventure games with RPG character development and combat tacked on.”
- “It's a point-and-click adventure game with an RPG style of character development.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, though players have noted occasional bugs and glitches that can be mildly annoying. Combat may feel somewhat clunky at times, but these issues do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The only faults I can see are that there can be a little too much talking (which is easily skippable), especially toward the beginning of the game. The combat can be a tad clunky at times, and there are some bugs and glitches in the game that can be slightly annoying but never greatly impede the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “Maybe Valve is buggy?”