Hieroglyphika
- February 3, 2016
- M. Hanka
- 50h median play time
Get on Steam"Hieroglyphika is a single-player, turn-based strategy game featuring compelling graphics and phenomenal music. Players decipher hieroglyphs to learn spells and understand artifacts while navigating an ancient Egyptian pyramid filled with traps and monsters. With no hand-holding, players must explore and figure out the rules and mechanics on their own."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique mechanic of using pictograms instead of text, adding depth and a sense of discovery to gameplay.
- The art design and music are praised for their quality, creating an engaging atmosphere.
- The game offers a challenging experience that rewards strategic thinking and learning enemy patterns, appealing to fans of difficult roguelikes.
- The game suffers from extremely slow turn speeds, with each enemy taking a long time to complete their actions, which can lead to frustration.
- Balancing issues and a steep learning curve can make the game feel unfair at times, leading to frequent deaths that may discourage players.
- The lack of clear instructions or tutorials can leave players confused about mechanics and item effects, making the initial experience frustrating.
- gameplay48 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a turn-based dungeon crawler heavily inspired by the Legend of Zelda, featuring a top-down perspective, traps, and environmental interactions that require players to learn patterns and mechanics over time. While the game offers unique mechanics and a sense of achievement, it is criticized for its punishing difficulty, long AI turns, and lack of progress between playthroughs, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall enjoyment and balance. Despite its aesthetic appeal and innovative use of pictograms, many players find the gameplay frustrating and in need of refinement.
“A fascinating turn-based dungeon crawler that is a delightful mystery, communicating complex mechanics via a few symbols and observation of the environment.”
“That sense of satisfaction after quite a bit of 'suffering' was totally worth it, and gave me something other games may lack: a sense of pride of achievement and enjoyment at being able to master this game's mechanics.”
“The fact that there is nothing written adds depth to the gameplay and makes you feel like you're discovering and identifying the items and enemies you encounter.”
“Great aesthetics, but horrible gameplay.”
“There is no sense of progress in this game, since nothing carries over from play to play, and the content/gameplay is only slightly more advanced than a freebie like Minesweeper.”
“This game could be really awesome if the author spent more time working on the gameplay.”
- music20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its quality and atmospheric qualities, particularly the nostalgic FM synthesis sound. However, some players feel that the music can become repetitive quickly and express a desire for more variety and background tracks. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, there are notable calls for improvement in its quantity and diversity.
“Lovely ambient music.”
“This is a mad game, old skool gaming values at their best, and the music is absolute FM synthesis heaven!”
“The music and art were fantastic, as well.”
“The music gets old really fast, but otherwise it's pretty fun.”
“Also, the music is mediocre at best.”
“The lack of moving animations is a letdown, but I am more disappointed there isn't more background music in the game.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stylish and artistic design, particularly the ancient Egyptian aesthetic and clever use of pictograms. Many reviewers highlight the impressive artwork and overall visual appeal, although some note that the high system requirements seem excessive for the game's static sprites. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, despite mixed opinions on gameplay.
“First, the graphics are wonderfully stylized, and I thought the use of pictograms explaining how everything works was really clever given the theme.”
“This game has some of the coolest artwork I have ever seen.”
“Artistically speaking, Hieroglyika is brilliant, the stylish medium-res graphics setting a mysterious and sinister tone.”
“As for the graphics: just look at the screenshots and form your own opinion.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers a substantial amount of gameplay, with over 50 hours of content and various replayability options, but it lacks the addictive quality and rogue-like elements that typically enhance replay value in traditional roguelikes. Overall, while it provides options for replaying, it may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.
“It offers numerous replayability options and probably over 50 hours of gameplay before getting bored.”
“It's not addictive; it has no rogue-like replayability.”
“I'm not sure if it has the replay value of a traditional roguelike.”
“It offers numerous replayability options and probably over 50 hours of gameplay before becoming boring.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized for causing significant performance issues, leading to a stuttering experience that detracts from overall enjoyment. Players find these technical shortcomings frustrating and detrimental to gameplay.
“This doesn't make things fun; it's just annoying and makes the game feel like a stuttering video in game format.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, particularly in relation to farming cards, leading some to abandon the game entirely.
“I ended up farming cards and deleting the game for good.”
“I found the grinding to be tedious and unfulfilling.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding made me lose interest quickly.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the emotional impact of the game, noting a strong sense of "pride and accomplishment" stemming from its challenging gameplay and high skill cap. This combination creates a unique emotional experience that is often rare in the roguelike genre.
“This is one of the rarest roguelike games in existence that has such a high skill cap and made me feel 'pride and accomplishment'.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the quality of the music as a significant contributor to the overall experience. The combination of engaging soundscapes and immersive ambiance creates a captivating environment for players.
“The game features an incredible soundtrack that perfectly complements its immersive atmosphere.”
“The combination of good music and a captivating atmosphere creates an unforgettable gaming experience.”
“The atmosphere is enhanced by the stunning visuals and the hauntingly beautiful music.”
