Hinterland
- September 30, 2008
- Tilted Mill Entertainment, Inc.
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Hinterland" is a single-player Real Time Strategy game with good mechanics and around 10 hours of playtime. Players can choose to be an Orc Lord or Shaman, each with unique abilities and resource management. The game also features party-based RPG combat, town building, and character customization through leveling and loot. The goal is to build a prosperous settlement and tame the wild Hinterland.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique blend of action RPG and town management that offers a refreshing gameplay experience.
- Fun and addictive, with decent replayability and a variety of character classes to choose from.
- Provides a casual gaming experience that can be enjoyed in short bursts, making it a good time-killer.
- Outdated graphics and clunky controls detract from the overall experience.
- Gameplay lacks depth and can feel repetitive, with limited mechanics and a simplistic economy.
- The game suffers from balance issues and a confusing interface, making it frustrating at times.
- gameplay62 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of casual and arcade elements, featuring a Diablo-inspired combat system combined with town-building mechanics, which some players find enjoyable despite its lack of depth and polish. While it offers a solid few hours of fun, many reviews note that the game suffers from poor graphics, clunky controls, and a lack of proper tutorials, making it less appealing for those seeking extensive content or complexity. Overall, it is recommended for casual play rather than long-term engagement, with some players appreciating its unique charm despite its shortcomings.
“The game designers have given us the best of the genre's gameplay: fast action, a smidgen of strategy, and lots of loot.”
“It runs smooth, the gameplay is casual and it's a good game to just chill out with for a few hours.”
“The gameplay is basically Diablo, except instead of continually reinvesting your gains in yourself directly, you invest in improving your town, which in turn has benefits for you.”
“The graphics are basic, there isn't much depth of gameplay and there is no story.”
“The lack of any sort of proper tutorial or explanation of the various game mechanics is also something that severely hurts your experience, forcing you to guess at how things work along the way.”
“It's odd - Hinterland isn't the most polished game, and its Diablo-inspired gameplay is not particularly deep (there are no branching paths of character powers, for instance).”
- replayability34 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while it features randomly generated worlds, various character classes, and different difficulty levels that can enhance replay value, many players find it ultimately limited and lacking depth. Some enjoy the challenge and variety, suggesting it can be a fun time-killer, but others feel that after a few playthroughs, the experience becomes repetitive and doesn't warrant extended playtime. Overall, while there are elements that promote replayability, the consensus is that it may not sustain long-term interest.
“Lots of replay value with all the different character classes and difficulty options.”
“The game has massive replayability to it.”
“This game offers replay value as you try the different difficulty levels and different starting options and paths to victory.”
“Sure, there'll be different heroes with different abilities to choose from at the beginning of the game (Orc Lords 'expansion', which adds more playable characters is included for free in Steam version) and replayability was supposed to be there too, but it's just so... tiny and limited that... it's really hard to care.”
“Again, not a long game, has a little replayability, but overall I can't imagine putting more than 20-30 hours at most into it.”
“As it is, it just doesn't have the polish, replayability, and features to recommend.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and basic, with many reviewers describing them as "ugly" and reminiscent of older titles like Diablo 2. While not impressive, the visuals are functional enough to convey gameplay elements without causing significant distraction. Overall, the graphics fit within the indie category, serving their purpose despite lacking depth and sophistication.
“The graphics, while not amazing, are certainly good enough to be able to tell what everything is without much pausing and studying.”
“Not the most advanced graphics, but a nice game.”
“Graphically and sound-wise the game fits squarely in the indie category, nothing impressive but functional enough that it doesn't bother you too much.”
“The graphics are really ugly.”
“The graphics are visibly of bargain-basement quality (as you can see from the screenshots).”
“Some things can be excused (poor graphics) but other elements such as certain gameplay and user interface design choices are just bizarre.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as basic and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it does not feature a thrilling or sophisticated narrative. Despite its shortcomings in storytelling and graphics, players find themselves drawn back to the game, enjoying the mechanics of recruiting townsfolk and engaging in simple quests. Overall, the story is not a strong point, but it serves as a backdrop for the gameplay experience.
“It doesn't have the greatest graphics, or a thrilling storyline, but I keep coming back to it time and time again.”
“Recruit townsfolk to move in and work their business or have them quest with you.”
“The graphics are basic, there isn't much depth of gameplay and there is no story.”
“Do not expect deep storylines or sophisticated combat systems; it is all fairly basic in many respects.”
“A company with one heck of an unlucky story.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely regarded as extremely funny, with humor stemming from its quirky gameplay and amusing character designs, such as townies contributing to scores through diverse meats and funny hats. However, some players feel the gameplay is a bit too easy and that many characters lack meaningful interaction.
“This game is insanely funny!”
“I swear half the townies don't do anything at all other than contribute to your score at the end for having a diverse array of meats and funny hats.”
“Thought the view is kind of weird, but the gameplay is amazingly funny, though a little too easy.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game, while decent and thematically appropriate, is not particularly memorable, leading some players to suggest listening to other audio content while playing. Overall, it complements the experience but does not stand out significantly.
“+ good music (what there is) that fits the game's theme well”
“The music and the graphics are decent; this game was made in 2008 after all.”
“There's really not much else to say, just listen to a podcast or music while playing and you're golden.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is viewed positively, especially in contrast to the prevalent trend among AAA developers who rely heavily on microtransactions. However, there is disappointment that the developer shifted focus away from the game's strong themes to promote less appealing content, which detracts from the overall experience.
“In a time of AAA developers who release the same content with a different paint job and numerous microtransactions every year to milk players, it's always a pleasant surprise to find a decent game that slipped under everyone's radar.”
“The only real shame is that the developer didn't focus on this theme further, instead turning their attention to less appealing content and advertising a less appealing other game on the news thread of this one.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from frequent and severe glitches that can disrupt gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience. Many users report that these stability issues, combined with poor balance and design, render the game nearly unplayable.
“Glitches are common and can be game-breaking.”
“In summary, it tries to be a city-building strategy game, but horrible balance issues, glitches, and shoddy design make it an unplayable wreck.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and tedious, indicating that it detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“The game is incredibly grindy, making progress feel tedious.”
“I found the grinding aspect to be excessively repetitive and boring.”
“The amount of grinding required to level up is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally considered poor, but this issue is described as a minor nuisance that does not significantly detract from the overall experience. Players appreciate the high replayability, which helps offset the performance concerns.
