Ikenfell

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,069 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Ikenfell Game Cover
Ikenfell is an enjoyable RPG with an interesting story, fleshed-out characters, and a dense turn-based battle system, with a superb soundtrack and some gorgeous environments to boot.
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"Ikenfell" is a single-player, turn-based strategy game with spectacular story and mechanics, splendid graphics, and a fabulous soundtrack. Play as a group of magic students with unique powers, battling enemies and bosses using timing mechanics to master over 48 unique spells. Discover hundreds of items and hidden treasures in this emotional journey about friendship, trust, love, and loss.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,069 reviews
story388 positive mentions
grinding74 negative mentions
  • Charming characters and engaging story that keeps players invested.
  • Innovative combat system that combines tactical grid movement with timing-based attacks.
  • Strong representation of LGBTQIA+ characters and themes throughout the game.
  • Combat can feel repetitive and drawn out, especially during boss fights.
  • Some characters lack depth and development, making it hard to connect with them.
  • The pacing of the story can be uneven, with some plot points feeling rushed or underexplored.
  • story920 mentions

    The story of Ikenfell is a charming and engaging narrative that follows the protagonist's quest to find her sister in a magical school, featuring a diverse cast of characters and themes of grief and trauma. While many players appreciate the heartfelt character development and emotional depth, some criticize the pacing and predictability of the plot, noting that it can feel repetitive or shallow at times. Overall, the game is praised for its inclusivity and accessibility options, making it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy story-driven RPGs.

    • “The story is unapologetically queer, and delves into some pretty heavy feelings around grief and trauma in a way that's relatable and cathartic, and the game does a wonderful job of developing a pretty wide cast of characters to the point where I adored them all.”
    • “The storytelling is compelling, the music is enthralling, the art is stunning, and the character development is so, so realistic.”
    • “Ikenfell is a charming little turn-based tactical RPG that hooks you in quickly with a well-written story and strong cast of characters and keeps you locked in for its duration with a surprisingly complex combat system.”
    • “The story and characters are generally very shallow, and around the midpoint of the game each chapter starts feeling monotonous as the plot takes too many twists and turns to have been planned out beforehand.”
    • “This game features little-to-no story and what story it does have is all written around the gameplay, not the other way around.”
    • “The story is shallow and focuses entirely on the conflict and drama at hand; the worldbuilding is nonexistent.”
  • music489 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its incredible soundtrack, which features a blend of orchestral, chiptune, and vocal elements, often likening it to the work of Aivi & Surasshu from Steven Universe. While the majority of the tracks are described as catchy and fitting the game's atmosphere, some players noted that certain songs with lyrics felt out of place or repetitive during battles. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that enhances the game's charm and emotional impact.

    • “The music, the sound design, the art style, the characters are all super polished and enjoyable!”
    • “The soundtrack is fantastic, with track after track of beautiful atmospheric music, although I found the few songs with vocals to be bothersome to the point where I almost wanted to mute them entirely, despite the fantastic backing tracks.”
    • “The music sets the tone and atmosphere of each area perfectly and lets you immerse yourself in the experience while the art is cute and unique and surprisingly diverse, ranging from adorable to horrifying depending on the need.”
    • “The music tracks with lyrics are a bit too short, so they feel very repetitive in longer battles, e.g., fighting Gilda.”
    • “The select few songs that actually have sung lyrics tend to be shallowly written and extremely out of place though.”
    • “My only complaint is the music with lyrics for certain fights is extremely distracting and keeps repeating.”
  • gameplay361 mentions

    The gameplay in Ikenfell is a blend of turn-based combat and timing mechanics reminiscent of classic RPGs like Paper Mario, offering a mix of strategy and accessibility options that cater to various player preferences. While many players appreciate the engaging combat and character dynamics, some find the gameplay repetitive or frustrating, particularly with the timing elements. Overall, the game is praised for its charming visuals and story, though opinions on the depth and execution of gameplay mechanics vary widely.

    • “The bread and butter gameplay is excellent, however, with a lot of interesting choices for party composition with respect to the actual combat.”
    • “Very creative and inventive gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic and allows fine-tuning for every level of skill.”
    • “The story isn't deep enough and the gameplay isn't diverse enough for how long this game is.”
    • “I don't personally find the story or characters interesting enough to want to replay, and the gameplay is, at best, annoying.”
    • “It's a cool concept and the art and music are amazing, but unfortunately, the gameplay is repetitive and boring.”
  • graphics163 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which evokes nostalgia and complements the overall aesthetic. Many reviewers highlight the vibrant colors, expressive animations, and the care put into the visuals, making it a standout feature of the game. While some note inconsistencies and average elements, the overall sentiment is that the graphics effectively enhance the game's storytelling and atmosphere.

    • “It's undoubtedly the best part of the game, alongside the charming pixel art graphics.”
    • “Charming pixel graphics and a score by the composers to Steven Universe (Aivi & Surasshu) give this quirky and fun RPG a lot of character.”
    • “The pixel art graphics work perfectly to tell this story and the soundtrack is just outstanding.”
    • “The visuals of this game are incredibly inconsistent.”
    • “Average pixel graphics, nothing in particular to criticize or salivate over.”
    • “This game is not worth it; the visuals have green lines and I am prone to seizures, and this game would just induce it for me. Do not buy this game!”
  • emotional94 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, relatable characters, and inclusive representation, particularly of queer identities. Many players found themselves deeply moved, often crying during pivotal moments, while others noted some narrative inconsistencies that detracted from emotional investment. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to evoke strong feelings, combining fun gameplay with a touching and wholesome narrative.

    • “I loved every single character and I cried more than once with the story.”
    • “An incredibly heartfelt Super Mario RPG-like game with a ton of queer relationships that are all written extremely well, really emotive graphics, and characters you just want to root for.”
    • “The story has some great moments and is quite touching, and also full of surprises, and all the characters are well written and highly relatable.”
  • grinding80 mentions

    Overall, players report that grinding in the game is minimal, with most finding it unnecessary until the endgame, where it can become tedious. The combat system, while initially engaging, tends to drag on and can feel repetitive, prompting some players to utilize features that allow them to skip or auto-win battles. Despite some complaints about the grindiness, many appreciate the options available to reduce it and enjoy the game's story and character development.

    • “Very nice turn-based RPG with a wonderful story, pretty good as a casual game if you just want to relax and enjoy the story. The options menu even has accommodations for such things. For those looking for a challenge in the combat, I'd recommend either no grinding encounters and/or no battle items, both of which I did on my playthrough and had a fairly challenging, but rewarding experience.”
    • “On the other hand, I didn't need to grind in order to clear the game with appropriate difficulty and no grinding.”
    • “Almost no grinding required.”
    • “The combat seemed exciting at first but quickly grew tedious and grindy; fights would take a long time, but I never felt like there was a real challenge and it just felt like a grind.”
    • “Even at the end of the game, I had no idea how to balance speed, defense, and power at all because grinding for money was literal torture and it was all I could do to get everyone kitted out to make combat slightly bearable.”
    • “At first this feels fun, but as time goes on it becomes absolutely tedious as combat gets longer and longer.”
  • character development28 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its realism and engaging designs, but is often criticized for being sparse and shallow, with significant moments occurring infrequently amidst the gameplay. While some character interactions are interesting, the pacing and linear storytelling limit deeper exploration of relationships, particularly in the ending and epilogue. Overall, the character development is seen as a missed opportunity, overshadowed by the game's focus on dungeon-crawling and a relatively cliché main plot.

    • “The storytelling is compelling, the music is enthralling, the art is stunning, and the character development is so, so realistic.”
    • “The variety in character design is the strong core of the game, both in their personalities and in how they play differently in combat.”
    • “I would personally wait for a sale to snag this game, but I promise that if you're a sucker for LGBT shenanigans, character development, and an engaging story with fun combat, you'll have fun with this game!”
    • “There are some interesting character interactions here and there, but the pacing of the game makes it so that actual dialogue and character development are very sparse in comparison to the task of dungeon-crawling through the school.”
    • “The writing is at its peak during the final boss events and you feel good for the characters when they finally get their happy ending, but the ending and epilogue feel like they skip a lot of important character development, like how Maritte progressed her relationships with Gilda and Pertisia.”
    • “Character development is spread far apart, maybe a minute every hour or so of gameplay in the form of memory shards.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as charming and quirky, with some funny moments reminiscent of Undertale, though it is noted that humor is somewhat lacking overall. While certain characters, like Electric Girl, stand out for their comedic appeal, the game often juxtaposes humor with more serious themes, leading to mixed impressions about its effectiveness. Overall, it offers a blend of cute and intriguing elements, but some players feel it could benefit from more consistent humor.

    • “The game is a masterwork of representation, and there's little bits of humor and quirkiness tucked away everywhere.”
    • “Adorable and charming with some humor.”
    • “Funny moments, some have some Undertale tone to them.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by a fantastic and immersive soundtrack that enhances the experience, despite some vocal tracks being less favored. The art style is noted for its diversity, ranging from cute to horrifying, and different areas maintain unique musical tones that contribute to their distinct atmospheres. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging storytelling, inclusive themes, and a captivating ambiance, making it a standout in the RPG genre.

    • “The music sets the tone and atmosphere of each area perfectly and lets you immerse yourself in the experience while the art is cute and unique and surprisingly diverse, ranging from adorable to horrifying depending on the need.”
    • “It has all the hallmarks of a classic RPG, great atmosphere and story, amazing music, and the combat is a mix between tactical and action-oriented.”
    • “A great combat style, great tone and atmosphere, great story, great inclusivity (LGBT and racial inclusivity) what more could you ask for?”
  • replayability12 mentions

    Overall, "Ikenfell" offers limited replayability, primarily focusing on story and exploration rather than varied gameplay experiences. While players can experiment with different party combinations in multiple runs, the linear nature of the game and its relatively low price point make it a worthwhile addition for those who enjoy turn-based tactics, even if it lacks significant replay value.

    • “This also lends itself to more replayability as you can set up new combinations of party members over multiple runs.”
    • “Sadly though, there isn't a lot of replayability, but for a game that costs 20 bucks, and could easily take several days to complete, I say Ikenfell is a perfect game for anybody that loves a turn-based tactics game.”
    • “I'd still recommend it because it was a fun experience, but keep in mind this game isn't really replayable; you play mostly for discovering new places and for the story.”
    • “It seems linear and probably has not much replayability as it is, but for this price, it's really something you need to add to your Steam library for hours of fun.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability, running well on a wide range of PCs and handheld devices, even those not from the latest generation. However, players have reported occasional visual glitches and issues with timing mechanics that can be either overly precise or buggy.

    • “It runs great on pretty much any PC, including handhelds, even if they aren't of the latest generation.”
    • “The art style is alright, though there are a few visual glitches happening here and there.”
    • “It's a Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door style system, but the timing is either buggy or stupidly precise.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, with no technical issues reported, and it can run smoothly on low-end hardware, making it accessible to a wide range of players. Additionally, the engaging vocal performances enhance the overall experience.

    • “No technical issues, and due to the low performance bar, it will run on a potato.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn some criticism, particularly due to intrusive advertisements that can feel like unwanted notifications, reminiscent of phone alerts. However, this seems to be more of a personal annoyance rather than a fundamental flaw in the game's design. Overall, players still find the game enjoyable despite these monetization tactics.

    • “The monetization in this game feels excessive, with constant prompts to spend money on in-game purchases that disrupt the overall experience.”
    • “I find the monetization strategy frustrating; it seems like every time I turn around, there's another ad or offer trying to get me to spend more.”
    • “The game is fun, but the aggressive monetization tactics really take away from the enjoyment, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
8-22hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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