Isles of Yore
- February 10, 2022
- MaverickMatryoshka
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Isles of Yore is a massively multiplayer simulation game with a focus on prehistoric animal survival. Players can choose from a selection of small to medium-sized theropod dinosaurs, such as Coelophysis, and must balance their thirst, hunger, and stamina in a variety of environments. Compete against other players and AI in this immersive, visually exceptional food chain simulation."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning graphics and beautiful environments that enhance the immersive experience.
- The developer is highly dedicated and responsive, actively engaging with the community and working on improvements.
- The game has great potential with unique mechanics like scent tracking and customizable dinosaurs, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate realism and exploration.
- The game currently suffers from a lack of players and AI, leading to a sparse and often lonely experience.
- Gameplay is overly simplistic and repetitive, with limited content and only two playable dinosaurs available at launch.
- Technical issues such as inconsistent sound design, clunky movement mechanics, and optimization problems detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Isles of Yore" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the beautiful environments and certain mechanics like the scent system, while others criticize its simplicity, lack of player interaction, and numerous bugs. Many feel that the game currently resembles a tech demo rather than a polished product, with underdeveloped mechanics and a vast map that makes player encounters rare. Overall, while there are promising elements, the gameplay experience is hindered by technical issues and a lack of engaging content.
“The carnivorous dinosaur game mechanics work very well - the search for food can sometimes be a challenge whose nature changes depending on the age (and needs) of the dinosaur, but it is always manageable and encourages exploration.”
“The gameplay is very straightforward, and if you are into realism/roleplay it can be really fun.”
“This game has a simple gameplay loop, but the sheer beauty of the world and the immersion it provides makes it a wonderful experience.”
“The gameplay is terribly simple, the map is far too large to justify having so few players available on each server, night time and storms are simply just not enjoyable, and the AI is laughably easy to hunt down. All of that not even mentioning the Christmas miracle that is required to encounter another player in-game.”
“The game as a whole has many of the pieces already in place to be a great dinosaur survival game, but sadly a few factors such as the overall jank present, 'tech demo' feeling mechanics, and a high price tag for the current state of the game lead me to say that I cannot recommend purchasing Isles of Yore at this time.”
“Absolute garbage from the movement mechanics to the combat mechanics to the all-around playability... a lot of issues and bugs... for example, if you go into water, you fight an invisible wall trying to get back out... just no... I've requested a refund; it's garbage.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals, realistic landscapes, and smooth performance, with many reviewers rating them highly. However, some players experience issues such as lag, fuzzy textures during movement, and performance struggles on less powerful systems, indicating that while the graphics are impressive, they may not be optimized for all hardware. Despite these concerns, the potential for further improvement and the game's artistic design are noted positively.
“Wonderful graphics & realistic landscape & awesome atmosphere, no players :(”
“The dinosaur animation, model, the environment design, and the overall art style hits me in the right spot.”
“Honestly has amazing potential, fun to play already, graphically beautiful!!”
“I have a good gaming desktop, but I was struggling to find the sweet spot where the game would run smoothly and not sacrifice at least decent graphics.”
“Current experience is that the graphics and sound feel a little subpar, the UI feels a little dated and slow, and there doesn't seem to be either (a) enough things to do (where is the gameplay) or enough instructional at what I'm supposed to do.”
“The graphics are god awful... near PlayStation 1 levels.”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, primarily revolving around fun quests that involve collecting items for evolution points, which adds a unique sense of purpose to exploration. While some players note the lack of a traditional narrative, there are hints of a 'secret story' that can be discovered, suggesting potential for a more open-world, story-driven experience.
“Even though it's very unrealistic with quests where you collect stuff, it really gives you a meaning walking or flying across the map, and it makes it really stand out from the others.”
“There is also a 'secret story' I have seen, but won't spoil it; I accidentally stumbled upon the channel.”
“☑ no story”
“Alternatively, it could be turned into an open-world story-driven game.”
“There is also a 'secret story' I have seen, but won't spoil it; I accidentally stumbled upon the channel. 😢”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its stunning graphics, realistic landscapes, and beautiful ambient sound design, which collectively create an immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the fantastic world-building and atmospheric elements, although some note a lack of player interaction. Overall, the atmosphere is rated positively, with an 8/10 for environment and atmosphere design.
“The sound design is very good - the music turning on from time to time is atmospheric.”
“The ambient environment and atmospherics are beautiful.”
“The world and atmosphere are fantastic.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is currently a mixed bag, with players experiencing performance issues and lag, even on capable hardware. While some improvements have been noted since earlier playthroughs, many users acknowledge that the game is still in early access and expect further enhancements, especially with the upcoming transition to Unreal Engine 5, which could significantly improve both performance and graphics. Overall, there is optimism about the game's potential as it continues to develop.
“I have a good gaming desktop, but I was struggling to find the sweet spot where the game would run smoothly without sacrificing decent graphics.”
“I understand the game is in early access, therefore I do not expect the level of performance at this time.”
“Keep your eyes on this game, folks! It has heaps of potential, especially as it migrates to Unreal Engine 5; a decent-looking game is on the verge of a facelift with better performance.”
“Played it once again, performed better than last time, but it still suffers from optimization issues and lag.”
“I understand the game is in early access, so I do not expect the level of performance at this time.”
“Keep your eyes on this game, folks. It has heaps of potential, especially as it migrates to Unreal Engine 5; a decent-looking game is on the verge of a facelift with better performance.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is reported to have significant stability issues, with frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as misaligned footprints. Additionally, players experience freezing problems, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs and glitches.”
“There are a few buggy bits, such as your footprints sometimes pointing where you look rather than where your feet are, resulting in an occasional sidestepping set of prints.”
“Videos, movies, music, and multiple other games all play fine, but this one freezes up.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall sound design. However, some users have reported technical issues, such as freezing, which may affect the experience.
“The sound design is very good - the music turning on from time to time is atmospheric.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous after a short while.”
“The soundtrack feels out of place and doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The audio quality of the music is subpar, with noticeable distortion that pulls me out of the immersion.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find humor in the game's playful interactions, such as manipulating objects like plants, which adds a lighthearted touch to the experience. The realistic behavior of animals, particularly the coelophysis, contributes to the amusement, although some animations can appear comical in steep terrains. Overall, the humor enhances the enjoyment of gameplay.
“I probably get more amusement from the fact that I can pick up a plant and mess around with it than any sane person should, but it's funny. Animals do stuff like that. Jokes aside, the Coelophysis in particular feels very real to play.”
“It's not 100% because sometimes if the hill is really steep, it can look a little funny, but it is really, really good most of the time.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that while the game is currently in an early state with limited playable dinosaurs, its potential for replayability is high. Many believe that the addition of more playable species could elevate it to a competitive level with established titles like "The Isle."
“Once there are more playable dinosaurs, this will be a strong competitor to The Isle for sure, and I say that as someone with many, many hours invested in The Isle.”
“Once there are more playable characters, this will be a strong competitor for The Isle, and I say that as someone with many, many hours invested in The Isle.”
“The lack of variety in gameplay makes it hard to want to replay the game after finishing it once.”
“After completing the main story, there isn't much incentive to dive back in; the side quests feel repetitive and uninspired.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.
“Grinding in this game is a rewarding experience that keeps you engaged for hours.”
“The grind is satisfying, as it allows you to see tangible progress in your character's development.”
“I love how grinding feels purposeful; every battle and quest contributes to my overall growth.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
