Judero

About

Judero is a single player arcade hack and slash game with fantasy, medieval and historical themes. It was developed by J. King-Spooner and was released on September 16, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Judero is an action/ adventure game inspired by the rich folk history of the Scottish Borders. You play as Judero, a Celt who can establish a rapport with the nature around him. Travel with Judero through a handcrafted landscape as he discovers there is an evil at work manipulating the unguarded. Fast and Fluid Combat. Strike, and dodge your way through a myriad of foes culminating in exciting …

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99%

Audience ScoreBased on 329 reviews

music81 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Exceptional handmade stop-motion claymation art style that creates a unique and captivating visual experience.
Rich, extensive, and beautifully crafted soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere and mood of each area.
Deeply thoughtful, poetic, and philosophical writing with memorable NPC dialogues reflecting Scottish folklore and human themes.

Gameplay is simplistic and sometimes clunky, with combat and puzzles felt as underdeveloped or tedious by some players.
Technical issues such as occasional crashes, glitches, and inconsistent hitboxes can interrupt immersion.
Some narrative elements and dialogues are cryptic or hit-or-miss, occasionally feeling disjointed or overly abstract.

music
171 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
51%
2%
The music in Judero is universally praised for its beauty, depth, and variety, featuring a rich, Celtic folk-inspired soundtrack with around 85 unique tracks that perfectly complement the game's surreal, handcrafted world and storytelling. Many players highlight the soundtrack's emotional resonance, distinct vocals, and how it elevates the atmosphere, making it a standout element often experienced beyond gameplay through the available full OST on Bandcamp. Overall, the soundtrack is considered an essential and captivating part of the Judero experience, deeply enhancing its quirky, poetic, and immersive ambiance.
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal and surprisingly varied, with around 85 tracks covering the 6-7 hour experience. There is a heavy use of vocals throughout the soundtrack which I absolutely adore, whether it's a folk duet, a piano-accompanied ballad, or a boss theme that is somewhere between goth rock and dream pop. Vocal music and lyrics are very powerful tools to cement mood and theme and are used expertly here.”
- “Judero is filled with little treasures of craftsmanship; the music is plentiful and incredible. The music that plays as you explore areas, solve puzzles, and beat bosses is ethereal and truly captivating. Each area has its own unique track composed by the creators, with modern renditions of folk songs interspersed throughout.”
- “The music alone is unlike anything else I've experienced in a video game. From folk to psychedelic freakout to piano ballads to low-fi black metal-ish boss tracks and everything in between, the soundtrack beautifully sets the mood for the diverse and strange world of Judero.”
- “This feeling is present in the dialogue, but also the music which is decidedly amateur, but intentionally so and amazing because of it.”
- “Judero is filled with little treasures of craftsmanship, musics (seriously!?!) are plentiful and incredible; gameplay-wise you will have fun possessing other creatures and the boss fights are quite the challenge sometimes.”
- “Accompanying it is an absolutely massive soundtrack (eighty-five tracks) that is - just like the game - bold, bewildering, sometimes grating, but always beautiful.”
gameplay
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
58%
6%
The gameplay is generally simple and accessible, blending hack-and-slash combat with puzzle-solving and exploration, highlighted by a unique possession mechanic that adds variety and originality. While some found combat and controls occasionally clunky or lacking polish, boss fights and puzzles provide enjoyable challenges. Overall, the gameplay serves as a solid foundation that complements the game's rich atmosphere, art, music, and storytelling rather than being its standout feature.
- “In addition to the visuals, the gameplay is simple but effective, and while it took me a bit of time to get to grips with dashing over shockwaves, it all works, and the possession mechanic is a cool one.”
- “Gamewise I really enjoyed the possession mechanic; it leads to very original and fun puzzles. The combat is very simple and a bit clunky to be honest, but it works.”
- “While standard combat is ho-hum and can lack in impact, boss fights are actually quite enjoyable, each having their own unique and enjoyable mechanics.”
- “We got things like cheesing swamp sections via damage abuse, skipping entire areas by going out of bounds, dying during cutscenes, dialogue skipping, passive combat abilities actively hindering puzzle gameplay by hitting switches and other objects around the player, and by far the worst; game crashes.”
- “The main faults are that it is incredibly easy to get hit while attacking anything, and that the upgradeable stat and status effect system is barely used, and at worst hinders other gameplay like mentioned previously.”
- “The gameplay itself is fine, but again, lacks polish.”
graphics
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
59%
4%
Judero features a stunning, handcrafted stop-motion art style that combines claymation, paper cutouts, and physical models to create a uniquely charming and rustic visual experience. Its visuals are praised for their originality, intentional roughness, and evocative depth, contributing to an immersive narrative steeped in mythology and folklore. Despite occasional clarity issues in combat animations, the game's distinct aesthetic, paired with a beautiful soundtrack and thoughtful writing, makes it a striking and memorable artistic experience.
- “Judero is a game where you can feel the amount of care, passion, and time put into all its aesthetics such as the music, character movement, and setting - the stop motion style feels charmingly rustic and beautiful in its roughness. I love the parts in the opening and credits where you can see the props at play - it almost feels like a Laika project at times!”
- “The visuals are unique and striking thanks to the real objects used in the stop-motion animation, and the soundtrack is simply... otherworldly.”
- “The art-style is astonishing and striking; the hand-crafted puppets and figures used to create the characters and environments must have taken an age to create, and you can feel every ounce of effort put into it.”
- “It makes a lot of the game look empty and gamey, like it was done for PS2 or something, which is unironically just what the devs attempted to avoid by handcrafting everything, but in my opinion didn't quite hit right when they let the jagged stretched terrain take over all visuals and gameplay.”
- “While I stand by my previous praise of the visuals, it did get a bit difficult to tell what was going on with all the figures on screen being clay models, especially enemy attack animations and hitboxes.”
- “There are game mechanics sure, and they are actually surprisingly deep and varied, but all haphazardly stitched together, much like Judero's graphics are modeled from clay, toys, and other bits much too does the game feel like it's made up these disparate pieces.”
humor
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a well-balanced mix of quirky, absurd, and heartfelt wit that complements its introspective and philosophical tones. It blends whimsical, bizarre dialogue and comedic scenarios with profound, thought-provoking storytelling, creating a unique and engaging atmosphere that is both funny and emotionally resonant without overwhelming the mood. Overall, the humor adds charm and freshness to the game, enhancing its artful, surreal, and deeply human experience.
- “The writing is in turns funny, heartwrenching, introspective, silly--the various modes it's working in with tone and structure is just fantastic.”
- “It's absurd, it's hilarious, it's genius and one of the most honest, passionate and personal games I've played in a while - adjectives that are sorely missing from today's gaming landscape.”
- “I was genuinely excited each time I arrived at a new town, eager to chat with the cast of the hand-drawn characters, each of them having a coin-flip chance of either waxing poetically about contemporary issues or making the most hilariously bizarre comments.”
story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
73%
8%
The story in this game is deeply rooted in Scottish folklore and crafted with artistic intent, offering a surreal, poetic, and often abstract narrative that explores themes of humanity, storytelling, and myth. While the main plot is relatively simple and sometimes presented in a non-linear or "fever dream" style, rich NPC dialogues, lore items, and unique cultural context create a captivating and reflective experience. Despite occasional narrative incoherence and some controversial content, the storytelling is praised for its originality, atmosphere, and emotional depth.
- “Every single moment handcrafted with true intent and love of videogames as storytelling medium.”
- “The Scottish folklore setting, of which I had zero familiarity, led to a playthrough of pure unpredictability and surprise, elevated by the game's more abstract and oblique story.”
- “The story in its core is very simple, but there is something very human about it, and coupled that with the witty and philosophical NPC dialogues throughout the game, the experience was very unique and unforgettable.”
- “What there is, is surely interesting, but a lack of quality assurance and a coherent story are the main aspects keeping it back from perfection.”
- “Story seemed nonsensical in 'artsy fashion'; perhaps it somehow makes sense in the end but I could not make it there.”
- “When it comes to the story, the game has a couple cutscenes that tell the basics of what is going on, but the majority of the story content is provided via NPC dialogue and an optional bestiary consisting of hidden item pages that have to be found.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a unique emotional experience that is simultaneously funny, heartfelt, introspective, and whimsical, blending humor with profound and poignant moments. Its genuine artistry—through handcrafted visuals, music, and writing—creates a deeply resonant and immersive world that evokes laughter, tears, and thoughtful reflection. Players often form strong emotional connections to its characters and atmosphere, making it a standout in emotional complexity despite simple mechanics.
- “The writing is in turns funny, heartwrenching, introspective, silly—the various modes it's working in with tone and structure is just fantastic.”
- “Mechanically simple but emotionally complex, it's the best game I've played in 2024, and one of the best games I've played in my life.”
- “One moment you will laugh at an enemy design or a bit of charming dialogue from a lovingly rendered little clay creature, the next you enter someone's home and are hit with some of the most thought-provoking and emotional bits of prose that you'll ever have the pleasure of reading.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game’s atmosphere is richly crafted through a blend of quirky voice acting, Celtic folk-inspired music, and evocative storytelling, creating an artistic, heartfelt, and memorable experience. Its poetic and surreal tone, combined with charming characters and environments, breathes new life into the genre and deeply immerses players in its fable-like world.
- “The super quirky voice acting is fun, heavily complementing the atmosphere alongside the Celtic folk-oriented songs in the background of most levels.”
- “The music was a real treat to listen to as well, setting the atmosphere and tone perfectly with the absolutely beautiful vocals.”
- “The lore, the characters, the environments, brilliantly hilarious and entertaining boss designs, everything just adds to the lovely atmosphere of this little masterpiece.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is occasionally tedious but balanced by generous save points, with a whimsical and artistic atmosphere that keeps the experience engaging rather than tiresome.
- “Occasionally tedious, but save points are generous on the whole.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from numerous glitches, leading to poor stability and frequent disruptions during gameplay.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is thoughtfully crafted, with detailed and well-considered designs, though some may find certain characters disturbing.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, causing occasional crashes unless texture quality is set to low, despite having a system with 6GB VRAM and 16GB RAM.
- “One 'buyer beware' point - the game has some poor optimization and occasionally crashes unless I set texture quality to low. I have 6GB video RAM and 16GB system RAM.”