Keeper's Toll
- May 3, 2023
- Stingbot Games
- 9h median play time
In "Keeper's Toll," become a skilled undead hero in this methodical roguelite RPG, with slow-paced, ARPG-style combat against unique enemies and bosses. Choose from six distinct characters, each with specialized abilities and progression trees, to purge a dark fantasy world across multiple runs. Master each hero's skills and face ferocious bosses in this retro-infused, challenging experience. Character count: 232 Directly related info: 105 characters Indirectly related info: 127 characters
Reviews
- The game features unique characters with their own skill sets and talent trees, making it stand out in the genre.
- The gameplay is engaging with interesting boss fights and a solid mix of mechanics that require strategic movement and positioning.
- The developers are very responsive to community feedback and regularly update the game, showing a commitment to improvement and expansion.
- Currently, the game lacks sufficient content, with only a few classes and maps available, leading to limited replayability.
- The gameplay can feel slow-paced and lacks variety in builds, as players often end up using the same strategies repeatedly.
- There are issues with hitboxes and targeting mechanics, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- gameplay82 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics and character diversity, offering a satisfying blend of action and strategy reminiscent of the souls series, though some players wish for more variety and innovation within the genre. While the game features distinct characters and engaging combat, it can feel slow-paced at times, with certain mechanics lacking polish. Overall, it strikes a balance between traditional survivor gameplay and skill-based challenges, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
“Soul Survivors delivers an action-packed and fast-paced gameplay experience that really is unique.”
“The game's combat mechanics offer a satisfying gameplay experience, as players collect blue and purple souls to level up and unlock new abilities.”
“Adds some interesting mechanics like being able to roll and feels like many enemies have more meaningful attack windups that puts more of an emphasis on skill than other similar games.”
“There is no outstanding mechanic, no special character, map, or enemy design.”
“It makes the gameplay feel dull, like you're waiting for an actual challenge to arrive, but when it does, it overstays its welcome.”
“Reroll mechanics seem to give you the same things over again.”
- graphics34 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their engaging pixel art style and cohesive aesthetics, drawing inspiration from titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Players appreciate the retro visuals and the impressive variety of settings and enemies, which enhance the overall experience. While the art style is considered top-tier and appealing, some reviewers note that the gameplay can feel sluggish despite the strong visual presentation.
“Lovely pixel graphics, engaging and fun!”
“The graphics get that retro itch and the setting and enemy variety are impressive, at least to me.”
“The game's aesthetic is cohesive and unique.”
“The graphics get that retro itch and the setting and enemy variety are impressive at least to me.”
“I really like the gritty pixel art style and I think that is what made me wishlist it initially.”
“Being inspired by other good games isn't enough to make a game good - what this one does well is due to polish, aesthetic sensibility, and a twist that focuses on ARPG style character trees instead of the same abilities for each class.”
- music28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its diverse and engaging soundtrack, featuring a mix of synth/electronic and orchestral elements that complement the thematic level design. Many reviewers noted the soundtrack's quality and its references to popular titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, although some felt it didn't fully capture the epic medieval adventure vibe. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect, enhancing the game's aesthetics and gameplay experience.
“The difficulty is above average, but doesn't feel unfair. Each time I die, I know what my mistake was and what I should have done better. Bosses are interesting, the pixel art is clean and easy to recognize, and the music is very good, synth/electronic and orchestral with nice instrumentals that fit the thematic level design.”
“Probably the best ARPG/bullet heaven around based on aesthetics and OST alone.”
“The art and music are very well done, and the many Souls-series references are amusing.”
“The music is decent, the graphics and aesthetic look pretty good, but the overall gameplay is a slog.”
“Has some good things going for it, in the art and music, but everything else is just so mediocre compared to what is out there.”
“The in-game music is a little off theme but it keeps you hyped.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily revolving around completing a sparse skills tab. While unlocking talents enhances gameplay, players often face an issue with an overload of abilities, as they can only select from a few options and have a limited number of rerolls. Additionally, the lack of detailed post-game statistics further diminishes the incentive to replay.
“After unlocking several talents, the game becomes more engaging, but you may encounter an overloaded abilities issue where you can only choose from 3 talents and have only 3 rerolls.”
“No replayability outside of filling out the sparse skills tab.”
“After unlocking several talents, it becomes more playable, but then you run into the overloaded abilities issue where you can only choose from 3 talents and only have 3 rerolls.”
“For replay value, I think it would be helpful to see more game stats post-mortem.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the game's monetization approach, noting it feels genuine and crafted with care rather than being a mere cash grab. The gameplay experience is enjoyable and immersive, contributing to a perception of value beyond typical monetization tactics.
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its engaging designs and variety, with more characters and levels planned for future updates. However, some players find the static nature of certain character animations, such as the warrior's unchanging pose, to be unsettling and detracting from the overall experience.
“Additionally, what unsettles me more than it should are the visual character designs: for example, the warrior is an un-animated sprite who has permanently lifted his sword ready for a swing, but he never swings; instead, some little drip shoots forward from his pants.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express concerns about the grinding aspect of the game, noting that the planned content feels limited with only six characters and four maps, which may lead to repetitive gameplay. They hope for more rewards and less grind when trying out different characters, but overall, this has not significantly diminished their enjoyment, especially given the game's early access status.
“It looks like they're planning six characters and four maps for the full release, but I do hope they expand on this as that does feel light, content-wise. With the sheer volume of grinding I'm doing so far, it would be good to unlock more maps, gameplay modes, and secrets, etc.”
“Something to reward me for playing other characters and make playing another character less grindy at the start.”
“The amount of grinding required feels excessive, and it would be nice to have more incentives to keep playing without feeling like I'm just repeating the same tasks over and over.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story features a well-implemented meta progression system that encourages players to engage in side quests, allowing for meaningful choices in character development and stat focus.
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, contributing positively to the gameplay experience. However, some players feel that the difficulty level is initially too easy until the introduction of curses, which add complexity after defeating the end boss of a map.
“The gameplay and atmosphere feel immersive and engaging, creating a captivating experience.”
“The atmosphere is rich and detailed, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“The combination of gameplay and atmosphere creates a compelling environment that draws you in.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, indicating strong stability across this platform.
“Oh, and it runs great on Steam Deck!”