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
The game features a unique blend of gameplay mechanics, combining elements from Vampire Survivors and Dark Souls, which creates a fresh experience in the genre.
Each character has distinct abilities and skill trees, allowing for varied playstyles and strategies, enhancing replayability.
The graphics and music are well-crafted, contributing to an engaging atmosphere that complements the gameplay.
The game currently lacks sufficient content, with only a few characters and maps available, which may lead to a feeling of repetitiveness after extended play.
Some players have reported issues with balance, where certain characters or abilities feel overpowered compared to others, affecting overall gameplay fairness.
There are technical issues, such as corrupted save files and unclear UI elements, which can detract from the overall experience.
gameplay
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
4%
The gameplay in "Keeper's Toll" is characterized by a satisfying blend of ARPG mechanics and roguelite elements, offering a challenging core loop that emphasizes skill-based, methodical play. While the game features unique characters with distinct abilities and intricate boss encounters, some players find the overall mechanics and character builds to lack variety, leading to repetitive gameplay. Despite these criticisms, the game's atmosphere, innovative mechanics, and engaging combat contribute to a compelling experience, particularly for fans of the genre seeking a more strategic challenge.
“The core gameplay loop is satisfyingly challenging.”
“Innovative gameplay: Keeper's Toll blends ARPG mechanics with roguelite elements, creating a unique and challenging experience.”
“Boss battles: the game features intricate boss fights that require strategy and skill, adding depth to the gameplay.”
“This is not a game for people looking for a highly customizable character build system with heavy gameplay.”
“It makes the gameplay feel dull, like you're waiting for an actual challenge to arrive, but when it does, it overstays its welcome.”
“There is no outstanding mechanic, no special character, map, or enemy design.”
music
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
33%
8%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its quality, variety, and ability to enhance the gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as catchy, intense, and fitting for the game's aesthetic, often compared to the music found in popular titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. While a few players noted that the in-game music could be off-theme or less engaging, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
“The graphics and music are wonderfully done.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, no complaints there.”
“The music is very good, synth/electronic and orchestral with nice instrumentals that fit the thematic level design.”
“The in-game music, however... that got turned off really quick.”
“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.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
18%
9%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their appealing pixel art style and cohesive aesthetic, drawing inspiration from popular titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Reviewers appreciate the variety of character designs and enemy types, as well as the effective integration of music that enhances the overall experience. While some note that the graphics may not stand out in a crowded genre, they still contribute to a satisfying and engaging atmosphere.
“The graphics and music are wonderfully done.”
“First impression: great pixel graphics, really cool music and a good variety of characters with different powers to choose from.”
“The gameplay is a little more slowed down and the enemies have actual mechanics which is a refreshing change from most survivor-style games, pairing nicely with the grim retro graphics to give a very satisfying game feel.”
“Keeper's toll doesn't stand out for any particular reason besides the Dark Souls/Elden Ring aesthetics, but it's decent and cheap.”
“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.”
“The graphics get that retro itch and the setting and enemy variety are impressive at least to me.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Overall, the game offers a decent level of replayability, particularly due to its character variety and unique abilities, which allow for different playstyles. However, some players feel that the limited build options and a small number of worlds hinder its longevity, resulting in a gameplay experience that may not sustain interest beyond 10-15 hours. While it has well-crafted classes, the lack of extensive customization and post-game stats may detract from its overall replay value.
“The developers have fleshed out a pretty good 'vampire survivors-like' game with plenty of replayability, especially considering the price.”
“With six unique heroes, each with their own abilities and progression trees, the game offers extensive build options and replayability.”
“Not as infinitely replayable as other survivor clones, but it actually has well-crafted classes that all play differently.”
“I don't dislike the game design of being able to get every ability every run, but the replayability suffers a bit as a result.”
“No replayability outside of filling out the sparse skills tab.”
“Its biggest negative point is the longevity and replay value: with just a couple of characters really fun to play and only 3 worlds (4 in the next 1.0 release), you can't squeeze more than 10/15 hours out of it.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's story is engaging and well-integrated into the gameplay, featuring a simple yet enjoyable quest line that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the interwoven narrative across maps and the inclusion of side quests that allow for meaningful meta progression and character upgrades. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, making the first playthrough particularly rewarding compared to similar titles.
“The story interweaved between maps is nice to follow.”
“The quest line is simple but fun, and since 1.0 is around the corner, I'm looking forward to finishing the game soon and seeing what's new.”
“But the addition of a followable in-game quest is a huge plus and makes the first playthrough amazing, much better than similar games with far more loose quests.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent flow, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is shallow, leaving many protagonists feeling one-dimensional and forgettable.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises, diminishing the overall impact of the narrative.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Keeper's Toll is praised for its captivating dark fantasy atmosphere, which immerses players in a beautifully crafted world filled with danger and mystery. The game's engaging roguelite mechanics and addictive gameplay enhance this atmospheric experience, although some players feel the initial difficulty may be too easy before introducing additional challenges.
“Keeper's Toll offers a deep and engaging roguelite experience for those who enjoy a good challenge and a dark, atmospheric setting.”
“Overall, Keeper's Toll is a captivating roguelite with a compelling atmosphere and challenging gameplay.”
“The dark fantasy setting is beautifully crafted, immersing you in a world filled with danger and mystery.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while maxing out characters can feel tedious, the overall achievements and gameplay remain enjoyable. The visual style and character variety are praised, but there are concerns about the limited content and the desire for more rewards and gameplay modes to alleviate the grind. Overall, the grind is seen as manageable but could benefit from additional incentives and content in future updates.
“It was a bit grindy with maxing out each character, but the other achievements were fun and challenging to get.”
“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. but this doesn't impact my enjoyment as it's early access and anything can happen!”
“Something to reward me for playing other characters and make playing another character less grindy at the start.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Character development in the game is visually appealing, featuring intuitive designs that evoke nostalgia for other titles. However, some players find the lack of animation in character actions, such as the warrior's static pose, to be unsettling and detracting from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the game is praised for its fun gameplay and potential for future character additions.
“It's simple and intuitive with character designs that are reminiscent of other games I enjoy.”
“Overall this is a fun game, good music, pixel art, boss design, character design; it's very playable as is and has more characters and levels in the works.”
“Visual and character design looks good.”
“Additionally, what unsettles me more than it should are the visual character designs: for example, the warrior is an unanimated sprite who has permanently lifted his sword ready for a swing, but he never swings; instead, some little drip shoots forward from his pants.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the game's monetization approach, noting it feels genuine and crafted with care rather than being a mere cash grab. The enjoyable gameplay and exploration contribute to a sense of value, distinguishing it from other titles that prioritize profit over player experience.
“I know I haven't played this one much at the time of this review, but I can already tell this is one of the few that was a project made with love and not just a copy-paste cash grab of Vampire Survivors.”
“Most importantly, it's just fun to play, and exploring the maps makes it feel like a full game and not a cheap cash grab.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players finding it genuinely funny and enjoyable throughout their experience.
“The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious, with clever jokes and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout.”
“I love how the game incorporates humor into its gameplay; the quirky characters and funny situations make every moment enjoyable.”
“The comedic timing in the cutscenes is spot on, and the absurd scenarios had me in stitches!”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, indicating strong stability across platforms.