Knights of Tartarus

58%
Game Brain Score Based on 24 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • grinding
Knights of Tartarus Game Cover
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"Knights of Tartarus" is a retro-style, dungeon crawler RPG with turn-based combat. Explore the cursed island of Tartarus, battling monsters, customizing your party, and uncovering the truth behind your team's mysterious past. With pixel art graphics and a haunting soundtrack, it offers a challenging and immersive experience.

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Reviews

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews
music3 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • Knights of Tartarus captures a nostalgic retro feel reminiscent of classic RPGs, with good visuals and a charming atmosphere.
  • The game features a unique mechanic where spells are learned from defeating monsters, adding an interesting twist to character progression.
  • The developer is active in addressing bugs and implementing community feedback, which enhances the overall experience.
  • The game suffers from awkward character movement and pacing, leading to frustrating traversal experiences.
  • Dungeon puzzles reset upon leaving, which can be tedious and disrupt gameplay flow, especially after defeating bosses.
  • There are significant RNG elements in acquiring spells and crafting materials, which can lead to frustrating grinding and slow progression.
  • gameplay9 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, featuring basic adventure RPG mechanics and a straightforward combat system, which some players find lacking in depth. While it incorporates Zelda-like puzzle elements and a minor crafting system for equipment upgrades, there are notable bugs and issues that can lead to frustrating experiences, such as progress resetting in dungeons. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable mechanics and aggravating flaws that impact the overall experience.

    • “That hope was soon answered as it didn't just have Zelda puzzle elements in dungeons, but also a turn-based gameplay style!”
    • “Let's start with the Zelda puzzle elements, which is basically item-based gameplay to solve obstacles.”
    • “I also liked the mechanic that if you've fought a monster once, the next time you fight them you can actually see their health bar.”
    • “It also keeps things a little too simple for my liking in terms of both mechanics and character advancement.”
    • “Well.. there are a few issues that make some of the gameplay absolutely aggravating.”
    • “Just basic adventure RPG gameplay with no strings attached, where the combat system is very simple.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic retro feel, reminiscent of classic titles like The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon, enhancing the overall atmosphere and personality of the game. Reviewers appreciate the well-crafted soundtrack that complements the intriguing story and mysterious tone, although some users experienced technical issues that affected their enjoyment.

    • “It has a nice retro feel (Game Boy Color), good soundtrack, and really reminds me of something between The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Seasons (dungeons, items, puzzles) and Pokémon Blue (battle screens and the overall feel of the town), but the game has its own personality.”
    • “Fun little retro RPG with well-made puzzles and sweet music.”
    • “The story thus far has been intriguing, and the sprite work and music have fit the sort of mysterious tone that the game presents you with early.”
    • “Basically, the game stays open, the music keeps playing, etc., but all controls suddenly stop working and there's no way to exit without restarting my laptop.”
    • “Music nostalgic, controls should be more obviously displayed.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the fast-paced nature of leveling up, others feel that the low drop rates for essential items, like spells, can make the process tedious and time-consuming. Additionally, the need to grind for crafting materials can lead to resource wastage if players are not well-informed about item suitability for their classes. Overall, grinding is seen as a necessary but sometimes frustrating part of gameplay.

    • “Which isn't bad by itself, but given the time between enemy spawns and the low chance that the enemy will actually drop a spell, it causes the whole thing to drag if, say, you want to get a lightning spell for the first boss because merely grinding levels takes forever.”
    • “The challenge didn't give me an issue personally, but grinding at some points is almost a requirement, so do keep that in mind.”
    • “There's a crafting guide on the forums for this game, but unless you feel like grinding out multiple materials, you'd be wasting a lot of resources trying to figure it out yourself, especially if you made an item that wasn't really suited for your class or what you want in general.”
  • story5 mentions

    The game's story is simple yet intriguing, evoking nostalgia for early JRPGs like Dragon Quest III, with a mysterious tone enhanced by charming sprite work and music. While dialogue is minimal, the straightforward turn-based combat system complements the overall experience, appealing to fans of classic RPGs.

    • “The story thus far has been intriguing, and the sprite work and music have fit the sort of mysterious tone that the game presents you with early.”
    • “The story is fairly simple, but there's not much dialogue within the game.”
    • “Anyone who is a fan of early JRPGs like Dragon Quest will immediately fall in love with the game's simple turn-based combat system.”
    • “The story is fairly simple, but there's not much dialogue within the game.”
    • “The game is very faithful to the limitations of the hardware and will pick at the nostalgia nerve for games like Zelda or Dragon Quest III.”
    • “The battle system looks like Dragon Quest 1, but the command is more simple; it's so easy to pick up!”
  • graphics3 mentions

    The graphics are praised for their vibrant color tones and charming design, reminiscent of classic NES RPGs, which enhances the overall enjoyment of the game. The visuals effectively align with the game's theme, contributing to a delightful aesthetic experience.

    • “The graphics just fit what the game is going for, and there's plenty of enjoyment to be had.”
    • “First of all, I'm very obsessed with the graphics; the color tone is gorgeous. The character, monsters, and map design are just as cute as the NES RPG game 'Karin no Tsurugi (Sword of Kalin)', and the battle system looks like 'Dragon Quest 1', but the commands are simpler, making it so easy to pick up!”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game has an active development team that promptly addresses bugs and balance issues; however, it remains quite buggy, which has impacted playability during its early access phase.

    • “Unfortunately, it has proven to be very buggy so far, which, though expected during early access, has made it a little unplayable for now.”
    • “The game frequently crashes, making it frustrating to progress.”
    • “There are numerous glitches that disrupt gameplay, leading to a less enjoyable experience.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is reminiscent of Undertale, offering a similar vibe, but is noted to be shorter and less ambitious in its execution.

    • “The game's atmosphere is reminiscent of Undertale, but it's shorter and less ambitious.”
    • “The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the visuals, creating a truly captivating atmosphere.”
    • “The game's atmosphere feels a little like Undertale, but it's shorter and less ambitious.”
    • “The environment lacks depth and fails to immerse the player in the world.”
    • “The overall ambiance is flat and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is sporadic, with NPC dialogue occasionally providing amusing moments, though overall, it lacks depth. Players must rely on instinct and observation to solve puzzles, which adds a layer of challenge but may detract from the comedic elements.

    • “During the game, the NPC doesn't have much dialogue to say, but sometimes the dialogue is quite funny. There's not much hint when you encounter a puzzle; you have to solve it by your instinct and observation. Some puzzles are reminiscent of 'Soko-Ban', and sometimes when you walk in the dungeon, you'll encounter some 'hide & run' traps too. It's quite challenging!”
    • “The humor in the game is cleverly woven into the dialogue and situations, making even the most challenging puzzles enjoyable. I found myself chuckling at the unexpected twists and quirky NPC interactions.”
    • “I love how the game balances humor with gameplay. The funny quips from characters lighten the mood, especially when you're stuck on a tough puzzle. It keeps the experience fun and engaging!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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