Lawless Lands
- August 14, 2020
- Corrosion
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreLawless Lands is an old-school role-playing game featuring a unique setting and innovative mechanics that allow players to delve into a dark medieval, low-fantasy world of epic proportions. Discover and destroy the darkness that has taken hold over these Lawless Lands.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has an amazing atmosphere and depth, with a well-crafted medieval setting and engaging sound design.
- The developer is highly responsive and actively addresses bugs and feedback, showing a commitment to improving the game.
- There is a vast amount of content, including a variety of quests, character customization, and a unique morality system that enhances replayability.
- The game suffers from poor graphics and a dark visual style that makes it difficult to see and navigate the environment.
- Gameplay can be tedious due to slow pacing, clunky controls, and a lack of clear tutorials, leading to frustration for new players.
- Combat mechanics can feel simplistic and repetitive, with many players finding that auto-attacking is often more effective than using skills or spells.
- story49 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered basic and not particularly groundbreaking, with many players noting a lack of depth in character backstories and main plot progression. While the world is immersive and filled with quests, including side content that can enhance the experience, the main storyline is often described as short and somewhat overshadowed by repetitive fetch quests. However, the dark fantasy atmosphere and the freedom to shape your journey through character development and exploration are appreciated, making it engaging for fans of RPGs.
“The story and atmosphere were believable.”
“This game is definitely the game for anyone who loves D&D, RPGs, and well-written storytelling.”
“All in all, I highly recommend this game; the dark atmosphere, gritty realism, and the storyline should be enough for anyone to at least consider getting this game.”
“In 12 hours, I haven't learned a thing about my followers other than what is written in their character sheet. The side content is everywhere, but most of it is fetch quests. The main storyline is okay without being groundbreaking, and while exploration is fairly fun, since you are already so rich and combat is so easy, it's being undermined.”
“The quests are infuriating since, like any other RPG player, you accept every quest you come across and then forget where the quest giver is until you track them down.”
“The main quest does not go very far, and the party members have little background.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag; while it features a dense and engaging world with numerous mechanics and systems that enhance exploration and combat, many players find the lack of clear tutorials and overly simplistic mechanics frustrating. The level adaptation system can lead to boredom as common enemies become immune to attacks, and some mechanics, like the eating system, may not resonate with all players. However, the overall experience is enjoyable, with a streamlined open world and light survival elements that contribute to a fun and immersive RPG experience.
“An incredibly dense and interesting world with very fun gameplay.”
“The gameplay is amazing and you can see all the work the dev has put into this game!”
“A survival dark fantasy RPG, you explore the large, yet streamlined open world with light survival mechanics while completing quests for various factions and growing your power/party.”
“I've almost quit numerous times in the first few hours because the game poorly explains its mechanics and caused me a great amount of frustration.”
“In reality, the game mechanics are a bit too simple to properly reflect your playstyle.”
“I've tried researching gameplay trying to figure out how to select companions for combat, but from what I've seen, everyone automatically has them follow, so I'm at a loss.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being slow, tedious, and unimmersive, often requiring players to engage in repetitive tasks like earning money or navigating complex environments to progress. While some players appreciate the opportunity to recruit companions and enhance their character's equipment, the overall sentiment is that the grinding detracts from the enjoyment of the game, making it feel laborious rather than rewarding.
“Enemies will usually outnumber you, and the best equalizers are either to recruit companions (up to a maximum of 4 in a party) or kit out your character with high-quality equipment from a little bit of grinding for money.”
“Progress is tedious.”
“You can try to progress in non-combat quests (like finding 13 piles of corpses ... I found 12 while trying to get my way through the town in 2 hours. Have I mentioned how tedious walking and winding through the town is?) or grind money by working at day and sleeping at night, circling between the free bed and the job, meaning more button mashing and more of this tedious walking, winding your way through NPCs, rubble, and fences again.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its depth and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the effective use of sound and music to enhance the experience. Set in a grim, low-fantasy world, the atmosphere is described as dark, moody, and believable, making exploration enjoyable despite some gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as the game's strongest feature, drawing players into its richly crafted environment.
“I especially love the sounds of bells in the menu; it creates a wonderful medieval atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere and music are amazing, and exploring a plague-ridden low-fantasy world is a lot of fun.”
“They nailed the atmosphere: dark, dreary, moody.”
“Other than that, it's really just minor things here and there, and they're all vastly overshadowed by this grim but full world that's just dripping with atmosphere.”
“It's a fun enough game with the main selling point being the atmosphere and the promise of playing any way you like and the game responding to it.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics have received mixed reviews, with some players finding the dark visuals and pixelated textures detracting from the experience, making it difficult to navigate the game world. While the 8-bit aesthetic appeals to some, others feel it lacks clarity and beauty, with the in-game visuals not living up to the store page previews. Overall, the grim aesthetic and character customization options are appreciated, but the execution leaves much to be desired.
“8-bit graphics are always a plus ;)”
“Very relevant for 2020, but also I just love the foreboding feeling that the game transmits through characters, graphics, quests.”
“The aesthetic is grim.”
“Poor graphics & everything is so dark that it is hard to see anything.”
“95% of the time the game is so dark I can't even tell what the world looks like when my character is stuck on something. I know there's torches, but those don't last and they cost resources unless you find a fire. Movement is slow, especially on the world map even with a horse, which is perhaps intended, but it's not like I would want to explore the game at a slow pace since the graphics aren't exactly pretty to look at.”
“For me, the graphics look better in the store page preview than they do in-game; full size in-game is really pixelated.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with a fantastic soundtrack that complements the dark and moody themes of the plague-ridden world. Reviewers note that the music is thoughtfully chosen for each location, contributing significantly to the overall ambiance and emotional depth of the experience.
“The atmosphere and music are amazing, and exploring a plague-ridden low-fantasy world is a lot of fun.”
“The ambiance really stands out in this game - the sound effects, lighting, mood, and music all seem to be specific to each location - it's a really nice touch.”
“The soundtrack was surprisingly excellent.”
“The music in this game is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous over time.”
“While the ambiance is well-crafted, the music often feels out of place and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
“The soundtrack is forgettable and fails to create an emotional connection with the gameplay.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark, gallows humor reminiscent of classic SNES RPGs, particularly evoking comparisons to the tone of Final Fantasy IV. This unique approach adds depth and a distinct flavor to the overall narrative experience.
“Beware the gallows humor.”
“This reminds me of a well-done SNES RPG; think of a dark-humored Final Fantasy IV.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, users report occasional glitches, but these do not significantly detract from the gameplay experience, drawing comparisons to the exploratory nature of titles like Fallout 3 and Baldur's Gate rather than their notorious bugs.
“The game runs smoothly without any major bugs, making for a seamless experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it feels polished and well-tested.”
“Unlike other titles, this game maintains a consistent frame rate and performance throughout.”
“I encountered several glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“There are constant stability issues that prevent me from enjoying the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's variable gameplay as a key factor contributing to its high replay value, making it enjoyable to revisit multiple times.
“The variable gameplay offers a high replay value!”
“Each playthrough feels fresh and engaging, making me want to dive back in.”
“The different choices and outcomes keep me coming back for more!”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted as a strong point in the game, suggesting that players find it engaging and well-executed alongside the combat mechanics.
“Combat and character development both seem like highlights.”
“The depth of character development really allows players to connect with the story on a personal level.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful.”
