Lost Eidolons
- October 12, 2022
- Ocean Drive Studio, Inc.
- 31h median play time
Those who prefer strategic role-playing games will find a lot to like in Lost Eidolons, while its many existing strengths make it one of the finest SRPGs of 2022.
"Lost Eidolons" is a tactical RPG set in a fantasy world with a focus on strategic combat and party management. Players control a group of mercenaries in a rebellion against a tyrannical empire, with turn-based battles requiring planning and quick decision-making. The game also features character customization and a branching story with multiple endings based on choices made throughout the game.
Reviews
- Engaging story with well-developed characters that keep players invested throughout the game.
- Tactical combat system that encourages strategic thinking and utilizes environmental effects, making battles dynamic and interesting.
- High-quality graphics and voice acting that enhance the overall experience.
- Repetitive side quests and optional battles that lack variety, leading to a sense of monotony.
- Linear gameplay with little player agency, making choices feel inconsequential to the overall story.
- Technical issues such as long loading times, unskippable cutscenes, and occasional bugs that disrupt the flow of the game.
- story1,035 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story of "Lost Eidolons" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it predictable and filled with generic tropes typical of the genre. While some appreciate the character development and emotional moments, others criticize the linearity and lack of meaningful choices, leading to a sense of monotony and disengagement. The narrative is often described as heavy on dialogue and cutscenes, which can detract from the gameplay experience, though some players still find the overall story engaging and well-voiced.
“The story is engaging, the gameplay is absolutely awesome.”
“The story is good with a lot more complexity and depth than I expected.”
“Lost Eidolons takes you on a grim ride through a linear medieval war story centering around a band of mercenaries.”
“The story is boring and lifeless, and even if you skip the story and just do the mission maps, they're all the same too and also boring.”
“The game wants to set itself as story-driven, but the story is really not captivating, like, not at all.”
“The story is very linear, basically involves getting into a fight, wandering around camp doing basic 'no choice' quests, then having the NPCs talk to each other for 15 minutes+, then doing it all again.”
- gameplay305 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Lost Eidolons" is a blend of tactical turn-based combat reminiscent of the Fire Emblem series, featuring unique mechanics like a zone of control and a boss damage reduction system that can frustrate players. While many appreciate the strategic depth and character progression, others criticize the excessive cutscenes and camp activities that disrupt the flow of gameplay, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its flaws, the game offers engaging combat and a solid tactical experience, appealing to fans of the genre.
“The turn-based fighting is actually fun and intriguing, with cool animations for each attack. There are a couple of different mechanics that can be used on the field as well.”
“The gameplay is fun, but its about 25% of the game.”
“The gameplay is structurally extremely reminiscent of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, even including a monastery stand between battles.”
“Gameplay: skip, skip, skip (you just can't skip once, need to skip every time.), loading, skip, skip again, tutorial, skip, skip...”
“A mediocre and tiresome main story, a plethora of bland and generic characters that look the same and act the same, a lot of stupid game mechanics that are there just to annoy you and a bunch of repetitive battles against the same generic enemies makes me regret the time I spent playing this awful game.”
“Annoying boss mechanic where you have to kill all the underlings before you can do any appreciable damage to the bosses/minibosses.”
- graphics177 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the modern, high-quality visuals and character designs, while others criticize them for being dated or lacking in animation quality. Many players appreciate the art style and overall aesthetic, noting that it stands out in the genre, but there are complaints about stiff animations and a lack of emotional expression in character models. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for an indie title, they are not without their flaws, leading to a varied reception among players.
“The visuals are quite good, modern, and it is rare in this genre, so it is refreshing.”
“The graphics are high quality and much more than what you would expect from a game of this level, surpassing those of a lot of AA games from reputable studios.”
“Great polished game, good story, lovely graphics, best game I've played this year; well done to the devs!”
“Even with graphics turned to ultra, the visuals are... bad.”
“Not to mention how dated the graphics are (early PS3 to late PS2 era); you would think running it will be no problem.”
“The graphics are pretty bad for a 2022 game.”
- music52 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the gameplay, particularly during battles. While some found the soundtrack to be enjoyable and fitting, others noted that it lacked memorability and variety, with a few tracks standing out amidst a generally forgettable score. Overall, the music is described as solid and effective, though not consistently remarkable.
“The game's soundtrack also sounds nice and somewhat epic, and complements the various battles nicely.”
“The music does a decent job highlighting the mood at any given time, although no tracks particularly stood out as good or bad to me.”
“The music is solid and fits the context well, the voice acting has some phenomenal performances, and the still-art narrations are beautiful.”
“The atmospheric music fails to stick in your head unlike Fire Emblem music.”
“Soundtracks are quite forgettable except for a few.”
“The music is there, but nothing noteworthy.”
- grinding25 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- -8 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is largely tedious and unengaging, with many players expressing frustration over lengthy conversations, repetitive camp activities, and a lack of meaningful grinding opportunities. While some appreciate the combat mechanics, the overall experience is marred by excessive busywork and a feeling that the game forces players through monotonous tasks rather than allowing for enjoyable character development and exploration. Many players feel that the game would benefit from more streamlined mechanics and optional grinding elements to enhance gameplay.
“I'm having a blast with this game! It would be great if there was more grinding for experience, but I believe the developers are listening to the community. I hope they continue to add more content, even in DLC, to make the game even better.”
“The grinding mechanics in this game are really engaging and rewarding. It keeps me motivated to level up and explore new areas.”
“I love how the grinding system is balanced; it feels satisfying to progress without it becoming tedious. The developers have done a fantastic job!”
“This includes all of the grueling, tedious tasks and cutscenes that you are required to get through in order to actually play the game.”
“It quickly becomes tedious and although most of it is optional, you'll lose out on helpful rewards if you choose not to suffer.”
“The conversations are essentially, 'Oh, that's a great question, you should go talk to Robere about that.' Why add tedium to an already tedious idea and force me to move from character to character?”
- optimization22 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including GPU crashes and memory leaks, even on high-spec systems. While some users experienced decent performance with minor hiccups, others noted that the game struggles with stability, particularly on lower-end hardware and specific platforms like the Steam Deck. There is a general consensus that optimization needs improvement, especially in menu management and overall game balancing.
“Performance is really good, no bugs, no crashes.”
“Some maps run better than others if your machine is not the best tech, but overall a pleasant experience performance-wise.”
“Good performance on Steam Deck as well.”
“Well, I would say this game has cripplingly poor optimization that just bricks my GPU even though I'm well over spec for it.”
“From memory leaks to GPU crashes, I don't know how it's so poorly optimized.”
“In general, the game balancing and performance are very bad, and it's sad to see that instead of fixing these issues, the developers have already moved on to focus on an expansion.”
- character development20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the solid integration of character interactions and rapport systems that allow for meaningful engagement, while others criticize the lack of depth and control over character progression. Many players find the character designs appealing, though they often feel generic and not well-matched to the characters' voices. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable character interactions but falls short in providing substantial development and influence over the narrative.
“On the other hand, the plot and character development is a big strong point.”
“Character development is mostly done through a rapport system where, in-between missions, you are able to initiate conversations with your units/friends.”
“As yet only on chapter 7 but enjoying the high level of character interaction and the ability to influence character development.”
“The next issue for me was the character development.”
“Eden, the lead character, leader of a mercenary band, behaves and talks like an introverted 12-year-old child; maybe there is character development hidden somewhere along the story arc, but I'm definitely not staying that long to find it out.”
“With a long, boring prologue, nonexistent character development, bog-standard worldbuilding, annoying companions, and poor writing, I couldn't recommend this less.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players noting amusing bugs and stiff animations that lead to unintentionally funny moments, such as character models behaving oddly or exaggerated facial features. While some characters and their interactions can be entertaining, the dialogue often falls into cringe-worthy clichés, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, there are moments of genuine humor found in the game's extra content and quirky character dynamics.
“The animations are a bit stiff and there are a few funny bugs. The text speed goes too fast for me, so I switched off the auto-move to next, so I could read in peace. Clicking through voicelines sometimes resulted in a character's head growing in size, which is hilarious.”
“The most hilarious bug was during this fight where Eden killed an enemy before the fight started. Once the battle kicked off, Eden kept running forward and through houses and lakes indefinitely.”
“You'll find yourself very engaged in this, and there are a lot of nice little additions in the 'extra' stuff they've added. I loved reading the notes and books that people leave around; there are some funny things in those.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a low fantasy aesthetic that emphasizes serious storytelling and character development, though it can sometimes feel disjointed due to ludo-narrative dissonance. While the graphics and ambiance music contribute positively to the immersive experience, some players find the gloomy mood and excessive dialogue can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game successfully creates a believable war setting with a strong focus on atmosphere and lore.
“Honorable work: a lot of action sequences, solid surrounding support model inclusion, and a solid atmosphere gives Lost Eidolon a good presentation.”
“I will add a final bit once I complete the game, but they definitely focused on character/relationship development and creating an atmosphere and lore.”
“Overall, I enjoy the atmosphere, the story, and the art.”
“The anime heroic fantasy aesthetic is replaced by a low fantasy atmosphere, which is a double-edged sword.”
“I'm sorry, but no... this is just too bad. It's European in atmosphere and setting, but it has a Japanese feel to it, and plays like it was made for a phone.”
“There is a lot of talking... a lot. Though to be fair, they're trying to build a war and create an atmosphere.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is criticized due to a lack of variety and meaningful choices, resulting in a linear experience with minimal incentive to replay. However, the addition of a new game+ mode has been noted as a positive step towards enhancing replay value, offering players some extra content to explore.
“Update: new game+ mode has been added for extra replay value.”
“This would fit that criteria and add some extra replayability to the game.”
“It has some replay value as well.”
“This definitely needed more variety and choice as a replayability issue.”
“The story is on rails, nothing you do changes anything, which means zero replay value.”
“As for replayability, I don't see this as being an RPG you're going to play a second time.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional experience, noting that while the characters' motivations are coherent and the story is linear yet heartfelt, the voice acting is often perceived as overly dramatic and disconnected from the characters' expressions. This contrast detracts from the emotional immersion, suggesting that a higher production budget could have enhanced the emotional depth of the scenes. Overall, the emotional impact is present but inconsistent, relying heavily on voice acting to convey feelings.
“Linear but heartfelt story, great voice acting.”
“I think, had they had perhaps a larger budget, they could have made some really emotional scenes that would have made it more immersive.”
“If it wasn’t for the voice acting, I wouldn’t be able to tell what they felt during emotional scenes.”
- stability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is commendable for a first title from a small studio, with minimal glitches and a polished experience. However, as it is in early access, some bugs and freezing issues have been reported, particularly in specific areas, though the developers are actively addressing these problems.
“Overall, I will give the studio another shot on their next title because for a first game, it is very polished, bug-free, and had some great ideas.”
“It is in early access, so there are some bugs, and the game freezes in camp and in the jail. That being said, the devs are working out all the kinks and making improvements on a pretty regular basis.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a strong dissatisfaction with the monetization strategy, labeling it as a soulless cash grab that hinders gameplay. Players express frustration over the necessity to eliminate ads before being able to deal meaningful damage, leading to a frustrating experience where they feel overwhelmed by bosses.
“We need more of this and less soulless cash grabs.”
“You can't deal any meaningful damage until all the ads are killed.”
“You end up surrounded by bosses, unable to harm them, because all of their ads are behind them.”
Critic Reviews
Lost Eidolons PC Review
Those who prefer strategic role-playing games will find a lot to like in Lost Eidolons, while its many existing strengths make it one of the finest SRPGs of 2022.
88%Lost Eidolons Review
Lost Eidolons is a tactical RPG that takes time to become attached to. However, once you start to get the swing of things you may just become hooked.
75%Lost Eidolons review — A worthy yet flawed indie strategy RPG
It's hard not to respect and get swept up in the ambition of Lost Eidolons, where even the flaws and mediocre presentation is made worthwhile with some competent, classic SRPG gameplay.
80%