Macabre

About

Macabre is a single player role playing game with a historical theme. It was developed by MOCBJ Software and was released on July 6, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Macabre is, at heart, a NES/SNES-inspired JRPG that tells of a post-apocalyptic tale set in medieval times. Despite the old school feel, it does feature some modern mechanics; such as in-game achievements, crafting, and a unique random encounter system.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 28 reviews

story8 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique take on Lovecraftian storytelling, focusing on personal struggles and singular horrors, which enhances the narrative experience.
The domino mechanic for resolving challenges adds an intense layer of strategy and tension, making players feel more invested in their decisions.
The crafting system and character progression provide depth, allowing players to engage with the game world and customize their experience.

The game suffers from poor design choices, including lack of native controller support and a fixed resolution that hampers gameplay experience.
Many aspects of the game, such as monster designs and overall graphics, are criticized for being subpar and unpolished.
The story and quest progression can be tedious, with repetitive loot mechanics and navigation issues that detract from the overall enjoyment.

story
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
68%
9%
The reviews highlight a diverse range of storytelling experiences across different games. "Macabre Tales" offers a unique Lovecraftian narrative that emphasizes personal struggles and player involvement, while other titles feature more traditional RPG plots with light-hearted twists and engaging character interactions. However, some games suffer from linear storytelling and pacing issues, leading to mixed feelings about their overall narrative quality.
- “Without a decent and captivating story to tell, the game can lose your interest, but this one tells a tale that keeps you interested and involved from the beginning.”
- “The story takes a couple of interesting turns and the settings are varied enough to keep you interested throughout your short journey.”
- “The combat is solid, the music is good, and the storytelling is amazing for an RPG of this kind.”
- “The story is okay, but man a lot of the designs are terrible.”
- “Retro pixel graphics, terrible design and story of lower quality than your average Star Trek fan fiction.”
- “There isn't much character customization and the storyline is strictly linear.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the overall experience, with a fitting soundtrack that complements each area and solid combat. However, some users express frustration over the lack of options for sound effects and music volume balance, as well as issues with the game's UI and resolution that detract from playability. Overall, while the music is well-mastered and enjoyable, technical shortcomings impact the experience.
- “And the music is great and adds greatly to the game's enjoyment.”
- “I'm not sure if the soundtrack is original, but it fits the game rather nicely.”
- “Each area seems to have its appropriate song matched with it.”
- “The 10cm wide window makes for basically an unplayable experience... unless of course you're happy to mess up all your desktop icons and run your OS in a resolution that was tiny last century. Seriously, a scalable UI is really easy to implement... unforgivable. Oh, and if you want sound effects and no music or slightly quieter music compared to effects... forget it. Just plain lazy.”
- “The 10cm wide window makes for basically an unplayable experience... unless of course you're happy to mess up all your desktop icons and run your OS in a resolution that was tiny last century. Seriously, a scalable UI is really easy to implement... unforgivable. Oh, and if you want sound effects and no music or slightly quieter music compared to effects... forget it. Just plain lazy.”
- “Tldr: despite some cute art and music and old-school low numbers combat.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The gameplay features a unique domino mechanic in place of traditional dice rolling, creating a tense decision-making experience as players navigate obstacles without combat. While the gameplay can feel repetitive at times, it offers interesting challenges and evokes a nostalgic feel reminiscent of old-school RPGs, despite some mechanics, like the "augury" equip slot, feeling underwhelming. Overall, the blend of storytelling and unconventional mechanics contributes to a distinctive gaming experience.
- “The style of gameplay felt like old school Final Fantasy games, but the enemies and characters have their own style about them that sets Macabre apart.”
- “The story is interesting, and the gameplay, while repetitive at times, can provide its own challenges.”
- “There are, of course, a few other mechanics in the game, but one mechanic that you’ll find completely absent from the rule book is the concept of ‘combat’.”
- “The domino mechanic as a replacement for dice rolling seemed like it might be a bit clunky at first, but in the intensity of the moment, having to choose which domino to play without knowing what may be around the next corner really makes one paranoid.”
- “There is an additional 'augury' equip slot that allows your characters to get various stat bonuses at level-up, but the mechanic seemed a bit underwhelming.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The graphics of the game are characterized by retro pixel art that many players find charming, despite being of notably low quality, reminiscent of titles from the mid-90s. While some appreciate the nostalgic appeal, others criticize the design and execution as subpar, with monster and character designs described as particularly unappealing. Overall, the graphics evoke a sense of style, but they may not meet the expectations of modern gamers.
- “In addition to the crafting, the graphics really take you back for those who remember playing those classics when they came out.”
- “I've already gotten $3 out of it, and I feel safe recommending it to people who can tolerate the graphics.”
- “The quality of graphics wouldn't have been acceptable in 1995, let alone 2015.”
- “Although I gave it quite some room in the graphics department (pixel game after all), the monster and character designs are just horrible.”
- “Retro pixel graphics, terrible design and story of lower quality than your average Star Trek fan fiction.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in relation to the crafting system, which requires constant remaking and salvaging of materials for minimal upgrades. While some appreciate the innovative ideas surrounding grinding in dungeons and gear crafting, the overall experience is marred by the repetitive nature of these tasks, leading to frustration and a lack of desire to replay the game.
- “This was a pain in the heiney considering the grinding associated with the crafting system (constantly remaking and salvaging materials just to get that +1) and the overall shortness of the game.”
- “Crafting is a bit tedious.”
- “I'm not playing this again, too tedious to go through.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by well-developed, fun characters and a blend of current, natural comedic moments, including some effective dry humor. While the story leans towards seriousness, it successfully incorporates lighthearted elements that enhance the overall experience.
- “The characters are fun with lots of personality; the humor is current, nothing forced, with a few laugh-out-loud moments.”
- “The story is pretty good so far, mostly serious with some dry bits of humor that are done pretty well.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the game's replayability to be high, thanks to its diverse character choices, multiple endings, and varying difficulty levels that encourage multiple playthroughs. Additionally, the inclusion of random events and unlockable content keeps the experience fresh and engaging. Overall, many users appreciate the incentives to revisit the game after completing it.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game has been criticized for its poor design, with users expressing disappointment in both monster and character aesthetics, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Although I gave it quite some room in the graphics department (pixel game after all), the monster and character designs are just horrible.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its beauty, reminiscent of the immersive soundscapes created by Nobuo Uematsu in the Final Fantasy series, effectively enhancing the pixelated world.
- “It truly is beautiful, adding lots of atmosphere to the pixel world, much like Nobuo Uematsu did in the Final Fantasies.”