Malice & Greed
- March 22, 2021
- Xendra
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Malice & Greed" is a roguelike turn-based RPG with deckbuilder elements, inspired by Shin Megami Tensei & Persona. Force enemies to join your team and swap them during combat, or butcher them to steal skills. Fuse enemies together, sell unwanted allies for upgrades, and build powerful combos by abusing skill synergies. Each run offers new playstyles with mixable skills of 4 colors.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of mechanics inspired by Shin Megami Tensei and Slay the Spire, offering deep and strategic gameplay with a variety of skills and party-building options.
- The art style and music are highly praised, creating an engaging and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- The developer is actively updating the game based on community feedback, showing a commitment to improving the game and adding new content.
- The game is still in Early Access and has several rough edges, including unclear mechanics, a lack of polish, and some placeholder art that detracts from the experience.
- Players have reported issues with the user interface and tutorial system, which can be confusing and may not provide enough information to fully understand the game's mechanics.
- There are concerns about the game's long-term development, with some players feeling that it may be abandoned or not reach a complete state.
- gameplay75 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by dynamic decision-making and a blend of mechanics reminiscent of Shin Megami Tensei and Slay the Spire, featuring monster collection and roguelite elements. Players appreciate the depth and replayability offered through various starter loadouts and a stacking difficulty mode, although some mechanics can be confusing and the user experience may need improvement. Overall, the game is praised for its unique mechanics and aesthetic, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre, despite some concerns about visual polish and certain gameplay features feeling underdeveloped.
“A lot of the mechanics lead to more dynamic decision-making than in some similar games.”
“It's a brilliant mechanic because it creates a delicious tension: play it safe and kill the powerful unit first, or risk killing it last to earn its power for yourself!”
“In terms of replayability, the game offers a stacking difficulty mode as core to its gameplay loop as well as several (~a dozen) starter loadouts that drastically change how your starting character functions.”
“Overall the corpse mechanic just feels like a weird, half-baked addition, but I haven't tried to do a build yet where I'm dying and reviving constantly, so I may just have a limited view of it.”
“There is no interesting story to follow, gameplay is a shallow version of SMT games, the 'rogue' part is weak for now (I can't feel motivated to get into another round of RNG shenanigans) and all random screw-ups are solved by another random option to spend some spins.”
“Poor contrasting colors between fonts and background images are common, and placeholder art is rampant which can impact your ability to grasp a lot of gameplay elements (like what enemies you're facing) at a glance.”
- music45 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and metal-inspired soundtrack, which enhances the gameplay experience and makes battles feel epic. Reviewers appreciate the distinct aesthetic created by the combination of music and art, noting that the soundtrack remains engaging throughout extended play sessions. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's unique atmosphere and appeal.
“The music makes every battle feel epic.”
“The budding art style is fantastic, the music is dangerously good, and the developer is actively talking to the community in a way I feel can only help the game.”
“The best part of the game is also the grimy cyberpunk aesthetic with a brilliant soundtrack to boot.”
“Music isn't hugely my thing, but none of it is bad; the art hits a really good and unique niche.”
“And no matter the duration of time you spend in a fight, the music doesn't get old.”
“The music is very inspired by Shin Megami Tensei, and I love it.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, with many praising the unique art style and grimy cyberpunk aesthetic, which is complemented by a strong soundtrack. While some users express a desire for improvements, they remain optimistic about future updates and the potential for enhanced visuals. Overall, the game's aesthetic draws inspiration from SMT4, creating a distinct combination that resonates with fans of the genre.
“Purchased this game after seeing it in the future in games showcase and being extremely intrigued by the art style.”
“The budding art style is fantastic, the music is dangerously good, and the developer is actively talking to the community in a way I feel can only help the game.”
“The best part of the game is also the grimy cyberpunk aesthetic with a brilliant soundtrack to boot.”
“I don't love the graphics.”
“The aesthetics (visuals and sound) borrow heavily from SMT4 in both theme and tone, which may or may not be your cup of tea.”
“The aesthetics (visuals and sound) borrow heavily from SMT4 in both theme and tone, which may or may not be your cup of tea.”
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story in the game is described as lacking depth and focus, often feeling like fanfiction inspired by the Digital Devil Saga RPG duology, with elements from Nocturne and Persona 5. Players note that while the world is rich in style, the narrative is underdeveloped, especially in early access, leading to a disconnect between gameplay and storytelling. Overall, the story does not engage players significantly, leaving them wanting more substance and clarity.
“More specifically, the story and gameplay act as sort of fanfiction to the Digital Devil Saga RPG duology, but with some Nocturne and Persona 5 elements thrown in.”
“The world is very rich with style, and even though there is a lack of a full story due to early access, it still captivates the imagination.”
“The aesthetic and character engagement put me in a Shin Megami headspace, making me crave more of a story.”
“I didn't like it in Hades and I don't like it here, but unlike Hades, there's no huge amounts of plot progression in between.”
“There is no interesting story to follow; gameplay is a shallow version of MT games, the 'rogue' part is weak for now (I can't feel myself motivated to get into another round of RNG shenanigans) and all random screw-ups are solved by another random option to spend some spins.”
“Some cons: due to early access, there is a lack of a full story going on, though the world is very rich with style.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a gritty, dark tone reminiscent of titles like "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Mad Max," featuring sharp monster smack talk that often leads to hilarious moments. This blend of cyberpunk aesthetics and dark humor creates a unique atmosphere, similar to the experience found in "Lisa: The Painful." Overall, players appreciate the game's ability to balance humor with its darker themes.
“I can safely say the attitude of the game really gives it a great cyberpunk vibe that feels like Guardians of the Galaxy or Mad Max at times with its sense of gritty humor.”
“Monsters smack talk you pretty hard to often hilarious degrees. The entire 'butcher your monster for money or power' really sets a tone that I can only remember getting from Lisa: The Painful.”
“Dark humor and all.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its stacking difficulty mode and a variety of starter loadouts that significantly alter gameplay, encouraging players to experiment with different strategies and character functions.
“Awesome game, high replay value.”
“In terms of replayability, the game offers a stacking difficulty mode as core to its gameplay loop as well as several (~a dozen) starter loadouts that drastically change how your starting character functions.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is significantly hindered by the presence of placeholder elements, which detract from the overall immersive experience.
“A lot of placeholder content really dampens the atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere feels lacking due to the abundance of placeholder elements.”
“The use of placeholder assets significantly detracts from the overall atmosphere.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is reported to be slightly buggy, with specific issues arising from emergency events and boons on certain tiles, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences. Overall, while stability is generally acceptable, these bugs can impact the overall enjoyment.
“Slightly buggy because of EA; emergency events and boons on certain tiles can be vicious.”
“Slightly buggy because of EA; emergency events and boons on certain tiles can be vicious.”
