MASSIVE CHALICE

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,520 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
MASSIVE CHALICE Game Cover
An isometric tactical fantasy that marries XCOM's strategy with Game of Thrones' epic death-toll.
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"MASSIVE CHALICE" is a tactical strategy game spanning hundreds of years, where you command heroes, create bloodlines through marriages, and deal with the resulting genetic traits. Permadeath is a key feature, as heroes age and eventually pass away, forcing you to constantly juggle an imperfect roster. Success in battle can lead to Bloodline Relics, kept in your armory as a memorial to fallen heroes.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Linux
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,520 reviews
gameplay158 positive mentions
grinding39 negative mentions
  • Unique bloodline and breeding mechanics add depth to the gameplay.
  • Engaging turn-based combat that requires strategic planning.
  • Charming art style and humorous narration enhance the overall experience.
  • Repetitive gameplay and lack of variety in enemies and combat scenarios.
  • Limited customization options for heroes and bloodlines.
  • The pacing can feel slow, with long periods of waiting between battles.
  • gameplay580 mentions

    The gameplay of "Massive Chalice" is characterized by its blend of tactical turn-based combat and kingdom management, featuring unique mechanics such as hero aging and bloodline management. While many players appreciate the innovative concepts and depth of the bloodline system, criticisms arise regarding repetitive combat, lack of enemy variety, and insufficiently explained mechanics, leading to a sense of monotony over time. Overall, the game offers a solid but simplified experience compared to similar titles like XCOM, with a mix of engaging and frustrating elements that may appeal to fans of strategic gameplay.

    • “I like most of the mechanics, I like the kingdom building aspects, and I like the idea of playing over the course of years with heroes who grow old and die.”
    • “The combination of turn-based tactics plus the personality and traits mechanics is quite unique and well executed.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and involved, the lineage system is truly revolutionary.”
    • “The gameplay is under par; waiting for the few things to complete or evolve is boring, and there is a constant sense of randomness in everything you do.”
    • “The main drawbacks of this game are the repetitiveness towards the endgame, and the fact that some mechanics turn out to be lackluster, or even irrelevant.”
    • “The gameplay starts out pretty well but gets repetitive once you're a few hours into it.”
  • story345 mentions

    The story of "Massive Chalice" is described as minimal yet intriguing, spanning 300 years of generational gameplay where players manage bloodlines to combat a persistent enemy. While some players appreciate the emergent storytelling and character development, many criticize the narrative for being simplistic, lacking depth, and often feeling disconnected from the gameplay. Overall, the game offers a unique premise but falls short in delivering a compelling and engaging story, leaving players wanting more context and variety in the narrative.

    • “The story is minimal, but gripping.”
    • “The story is unique though sometimes more abstract than I'd like.”
    • “The story plays over 300 years so you have to plan in advance to get good heroes that were created due to the hard work of their ancestors who you controlled in battle leading to a lineage of heroes.”
    • “The story is very simple with not much meat to the bone; the game lets you form your own stories in a way with the way building bloodlines works and the gameplay with this in mind.”
    • “With such a lackluster story, you'll need to really love the core gameplay to find it worth the money.”
    • “There's practically no story, no lore.”
  • graphics260 mentions

    The graphics of "Massive Chalice" have received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and charming art style, which features a hand-drawn, low-poly aesthetic that enhances the game's quirky atmosphere. While some players appreciate the simplicity and clarity of the visuals, others find them lacking in detail and variety, leading to a perception of dated or unfinished graphics. Overall, the game's visuals are seen as a distinctive element that complements its gameplay, though opinions vary widely on their appeal.

    • “The game's visuals are stunning, with a beautiful hand-drawn style that gives the game a unique and memorable look.”
    • “The graphics have a simple but beautiful style and the replay value is definitely a plus.”
    • “The art style is really nice, and the graphics suit the gameplay and the flavor of the game spectacularly, enhancing the experience.”
    • “The low poly graphics and somewhat simplified gameplay are a let-down here.”
    • “The battles and environments are quirky and fun to look at for a while, but quickly wear out their appeal; it's obvious the art style is just a thin smokescreen for hiding sub-par, lazy graphics design.”
    • “The graphics are bad by even mobile phone standards.”
  • music100 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively complementing the gameplay and enhancing the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, noting its emotional depth and ability to adapt during combat, while some mention its unique blend of genres, including rock and metal. Overall, the music is described as memorable and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's tone and ambiance.

    • “The sound design is equally impressive, with a hauntingly atmospheric soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's dark and foreboding tone.”
    • “The music is adaptive during combat and suits the melancholy, fatalistic themes of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is monumental and moves me every time I play the game.”
    • “The music is fitting, but I don't find it to be one of the top soundtracks (Bastion, Transistor, etc.). What sold me on this game is the comedic voice acting of the Massive Chalice as it really hooked me in.”
    • “Sound: aside from what I've already mentioned, there is nothing special here; the sound is just passable and you will get tired of the soundtrack before your first playthrough is up.”
    • “It's like someone wrote a great bridge in a song and then just put a repetitive boring tune around it.”
  • humor84 mentions

    The humor in the game is a notable highlight, featuring witty dialogue, funny narrators, and quirky character interactions that often elicit laughter. However, some players find the repetitive nature of certain jokes and dialogue lines detracts from the overall comedic experience. While the humor aligns well with the game's unique art style and gameplay, opinions vary on its effectiveness, with some praising it as a charming addition and others feeling it falls flat at times.

    • “The wit in this game is hilarious!”
    • “The narration is quite funny and some of the events that can happen really make you laugh, especially due to the random nature of it all.”
    • “The two voices that make up the massive chalice are hilarious and their personality is as overflowing as the water in the chalice.”
    • “The background story is uninteresting at best, and the humor is not funny at all.”
    • “The game's lack of variety in difficulty, graphics, and strategic content, along with the baffling decision to allow players to create shoddy and very unfunny custom content in the form of bloodlines (character descriptions/battle dialogue), leaves the impression that the game's creators don't really want to make the effort to produce high-quality content.”
    • “The story is super unfunny to me, but who cares? It's a strategy game, etc.”
  • replayability76 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its randomness and depth, particularly through the bloodline mechanics and character generation, which can lead to unique experiences in each playthrough. However, others express disappointment over limited variety and repetitive gameplay, suggesting that while there is potential for replay value, it may not be substantial enough to keep players engaged long-term. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some finding it highly replayable and others feeling it lacks sufficient depth for multiple runs.

    • “Very much an 'easy to learn, difficult to master' kind of game where a casual player can breeze through the game while only interacting with the bloodline mechanics as needed, while an advanced player derives replayability from the same mechanics' considerable depth.”
    • “The replayability is huge with your forces, as the traits and personality (along with the names) will be different each time.”
    • “There's a lot of replayability, depending on what relics you get, who you settle in your keeps, what cross-classes you breed, etc. The game will no doubt be a new experience the next time I play.”
    • “Usually, roguelike games have a high amount of replayability, but unfortunately, this game gets more and more tedious the longer you play it.”
    • “The game is not replayable as it is the same over and over again unfortunately.”
    • “It seems from the design like it was meant to be replayable, but it just doesn't have enough variety.”
  • grinding40 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant drawback, with many describing it as tedious and repetitive, especially in the later stages. While the initial gameplay can be enjoyable, the combat and management mechanics become increasingly monotonous, leading to a loss of interest over time. The lack of variety and engaging content contributes to a sense of frustration, making the grind feel more like a chore than a rewarding experience.

    • “The character design is visually unique, and the combat keeps me engaged without feeling tedious.”
    • “Grinding in this game feels rewarding, as each level up brings a sense of accomplishment.”
    • “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels like a chore, but rather an enjoyable part of the journey.”
    • “Unfortunately, what they ultimately produced is the dullest, most cliché, cheap-feeling, and unsatisfyingly grindy turn-based strategy game they could have devised.”
    • “The lack of variation in maps becomes crushingly tedious over even a single playthrough.”
    • “The combat quickly felt tedious.”
  • emotional20 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed responses from players. Many express a strong attachment to characters and their generational lineage, finding the loss of heroes deeply impactful, akin to experiences in games like XCOM. However, some players feel that the emotional connection diminishes over time, particularly due to the rapid aging and replacement of characters, which can lead to a sense of detachment and loneliness.

    • “Actually got emotional at times, couldn't recommend enough.”
    • “Massive Chalice is one of the few games that gave me a deep emotional connection to the characters and the families that I utilized throughout the game.”
    • “For me, customizing my characters is not only extremely entertaining, but it emotionally invests me in those characters, and when they die in battle... I actually care.”
  • optimization20 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly on Mac systems, despite meeting recommended specifications. While some aspects, like art style and combat, are praised, the game suffers from poor optimization that leads to slowdowns and bugs, detracting from the overall experience. Players express a desire for improvements, especially in the context of early access development.

    • “Ensuring your heroes are numerous and effective enough to accomplish that task through wise (optimized) choices in which structures you build, the order in which you research technologies, and who you appoint to each office (researchers, trainers, breeders, combatants) is crucial for success.”
    • “When it runs smoothly, this still isn't the best game ever or anything, but the tedious parts are reduced, and I feel now like I could recommend it.”
    • “Great art style, original classes, solid combat, smooth performance, and a good price point make this easy to recommend.”
    • “Unfortunately, it feels like a poorly optimized experience, and there needed to be more... well, just more in general.”
    • “My computer more than exceeds the recommended system requirements, but the game is so poorly optimized that it runs like old-timey stop motion.”
    • “The performance on Mac is awful to the point where it's impossible to play, even on the lowest resolution.”
  • atmosphere18 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting soundtrack, effective sound design, and coherent aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the charming and immersive environment, complemented by strong voice acting and a well-delivered story, although some feel the gameplay lacks engagement despite the pleasant atmosphere. Overall, the audiovisual elements create a captivating and atmospheric setting that draws players in.

    • “The sound design is equally impressive, with a hauntingly atmospheric soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's dark and foreboding tone.”
    • “I felt that the story, voice acting, atmosphere, and art direction were all spectacularly well-done; they all really worked to get me hooked.”
    • “The atmosphere is great, thanks to the aforementioned audiovisual design, and there are several events that pop up through the playthrough to give you the bigger picture of the kingdom you're managing.”
    • “It's not addictive even with a pleasant atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is better than the story.”
    • “I listen, but there are no tunes that make me hum along; however, none of it is something I wish to skip, as it all fits the atmosphere.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the unique visual design and vibrant art style are praised, many players feel that the simplistic and similar character designs hinder emotional investment. Additionally, the reliance on random events with no player impact can lead to frustration, overshadowing the otherwise solid narrative storytelling and character development. Overall, the potential for deeper character engagement is present but not fully realized.

    • “This is further supported by a semi-cartoonish art style which showcases vibrant colors and original character designs beautifully.”
    • “I feel like it has to do with how quickly people want to burn through a game on Steam, but this is really a good Double Fine production and it shows with good narrative storytelling and character development.”
    • “The character design visually is unique and the combat isn't tedious.”
    • “There's a lot of good and interesting stuff here, but it's marred by simple and similar character designs that don't invite any investment in them, as well as random events that you have absolutely no impact on the outcome. It's always completely random chance, which can be really frustrating.”
    • “The concept is sound, but the character development and longevity is poorly done.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent freezing issues when tabbing out, requiring a complete restart to resolve. Users have reported a lack of responsiveness from the developers regarding these bugs, contributing to a frustrating experience.

    • “Every time I tab out and go back into the game, the screen just freezes and nothing I can do will fix it. All I can do is turn off the game and turn it back on.”
    • “Pretty buggy, and the developers are not responsive regarding bugs, either on Steam or even on their own forums.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
25hAverage play time
5-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

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