Morbid: The Lords of Ire

76%
Game Brain Score Based on 49 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
Morbid: The Lords of Ire Game Cover
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"Morbid: The Lords of Ire" is an isometric ARPG with a 3D perspective, continuing the story of "Morbid: The Seven Acolytes". Players will face gruesome enemies in the five lands of Ire, using a variety of weapons and blessings to defeat them. The sanity system from the previous game is expanded, impacting combat and altering the player's perception of the world based on their mental state.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game successfully captures the unique atmosphere and art style of the original Morbid, providing a visceral and engaging combat experience.
  • The combat mechanics, including the parry and gun systems, add depth and strategy, allowing for satisfying combos and enemy takedowns.
  • Despite some visual and technical shortcomings, the game offers interesting level design and creative enemy encounters that enhance the overall experience.
  • The game suffers from janky controls and animations, which can make combat feel clunky and unresponsive at times.
  • There are significant issues with enemy placement and difficulty balancing, leading to frustrating encounters, especially in crowded areas.
  • The progression and upgrade systems are poorly implemented, making it difficult for players to feel a sense of growth or reward throughout the game.
  • gameplay21 mentions

    The gameplay in this sequel is a mixed bag, featuring interesting mechanics and a strong focus on parrying, but it suffers from some execution issues and a lack of polish. Players appreciate the enemy design and the core mechanics, yet find the scarcity of consumables and the upgrade system lacking, with many weapons feeling similar in moveset. While the game offers engaging encounters and skill expression, it could benefit from refining its mechanics and improving animations for a more satisfying combat experience.

    • “Well, let's begin with the general impression: I'm completely in love with this sequel. The work done by the team is really good, and the game is clearly a sequel to the first Morbid in terms of mood, gameplay, art, and designs.”
    • “The game focuses on its parry mechanic, and most enemies are pretty well designed from a gameplay standpoint, with rarely any moves that feel unfair.”
    • “The devs seem to understand the core of this genre, with level design and enemy placement creating interesting gameplay encounters and opportunities for skill expression.”
    • “The gameplay could have used some polish, like not being able to buy consumables making them extremely scarce. On certain bosses, you need thunder shrooms or bleed shrooms if you hope to not take a lot of time trying to battle it. The upgrade system of weapons was barely noticeable; I beat the whole game with the rusted knuckles you find on the first level. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, and I wish they could have refined how the gameplay was since most weapons in the same category have the same moveset. The sanity mechanic is poorly designed; I barely ever managed to keep my sanity up, as you gain very little by attacking compared to what you lose when getting hit.”
    • “Once you get deep into the game, your attacks really don't matter if you want to move at a decent pace. You really have to spam those mechanics consistently to the point where I feel like I am hitting enemies with a feather.”
    • “You're not fully committing to enabling a stealth playstyle; it's just a tacked-on feature that feels like you had a list of every mechanic added to souls-likes over the years and checked the box.”
  • graphics10 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with some players noting that even the less polished visuals possess a unique beauty that enhances the game's atmosphere. While the art style is praised for its distinctiveness and the transition to a 3D format, there are inconsistencies in quality, particularly in animations. Overall, the visuals are generally considered good, especially given the game's budget constraints, and performance is solid on higher-end systems.

    • “Pros: stunning visuals”
    • “And so far in my couple hours of play, it feels like they seamlessly transition from the isometric feel of the previous outing into a fully 3D soulslike that still maintained the spirit and look of their art style and lore.”
    • “Graphics are good and performance is solid on my rig (3080, 7800x3d, 1440p).”
    • “The game does have budget visuals but makes up for that with some very interesting mechanics when it comes to increasing your character viability.”
    • “This is exacerbated by the models looking pretty decent, which makes the animations not quite fit the visuals of the game.”
    • “Tons of weapons, decent graphics, and a very low price give this a positive review from me.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its unique artistry and effective level and enemy design, which contribute to a captivating and immersive experience. Despite some graphical shortcomings, the music and overall ambiance enhance the grim tone, making it a strong addition to the souls-like genre. Players appreciate the combination of solid combat and atmospheric elements, though some feel the upgrade system could be improved.

    • “The music and the atmosphere are awesome!”
    • “Level design is top notch, enemy design is creative and fits the grim atmosphere, and in general it's a step-up from the demo that was provided.”
    • “The atmosphere and monster design hits just right.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, players report a mixed experience with stability; while some enjoy a largely glitch-free 11-hour playthrough with quick fixes for minor issues, others encounter frequent bugs and map artifacts that can lead to softlocks and visual glitches.

    • “The game is pretty buggy.”
    • “Map artifacts causing softlocks are not uncommon; I had plenty of visual glitches too.”
    • “Hardly any glitches experienced throughout the full approximately 11-hour playthrough, and on the rare occasion I did experience one, it was easily solved with an exit to the main menu and back into the game or a quick restart (pretty fast loading times, so not a big deal at all).”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised, with standout tracks like "Redemption" receiving particular acclaim. Reviewers note that the soundtrack significantly enhances the overall atmosphere, contributing to an immersive experience.

    • “The OST is also delicious, and the track 'Redemption' is so good.”
    • “The music and the atmosphere are awesome!”
  • story2 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is generally considered secondary, as many players do not prioritize it in their gaming experience. Some users feel unable to comment on the narrative, suggesting it may not be a focal point for most players.

    • “I cannot, however, comment on the story.”
    • “Most people don't play these types of games for the story, though.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Overall, the game is well-optimized, delivering solid performance even on mid to high-end rigs, such as a setup with a 3080 and 7800x3d at 1440p. Players appreciate the good graphics and unique combat mechanics, indicating a positive experience in terms of optimization.

    • “Graphics are good and performance is solid on my rig (3080, 7800X3D, 1440p).”
    • “They have their own unique spin on the combat, and so far the game seems pretty well optimized.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding in this indie soulslike game is often seen as excessively tedious, prioritizing difficulty over enjoyment and appealing primarily to players who appreciate punishing gameplay.

    • “It displays the worst 'indie soulslike' tendencies of being frustratingly tedious for the sake of being 'hard' to appeal to the self-flagellants of the cult of souls.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and serves no real purpose, making the experience more of a chore than an enjoyable challenge.”
    • “I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which quickly turned the game from fun to a tedious grind.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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