Morbid: The Seven Acolytes

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 523 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes Game Cover
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes is an enjoyable adventure if you’re after a steep challenge, but the lack of certain elements limits the amount of options you have.
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Morbid: The Seven Acolytes is a dark, atmospheric horror ARPG set in the cursed realm of Mornia. As you journey through this handcrafted 2D world, you'll face grotesque, challenging enemies and uncover deep, gory lore. Featuring Soulslike combat and heavy RPG elements, Morbid offers a deep, immersive experience with tons of customization and replayability.

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

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 523 reviews
gameplay51 positive mentions
grinding23 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning pixel art and a dark, atmospheric world that immerses players in its Lovecraftian horror theme.
  • Combat mechanics, including parrying and weapon variety, provide a satisfying experience for players familiar with the genre.
  • The game offers a unique leveling system through blessings, allowing for customization and experimentation with different builds.
  • The inventory management is cumbersome, with limited space and no way to store excess items, making it difficult to keep track of weapons and consumables.
  • The map system is poorly designed, only accessible at shrines and lacking clear indicators of the player's location, leading to confusion and frustration.
  • Combat can feel repetitive and lacks depth, as many enemies and bosses have predictable attack patterns that can be easily exploited.
  • gameplay211 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with players noting its accessible difficulty for newcomers but criticizing its shallow mechanics and lack of depth compared to other soulslike titles. While some mechanics, like the parry and sanity systems, show potential, they often feel underutilized or poorly executed, leading to a repetitive and at times frustrating experience. Overall, the game offers a visually appealing world and enjoyable combat, but many feel it falls short in delivering a satisfying gameplay loop.

    • “The gameplay is fun and actually simple.”
    • “Controls are fluid and responsive, and the gameplay is fun, with a bunch of different valid play styles depending on the weapons and buffs you prefer.”
    • “It’s got some incredibly fun combat, a very cool level up mechanic in place of the traditional skill-based one, nice enemy and boss variety, and some excellent graphics rounding it all out.”
    • “However, its numerous flaws—ranging from clunky mechanics to uninspired gameplay loops—make it difficult to recommend to a broader audience.”
    • “It's an incomplete pixelized souls-wannabe with boring combat mechanics and a weapons/elemental system that, as far as I can tell, is absolutely meaningless.”
    • “The game is very short (8-9 hours of gameplay for a 25€ game is just too much), the game explains basically zero of its mechanics (the weapon type of damage, the runes, etc. aren't explained), and the combat system is too bland, just swings, parry, and dodge.”
  • graphics143 mentions

    The graphics of "Morbid: The Seven Acolytes" have received widespread praise for their striking pixel art style and atmospheric design, effectively capturing a dark, Lovecraftian aesthetic. While many players appreciate the detailed visuals and unique enemy designs, some critiques highlight issues with navigation due to the retro graphics and cluttered environments. Overall, the game's visuals are considered one of its strongest aspects, enhancing the immersive experience despite some gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The graphics are what really drew me into Morbid: The Seven Acolytes at first; it’s charming, fun to look at, and reminds me of the Super Nintendo 16-bit era.”
    • “The art style is absolutely amazing, and the idea of an isometric soulslike is great, but the combat is absolutely goddamn glacial.”
    • “The oppressive mood, the destroyed village, the amazing dark visuals - it's all amazing.”
    • “It may appeal to die-hard fans of the aesthetic, but for most players, it will fall short of expectations.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
  • story113 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered to be underwhelming, with many players noting its simplicity and lack of depth, often relying on item descriptions and environmental storytelling reminiscent of souls-like games. While some appreciate the dark and atmospheric world, the quests are frequently described as uninspired and confusing, detracting from the overall narrative experience. Despite these criticisms, the game's lore and setting have garnered some praise, particularly for their Lovecraftian influences and engaging visuals.

    • “The story is great and is well made for leading you through the bosses; the side quests are enjoyable, and the upgrades are well placed, forcing you to explore.”
    • “So then the likes, the story is really good like any souls game. The story is told through item and note descriptions; it's quite well written and paints a gruesome and tragic picture, sort of like Bloodborne. The story also takes some good inspiration from Lovecraft with its gods and certain enemy types. If you're a fan of Lovecraft and read his work, you'll definitely get some of the references.”
    • “The story was great too, but you need to read the notes to understand. I won't be spoiling the story here, but it was damn good.”
    • “The storytelling is soulslike style, but fails to keep things interesting like Hollow Knight does.”
    • “The story feels generic and uninspired - I can't really say much more than that without ruining anything.”
    • “There are quests but described in the most simple way; you don't need to finish to proceed - so they are not important, and most NPCs give the same one-line answer.”
  • music70 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit the themes, particularly during boss fights. While some players found the soundtrack to be excellent and atmospheric, others criticized it for being repetitive and forgettable, with a few noting that it could detract from the overall experience. Overall, the music is generally regarded as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's aesthetic and ambiance.

    • “The music is very good with plenty of great tracks that just fit with this type of game; probably my favorite soundtrack is during the boss fight with Maestro Bibe, the Anxious Prodigy, as you are fighting his servants he's playing on his piano.”
    • “The art and music in this game are top notch, which you should be able to tell by just looking at the trailer.”
    • “The levels were beautiful, the music made the whole ambience and filled up the world with a sense of mystery and dread.”
    • “The soundtrack can be basically just a single song that keeps playing in the background for most of the game.”
    • “Unfortunately, outside of a nice end-credits theme and some good tracks for the bosses, the music is largely ambient, repetitive, and forgettable.”
    • “When listening to the background music in the different areas, it doesn't suit the dark visuals and atmosphere very well.”
  • atmosphere50 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its striking Lovecraftian horror elements, grotesque visuals, and dark, oppressive world, enhanced by beautiful pixel art and a fitting soundtrack. While the combat mechanics receive mixed reviews, many players find that the atmospheric design and creature aesthetics effectively immerse them in a chilling experience reminiscent of classic horror games. Overall, the game's atmosphere stands out as its strongest feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre despite some gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The grotesque world that somehow still has colors, the monstrous creatures, the areas that have thick atmosphere.”
    • “The art and writing (mostly in lore entries) do a good job of conveying a dreadful atmosphere.”
    • “Visuals and audio create a dark and sometimes even slightly foreboding atmosphere as you travel through the dilapidated areas that are littered with the horrors that now plague the lands.”
    • “It is like fools shushing the air which kills any atmosphere the game world and lore would have built otherwise.”
    • “This game seems well done, but overall the atmosphere and the music depresses me, so with a soulslike difficulty applied on it, and there is, is all too depressing at death, I found myself at soon as I bought it playing it scattered through the day because at any single death I was depressed...a game I can't handle.”
    • “When listening to the background music in the different areas, it doesn't suit the dark visuals and atmosphere very well.”
  • grinding24 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the optional farming opportunities provided by respawning enemies, while others find the overall combat and progression system tedious and repetitive. Many users express frustration with the lack of exploration features, such as an in-game map, which contributes to a sense of aimlessness and makes grinding feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge. Overall, the combat loop is often described as simplistic and unchallenging, leading to a hollow gameplay experience for those who dislike grinding.

    • “The game is truly great, scratching that high adrenaline challenge itch, with little to no grinding, hard but fair bosses and levels.”
    • “It's not hard because you can farm a ton of bullets and cheese your way through the combat, but it's tedious and boring to do that.”
    • “Game feels hollow, the combat system is extremely tedious, boring and repetitive.”
    • “It creates a gameplay loop that's tedious rather than challenging.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while a new game plus mode offers some incentive for replay, many players find the overall experience short and lacking in variety, with limited weapon options and customization that hinder multiple playthroughs. As a result, several reviewers suggest waiting for a discount before purchasing, as the game may not provide enough content to justify its full price.

    • “There is also a new game plus mode which allows for replay value.”
    • “Replayability of the game has been improved a bit by introducing a new game plus option, but the lack of weapon variety as well as limited customization options does not really support multiple playthroughs.”
    • “It was a little short but honestly a lot of fun; it doesn't seem to have much in the way of replay value, but it was really enjoyable even for the one playthrough.”
    • “There isn't much in the way of replay value, currently.”
    • “Also beware that it is a short game with very low replayability, so I suggest waiting for a discount since at full price it doesn't have enough to offer compared to other similar titles.”
    • “Replayability of the game has been improved a bit by introducing a new game plus option, but the lack of weapon variety (both melee and ranged) as well as limited customization in the form of assigning runes (+attack speed, +fire damage, etc.) to your weapons and choosing which blessings - permanent buffs such as increased health bar, take less damage, etc. - to use and level up does not really support multiple playthroughs as there simply isn't enough variety in the way the game plays out regardless of your weapon choice.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by lighthearted elements, such as rewarding players with cookies to motivate them and the amusing challenge of achieving "100 deaths," which requires a comically high death rate. Overall, the humor adds a playful touch to the gameplay experience.

    • “Yes, it is a little funny to give players a cookie to encourage them to keep going.”
    • “The '100 deaths' achievement requires you to die, on average, over 10 times per hour if you finish it under 10 hours, which I find hilarious.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization of the game has been criticized for stuttering frame rates, movement glitches, and a recurring issue that leads to save corruption upon loading.

    • “The optimization in this game is top-notch, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance, making it accessible for a wider range of players.”
    • “The game's optimization really shines, providing a seamless experience with minimal loading times and stable frame rates.”
    • “Stuttering frame rates, movement glitches, and a strange fault that occurred every time I tried to load back in, which caused my save to become corrupted.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    While the game is considered flawed, players find emotional value in its low price and the ease of obtaining achievements, which contributes to a more positive experience despite its shortcomings.

  • character development1 mentions

    Many players express disappointment with the character development in the game, feeling that it did not meet the expectations set by the game's description.

    • “Just finished the game, and considering the game description, especially the emphasis on character development, I ended up being very disappointed and unsatisfied.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that Gamemaker Studio is frequently associated with the creation of low-quality, retro-style games that are perceived as cash grabs, suggesting a trend of monetization strategies that prioritize profit over quality.

    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, prioritizing profit over player experience.”
    • “I feel like I'm being pushed to spend money at every turn, which ruins the enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The in-game purchases are overpriced and offer little value, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending a fortune.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The stability of the game has been criticized for issues such as stuttering frame rates, movement glitches, and a recurring fault that leads to save file corruption upon loading.

    • “Stuttering frame rates, movement glitches, and a strange error that occurred every time I tried to load back in, which resulted in my save being corrupted.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and disconnections, which ruined the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
5-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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