Necroking
- September 4, 2024
- KORO.GAMES
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Necroking" is a single-player Adventure game where you become the Necroking, harnessing dark necromancy powers to command an army of undead minions and conquer desecrated settlements. With real-time tactical gameplay, vast skull deckbuilding, and roguelite elements, every playthrough is unique with procedurally generated levels and unpredictable challenges. The pixel art visuals immerse you in a beautifully haunting world.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Charming pixel art and engaging gameplay that combines deck-building with tactical battles.
- Offers a satisfying gameplay loop with a variety of units and strategies, making it addictive and fun.
- Great value for the price, providing hours of entertainment and potential for replayability.
- The game can be too easy, especially on lower difficulties, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement.
- Repetitive gameplay and a lack of meaningful progression due to deck resets after each chapter can diminish long-term enjoyment.
- Some bugs and UI issues can disrupt the experience, including slow loading times and unclear mechanics.
- gameplay35 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its fun mechanics, engaging loop, and solid pixel art, offering a mix of strategy and replayability. However, many reviewers noted a lack of depth and progression, with some elements feeling underdeveloped or overly simplistic, which can lead to a sense of boredom after initial playthroughs. Overall, while the game has captivating mechanics and a charming aesthetic, it could benefit from more complexity and clearer guidance to enhance the player experience.
“Tons of replayability, solid pixel art, fun gameplay loop, amazing price!”
“The overall gameplay is great and leaves enough room for theorycrafting.”
“It's got a great atmosphere, really good style, and unique gameplay.”
“I'm sure there's someone who enjoys this sort of completely mindless and boring gameplay, but fortunately that isn't me.”
“After beating the gameplay loop once, I don't care to go any farther.”
“Every turn takes your mana; let's say you get 5 mana a turn (I don't remember the exact numbers, but this explains how it goes). It appears he takes anywhere between 4-6 mana a turn from you, do the math: no mana, no gameplay, auto loss. I feel like this boss wasn't playtested, as he also spams units out every turn, and units cost anywhere between 8-15 mana at this point in the game. So you're sitting over here potentially losing mana every turn while a never-ending horde runs you down.”
- music9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while the overworld tracks are described as cute and groovy, the battle music, including during boss fights, is often deemed boring. Overall, players appreciate the retro soundtrack and its contribution to the game's atmosphere, though some feel it lacks universal appeal.
“Cool pixel art and retro soundtrack, very cheap for how much fun I had.”
“What I like though, is the concept, art style, music (which is quite groovy) and the atmosphere.”
“Really fun game to be honest, I'm enjoying the art, the music, and the gameplay a lot.”
“The overworld music is somewhat cute, but the music during the fights, even the boss fights, is just really boring.”
“Music and art style aren't universally appealing but fully functional.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and appealing art style, particularly the exquisite pixel art that enhances the overall atmosphere. While the visuals may not appeal to everyone, they are considered functional and well-executed, contributing to a polished and immersive experience. Overall, the graphics, alongside the music, are highlighted as top-tier elements that complement the gameplay effectively.
“This game needs to be super successful so that Necroking 2 can happen with lush overworlds, beautiful graphics, and music, like HOMM3.”
“Graphics and audio are top tier, the gameplay is simple but hard to master, and the overall feel of the game is incredibly addicting and well polished.”
“The mechanics are unique, the cards have pretty cool abilities, and the art style is amazing.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game features a charming and unique story where the lich is portrayed as a non-antagonistic character, offering a refreshing twist on the typical necromancer narrative. Players appreciate the simple yet appealing storytelling, which evolves in complexity alongside gameplay, complemented by engaging pixel art and a variety of enemies. While some feel the story could be improved, it is generally seen as a decent and enjoyable aspect of the game, fitting well with its strategic mechanics.
“Charming story where the lich for once is not the antagonist.”
“Its really fun the mechanic of restarting at each new act lets you make a new strategy for the different acts new stuff, its got a nice pixel art theme the looping animations are very cool for a lot of the things you can use, its got some cool necromancer themes which I really enjoy and its got kind of a cute story for the protagonist instead of a dark broody maybe too evil protagonist which is a neat flip to the typical necromancer hero story.”
“A nice little time waster with a total play time of around 8 hours for all unlocks and finishing the story is decent for the price tag.”
“The story can be improved significantly.”
“A nice little time waster with a total play time of around 8 hours for all unlocks, and finishing the story is decent for the price tag.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mix of strong replayability and enjoyable gameplay, with some players highlighting its fun mechanics and pixel art. However, a few reviewers noted that once completed, the game lacks additional replay value, suggesting that in-game events or map variations could enhance this aspect.
“Tons of replayability, solid pixel art, fun gameplay loop, amazing price!”
“Very good replayability.”
“Really fun and replayable game.”
“I would rank this 8/10, fun game, very enjoyable, but those minor flaws take a toll on the score. Now that I've finished the game, there's no replayability to it, I would guess.”
“In-game or map events could also increase replayability.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overly time-consuming, often feeling like it devolves into a farming simulator. Many express frustration with the slow progression, suggesting that a greater variety of units available from the start would enhance the experience and encourage longer playtime.
“But unfortunately, it quickly turns into a farming game.”
“I see that there are more units in the game, but they're hidden behind hours of grinding.”
“For example, early game farming souls is monotonous.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its unique blend of groovy music, engaging pixel art, and a strong art style, contributing to an immersive experience. Players appreciate how the roguelite elements and procedurally generated levels enhance the overall ambiance, ensuring each run feels fresh and distinct.
“What I like though, is the concept, art style, music (which is quite groovy) and the atmosphere.”
“It's got a great atmosphere, really good style, and unique gameplay.”
“The roguelite elements, procedurally generated levels, and an extensive unlockable skill tree ensure fresh, unique runs, while its pixel art creates an immersive atmosphere.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, particularly highlighted by the character "funny bone man," which adds a lighthearted and enjoyable element to the experience, earning an 8/10 rating from users.
“I love the humor in this game; it really tickles my funny bone! 8/10 :)”
“The jokes are clever and keep me laughing throughout the gameplay!”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious situations make this game a joy to play!”
