Necrolepsy
- October 11, 2019
- Mighty Obstacle Studios
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Necrolepsy" is a single-player platformer game with good gameplay and unique elements. The main mechanic is a timer that triggers a nightmare mode, making enemies and bosses harder. Explore giant levels with unique theming and challenges, and engage in combat with momentum and weight. Replayability is high with various filters, including permanent nightmares or classic mode.
Reviews
- The game features fast-paced gameplay with a satisfying parry and juggling combat system that keeps players engaged.
- The quirky art style and humorous writing add charm to the game, making it enjoyable and reminiscent of classic flash animations.
- There is a good amount of replayability with multiple game modes and challenges available after completing the main quest.
- The controls can feel floaty and imprecise at times, which may hinder the gameplay experience, especially during more challenging sections.
- Some levels and enemy placements can be frustrating, with glitches and hitbox issues that disrupt the flow of combat.
- The overall presentation may feel unpolished, with basic UI design and occasional bugs that detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay21 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "necrolepsy" is characterized by its quirky 2D hack and slash mechanics, featuring fast-paced combat and a unique parry system that can simplify boss encounters. While the game may initially feel unpolished, it offers a solid experience with engaging movement and combo mechanics, alongside time-shifting elements that enhance the metroidvania experience. Despite its short campaign, the game provides ample content and challenges, making it a worthwhile endeavor for players seeking both fun and creativity in gameplay.
“All in all a solid game for the asked price and a lot of additional content and challenges wait for all those who dig the movement and the juggle-combat mechanic.”
“Immaculate free-flowing movement and combat mechanics that lie underneath a simplistic but enjoyable metroidvania.”
“For any faults the art has, I definitely think the gameplay more than makes up for it just by sheer fun factor and creativeness alone.”
“The game is named after it, but it doesn't happen all that often or change the gameplay too much.”
“As far as gameplay is concerned, each area is split up into different stages.”
“The 'nightmare' mechanic, at least on the normal difficulty, isn't obnoxious and can easily be worked around.”
- music12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its elegance and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with a strong and memorable soundtrack that evolves positively as players progress. Many reviewers noted its indie charm, likening it to classic titles while appreciating its ability to complement the game's pacing and atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“The score is elegant and mild—quiet songs that mirror the deliberate pacing.”
“Starting out with the positives, right off the bat the first thing I notice and like is the soundtrack.”
“The music bends with the time, racing forward and backward along with your actions.”
“At worst, it's just meh with some sprite tiling looking wonky or perhaps certain backgrounds and stiff enemies, but like the music I think it all irons itself out and gets better by the end.”
“I'm not one to remember music well, but it never got stale and it was a delight to listen to.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story follows Lira, a bounty hunter cursed with nightmares that manifest in reality, as she seeks to defeat three necromancers to break the curse. While the plot is straightforward and not overly complex, it is enhanced by charming characters, humor, and thematic depth related to the protagonist's subconscious. The narrative serves its purpose within the metroidvania framework, allowing players to engage with it at their discretion.
“Our main protagonist, Lira, a bounty hunter who suffers from a curse, is on a mission to rid herself of it.”
“Like the musings from Tim's books before each level, these homages tie into the overarching story of the wounded hero's subconscious longings.”
“The plot is straightforward: bounty hunter Lira must find and defeat a trio of necromancers to end a curse that makes her constantly suffer from nightmares that then come to life.”
“Obviously since this is a metroidvania, the story isn't super complex.”
“If you do have an issue with the story, you can just skip the cutscenes.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a charming, retro-inspired art style reminiscent of early PlayStation and Saturn titles, with simple yet effective sprite-based visuals and limited animations that enhance its nostalgic appeal. While the UI is basic and some graphics can feel repetitive, the use of parallax scrolling adds depth, and the overall aesthetic contributes to the game's unique charm. Players' appreciation of the character art may vary based on personal preferences.
“The subtle visuals are eye-catching but never distracting.”
“Plus, lots of parallax scrolling which not many indie games of this art style do, so kudos for that!”
“The game’s art style looks like something you’d see out of a flash game, but it lends to the game’s charm.”
“On the other hand, the UI is pretty basic and the graphics are somewhat repetitive.”
“It definitely gives me an early PlayStation/Saturn kind of vibe, especially in combination with the sprite-based graphics.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its strong sense of humor, with hilarious character interactions and self-referential tutorial messages that enhance the experience. While the humor is a standout feature, some players noted that the script could benefit from additional proofreading. Overall, the humor, alongside the engaging combat system, is a key factor in driving players to complete the game.
“A short but sweet game, with a satisfying parry and juggling system and a good sense of humor.”
“While the characters and their interactions are hilarious, and even the tutorial messages are filled with self-referential humor, the best part of the game is easily the combat.”
“The sense of humor and combat system are the strongest parts, and are what drove me to complete the story.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the game highly replayable due to its various game modes, achievements, and engaging postgame content like boss rush challenges and unique mini-games. Despite its short length, the multiple difficulty levels and modes significantly enhance its replay value, making it a fun metroidvania experience.
“Necrolepsy is a short, but very fun and replayable metroidvania.”
“The main game is replayable due to different game modes and achievements, and the extras like the boss rush or the beach (where you juggle a beach ball using your arsenal of attacks) help provide some postgame content.”
“As I mentioned earlier, it is not long, but the plentiful amount of difficulties and modes to choose from gives the game significant replay value.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is marked by minor glitches that occur intermittently, but the developers are actively releasing frequent patches to address these issues. While players acknowledge the rough edges, the ongoing support suggests a commitment to improving the experience.
“A few minor glitches crop up here and there, though there are frequent patches to iron these out.”
“It's rough around the edges with little glitches here and there that the developer is addressing, but it's something you keep running into.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character design as exceptional, highlighting its visual appeal and creativity. However, there is limited feedback on the depth of character development beyond aesthetics.
