Never Return

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 331 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Never Return Game Cover
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"Never Return" is a 3D dungeon-crawler with Roguelite elements, offering a rich selection of weapons and perks combined with an action combat system for a unique battle experience. The game features over 500 perks and 20 build paths, providing diverse play styles from Druid to Necromancer. With 15 unique weapon types, randomly-generated maps, and 185+ pieces of equipment, each round promises to be fresh and exciting.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 331 reviews
gameplay23 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • The game offers a vast skill tree and build diversity, allowing players to create unique character builds.
  • The combat is engaging and dynamic, providing a satisfying hack-and-slash experience.
  • The developers are actively updating the game and responding to community feedback, showing commitment to improvement.
  • The game feels clunky, with issues in movement and combat responsiveness that detract from the overall experience.
  • There are significant translation issues, making some parts of the game difficult to understand.
  • The game has been criticized for being abandoned by the developers, leading to concerns about its future updates and support.
  • gameplay69 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a diverse class system, extensive customization options, and a satisfying loot loop, reminiscent of Dark Souls. However, many players report issues with balance, repetitiveness, and a clunky user interface, which detracts from the overall experience. While the core mechanics show promise, they require significant refinement and optimization to enhance enjoyment and reduce frustration.

    • “Too much loot to count, a flexible class system, and a unified skill tree (with skill resets!) that allows for a gazillion different gameplay styles.”
    • “The gameplay is actually fun; there are some good mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is simple but amazing when you progress; the competence tree is like Path of Exile with a lot of customization.”
    • “The gameplay is average.”
    • “My biggest complaint so far is the repetition of gameplay gets kind of stale after a while, going through the same floors and seeing the same things.”
    • “Tldr: the gameplay needs a lot of refining.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally well-received, featuring a pleasing art style that balances simplicity with charm, though opinions vary on its cartoonish aesthetic. Many players appreciate the visuals for being light on system resources while still delivering good effects and animations, although some note minor graphical bugs and a lack of customization options. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the gameplay experience, enhancing the fun and engaging nature of the game.

    • “The graphics are pleasing to the eye and do not load the system; I was surprised by the low weight of this game.”
    • “The visuals are absolutely fantastic, right up to the animation.”
    • “The art style in general is timeless and minimalistic, but still with a lot of detail.”
    • “There are no graphics settings except for the resolution.”
    • “Visuals overall, especially that avatar you summon, cause you can barely see what it even looks like.”
    • “Cons: could have at least 3 weapon sets because so many options are available, graphics style could be revamped.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the soundtrack and find it enjoyable, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking diversity. Many suggest that the game would benefit from additional soundtracks and improved sound effects to enhance the overall experience. Overall, the music is seen as a decent aspect but in need of further development to add more charm and life to the game.

    • “The graphics are pretty good, the soundtrack is excellent, and the gameplay is fun.”
    • “The music so far seems decent.”
    • “Most of combat is running to an enemy, music loop starts, enemy dies with 1 attack, music loop stops.”
    • “I played for 30 minutes and noticed no sounds and no music.”
    • “So what I think needs improvement is more soundtrack and effects to make the game more charming.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players appreciate the endless looting and character building opportunities, others find the repetitive nature of grinding in identical levels tedious and time-consuming. Many express frustration over the necessity of grinding for essential gear and skills, particularly given the high stakes of losing progress upon death. Overall, the game caters to those who enjoy casual grinding but may deter players who value their time and seek a more balanced experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “This is just endless grinding in identical levels; I do not recommend buying this if you value your time on earth whatsoever.”
    • “I won't keep grinding gear over and over to cast the spells I want.”
    • “Enjoy grinding for hours after you die; you drop almost everything on death and you get 90% of your power from items.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game's stability is generally described as decent but plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, particularly during intense moments like bomb drops, which can freeze gameplay. While players appreciate the "get out of jam" feature and the potential for enjoyable content, the overall experience is hindered by co-op issues, animation lag, and various audio glitches. As it is in early access, users acknowledge these problems but remain hopeful for improvements.

    • “Good build/loot/kill game, my only real complaint is when bombs start dropping my game just freezes for long periods of time and makes this build unplayable.”
    • “The roadmap set expectations and dates which the team strived to meet but fell to the obvious curse of tight scheduling due to bugs and glitches that made the game unplayable, which were numerous and a priority.”
    • “Expect bugs, audio glitches, placeholders, etc.”
  • story10 mentions

    The game lacks a coherent storyline or plot, with players describing it as primarily focused on dungeon delving without any narrative depth. Many reviewers express disappointment in the absence of engaging quests or a meaningful hub, suggesting that the game feels unfinished and more like a beta version than a complete product.

    • “No story line, just dungeon delving.”
    • “There is no story in this game or plot really whatsoever (at least at this time).”
    • “This isn't one of those early access games that is basically done but just missing a bit of the story or some end game content; this one feels like a real beta, like it's playable but very unfinished.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its strategic gameplay, diverse bosses, and various weapons and magic options, though some players feel it lacks content variety. While many appreciate the high replay value and the option for permadeath, others suggest that additional content could enhance the overall experience.

    • “Huge replayability.”
    • “Endless replayability.”
    • “Pros: high replay value, a lot of bosses, progression, requires strategy, different varieties of weapons and magic; permadeath is optional.”
    • “Not much content, but definitely has some replayability.”
    • “Needs more variety for replay value.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express difficulty in forming emotional connections with the characters, citing a lack of engagement and stagnant gameplay as barriers to investment in the game's narrative. Despite the potential for an interesting experience, the emotional impact falls short for many.

  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviewers note that the game's monetization model feels reminiscent of AAA titles, where many mechanics could easily be locked behind microtransactions and loot boxes. However, the game offers a rich system of salvaging and smelting for runes and gems, enhancing customization without heavily relying on paywalls.

    • “This is one of those games that if a AAA developer made it, most of the game's mechanics would be tied behind microtransactions and loot boxes.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content and rewards, making it accessible for everyone without heavy reliance on in-game purchases.”
    • “This is one of those games that if a AAA developer made it, most of its mechanics would be tied behind microtransactions and loot boxes.”
    • “The monetization in this game feels excessive, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra money.”
    • “It seems like every feature is designed to push you towards spending more, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally perceived as lacking depth and poorly executed, failing to create an engaging or immersive experience for players.

    • “It poorly conveys the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired.”
    • “There is a lack of immersion in the game's atmosphere.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players find the character movement in the game amusing, particularly when strafing with the A and D keys, as it feels quirky compared to other third-person games.

    • “Compared to other third-person games, when you click A and D to strafe, the way your character moves in this game feels a bit funny.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game requires significant optimization improvements, as users have noted performance issues that hinder the overall experience.

    • “The game needs some heavy optimization.”
    • “Performance issues are rampant, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
    • “Frequent frame drops and long loading times indicate a lack of proper optimization.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

9hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
3-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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