Noreya: The Gold Project
- November 7, 2023
- Dreamirl
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn "Noreya: The Gold Project," a 2D pixel-art metroidvania game, players follow Kali, a fighter seeking to overthrow the corrupt God of Avarice, Salluste. Decisions made throughout the game impact progression and abilities, while exploring the City of Gold and its cathedral filled with shadowy creatures. Choose to pledge allegiance to a god or remain independent, creating a unique experience with each playthrough.
PC
Steam Deck
Web Browser
Windows
Linux
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The exploration is top-notch with an enormous map full of secrets, providing a rewarding experience for players who enjoy discovery.
- The combat is fast and simple, allowing players to adapt their strategies by exploring further if they find certain sections too challenging.
- The pixel art and music are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game.
- The early game is poorly designed, which may deter players before they experience the more engaging later content.
- Combat mechanics are unpolished, with issues like poorly telegraphed enemy attacks and frustrating hitboxes that can lead to unfair damage.
- There are significant bugs and performance issues, including crashes and stuttering, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
- music19 mentions
- 84 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its gorgeous, lush, and atmospheric qualities, contributing positively to the overall experience. However, some players note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, especially given the expansive map. Overall, while the soundtrack is well-produced and fits the game well, its small size may detract from long-term enjoyment.
“The design of the levels is also outstanding, with awesome music and overall feel.”
“Also, the music is absolutely gorgeous.”
“The soundtrack is incredible; it's lush and atmospheric, and the production values are super high.”
“The soundtrack is small in number of songs; given how big the map is, it gets repetitive unfortunately, even if it's a good fit for the game.”
“The soundtrack is small in number of songs; given how big the map is, it gets repetitive unfortunately, even if it's a good fit for the game.”
- story11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story is generally considered interesting, particularly after the initial tutorial phase, with a promising setup involving a warrior caught between two warring gods. However, some players find the narrative delivery disjointed and the writing only serviceable, lacking depth and clarity in certain mechanics. Overall, while the story has potential, it may not fully engage all players.
“The story was light, but present, and the writing, although not exceptional, was perfectly serviceable.”
“I'd argue wait until you get the first 'story skill', that's when the game picks up.”
“I was struggling to find something to play after Doomblade and Nine Sols. I tried Deviator (huge disappointment) and Biomorph, which I tried hard to get into, but the combat, movement, and plot just aren't there.”
“The story is told in disjointed text dumps, and some of the world mechanics aren't hugely clear (light/gold switching, for example).”
“The story setup contains a lot of promise: you're a warrior caught in a struggle between two warring gods, with each offering you power and dominion if you pledge your allegiance to them.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay features intriguing mechanics centered around switching the world between states, which players found enjoyable but wished were more prominent and less cumbersome. However, some aspects, such as the clarity of world mechanics and the narrative delivery, were criticized for being disjointed and unclear, leading to a desire for more complexity in gameplay rather than reliance on simplistic challenges. Overall, while the core mechanics show promise, their execution and integration into the game could be improved.
“I especially enjoyed the mechanics requiring switching the world between states, and I would've loved to see it featured a bit more prominently, and for the switching to be less clunky.”
“I'm curious to learn how much the path you choose affects the gameplay.”
“Game difficulty should come from complex mechanics, not cheap tricks.”
“The story is told in disjointed text dumps, and some of the world mechanics aren't hugely clear (light/gold switching, for example).”
“I checked several different gameplay videos to confirm that it is how the game is and not a graphical issue of mine.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in late-game scenarios where accumulating gold for skill points becomes a repetitive task. The mechanics involving world-switching are appreciated but criticized for being clunky, leading to frustration during exploration and combat, especially against untelegraphed enemy attacks.
“Late game you'll be grinding loops to spend thousands of gold per skill point.”
“Many attacks are also not telegraphed, so you are best off avoiding anything but the most basic enemies or resorting to tedious hit and run tactics.”
“Teleporting around to find the statue I needed to alternate was a bit tedious.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their beautiful execution of pixel art, complemented by good artwork and animations. Players find the visual style appealing and engaging, contributing positively to their overall experience, even in the early stages of gameplay.
“It's a beautiful execution of a pixel art style.”
“The artworks, animations, and music are all pretty good.”
“I didn't take much time to understand the controls.”
“Checked several different gameplay videos to confirm that it is how the game is and not a graphical issue of mine.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the monetization strategy may be frustrating, as players feel cornered by challenging gameplay mechanics, such as oversized bosses and endless ads, which could suggest a push towards in-game purchases to ease the difficulty.
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by an incredible, lush soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, complemented by high production values.
“The soundtrack is incredible; it's lush and atmospheric, and the production values are super high.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the high potential for replayability in the game, particularly due to the inclusion of RPG elements that enhance the overall experience.
“I love the inclusion of RPG elements like this, and I think the potential replay value for this title is quite high.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a sense of frustration and tension in the emotional aspect of the game, as the mechanics force them into risky close-quarters combat with a boss that inflicts damage upon contact. This creates a challenging and intense experience, heightening the emotional stakes of the encounter.
