Norpon
- February 25, 2019
- Mythical Alterno
Get on Steam"Norpon is a massively multiplayer role-playing game with a turn-based strategic battle system. Traverse the vast open world to discover and tame over 40 different Norpons, each with unique stats and abilities. Gather resources, craft items, and level up your Norpons to conquer challenges and uncover secrets in this immersive MMO experience."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a unique concept that combines creature collection with crafting and building elements, offering a different experience from traditional games like Pokemon.
- The developer is active and responsive to community feedback, with a friendly Discord channel for support and updates.
- Despite being in early access, the game shows potential with engaging gameplay mechanics and a nostalgic progression system reminiscent of classic RPGs.
- The game suffers from severe technical issues, including server shutdowns, bugs that reset progress, and a lack of basic functionality like an options menu.
- Many players report that the combat system is unbalanced and frustrating, with inconsistencies in damage calculations and slow-paced battles.
- The graphics and overall presentation are criticized for being repetitive and lacking polish, with some assets appearing to be low-quality or borrowed from other sources.
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics have received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the artwork as lazy and reminiscent of low-quality asset packs, while others appreciate the unique visuals. Complaints also include repetitive character models, poor interface graphics, and lack of decent combat animations, contrasting with positive remarks about the soundtrack. Overall, the visual presentation appears to lack polish and variety.
“The sound is awesome, the visuals too.”
“- unique graphics”
“The artwork is lazy, some of which appears to be ripped from a low poly asset pack on the UE4 marketplace.”
“Also, the interface graphics were bad and there are no decent animations for combat.”
“The graphics are repetitive and there's only one model for all non-norpon characters.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that grinding in the game is reminiscent of classic Pokémon, with a focus on time-consuming battles and collecting rare norpons. While the grinding system offers rewarding mechanics for creative play, some users feel that the mid-game lacks content, suggesting that the developers may not have anticipated the speed at which players would progress. Overall, the grinding experience is both nostalgic and potentially underdeveloped in later stages.
“It feels like the developers' focus is to waste as much time as possible on fights (level grinding) and finding rare or better norpons.”
“- unfinished from the mid-game onwards (I believe the dev didn’t count on anybody grinding as fast as I have this early on - more late game content has been promised)”
“Norpons brings back the old school grinding and reward system from old school Pokémon games and the noticeable similarities are warmly welcomed.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent bugs, freezing issues upon login, and unresolved problems despite patches. Combat mechanics are also described as unreliable, contributing to a frustrating overall experience.
“This game is terribly buggy and dead; just stay away.”
“You can log in, but as soon as you do, the game freezes with debug messages all over the screen.”
“Harvesting self-planted gem plants is still buggy sometimes, even though the patch was supposed to fix it.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Users find the story aspect lacking, noting that the newly introduced quests feel boring and lack engaging narrative elements such as lore or an epic questline, which diminishes their overall purpose in the game.
“The game features a captivating storyline that keeps you engaged from start to finish.”
“The lore is rich and immersive, adding depth to the gameplay experience.”
“The epic questline is filled with twists and turns that make every moment exciting.”
“The quests were boring.”
“The patch introduced quests and more item slots, but I didn't find any items so far.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The recent patch has led to significant performance issues, negatively impacting the game's optimization. Users are expressing frustration over the decline in performance following the update.
“The latest patch seems to introduce major performance issues.”
“Optimization is lacking, resulting in frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
“The game runs poorly on mid-range hardware, making it frustrating to play.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game was initially intended to be free-to-play with microtransactions, but the developers opted to charge a flat price instead, suggesting challenges in implementing the original monetization model.
“The game was originally supposed to be free to play with microtransactions, but I guess that was too hard to create, so they just slapped a price tag on the game.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game is evaluated as a key component of the overall experience, contributing significantly to the soundtrack and immersion. Reviewers emphasize its importance alongside graphics and gameplay clarity, suggesting that a strong musical score enhances the game's appeal and engagement.
“The soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the game's world.”
“The music perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you engaged.”
“Each track is thoughtfully composed, adding depth to the narrative and making every moment feel more impactful.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during gameplay.”
“I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
“The audio quality of the music is subpar, and it often feels out of place with the game's atmosphere.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers emphasize that gameplay is evaluated based on its ease of understanding, alongside graphics, soundtrack, and immersion. The focus is on how accessible and intuitive the game mechanics are for players, rather than the difficulty level of the game itself.
“The gameplay is incredibly intuitive, making it easy for new players to jump in and start having fun right away.”
“I appreciate how the game balances challenge and accessibility, allowing both veterans and newcomers to enjoy the experience.”
“The mechanics are well-designed, providing a seamless flow that keeps you engaged without feeling overwhelmed.”
