Northmark: Hour of the Wolf

About

"Northmark: Hour of the Wolf" is a single-player fantasy role-playing game set in a medieval realm. The game offers a combination of card-based combat and decision-making, with a focus on character development and player choice. As a defendant facing false charges, players must navigate political intrigue and build their power to clear their name and protect their homeland from an ancient threat.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 235 reviews

story47 positive mentions

replayability10 negative mentions

The card battles are fun and engaging, providing a simple yet strategic gameplay experience.
The writing is humorous and the plot, while straightforward, is enjoyable and keeps players entertained.
The game features nice graphics and a charming art style that enhances the overall experience.

The game is very short, typically taking only 3-5 hours to complete, leading to a lack of replayability.
The combat system can become unbalanced, making it too easy for players to win battles without much challenge.
There are several bugs and grammatical errors in the dialogue, which detracts from the overall polish of the game.

story
166 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
62%
10%
The story in "Northmark: Hour of the Wolf" is generally described as simple and predictable, often relying on clichés and linear progression, which limits replayability. While some players appreciate the humor and charm in the writing, many find the plot lacking depth and originality, with a tendency towards fetch quests and a lack of engaging character development. Overall, the narrative serves its purpose within the game but leaves players wanting more in terms of complexity and resolution.
- “Northmark: Hour of the Wolf is an enjoyable RPG/card battler where you move around on a map doing quests and following the story.”
- “The story is nothing original, but it is written in a charming way that always made me chuckle.”
- “The story is enjoyable enough to keep you playing.”
- “Confusing card play and amazingly bad story.”
- “The story overall was not too engaging, the setting a bit generic and the core formula has been done a lot elsewhere that you will not be missing anything by skipping here.”
- “The story is told in the form of very short dialogues, the player travels between villages, towns, and camps and talks with characters that are rather bland, have no personality whatsoever and exist just for the sake of giving you instructions.”
gameplay
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
53%
6%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, making it suitable for newcomers to card battlers, though many players find it lacks depth and challenge once the mechanics are understood. While the game features enjoyable card mechanics and a light-hearted atmosphere, it is often criticized for being monotonous and short, with some players noting that it could benefit from more complexity and a longer campaign. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit basic, experience that may appeal to those looking for a casual gaming session rather than a deep strategic challenge.
- “With a smooth learning curve and addictive gameplay, this game can give you a nice introduction to the world of card battlers.”
- “A lighthearted story-based RPG card adventure with simple mechanics that are easily learned through playing.”
- “The gameplay is rather simple, and once you understand how the system works, it's actually fairly easy to finish the game.”
- “Once players grasp the underlying mechanics, it becomes relatively easy to optimize their deck-building strategies, resulting in a lack of challenge.”
- “Very dull and uninspiring battle mechanics where little thought is needed regarding card choice.”
- “The gameplay is rather simple and once you understood how the system works it’s actually fairly easy to finish the game.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
37%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the art style and hand-drawn elements, describing them as nice and pleasant. However, some critiques point to average graphics and a lack of polish in certain areas, such as character image cropping. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered decent and fitting for the game's tone, they do not elevate the experience significantly.
- “Loved the art style.”
- “The artwork on the locations, cards, characters, and so on had an interesting hand-drawn style that was decent and befitting of the feel of the game.”
- “Graphics and artwork are pleasant enough to look at, capturing the setting adequately.”
- “The art style was ok but that's where the positives end really.”
- “The graphics are serviceable, and the music is very good though there isn't a large variety of tunes.”
- “If you like card-based RPG game mechanics, can put up with bad writing and a poor storyline with 'twists' you can see coming way before the game 'reveals' them, so-so graphics and generally a *meh* feeling all the way through you should buy this one.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
50%
38%
Overall, the game has been criticized for its very low replayability due to a linear narrative and lack of meaningful choices or content variation. While some players found it enjoyable for a brief playthrough, many noted that once the main story is completed, there is little incentive to replay, making it feel short and lacking in depth.
- “Pretty fun, about 5 hours worth of story and some replay value.”
- “It can be completed in 4 hours, and there's not very much replay value besides seeing how it plays with a different character build (e.g., putting all your level-up points into ice attack and seeing what happens).”
- “Summary: this is a good, fun game, but short with not a whole lot of replay value...”
- “Despite its promising potential, the game ultimately falls short in terms of replayability, primarily due to its linear and scripted narrative.”
- “No replay value though, since the 'class' system is underdeveloped and confers no restriction or bonuses, so once you get high tier cards you'll rarely use anything lower other than utility cards.”
- “If you finished the story - consider it done - the game has no replayability value even in free mode.”
humor
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its clever writing, funny dialogues, and self-parodic elements. While some find the humor hit-or-miss, it often adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay, making it enjoyable despite a few awkward moments and clichés. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor that resonates with players, enhancing the casual and fun atmosphere.
- “Interesting systems, good pacing, and some great humor in here as well.”
- “Clever and funny writing in the cutscenes, card balance is good, but the fights are pretty easy for anyone that's played card games before.”
- “It's got a good sense of humor with a lot of references and meta-humor.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
20%
15%
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as enjoyable and fitting, though it tends to be repetitive and lacks variety, with some players noting it could benefit from additional tracks. While the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, it is not considered memorable or standout. Overall, the music complements the game's aesthetic but does not elevate it significantly.
- “The art and music are both gorgeous.”
- “Everything is solidly polished; I liked the 'old-fashioned' art style, the music was enjoyable, the story never became too silly to bother with, and the casual difficulty level made it a fun distraction for lazy evenings.”
- “It's supported by very strong art... I really enjoyed the art style and the interface... and very good music/sound (yes, it could've used a couple more battle tracks for sure, but what's there is very good).”
- “Only one basic soundtrack.”
- “Some easy achievements and a charming little soundtrack, but overall a bit underwhelming.”
- “Music gets repetitive.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game is considered stable, with most users reporting no significant glitches or issues that hinder gameplay. However, there are some isolated reports of bugs affecting specific quests, suggesting that while the game is generally reliable, it may not be entirely free of minor stability concerns.
- “It's decently written for the story it was trying to tell, and there are no glitches or problems with the game that will cause you trouble.”
- “A little too short and way too simple, but it's not buggy or broken like the last 10 games I played on Steam, so I guess it's okay to recommend it!”
- “One of my quests is buggy.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while players appreciate the simplicity of the riddles that boost their confidence, they find the story predictable and lacking depth, which diminishes the overall emotional engagement.
- “The riddles are not particularly difficult, which is probably why I liked them so much; they made me feel smart, but some may make you think a little.”
- “The story was predictable and lacked any emotional depth, making it boring to engage with.”
- “I felt no connection to the characters, which made the emotional moments fall flat.”
- “The narrative was so clichéd that it stripped away any potential for genuine emotional impact.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its cozy and inviting quality, creating a warm and comfortable experience for players.
- “What I found most praiseworthy about this game is its cozy atmosphere.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The character development in this story-driven RPG/card battler is noted to be limited, suggesting that players may not experience significant growth or evolution in their characters throughout the game.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly engaging, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”
- “The progression system for character development is well-designed, offering a variety of paths and choices that keep the gameplay fresh.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
- “I was disappointed by the limited options for character growth throughout the game.”
- “Despite being a story-driven RPG, the character development is underwhelming and fails to engage.”

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5h Median play time

5h Average play time

4-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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