Nostos

41%
Game Brain Score Based on 539 reviews
  • optimization
  • graphics
  • story
Nostos Game Cover
View game
Get on Steam

"Nostos is a PC and VR cross-platform, open-world survival game with a focus on multiplayer and co-op play. It offers a vibrant ecosystem, day-night and season cycles, unique creatures and landscapes, and a compelling story. Despite some optimization issues and bugs, Nostos boasts outstanding visuals, immersive weather effects, and realistic combat, drawing inspiration from Oriental animated films."

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

41%
Audience ScoreBased on 539 reviews
graphics36 positive mentions
optimization43 negative mentions
  • The game has beautiful graphics and a charming art style.
  • The soundtrack is fantastic and enhances the overall experience.
  • There is great potential for the game to evolve into something amazing with future updates.
  • The game is riddled with bugs and performance issues, making it nearly unplayable.
  • There is a lack of clear instructions and tutorials, leaving players confused about gameplay mechanics.
  • The controls are clunky and unintuitive, leading to a frustrating experience in both VR and desktop modes.
  • optimization121 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting severe performance issues, including frequent stuttering, lag, and crashes, even on high-end systems. Many reviewers express disappointment over the lack of polish and the presence of numerous bugs, suggesting that the game feels unfinished and unoptimized. While some players find potential in the game's aesthetics and gameplay, the overwhelming consensus is that significant improvements in optimization and bug fixes are urgently needed for a smoother experience.

    • “Listen, this game is good, it has potential; in its current state, it needs massive improvement, memory fixes, and optimization.”
    • “The current downsides to the game are the remaining bugs, most of which aren't game-breaking, translation errors, and missing optimization.”
    • “Other than the need for much optimization and bug fixing, the game itself is beautiful with a wonderful soundtrack that I'd have no problems listening to on the commute to work or something.”
    • “The game is gorgeous but mired with small issues and you can feel a serious lack of polish anywhere outside the aesthetics... I never even got to adequately experience the game proper because of small compounding problems like the terrible camera that feels painfully unnatural to control, and the performance just being painfully bad.”
    • “Despite looking cell-shaded and seeming like the sort of game that'd be less intensive than it looks, it seems most of it was designed with absolutely no regard for performance and you'd be hard-pressed to find any system that could run it adequately that doesn't feel like it should be overkill.”
    • “Performance is terrible, so unless you have a powerful gaming PC, don't even try (for example, for me Alyx works very well, but Nostos lags so much it's impossible to play).”
  • graphics105 mentions

    The game's graphics are widely praised for their beauty and unique art style, creating an immersive world that many players find appealing. However, numerous reviews highlight significant performance issues, including lag and a lack of optimization, which detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the limited graphics settings and control options frustrate players, leaving them wanting more customization to enhance their gameplay.

    • “The graphics are absolutely beautiful, something I've never seen before in a VR game.”
    • “Overall, I can say that until now the world is just beautiful and I love the graphic style of this game!”
    • “The art style is beautiful, I'm hopeful; I'll stick with it.”
    • “The performance is horrible, it's not an MMO as described, graphics are ugly, the gameplay is worse than 'ET' from Nintendo.”
    • “Despite being gorgeous in both visuals and audio, the subpar performance in combination with floaty controls and lots of glitches greatly diminish the enjoyment you can get out of it.”
    • “Upon starting the game up, there's a significant amount of lag (despite me being above the recommended system requirements) the lag continues throughout the game, even though you change the graphics settings to low.”
  • story104 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique concept and potential, while others criticize its lack of coherence and clarity. Many users noted that the narrative feels underdeveloped, with vague quest objectives and poorly translated dialogue detracting from the experience. Despite these issues, some players found enjoyment in the exploration and RPG mechanics, suggesting that the story could improve with future updates and refinements.

    • “The game has great visuals, great RPG mechanics, leveling, making a build, NPC interactions and relationships, base building if you're into the Minecraft/Fallout 4 type of building, open world bosses, story missions that allow you to completely ignore them as you explore the world, cutscenes in VR that place you in the cutscenes with complete control to look and sometimes move around, the combat is decent.”
    • “It's a very unique take on the environment and the story, which is very refreshing.”
    • “The storyline is short (if you are very slow and farm and explore, around 30-40h), but creative, I liked it.”
    • “There is no story to speak of and the main character is an anime person who speaks in incoherent babbles.”
    • “The quests are hard to follow, and I feel like I skipped some substantial part of the story because I just followed the quest markers around the world and got to a village of people who talk as if they know me.”
    • “Story is nonexistent.”
  • stability85 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, performance drops, and a plethora of glitches that hinder gameplay. Many users report that it feels unfinished and unoptimized, particularly in VR mode, leading to a frustrating experience. While some players see potential in the game, they emphasize that substantial improvements are necessary for it to be enjoyable and playable.

    • “This game was mainly optimized for PC gameplay; unless they change it to be more suitable for VR (as in actually playable and not buggy), then I might update the review.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game was extremely buggy and lagged so much that it wasn't playable.”
    • “It's slow, laggy, buggy, randomly crashes, it's difficult to figure out what you're even supposed to do, animations are clunky and awkward, its story makes no sense, the voice acting is stiff, and the latency in its combat system is ridiculous.”
    • “The game locks up and freezes extremely often and you feel like you are playing a slideshow because of how low the framerate is.”
  • gameplay78 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players highlighting its potential but criticizing its execution. Common complaints include clunky controls, a lack of intuitive mechanics, frequent bugs, and performance issues, particularly in VR mode. While some players appreciate the variety of gameplay elements and visuals, they feel that the overall experience is hindered by poor optimization and a lack of guidance for new players.

    • “The gameplay is fun and varied, the mix of survival, exploration, and story giving hours of new content and fulfillment.”
    • “The game has great visuals, great RPG mechanics, leveling, making a build, NPC interactions and relationships, base building if you're into the Minecraft/Fallout 4 type of building, open world bosses, story missions that allow you to completely ignore them as you explore the world, cutscenes in VR that place you in the cutscenes with complete control to look and sometimes move around.”
    • “I have only played in VR but I was pleased with how the game mechanics worked.”
    • “The gameplay is really not good; none of the controls are intuitive, there doesn't seem to be any sort of direction to go in, the movement is slow, and the UI is really difficult to use and seems to be attached to my face.”
    • “The building mechanics were rather awful and glitchy, combat felt very flat and boring, and there was little, if any guidance, even for new players.”
    • “Buggy VR gameplay, no tutorial, no real settings menu, extremely frequent crashes and FPS lag spikes on a 2080, and frequent VR taboos violated (forcing player locomotion in cutscenes, no snap/smooth turning option, dropping the player into possible phobias without warning).”
  • music60 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and elegance, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning soundtrack and ambient sounds that enhance the overall experience. Despite the game's performance issues and bugs, the music stands out as a redeeming quality, often described as captivating and atmospheric, making it a significant draw for players. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing to the game's artistic appeal and emotional impact.

    • “Despite owning a VR headset, I play in standard mode and love listening to the amazing soundtrack while exploring the environments this game has to offer.”
    • “The OST is absolutely stunning, featuring a music staff that includes people who worked on the Nier series and Worlds Adrift, bringing nostalgia to both of those games with the music and sound effects used.”
    • “The music is absolutely stunning, and the ambient sounds are great, making the world feel vast.”
    • “How about not blowing your whole budget on a website and soundtrack next time?”
    • “While the artstyle, general gameplay, and music are all fine, the game stability is horrid.”
    • “Only redeeming quality is the music, to be honest.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with users labeling it a "cash grab" that prioritizes profit over quality and completion. Many feel misled by promotional materials, leading to disappointment with the game's unfinished state and poor in-game settings, urging players to "vote with their wallet" against such practices.

    • “Maybe it was meant to be something to someone at some point, but whatever that was is long gone, just another cash grab.”
    • “Mostly I feel as though this game was a cash grab... not by the devs, but by its marketers.”
    • “Please vote with your wallet and send a message that we won't accept this level of cash grab, half-assed garbage.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is derived from its numerous glitches and unfinished mechanics, which lead to amusing situations, such as NPCs behaving oddly and players experiencing comical audio bugs. While the game is criticized for its lack of polish, players find some enjoyment in the absurdity of these mishaps, making light of the frustrating aspects. Overall, the humor is largely unintentional, stemming from the game's technical shortcomings.

    • “The negative reviews are true, this game is pretty bad right off release, but quite frankly, I'm still enjoying myself just adventuring around in the beautiful world and laughing at the mishaps that come with it.”
    • “A funny little thing, when you meet NPCs they don't stop when you face them.”
    • “It motions at the ground as if to tell the mirror to come up and, as if in an attempt to be funny and charming, the mirror doesn't show up until 10 seconds later.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, citing overwhelming waves of enemies that lead to repetitive deaths and a tedious cycle of respawning and losing progress. While some appreciate the potential for rewarding gameplay through crafting and skill development, many feel that the current combat mechanics and movement issues contribute to a dull and frustrating experience. Overall, the grinding is seen as excessive and detracts from enjoyment, especially for new players.

    • “This game is utter garbage... I get attacked by wave after wave of bandits and creatures, I have basic weapons that do no damage. The waves just increase, I die and respawn about 15 times until my base is destroyed. It's literally an onslaught from the first minute. Dull, boring, tedious combat. Dodge, run in, swipe, do no damage, run back, run in, dodge, swipe, die, lose stuff, respawn, get stuff, get killed, die... do not buy this abandonware.”
    • “❌ A lot of grinding but feels rewarding.”
    • “The movement has a lot of unnecessary weight to it, making it extremely tedious to navigate around.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game's current state significantly hampers its replayability, as players express frustration over limited gameplay options and technical issues. However, there is optimism for future improvements, with hopes that enhancements like additional characters and game modes could make it more engaging. Until these changes are implemented, many reviewers do not recommend the game for repeated play.

    • “If we could get some serious optimization, a few more playable characters, some unique and interesting perks, a little tightening to stat/perk balance, and a wave-based defense mode, I could see this game being pretty fun.”
    • “I cannot recommend this to anyone until the issues are fixed and will be trying the game again once it is in a more playable state.”
    • “I would say the game has great potential and promising support teams; I'm looking forward to seeing this game become more playable.”
    • “I would gladly play this game if it was more playable.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its creativity, whimsical soundtrack, and impressive map design, often surpassing that of some AAA titles. Despite some technical issues, reviewers express a strong appreciation for the overall ambiance and hope for future updates to enhance the experience further.

    • “I want to express how much I appreciate the creative atmosphere that this game has, as well as its whimsical soundtrack and map design.”
    • “The quality of the art and atmosphere is even better than what I've seen in some AAA games.”
    • “The concept of the game and the atmosphere are so good; I really hope they update it.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is not directly addressed in the provided text, which focuses on a control issue with the Vive wands. Therefore, no summary can be made regarding the emotional experience based on this input.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Nostos

Play time

4hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
2-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News