Odallus: The Dark Call

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 745 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
Odallus: The Dark Call Game Cover
A retro throwback that dredges up both the good and the bad.
Starting at $4.53Buy now
Get on Steam

Odallus: The Dark Call is a challenging exploration-action game with 8 levels, featuring huge bosses, sharp controls, and 8-bit graphics. As warrior Haggis, you'll wield your sword to rescue your son from Darkness, battling over 50 enemy types across 8+ hours of gameplay. The thrilling atmosphere and Veteran Mode offer a tough, yet rewarding experience for fans of classic Ghosts’n Goblins, Demon’s Crest, and Castlevania games.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 745 reviews
graphics86 positive mentions
grinding24 negative mentions
  • Odallus: The Dark Call successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic NES games, particularly the Castlevania series, with its pixel art and chiptune soundtrack.
  • The game features well-designed levels with multiple paths and secrets, encouraging exploration and backtracking to find upgrades and hidden areas.
  • Combat is challenging but fair, requiring players to learn enemy patterns and utilize various weapons and abilities effectively.
  • The game can be frustratingly difficult at times, especially during boss fights, with some players feeling that the final boss is excessively challenging compared to earlier encounters.
  • Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, leading to issues with hit detection and platforming precision.
  • The story and dialogue are often criticized for being poorly written and filled with grammatical errors, detracting from the overall experience.
  • graphics200 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their nostalgic 8-bit aesthetic, reminiscent of classic NES titles, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive pixel art and attention to detail. The visuals effectively capture a gothic horror atmosphere, complemented by a fitting chiptune soundtrack, although some players noted occasional graphical glitches and clunky animations. Overall, the game's retro style is celebrated as a successful homage to the era, appealing to fans of vintage gaming aesthetics.

    • “The pixel art graphics are stunning, and the attention to detail is impressive.”
    • “The visuals are crisp and full of character, maintaining a NES/Genesis aesthetic throughout.”
    • “The graphics are really the one bit worth gushing over; they're an impressive, Nordic take on Castlevania's gothic style, executed wonderfully in a late-NES style.”
    • “Jump around and hack up your enemies, collect keys and make an appointment to see an eye doctor after the ugly retro pixel graphics permanently damage your eyesight.”
    • “The graphics were okay, but the sprite you controlled was rather clunky and the movements were jolted.”
    • “Action game inspired by NES classics like Castlevania that takes its slavish devotion a little too far, with graphics that would be called terrible if not for the retro connection, music that deserves that term regardless, a reversion to the bad old days of save points miles away from difficult boss fights, and errors like enemy pop-in and dodgy hitboxes that might be excusable on low-end hardware but not here.”
  • gameplay192 mentions

    The gameplay of "Odallus: The Dark Call" is a nostalgic homage to classic titles like Castlevania, featuring tight controls and a mix of old-school mechanics with modern sensibilities. While many players appreciate the retro aesthetic and satisfying exploration typical of metroidvania games, some criticize the level design and certain mechanics as repetitive or frustrating, leading to a mixed reception regarding overall enjoyment. Despite its flaws, the game is generally regarded as a solid experience for fans of the genre, offering a challenging yet fair gameplay experience.

    • “The gameplay is pretty great and well-balanced for the most part, introducing the traditional metroidvania format to a classic Castlevania setting.”
    • “Moment to moment gameplay is tight and combat is extremely well refined.”
    • “The gameplay stays fresh all the way through, the difficulty is tough but fair, and the graphics look great.”
    • “But gameplay is just boring, mainly because of the dull level layout and enemy placement.”
    • “The idea to the game is nice, but the gameplay is garbage.”
    • “I never felt excited about the levels, the music never got me pumped, the gameplay isn't refined enough to keep me coming back.”
  • music187 mentions

    The music in the game is a nostalgic blend of chiptune and 8-bit melodies that resonates well with fans of retro gaming, often enhancing the dark atmosphere and gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the catchy and evocative tracks, some find certain pieces repetitive or uninspired, leading to mixed opinions on the overall quality. Overall, the soundtrack is generally well-received, with standout tracks that complement the game's visuals and themes effectively.

    • “The soundtrack is a banger.”
    • “The game has a great soundtrack that perfectly fits the game's dark and eerie atmosphere.”
    • “The music fits well with the dark atmosphere and retro style.”
    • “On the negative side, most of the music was pretty middling to me (but your mileage may vary).”
    • “I quite literally turned off the dull, droning, repetitive funeral parlor music after an hour and loaded up the Dawn of Sorrow OST behind it instead.”
    • “Unfortunately, the soundtrack isn't really great; most of them are forgettable.”
  • story142 mentions

    The story of "Odallus: The Dark Call" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its dark, retro-inspired themes reminiscent of titles like "Berserk" and "Castlevania," while others find it confusing and underdeveloped. Many reviews highlight the game's atmospheric world-building and engaging cutscenes, but criticize the plot for being minimal, obscure, or poorly presented, often requiring players to piece together the narrative through exploration. Overall, while the story has potential and some intriguing elements, it often falls short of delivering a cohesive and satisfying experience.

    • “The game's story is simple but effective, and it does a great job of keeping you engaged.”
    • “The world and story created for this game are very interesting with cohesive elements of lore and characters, culminating in a super interesting plot in the last stage.”
    • “It's got a dark story about gods abandoning the world and one man's quest to find his son and reclaim what little joy there is to be had in his life.”
    • “The story was incomprehensible, even after finding all the runestones.”
    • “The visuals and music are excellently crafted, but the world-building is hampered by an incredibly obtuse plot and terrible dialogue.”
    • “The 'story' is horse trash, the text is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, and the text is displayed on the screen excruciatingly slowly.”
  • atmosphere34 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, eerie quality, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and detailed pixel art that evokes nostalgia for classic titles like Castlevania and Metroid. While some minor presentation issues detract slightly from the experience, the overall ambiance successfully captures a retro gothic fantasy feel, making it engaging and immersive for players. The combination of solid gameplay mechanics and a haunting atmosphere contributes to a memorable gaming experience that resonates with fans of the genre.

    • “The game has a great soundtrack that perfectly fits the game's dark and eerie atmosphere.”
    • “The result is a truly enjoyable game with a unique atmosphere that makes it much more than one of those unimaginative and boring platformers.”
    • “The dark atmosphere reminded me of a NES game I played many years ago called Astyanax, but the gameplay is pretty much your standard Metroidvania.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is haunting, in the same way how Castlevania just really nailed the feel.”
    • “The dark atmosphere helps convey the overall desolation of the story.”
  • grinding25 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious, especially during the latter stages where backtracking and farming for resources become necessary. While some appreciate the challenge and exploration elements, others feel that the need to grind for lives and consumables detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to frustration and a sense of busywork. Overall, the grinding can be seen as a double-edged sword, offering both opportunities for resource gathering and moments of monotony.

    • “Bosses are my favorite kind: 20% dodge, 80% facetank (normal mode). They have clear and fast attacks with no tedious waiting and generous checkpoints.”
    • “The tedious prospect of grinding for lives just to attempt the final boss over and over again prompted me to give up; that's not fun, it's busywork.”
    • “Ok for the first two hours, Odallus grows very stale upon entering its 'Devil's Peak' level which requires going back to former levels and farming coins, in the game's broken economy, to keep stocked on torch consumables so that you can simply move from area to area by burning down walls.”
    • “It was an enjoyable game for a few hours, but sadly it went all 80s with the final boss: mandatory crawl through high level enemies, 3-stage battle (tedious, tediouser, tediousest), which I cheated my way through (it wasn't worth the few more hours it needed to beat it).”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including unresponsive controls and occasional freezing. While some appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of 90s games, others find the issues significant enough to detract from the overall experience. Despite these problems, many players still enjoy the game, noting that the fun elements often outweigh the technical flaws.

    • “Awesome game, love it, but it's super buggy.”
    • “For an 8-bit game to have this many issues running, there's no excuse. If you like this sort of game, do yourself a favor and play 'Slain: Back from Hell' for a much better experience than this buggy mess!”
    • “But... it has a major flaw and that's unresponsive and buggy controls. Maybe some of it was intentional to recreate the feeling of playing games from the NES era, but it was a deal breaker for me.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability due to its multiple difficulty settings, branching paths, and numerous secrets to discover. While some players feel it may not have extensive replay value, many appreciate the variety in gameplay and the challenge of achieving all optional objectives. The well-designed levels and the potential for speedrunning further enhance the game's replayability.

    • “It also has a good amount of replay value, what with the harder difficulty option (which changes the levels too), and the optional achievements.”
    • “With plenty of secrets to find and a veteran mode, there is a good amount of replayability.”
    • “A very difficult game, with branching paths and ways to clear a level make for high replayability.”
    • “Not much replay value, but my first run through the game was satisfying.”
    • “It's not a long game by any means, but it has replayable options with hard mode and speedrunning.”
    • “Levels are incredibly well designed and usually work around multiple routes towards the same end, so you can experiment a lot, giving the game a fair amount of replay value in that regard.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely hit-or-miss, with occasional amusing references to classic titles like Castlevania II, particularly during the final boss encounter. While some players appreciate the quirky monster designs and the absurdity of certain mechanics, others find the attempts at humor inconsistent, especially when juxtaposed with the game's serious tone. Overall, the humor is present but not pervasive, with some players wishing for a more cohesive comedic approach.

    • “Not only does Castle in the Darkness get everything right, but whereas this game has just a few instances of humor derived from referencing other games, CITD is full of such instances and incorporates such humor into its visuals and many of its death traps.”
    • “There is a nerve somewhere in my body, related to the funny bone but not quite, that elicits sober joy at the make of this thing.”
    • “The monster design is also hilariously fun if you like the Lovecraft style.”
    • “You have to buy them from a rather unfunny fellow for quite a bit of currency, or find them in chests.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and often feel forced, lacking any real wit or charm.”
    • “I expected a lot more laughs, but the humor is stale and predictable.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a sense of wholesomeness and fun; however, technical issues have led some players to feel frustrated and disillusioned, ultimately causing them to abandon the game despite its positive qualities.

  • optimization2 mentions

    Overall, "Odallus" is well-optimized, running smoothly at 60fps across various display modes, including fullscreen and CRT TV options, with minimal noticeable bugs reported by users.

    • “Performance: Odallus runs fine for me; I've personally had no issues at 60fps, with fullscreen, windowed, and CRT TV mode options available.”
    • “Tech: The game runs smoothly and with very few noticeable bugs.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Players feel that the game lacks sufficient cutscenes and depth in character development, indicating a desire for more narrative exploration and emotional engagement with the characters.

    • “I just wish this game had a few more cutscenes and character development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

68% average critic score

Buy Odallus: The Dark Call

Play time

6hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games