Operencia: The Stolen Sun
- March 31, 2020
- Zen Studios
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store
Get on Epic Games Store"Operencia: The Stolen Sun" is a turn-based RPG that brings a modern twist to classic dungeon-crawlers, set in a mythological fantasy world inspired by Central European folklore. The game features an old-school battle system and an immersive VR mode, where players must rescue the Sun King and restore light to the kingdom of Operencia. Explore hidden tombs, cursed castles, and other unique locations to save the land from perpetual darkness.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Virtual Reality
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Cloud
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
PlayStation
PlayStation VR
Xbox
Reviews
- Engaging story with well-developed characters and humorous dialogue.
- Beautiful graphics and immersive environments that enhance the gameplay experience.
- Fun and challenging puzzles that require exploration and critical thinking.
- Combat can become tedious and unbalanced, especially against enemies that summon additional foes.
- Some puzzles lack clear hints, leading to frustration and potential reliance on guides.
- Limited character customization options and the inability to grind for levels can hinder player progression.
- story162 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative rooted in Hungarian folklore and well-developed characters, enhanced by strong voice acting. However, some found the pacing slow and the dialogue occasionally tedious, leading to moments of disengagement. Overall, while the story is generally well-received for its charm and depth, it suffers from linearity and a lack of meaningful choices, leaving some players wanting more in terms of character development and plot twists.
“The story is great, the characters are phenomenal, and the exploration and combat is great.”
“The story has much more emphasis than I expected and is decently well-told.”
“Surprisingly, this game has a great story and setting, based on folklore that is criminally under-explored in games and fantasy.”
“The main story is loosely cobbled together from over a dozen different myths and fairy tales, so don't expect too much of it, or of the companion characters who spend most of the time bickering instead of developing their personality or backstory.”
“The story is okayish without much of a twist, and throwing some jokes here and there.”
“To say that the story/dialog is lazy and poorly executed is being kind.”
- graphics89 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the modern visuals, unique art style, and immersive environments that evoke a fairy-tale atmosphere. However, some players criticize the graphics as lacking detail or being underwhelming, particularly in VR mode. Overall, while the game showcases impressive artwork and colorful designs, opinions vary on its technical execution and graphical fidelity.
“Incredible classic dungeon crawler with modern graphics and control - I am loving it!”
“The graphics are beautiful and immersive.”
“The graphics and music are impressively coherent and create a great atmosphere.”
“The grid-based movement is absolutely moronic.. the graphics are pathetic at best.. the story is uninspiring and then you find out you can only have one heal potion for the entire group.. it's just a very badly designed game!”
“I admit, the graphics are not the best.”
“Beware: this is not a VR game, it's a regular game with poorly implemented VR support; you can't even fully see the interface and the graphics look pretty awful seen from up close.”
- gameplay76 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mix of traditional dungeon crawling with exploration, combat, and puzzles, but it suffers from unbalanced mechanics and frustrating combat systems, particularly in later stages. While some players appreciate the unique character abilities and the depth of tactical thinking required, many criticize the linearity, lack of grinding opportunities, and poorly explained mechanics that can lead to confusion and frustration. Overall, the game offers a visually appealing experience with solid mechanics, but it falls short of being truly great due to its combat and gameplay inconsistencies.
“The gameplay itself is the usual for this type of game with exploring, fighting creatures in your way, and a handful of puzzles per area.”
“Gameplay is excellent, striking a nice balance between combat, exploration, puzzles, and party management.”
“I was blown away by the gameplay, smoothness, and quest lines, all whilst being hooked to my PC screen to continue playing.”
“Once I got to the 'enemies get unlimited spawns' mechanic in Deva Fortress... I'm out.”
“The game is extremely linear, which wouldn't necessarily be a problem in itself, but since there is no way to grind and level up your character, certain fights can be unwinnable as there is no way to do quests or gain XP even if you re-spec your characters.”
“However, by the time you reach the third main area in the game (the Deva Fortress), the difficulty seems to take a tremendous spike with some ridiculously tough opponents, and you then start really noticing how bad this game's combat mechanics are.”
- music40 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with unique themes for different locations and a blend of Eastern European influences. While many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as beautiful and immersive, some note that it can be repetitive at times. Overall, the music, along with the sound design and voice acting, contributes significantly to the game's enchanting and mythical atmosphere.
“The music, artwork, characters, and their banter are all great.”
“The world is amazing to say the least, unique art style accompanied by great music, lore accurate as well.”
“The soundtrack helps to carry the mood of the game and the ambient work is phenomenal (from nature sounds in forests, to cracks and rumbles in caves and dungeons).”
“The soundtrack didn't catch me.”
“The music was bland and repetitive...”
“While the soundtrack may have matched the atmosphere, the various sound effects and general ambience of the sound design pretty much made that atmosphere.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining well-crafted dungeon designs, engaging character interactions, and a soundtrack that complements the setting. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke classic RPG vibes while maintaining a unique charm, with sound effects and music enhancing the overall experience. Many players appreciate the atmospheric depth, making exploration both enjoyable and sometimes unsettling, particularly in more intense environments.
“This game has an incredible atmosphere and story, interesting characters with great speech... basically it shows you what Legend of Grimrock could have been with a full story like this game!”
“If you can get over this, you’ll find that Operencia: The Stolen Sun nails the unique dungeon crawler atmosphere that we rarely get to experience these days.”
“It's stunning to look at and the atmosphere and sounds are perfect.”
“While the soundtrack may have matched the atmosphere, the various sound effects and general ambience of the sound design pretty much made that atmosphere.”
“In fact, I hated exploring spider-infested caves because of how well it managed to capture that atmosphere.”
“What I admire most about this game is the whole atmosphere, which profits a lot from the tales and discussions between the characters.”
- humor15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by clever, sarcastic dialogue and engaging interactions among characters that enhance the storytelling. While some players found the humor inconsistent, with a mix of witty zingers and less effective exposition, many appreciated the funny moments and character dynamics that contribute to an entertaining experience. Overall, the humor is well-integrated, making the characters feel real and adding depth to the gameplay.
“The story is very unusual, but it feels alive and is fascinating... the graphics and music are great and let you dive into this world of fantasy... the humor is spot on... sarcastic, funny... a real blast!”
“And it is hilarious how party members comment on the actions of the protagonist.”
“Clever little dungeon crawler with some sarcastic British humor in the story.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed experience with grinding in the game. Some players find the combat tedious and drawn-out, leading to a sense of frustration during battles, while others appreciate the lack of traditional grinding, suggesting that progression relies on strategic play rather than repetitive battles. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable exploration and puzzles, the combat can feel excessively long and monotonous for some players.
“No grinding whatsoever, so things to discover and monsters to kill must be done in precise succession.”
“No grinding, gonna figure out how to proceed if you can't beat the boss.”
“Everything has way too much HP and will grind you down through slow, tedious battles of attrition.”
“Just long tedious grinds... absolutely boring and it's gotten to a point where I'm on my 5th battle or so having to wade through golems.”
“You don't have to play this way, but combat is so tediously long otherwise, I really wouldn't recommend that you do anything else.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some players praise its impressive graphics and solid performance, achieving high frame rates even on older hardware, others criticize the lack of clarity in gameplay mechanics and the challenges posed by hard mode, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The game has great graphics, great performance, the story is nice and entertaining, the voice acting is awesome, characters are kind of likable and enemies are greatly designed.”
“By the way, even using a GTX 1080, I got solid 90 FPS using index resolution 200%, so performance and image quality are really awesome.”
“The excuse of 'poor optimization' or teambuilding is invalid when the game does a terrible job of explaining anything and there is a hard mode for that type of optimization.”
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for being limited and lacking depth, especially in comparison to more expansive titles like Skyrim. While there are some elements of character growth, the fixed nature of battles and lack of meaningful exploration diminish the overall experience. Players express a desire for more engaging and tactical development options.
“Lots of comments here and there, and a decent amount of character development.”
“But as it is, it has no meaningful exploration, no meaningful combat tactics, and no meaningful character development.”
“If you want a game with nearly limitless character development options and hundreds of hours of non-linear content to explore, then go play Skyrim for the 20th time.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its surprisingly wholesome approach, effectively evoking nostalgia and emotional resonance through its storytelling, particularly in its portrayal of old Hungarian tales. Players feel a deep connection to the narratives, reminiscent of their childhood experiences.
“Surprisingly wholesome dungeon crawler.”
“Very wholesome game.”
“As a Hungarian, I can tell that they did a pretty good job telling these old stories, and they made me feel the same way, like when I first heard them decades ago.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being plagued with bugs and glitches, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, such as enemies counter-attacking excessively. Many users express dissatisfaction, stating that they encounter issues that are not present in other games.
“Not going to waste my time troubleshooting their garbage when it works perfectly in every other game.”
“I played this for the first time, and it's a buggy mess.”
“There are glitches that allow enemies to counter-attack and nullify your team's normal attack, so even when you ambush enemies in a battle, there are times when they get to attack you 2 or 3 times in a row before you can attack again.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability due to its static environment and lack of randomized loot, which diminishes the appeal of starting with different hero classes. Additionally, the absence of variety in character creation and progression further reduces the incentive to replay, making it more of a one-time enjoyable experience rather than a game with lasting replay value.
“If Operencia had more depth when it comes to build variety and character progression, it would definitely be an absolute highlight. As it stands, it's a very good first-person dungeon crawler that focuses on story and characters, providing a great playthrough, but it lacks in replayability.”
“Replayability - while starting with another hero class might sound enticing, be aware that everything in the game is static and there is no randomized loot.”
“The lack of variety in character creation eliminates any replay value.”
“If Operencia had more depth in build variety and character progression, it would definitely be an absolute highlight. As it stands, it's a very good first-person dungeon crawler that focuses on story and characters, but it lacks in replayability.”
