Ortharion project
- December 23, 2020
- Ortharion project
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam"Ortharion Project" is a medieval fantasy RPG featuring a vast world and an abundance of upgradable spells. With 40+ monsters, each with unique abilities, players must manage resources and customize spells to conquer the secrets of the Ortharion fragments. Despite being created by a solo developer, the game boasts intricate gameplay that blends hack 'n' slash action with spellcasting.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a great core gameplay experience with solid looting, progression systems, and combat mechanics.
- There is a lot of character customization and build options, allowing players to tailor their experience.
- The developer is active and responsive, frequently updating the game and addressing player feedback.
- The game feels unfinished and buggy, resembling an early access title despite being labeled as a full release.
- World design is lacking, leading to immersion-breaking experiences and frustrating gameplay mechanics.
- The game has significant issues with saving progress, as it only saves when exiting normally, risking loss of hours of gameplay.
- gameplay36 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a solid core that includes enjoyable looting, progression, and combat mechanics, reminiscent of classic titles like Diablo and Path of Exile. While the game exhibits some rough edges typical of early access, including sluggishness due to cast times and platforming issues, the depth of RPG elements, class customization, and crafting systems contribute to an addictive experience. Regular content updates and bug fixes show promise for improvement, making it a worthwhile endeavor for players willing to look beyond initial impressions.
“Game has great core gameplay, the looting, progression system, and combat done well.”
“The gameplay reminds me of a mixture between Diablo and Path of Exile, and I mean Diablo when it was great.”
“While it lacks the polish of a modern title, the core gameplay loop is addicting and going around nuking entire groups of mobs is satisfying.”
“The gameplay feels very sluggish due to everything having a cast time, even simply swinging a sword.”
“In dungeons, certain mobs or group compositions can one-shot you much faster than normal for the difficulty, outside the normal red intent mechanic for big attacks.”
“Unsurprisingly for early access, the game implementation is rough, but the gameplay potential is high.”
- story32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered minimal and often overshadowed by gameplay issues, with players reporting a lack of clarity in quest objectives and numerous bugs that detract from the experience. While the main quest can be completed in about 20 hours, many players find themselves more focused on quests and upgrades rather than the narrative itself, leading to an overall impression of a disjointed and underdeveloped story.
“You'll get around 12 hours to finish the main quest, maybe a bit more or less depending on how fast you push through the content.”
“To finish the base 'story', aka unlock the end game, you can expect about 20 hours of gameplay (I did it in 18 because I had this unusual speed boost).”
“Single player RPG with an open world flavor, story and quests, loot to find, equipment to arm, all with new abilities gained with each weapon, and you don't need to have the weapon slotted to use its skill.”
“The balance is all over the place, there are plenty of bugs, and there's barely a story.”
“Some quests don't tell you where to find the goal, and the map marks nothing.”
“I assume there is a story here, but I typically don't pay attention to the story so I can't comment on it.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered subpar, often likened to those of early 2000s titles, with some users noting a retro charm. While the visuals are described as passable and not the game's strongest aspect, they do not significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience, which remains engaging. Players acknowledge the indie nature of the game, suggesting that expectations for high-end graphics should be tempered.
“Well, the graphics give it kind of a retro feeling to play :)”
“This game takes me back to the old days with the mechanics, graphics, and skill trees that I like.”
“While it is rough around the edges in the graphics and optimization department, once you get into the swing of the game, it hits a lot of good notes.”
“The graphics look like they're from 2005 while still struggling to maintain 60fps at times, and my rig is moderately powerful.”
“While it is rough around the edges in the graphics and optimization department, once you get into the swing of the game it hits a lot of good notes.”
“I agree the graphics are not its strongest point, but the game runs well with very few bugs present.”
- stability16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with many players describing it as a "buggy mess" reminiscent of an early alpha state. While some users acknowledge the fun gameplay and addictive mechanics, they also report numerous glitches that detract from the overall experience, particularly in the endgame content. Despite these issues, a few players express a willingness to overlook the bugs for the sake of enjoyment.
“Endgame: I'd rate it alpha-state (basic framework but boring & buggy) -- sucks.”
“Holy cow, this is buggy as hell - feels like early alpha.”
“Edit: It remains extremely buggy, but I keep grinding away.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game exhibits a "eurojank" aesthetic, with noticeable roughness in graphics and optimization; however, it runs smoothly and offers solid gameplay that becomes enjoyable once players acclimate to its quirks.
“While it is rough around the edges in the graphics and optimization department, once you get into the swing of the game, it hits a lot of good notes.”
“It has that eurojank vibe, but the gameplay is solid, and it runs smoothly.”
“The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite its potential, the optimization is lacking, making it difficult to enjoy the experience fully.”
“The performance is inconsistent, with long loading times and occasional crashes that detract from the overall enjoyment.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game rewarding for those who enjoy pursuing gear and optimizing stats, despite ongoing bugs. The complexity of the grinding system adds depth, making it appealing to dedicated players.
“It remains extremely buggy, but I keep grinding away.”
“It's too complex to explain briefly, but if you like grinding for gear and min/maxing stats, this game won't disappoint you!”
- music4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a lack of music in the game, with users expressing frustration over its absence, describing the experience as "brain dead aggro" without any accompanying soundtrack.
“No music.”
“Brain dead aggro, music?”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers a robust character development system, allowing players to customize and enhance their characters significantly, which complements its fast-paced gameplay.
“Very nice action RPG, with a strong focus on fast gameplay and a lot of options for character development.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players express concerns about the game's replayability due to persistent bugs that detract from the overall experience. Many indicate a willingness to revisit the game in the future if these issues are resolved, suggesting that the potential for replayability exists but is currently hindered.
“At its current state, the bugs seem to be ruining too much; I will give it another try if it becomes more playable.”
“The lack of meaningful choices makes me question if I would want to replay the game after finishing it.”
“Once you complete the main storyline, there isn't much incentive to dive back in.”
