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.
Reviews
- The game has a solid core gameplay experience with enjoyable looting, progression systems, and combat mechanics.
- For a game developed by a single person, it shows impressive ambition and offers a lot of character customization and skill variety.
- The developer is active in addressing bugs and implementing updates, which gives hope for future improvements and content.
- The game feels unfinished and lacks polish, with many bugs and technical issues that hinder the overall experience.
- There are significant design flaws, such as poor world design and confusing mechanics that can break immersion and frustrate players.
- The game lacks essential features like a proper save system and clear objectives, making it difficult to progress without confusion.
- gameplay17 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its solid core mechanics, including looting, progression, and combat, which are described as addictive and reminiscent of classic titles like Diablo and Path of Exile. However, some players note issues with sluggishness due to cast times and platforming mechanics, while others appreciate the depth of RPG elements and regular content updates. Overall, despite some rough edges, the game offers a satisfying and engaging experience with hours of content.
“The game has great core gameplay, with the looting, progression system, and combat done well.”
“What's great is the deep thought that went into the RPG, level-up, and game mechanics.”
“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.”
“The basic game and quests work, but once you reach the above mechanics the overall impression is bad.”
“That said, the gameplay itself and the leveling/class customization/craft systems are really fun and addictive (except the platform side and its double jumps that I don't really like, and I assume it might be a pain to code, when a flat world would be fine and less buggy + more fluid).”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered underwhelming, with many players noting that it lacks depth and coherence, often overshadowed by gameplay bugs and quest navigation issues. While some players report completing the main quest in around 20 hours, the overall narrative experience is described as minimal, with quests that can be confusing and poorly marked on the map. Overall, the story seems to take a backseat to gameplay mechanics and technical problems.
“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.”
“You'll get around 12 hours or so to finish the main quest, maybe a bit more or less depending on how fast you push through content.”
“The basic game and quests work, but once you reach the above mechanics, the overall impression is bad.”
“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.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they resemble those of older titles from the early 2000s, often describing them as rough and lacking polish. While some appreciate the retro aesthetic and find it nostalgic, others criticize the visuals for being underwhelming and not on par with modern standards. Overall, the graphics are considered a weaker aspect of the game, but they do not significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience.
“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.”
“Great addictive gameplay; it's an indie game made by a single developer, so don't expect the graphics or sound to match those of games made by large companies.”
“And, to top it off, its graphics look like they're from 2005 while still struggling to maintain 60fps at times, and my rig is moderately powerful.”
“It's interesting, a game for the curious to discover a unique way to play hack and slash RPG, but will probably remain half of a decent early 2000s game for the rest of its life, graphics-wise.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users describing it as a "buggy mess" reminiscent of an early alpha state, particularly in the endgame content. While some players find the core gameplay enjoyable and addictive, they acknowledge the numerous glitches and bugs that detract from the overall experience. A few users report only minor issues, but the consensus leans towards significant stability problems.
“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.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game exhibits a "eurojank" feel, with some rough edges in graphics and optimization; however, it runs smoothly and delivers solid gameplay once players acclimate to its quirks.
“It has that eurojank vibe, but the gameplay is solid, and it runs smoothly.”
“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 game suffers from severe 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.”
“I found the optimization to be quite poor, as it often resulted in long loading times and unresponsive controls.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game rewarding for those who enjoy gear collection 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!”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received negative feedback, with users noting a complete absence of music, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The music is brain dead and aggressive.”
“There is no music.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its engaging action-RPG mechanics, offering a robust array of options for character development that enhances gameplay and allows for personalized player experiences.
“Very nice action RPG, with a strong focus on fast gameplay and a lot of options for character development.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users 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.
“But at its current state, the bugs seem to be ruining too much. I will give it another try if it becomes more playable.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in. The side quests feel repetitive and lack depth.”
“The game offers minimal variation in gameplay, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
