Ouroboros
- May 25, 2018
- SierraLee
- 5h median play time
"Ouroboros" is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game, available for Windows and Mac, with an interesting plot, quick and fun combat, and plenty of humor. The game features time travel mechanics, unlockable gallery, and uncensored sex scenes. The 5-6 hour long content takes you through a bright, cheerful world with a dark secret, where you must save a princess and uncover the truth behind the horrifyingly wrong events.
Reviews
- The game features a compelling and well-written story that keeps players engaged and invested in the characters.
- It offers a unique twist on traditional RPG mechanics, focusing on puzzle-solving and exploration rather than grinding.
- The character interactions and humor are well-crafted, providing both heartwarming moments and clever dialogue.
- Combat can feel tedious and unrewarding, often encouraging players to avoid fights rather than engage with them.
- The controls are uncomfortable and lack the ability to be remapped, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Some players may find the initial cycles repetitive and the lack of clear direction frustrating, especially when trying to progress.
- story170 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its engaging narrative, interesting characters, and clever twists, often described as both fun and thought-provoking. While some reviewers noted that the plot isn't particularly deep, it effectively combines humor and mature themes, leaving players wanting more. Overall, the storytelling is considered the standout feature, making it a compelling experience even for those who may not prioritize gameplay mechanics.
“This game has a good story and the adult patch is not really required to play it.”
“I recently played this game and forgot to apply the content restoration patch because the story was that gripping and tightly told.”
“The story and game mechanics of this game are really unique and fantastic and elevate RPG Maker games to a whole new enjoyment level.”
“The story is the main thing here, and it's actually just kinda the prologue to something bigger.”
“There wasn’t that moment that made me impressed with the protagonist or go 'oh, so this is what the plot is about.'”
“It does stumble a bit in that a lot of the battles don't matter at all, and you solve a lot of your problems with cunning and exploration - until you have to win battles to get the strength you need to win battles to advance the story.”
- gameplay40 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a simple, repetitive mechanic centered around time travel and "resetting the cycle," which effectively complements the well-crafted story and characters. While the RPG Maker framework limits innovation, the integration of gameplay with narrative elements creates a unique experience, though some design choices, like unnecessary lewd scenes, detract from the overall enjoyment. Players are encouraged to focus on the story rather than the gameplay mechanics, which are easy and straightforward, making for a quick playthrough.
“The main mechanic is time travel; more specifically, it's called 'resetting the cycle.' That's essentially it: you repeat until change, explore change, repeat all until more change.”
“It's a fun gameplay mechanic that makes sense because of the story.”
“The boss fights are challenging enough that you have to stop and think about it, and serve the purpose of milestones in your character's development, which is at the same time the plot and the gameplay.”
“All in all the experience is a net positive, but some horrible design choices and mechanics really weigh heavily on the experience.”
“Play it for the story, not the RPG mechanics: it's so easy I finished in just 2 hours.”
“The game is made in RPG Maker, so don't expect mold-breaking gameplay; that is not the main draw of the game.”
- grinding24 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Overall, grinding in the game is minimal and often avoidable, with a focus on exploration and puzzle-like combat rather than repetitive battles. Players appreciate that combat does not yield rewards, encouraging them to engage strategically rather than grind for experience or items. While normal monster encounters can become tedious later on, boss battles remain engaging and challenging.
“It has an interesting storyline from what I can tell, combat is simple and easy to get through, there is no grinding for levels or gold or items, levels are fairly well made if somewhat simple.”
“No grinding or experience points, just figure out what to do and how to do it and move on.”
“Having to pick up key items again can be very tedious.”
“Battles against normal monsters are enjoyable at first, but can become somewhat tedious in later stages of the story.”
“The story and RPG elements are great, and grinding is almost completely avoidable.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its wit and cleverness, with many players highlighting the funny dialogues and meta jokes that enhance the experience. While the plot may not be deeply complex, the combination of humor, emotional moments, and a unique take on RPG tropes creates a satisfying and entertaining narrative. Overall, the game offers a rich array of comedic content that players are encouraged to explore.
“The story is nice, the writing is honestly funny and witty... what else would you want?”
“I definitely recommend exploring all that you can as there is a ton of funny content that can be missed.”
“The dialogues are funny, sometimes poking fun at meta elements or winking at the player, but there are some touching emotional moments too, and a dash of craziness for those who like that kind of thing.”
- music14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as adequate but unremarkable, with a stock soundtrack that lacks variety, as even the final boss shares the same music as regular enemies. While some tracks serve the plot effectively and contribute to the atmosphere, overall, the soundtrack does not stand out as a highlight of the game.
“Everything serves the plot, including the chipset art that gets better and more realistic in certain areas, the haunting music in most areas, the tongue-in-cheek jokes about sprite games and their mechanics.”
“The music was good too.”
“Like the controls, the soundtrack is good enough to get the job done, but nothing special.”
“The main bad thing about this game is a completely stock soundtrack; none of the enemies or bosses use different music.”
“The final boss has the same music as general enemies.”
“The main bad thing about this game is a completely stock soundtrack; none of the enemies or bosses use different music.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics in Sierra Lee's game are praised for their creativity and effective use of RPG Maker's default assets, enhanced by custom art that adds depth and personality. While the visuals may resemble standard RPG graphics, the overall presentation is considered impressive, especially for those who prioritize story over graphical fidelity.
“Like all of Sierra Lee's other games, absolutely incredible in terms of story, visuals, creativity, and strategy.”
“You may recognize the standard RPG graphics, but as you can tell from the title screen and custom expressions, there's some custom art breathing life into this project, including entire scenes among the rewards.”
“It's amazing how good games can be made using only RPG Maker default assets in the graphics department.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a blend of heartwarming and humorous moments, showcasing a loving relationship among the main characters. It cleverly subverts standard RPG tropes with both touching emotional scenes and witty, meta-dialogues, creating a satisfying narrative experience. Overall, players appreciate the balance of humor and heartfelt storytelling.
“Quite a few heartwarming scenes, the main group feels like a very loving relationship.”
“The dialogues are funny, sometimes poking fun at meta elements or winking at the player, but there are some touching emotional moments too, and a dash of craziness for those who like that kind of thing.”
“On top of the cool gameplay, I found a rich story with some truly touching moments (and some hilariously wicked ones!).”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is intricately woven into the game's well-crafted plot, relying on in-game interactions and NPC relationships rather than traditional leveling systems. This approach enhances the storytelling experience, making character growth feel organic and engaging.
“There's no traditional grind for levels; the plot is well thought out and told through in-game character development and NPC interaction.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, providing a brief but enjoyable experience that is worth the price for a casual afternoon of play.
“You won't get a lot of replayability, nor will it consume your life for weeks - but at this price, it's worth it for an enjoyable afternoon.”