Pagan Online
- August 26, 2019
- Mad Head Games
- 8h median play time
Fun hero designs and solid combat offer a promising start, but it needs to shed its grind and borderline game-breaking bugs.
Get on Steam"Pagan Online" is an action RPG with hack-and-slash gameplay and a pantheon of pagan gods and heroes. Fight against hordes of enemies in fast-paced, combat-focused missions, and customize your character with a variety of abilities and gear. Play solo or in co-op mode, and delve into a rich, fantasy world inspired by Slavic mythology.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique WASD movement system that adds a refreshing twist to the ARPG genre.
- The graphics and art style are visually appealing, with well-designed characters and environments.
- The combat is engaging and requires skillful positioning and timing, making it more interactive than traditional ARPGs.
- The game suffers from a lack of depth and customization, with limited skills and abilities for each character.
- There are significant bugs and performance issues, including server connectivity problems and unresponsive controls.
- The character unlocking system is tedious, forcing players to grind for shards to access new heroes, which can be frustrating.
- story462 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally described as decent but often lacks depth and originality, with many players finding it predictable and repetitive. While some appreciate the engaging lore and voice acting, others criticize the linear mission structure that detracts from immersion and exploration. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mixed bag, with potential for improvement in character development and storytelling mechanics.
“The story and lore are truly a high point.”
“The voice acting is a bit 'meh' but storywise, it is keeping my interest and gives a reasonable explanation of what is going on and what you are doing.”
“Characters are interesting and beautifully drawn and the story is pretty good so far.”
“The story is too bland for a singleplayer game, but the multiplayer was scrapped, so there is nothing to find amusing in the game.”
“The world is uninspiring and bland in its story and appearance.”
“The story is lackluster and uninteresting, with characters that feel very by the numbers and meh.”
- gameplay251 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its unique mechanics, smooth controls, and engaging character designs, while others criticize it for being shallow, repetitive, and lacking depth. Many users noted issues such as bugs, unbalanced mechanics, and a lack of meaningful loot, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite its potential and enjoyable core gameplay, several players feel that it requires significant improvements and content expansion to fully realize its promise.
“The gameplay is smooth and responsive.”
“The core gameplay is fun, I'm excited to see where the game goes in early access.”
“Awesome ARPG, haven't had this much fun on an ARPG in a while, gameplay close to Lost Ark for those who've played it.”
“The gameplay is extremely shallow, repetitive, and grossly unrewarding.”
“The game mechanics seriously just feel downright lazy and the game quickly becomes boring.”
“Pointless grind to unlock new characters, boring repetitive gameplay that is fun for the first hour, with very low character building.”
- graphics163 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style as vibrant and unique, reminiscent of titles like Torchlight and Diablo, while others criticize the visuals as dated or simplistic, likening them to a mobile game aesthetic. Overall, players appreciate the polished animations and character designs, though some note performance issues and a lack of depth in graphical fidelity. Despite these criticisms, the game's visuals are generally considered appealing and well-executed for an early access title.
“I love the graphic style and the characters.”
“The graphics are gorgeous; did we mention beautiful artistry?”
“The graphics are very detailed and give you a certain level of depth when playing.”
“The graphics are dated; at times it does look like a game from 2011 with its graphics and animation.”
“As some other reviewers have previously mentioned, the game feels like a bad mobile port with simplistic visuals and a UI that looks like it's meant for a touchscreen.”
“The game is not so bad, but I don't like the graphics; it looks like a mobile phone game and the systems are the same.”
- grinding87 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's grinding mechanics are a significant aspect, with many players noting that while it can be enjoyable, it often feels tedious and overly time-consuming. Unlocking characters and crafting materials requires extensive grinding, which some find rewarding, but others view as a chore that detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the grind is a defining feature of the game, appealing to those who enjoy it, but potentially alienating for players seeking a more streamlined experience.
“It is not that grindy.”
“This would be all well and good if the early challenge was appropriately managed by your selection of early skills, but it's frankly a slow-paced dance of shaving off trash mobs and tediously chipping away at unreasonably beefy or evasive ones.”
“After some time grinding it, they wiped the servers and all progress was lost.”
“As much as I enjoy the combat and want to love this game, the amount of grinding to unlock characters without a chance to try them out is a dealbreaker for me in a game I paid for.”
- monetization54 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has generated mixed reactions among users. While many praise the absence of microtransactions at the current stage, expressing hope that the developers will maintain this model, others remain skeptical about potential future monetization schemes, fearing a shift towards cash grabs and pay-to-win mechanics. Overall, the consensus is that the game currently allows for progression through gameplay alone, but concerns about future monetization persist.
“No microtransactions; you can unlock everything by just playing (at least for now, praise the gods).”
“There are currently no microtransactions; however, the developer has confirmed there will be in the official release.”
“The developer has repeated that the vision for this game is not and will not be based around microtransactions, but a game with an upfront cost and no in-game monetization.”
“Now they slapped a new name on it and put it back up, trying to cash grab from people unaware of its issues.”
“This sets itself up to be freemium crap, with cash grab microtransactions and stuff that's only available if you pay hard dollars.”
“I know this is in early access but this game is setting itself up to be nothing more than a cash grab game similar to a mobile phone game.”
- stability27 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is severely criticized, with numerous reports of persistent glitches, bugs, and performance issues that render it nearly unplayable. Players have experienced constant freezes, lag, and desynchronization, particularly in cooperative modes, leading to frustration and a sense that the game has been abandoned by its developers. Despite some visual appeal and potential, the overall consensus is that the game remains a buggy mess with little hope for improvement.
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes, providing a solid gameplay experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the performance is; it really enhances the overall enjoyment.”
“The graphics are impressive, and the game maintains a consistent frame rate throughout.”
“A ton of the spells do not work the way they are meant to, and the bonuses also are vastly buggy.”
“Once the online finally came out, it was a laggy, buggy mess.”
“In current state the game is unplayable due to constant freezes and stuttering (every mob spawn, every loot you loot you get this) and I have a pretty decent PC.”
- optimization23 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 39 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth gameplay and solid performance, while others report significant issues such as frame stuttering, freezes, and bugs, particularly during intense moments. Many users noted that tweaking graphics settings can improve performance, but overall, the game is often described as poorly optimized, especially for its visual fidelity. Despite some players finding it playable on decent hardware, the consensus leans towards a need for further optimization and bug fixes.
“The WASD controls work very nicely and feel smooth, and after a bit over 3 hours, I have not experienced crashes or performance issues.”
“I have read through a bunch of reviews from people hating on performance issues; maybe they fixed them in the latest patch because I have experienced nothing but quick and smooth gameplay the entire time, not one second of lag.”
“I was happily surprised when I started this game; I did not expect an early access title to be this polished in terms of performance and gameplay.”
“When more than a few enemies are on screen, it has massive frame stuttering.”
“In its current state, the game is unplayable due to constant freezes and stuttering (every mob spawn, every loot you loot you get this) and I have a pretty decent PC.”
“The game is a buggy mess; it has been ever since the big patch was implemented in early access. I voiced my concerns to the devs, and they assured me that all the performance decline and bugs that occurred after that patch would be resolved, but to this day they are still present.”
- music15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players noting a lack of presence while others praise its quality and emotional impact, likening it to classic titles like Warcraft III. Many appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the gaming experience, though some suggest it could benefit from more variety, such as upbeat or metal tracks. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, there are calls for improvement and expansion.
“The music, the graphics, the environment, the story... truly a candy of a game, for years to come.”
“Music is also very nice, even epic at some points and since I never turn off game music, I'm glad when I get the chance to really enjoy it.”
“I love the ability trees, the different play-styles heroes offer, the amazing artwork and designs, great voice-acting and music.”
“Music is... actually, I didn't have an opinion before I brought it up because there's not much of any music there.”
“The sound is a bit lacking and the music is okay.”
“I'd recommend having some upbeat music in the background though.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while changing heroes can alter combat dynamics and some players find it "endlessly replayable," others note limitations due to fixed class kits and weapon choices that hinder customization. Despite these drawbacks, many players appreciate the variety of modes, daily challenges, and loot opportunities that contribute to a rewarding experience.
“Luckily, changing heroes also changes the way combats play out, thus giving the game a sense of replayability that would otherwise be absent.”
“"Endlessly replayable" is what they call it on their official website in big bold letters.”
“+ Dailies already implemented as well as great replayability through the various modes and large loot pool.”
“Luckily, changing heroes also changes the way combats play out, thus giving the game a semblance of replayability that would otherwise be absent.”
“The game is indeed playable but not entirely replayable.”
“I realize it lacks the depth and replayability when compared to its opponents in the genre; but it has enough twists and nuances to stand out.”
- character development11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the unique and colorful character designs while others criticize the lack of depth and customization options. Many players feel that the focus on gameplay over character development has resulted in a shallow system, with limited choices that do not significantly impact gameplay. Overall, the character development aspect appears to be underwhelming, reminiscent of older ARPGs without the modern enhancements players expect.
“This is not innately bad; however, the character designs are quite good and unique, and I feel they have more depth than with standard character creation.”
“I feel like they focused more on the actual gameplay than overburdening the player with character development choices, and I love it.”
“Character designs are colorful and fluid, and environments look no worse than Diablo III.”
“Character development is essentially non-existent right now; the devs apparently plan to improve it.”
“Also, there was no real character development.”
“Character development is slightly shallow (+x% damage to skill on every ability).”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is appreciated for its witty character lines and self-referential jokes, though some players feel that excessive 4th wall breaking can detract from the overall experience. The gameplay, while mostly linear, includes amusing interactions and riddles that enhance engagement, with characters like Hector and Anya being particularly well-received for their comedic elements. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's narrative and customization aspects.
“Funny character lines (I like that humor).”
“Gameplay is mostly linear, but all the RPGs are very funny. There are some riddles to handle, which is very interesting—not only do you deal as much damage as you can, but you also sometimes avoid some traps.”
“Victor Vran has a really good combat system, a funny and interesting story, and so many more customization possibilities that really make the game feel different.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its laid-back vibe, unique Slavic paganism lore, and well-designed levels, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience. Players appreciate the variety in models and decent NPC voiceovers, enhancing the overall ambiance.
“I'm loving the atmosphere of the game; the level design is fairly nice, there is decent variety in models, and most of the NPC voiceovers aren't actually bad.”
“The lore of the game isn't one I've seen before: Slavic paganism (hence *Pagan* Online), and this provides a very unique atmosphere and story that is worth researching in your spare time if gods and religions of other cultures interest you even slightly.”
“The game has a really cool atmosphere.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the game's emotional impact, citing a lack of engaging story and mechanics that detract from enjoyment. The presence of bugs and balance issues, along with concerns about potential paywalls for character customization, contribute to a negative emotional experience, leading some to predict the game's decline.
“The emotional depth of the story is lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I felt no attachment to the storyline; it was predictable and uninspiring.”
“The game tries to evoke emotions but fails miserably, leaving me feeling indifferent.”
