Paper Sorcerer
- January 22, 2014
- Ultra Runaway Games
- 11h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"Paper Sorcerer" is a turn-based RPG focused on strategy, party-building, and environmental puzzles. Escape from a magical tome prison as a powerful sorcerer, regaining your magical powers and battling enemies with strategic skills and spells. A party of monsters and dark creatures can fight alongside you as you explore and solve puzzles. The initial release is for PC, with Mac and Linux versions in the works. Save files from the demo transfer to the full version.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Stylish art design that creates a unique atmosphere.
- Engaging turn-based combat with a variety of characters and strategies.
- Interesting exploration with hidden secrets and a decent storyline.
- Numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay.
- Combat can become repetitive and drawn out over time.
- Lack of quality-of-life features, such as sound controls and a clunky UI.
- graphics118 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique, minimalist art style that combines monochromatic and cel-shaded aesthetics, creating a striking visual experience reminiscent of classic RPGs. While many players appreciate the artistic direction and nostalgic feel, some criticize the visuals for being simplistic or becoming repetitive over time. Overall, the graphics effectively complement the game's atmosphere and storytelling, though they may not appeal to everyone.
“The graphics are nicely stylistic and do the job well of depicting the world inside the book the titular sorcerer (or sorceress) is imprisoned in.”
“The minimalist black and white art style creates a stunning high contrast world to explore.”
“This game features a beautifully unique art style, one that makes the world look very pleasing.”
“Very clunky/awkward take on an already old school/outdated genre... it feels like it could have come out on Atari back in the 80s, if it was not for the FPS feel and the graphics (which, sadly, looked better in picture than in actual game...).”
“The art style is excellent but the black and white aesthetic gets old fast and you'll be wishing for colors a few cell blocks in.”
“The graphics style, which seems refreshing at first, quickly becomes tiring.”
- music107 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and immersive qualities that enhance the overall experience, particularly during battles. However, several players criticize the repetitiveness and lack of variety, noting that some tracks can become monotonous over time. Additionally, the absence of audio options to adjust or mute the music has been a common complaint, detracting from the enjoyment for some players.
“The music is fantastic.”
“Wonderful soundtrack as well, especially the boss themes.”
“The ambient sounds and music add so much to the game's dungeon crawling experience, while the battle themes quickly get you ready for action.”
“The music and sound effects are largely forgettable, with the main battle theme wearing out its welcome long before the game is properly finished.”
“The music in the game is repetitive and a little off-putting, but it works with the rest of the game to add to the overall feeling of dread.”
“Everyone has different tastes in music, but having incredibly loud repetitive music you can't turn off is ridiculous.”
- story86 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its unique premise of playing as an imprisoned sorcerer seeking escape, while others find it minimal, forgettable, or poorly executed. While the narrative features intriguing lore and character design, many reviews highlight issues such as repetitive storytelling, lack of depth, and bugs that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as a secondary element to the gameplay, with some enjoying its charm and humor, while others criticize its lack of engagement and coherence.
“The story is also enjoyable, with a variety of information on exactly what happened before you were imprisoned to discover.”
“The story is cleverly told with some elements of humor that are both witty and well placed.”
“Now here's the twist: instead of playing a band of heroes out to vanquish evil, you're playing the role of an evil sorcerer with a band of monsters, undead, and other evil minions out on a mission to break out of an extra-dimensional prison that exists in a book.”
“The story is wholly not interesting.”
“The story seems rather boring and underdeveloped.”
“Standard 'escape the dungeon' story we have seen countless times before and no character choice or decisions to be made.”
- gameplay66 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying its engaging mechanics, nostalgic art style, and solid RPG elements, while others find it repetitive, slow, and bogged down by bugs and a cumbersome interface. Many appreciate the turn-based combat and party management features, but some criticize the lack of depth and customization options. Overall, it offers a fun experience for fans of classic RPGs, though it may not appeal to those seeking more modern gameplay complexity.
“Overall, this is a fun RPG with some interesting mechanics, great style, and enjoyable music.”
“The gameplay is solid, with a combination of party choice, attack and strategy choice, and equipment management.”
“The gameplay is very fun and addictive.”
“It's gameplay is boring and repetitive (something I don't normally have a problem with in classic RPGs like Final Fantasy).”
“The trailer, screenshots, and overall aesthetic are impressive to be sure, but they belie a cumbersome user interface (for a genre that is 90% menus, why are the menus so annoying to use?), a sluggish battle system, and overall very dull mechanics that offer little in the way of exciting character molding or customization.”
“But repeating the same combat sequences for 9 hours of gameplay appears demotivating.”
- stability29 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that detract from the overall experience. Many players recommend saving often due to the risk of losing progress from freezes and other issues, while some express frustration over the game's unfinished feel and lack of support from developers. Despite these problems, a few players still find enjoyment in the gameplay, suggesting that those with a low tolerance for technical issues may want to avoid it.
“This feels like a beta game that shouldn't be released this buggy.”
“Maybe the game should be removed from the store since it is no longer supported and it is a buggy mess.”
“The game freezes and I've had to replay levels due to the game locking - this is the primary reason I can't recommend it.”
- grinding23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Reviews of the game's grinding aspect are mixed, with many players finding the combat repetitive and tedious, particularly in higher difficulty levels where grinding becomes necessary. Some appreciate the strategic elements that can mitigate grinding, while others feel that the lack of respawning enemies and slow-paced battles contribute to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game offers varying levels of grind depending on difficulty and player preference, with some enjoying the challenge while others find it burdensome.
“It's not very grindy; I had to grind a bit on hard mode.”
“Not too grindy, and you get enough 'summons' (party members) to vary your party and keep the game fresh.”
“Only struggled on the first block boss due to the lack of a grinding area, but a good choice of thralls would really help.”
“Boring and repetitive level design, with grindy combat encounters combined with a forgettable story and rounded off with plenty of bugs and broken achievements.”
“On the one hand, the combat is grindy, repetitive, and almost entirely lacking in the kind of feedback you would expect in a tactical battle system.”
“Grinding for levels/currency is tedious as mobs do not respawn on the main tower levels, so you have to go to the catacombs where you have to wait for like a minute in between each fight.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game offers a solid level of replayability primarily due to its diverse party configurations and combat system, allowing players to experiment with different team compositions and difficulty levels. However, the lack of procedural level generation and limited enemy randomization may hinder long-term replay value for some players. Overall, while replayability is enhanced by customization options and nostalgic gameplay, it may not sustain interest after uncovering all secrets.
“The large varieties of useful parties help replayability if you enjoy the combat system... and I certainly did.”
“There is definitely replay value here with the variety of team compositions that you could have.”
“Otherwise, you have a highly replayable dungeon crawler with plenty of party options, random equipment, and great art and tunes.”
“Unfortunately, there is no procedural generation of levels, and very limited randomization of enemies, so replayability suffers.”
“This gives limited replay value, but still for $5 it was worth every penny.”
“Over all this is a solid game with a solid price, and with different party configurations I could see getting a bit of replay value out of the title as well.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring funny and goofy dialogue from NPCs and amusing item descriptions, which add a lighthearted touch to the dungeon-crawling experience. While some players appreciate the nostalgic humor reminiscent of late '80s games, others note a disjointed balance between serious and comedic elements, with some moments landing better than others. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay without overshadowing the core mechanics, though it may not resonate with everyone.
“It was a real dungeon crawler with just enough story and humor added in.”
“Considering the issues the game has and the developer running away from the issues, I thought when it said 'presented by ultra runaway games' was pretty hilarious.”
“You'll find nice tidbits of humor laced throughout the game as well.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a stark, melancholic black-and-white aesthetic that effectively complements its old-school dungeon-crawl mechanics. While the graphics are simple and original, they contribute significantly to the grim fantasy setting, although some reviewers felt that darker, more suspenseful music could have enhanced the experience further. Overall, the atmosphere is a key highlight, drawing players into its unique RPG world.
“Graphics: simple, original art style, fits with the whole game atmosphere very well.”
“Everything about this game works toward a grim fantasy atmosphere that exudes character.”
“Soaked with atmosphere, a modern melancholic black-and-white trip with old-school dungeon-crawl mechanics.”
“Graphically the game isn't a powerhouse but the creator supposedly based a lot of the visuals off of sketches he'd done with a ballpoint pen, and translating that into the game gives it a very stark atmosphere that lends itself well to the rest of the game.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The character development in *Paper Sorcerer* is praised for its solid design and engaging dialogue, complemented by a unique story and rich lore. The game features a roleplaying system that emphasizes meaningful progression without excessive grinding, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
“Paper Sorcerer is filled with solid character design and dialogue, a unique story with intriguing lore, a roleplaying game leveling system that avoids grind to focus on the core experience, and a wonderful graphical quality that is both modest and immersive.”
“The character development in this game is exceptional, allowing players to truly connect with each character's journey and growth throughout the story.”
“I love how the characters evolve based on the choices you make, making each playthrough feel unique and personal.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the limited choices in character progression, which made my decisions feel inconsequential.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs don't evolve in a meaningful way throughout the game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find "Paper Sorcerer" to create a unique blend of moods that contributes to an emotionally authentic experience, enhancing player engagement and connection to the game's narrative.
“Paper Sorcerer creates a unique blend of moods that results in an emotionally believable experience.”
“The game's narrative deeply resonated with me, evoking a range of emotions that I didn't expect.”
“I found myself genuinely invested in the characters, feeling their struggles and triumphs as if they were my own.”
