Pharaoh Rebirth+
- March 17, 2016
- Vaka Game Magazine
- 12h median play time
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Get on Steam"Pharaoh Rebirth+` is an action-packed adventure game where Dr. Jonathan Banfield, a rabbit treasure hunter, has 7 days to cleanse a curse by collecting 7 holy grails across Egypt. With quirky humor, charming characters, and intricate ruins, help Jonathan uncover secrets, defeat enemies, and lift the curse. Fight evil, explore ancient tombs, and enjoy the unique anthropomorphic cast en route to the thrilling climax."
Reviews
- Charming characters and engaging dialogue that adds humor to the gameplay experience.
- Tight controls and fluid gameplay mechanics that make platforming enjoyable.
- Well-designed levels with a good balance of exploration and combat, featuring a variety of collectibles and upgrades.
- One particularly frustrating 'on rails' stage involving a car that disrupts the flow of the game.
- Some players may find the frequent dialogue interruptions detract from the overall pacing.
- The game lacks a map feature, which can make backtracking for collectibles less intuitive.
- story98 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the engaging characters and humorous dialogue, while others criticize the frequent interruptions and predictability of the plot. Some find the narrative charming and well-crafted, particularly enjoying its lighthearted tone and unique twists, while others feel it detracts from gameplay due to excessive dialogue. Overall, the story is seen as a fun addition that complements the gameplay, though it may not be groundbreaking.
“The story is well crafted, with good writing, and some neat twists I didn't see coming.”
“The story is quite entertaining, starring a spunky (albeit somewhat dimwitted) adventure archaeologist with a rabbit-form curse, a rival treasure-hunter (with his own animal curse too), engaging in a variety of exciting adventures.”
“Driving this gameplay is a cute story following the archetypal treasure hunt, made more fun by lovable characters and a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor.”
“The story is far too mediocre to care about.”
“Honestly, this game would've been better without any story and without any text boxes.”
“The things holding it back are the constant interruptions to advance the story or to tell jokes.”
- music72 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in these games is generally praised for its high energy, catchiness, and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting standout tracks that resonate long after gameplay. While some titles feature exceptional soundtracks that elevate the gameplay, others have music that is described as merely decent or forgettable. Overall, the consensus leans towards the music being a strong point, contributing positively to the atmosphere and enjoyment of the games.
“The music is fantastic, the gameplay is smooth and fun, the story has a neat premise and twist near the end, and the sense of exploration complements the upgrades perfectly!”
“The music has an emotional breadth while never failing to raise intrigue in cutscenes or keep you pumped up during levels.”
“Amazing graphics and animation, excellent controls, tight and creative gameplay, stellar writing and localization, and the soundtrack is dope as hell.”
“The only virtue this game has is the art (visuals, the music is annoying af) and it's not even all that good.”
“Music is just alright, there is nothing that I would go to YouTube for and look up the official soundtrack.”
“Similarly, music not always sold me on the game, but few tunes are really good and leave a good impression overall.”
- gameplay66 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its solid mechanics, intuitive controls, and engaging level design, with many players appreciating the blend of platforming and metroidvania elements. However, some critiques highlight issues such as excessive dialogue interruptions, lack of depth in certain mechanics, and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game is noted for its beautiful pixel art, enjoyable combat, and a fun sense of exploration.
“One mechanic I found very interesting is how individual items seldom have effects outside of the main treasures and subweapons, but specific sets provide effects when collected, such as a pen, paper, and ink forming your map.”
“The gameplay is fine-tuned so that enemies pose a threat without being damage sponges, and there's a strong incentive to explore previous areas as they contain stat upgrades, collectibles, and consumables that were previously impossible to access.”
“Gameplay is top notch, with all of the genre-specific features present and being done right.”
“My only complaint is that there's a ton of gameplay-interrupting dialogue (much of which consists of obvious observations or redundant information), but the characters and story are fun and lighthearted enough that it didn't bother me at all.”
“The grappling hook mechanic also feels terrible, because unless you manage to grab the hook at the exact max range, you drop like a rock and have to manually swing back and forth to get your momentum back.”
“It really just grinds the game to a halt and runs any sense of flow you might have from the gameplay.”
- graphics37 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art and vibrant color schemes, contributing to an aesthetically pleasing experience. While some players find the art style charming and well-executed, others feel it may not stand out compared to other titles. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, enhancing the gameplay and overall enjoyment of the game.
“Nice graphics, the music is good, the action is snappy and fun, and the levels are nicely designed and visually varied.”
“The control and play mechanics are very good, the graphics are beautiful hand-drawn pixels, and the music is incredible... such a good game.”
“Gorgeous pixel graphics, kickass soundtrack, several interesting and useful abilities, nice characters, a plot that involves real-life subjects but never takes itself too seriously, and the length and overall difficulty are just right.”
“The only virtue this game has is the art (visuals, the music is annoying af) and it's not even all that good.”
“The cartoony tone and graphics might be a turn-off for some.”
“Presentation-wise I'm not a huge fan of the art style but it looks fine enough in general.”
- humor34 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the witty dialogue and charming characters that contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere. While some found the humor to be dry or forced at times, others enjoyed the quirky and silly moments that added to the overall fun of the gameplay. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging storytelling, though opinions vary on its effectiveness.
“It's always moving, there's always something happening and the dialogue is hilarious.”
“I really love the character dialogue in between scenes, some seriously funny moments happen.”
“The humor is the right kind of dry, sarcastic but never awkward.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its engaging characters, dialogue, and story, alongside tight controls. Players can revisit levels to collect items and unlock new areas, with additional stages available post-completion. While the game is shorter than others in its genre, its eight replayable stages and the option for 100% completion provide a satisfying experience without overstaying its welcome.
“Great characters, dialogue, and story with tight controls and some decent replay value (new items let you access new areas in previous levels).”
“I absolutely love the characters, the soundtrack, the level replayability; it's all wonderful.”
“It's a bit short compared to other games in the genre with 8 replayable stages, but that helps it from overstaying its welcome (which you may start to notice when redoing levels for 100% completion).”
“There's a lot of replay value here too: collecting all the items, sub weapons, power-ups, as well as two additional stages after the credits roll.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally enjoy the game but find certain grinding elements tedious, particularly a specific "on rails" car stage and the necessity to spend 11 to 12 hours farming for cards, which can detract from the overall experience.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Keep in mind at least 11 or 12 hours of playtime are just spent farming for cards.”
“All around a good experience outside of one particular 'on rails' stage involving a car that's pretty tedious.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its strong storytelling, detailed character design, and engaging backdrops, making it both compelling and enjoyable. While comparisons are made to other titles like Shantae, the sincerity of the narrative and the creativity in character and boss designs stand out, contributing to a rich gaming experience. The excellent sound design further enhances the overall appeal of the characters and their journeys.
“What makes it compelling and enjoyable is the effort that's gone into the character design, backdrops, and storytelling.”
“In all, I preferred Shantae: Shantae has a little more verve, more challenging platforming, better music, and richer graphical variety, but Pharaoh is well worth considering as it scores for more sincere storytelling, great character design and bosses, and the fact it doesn't have Shantae's problem of excessively blocky graphics.”
“The sound design is absolutely excellent (can we please buy the OST?), and the character design is great as well. I seriously wasn't expecting the first boss to be a high-tech helicopter.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by significant issues, including the inability to restart levels or return to the title screen without resorting to self-destruction, which many players find unacceptable for a 2016 release. Additionally, persistent glitches, such as the failure to save progress in boss rushes and the requirement to delete previous saves to change difficulty, detract from the overall experience, despite the game's solid mechanics and soundtrack. While the game is enjoyable, these stability problems may discourage replayability.
“My issues with this game include the inability to restart a level or return to the title screen. You have to kill yourself to either reload the last save or return to the title screen, which is unacceptable for a game released in 2016. The boss rush does not save records or the last item, the Sickle of Anubis, forcing you to repeat the boss rush and pray it saves. This glitch has persisted for 5 years without correction. If you want to start a new game with a different difficulty, you have to delete the previous save, even if you have 100% completion. The game is far from bad; it's actually pretty good with a great soundtrack and mechanics, but these glitches dampen the experience.”
“The game has serious stability issues. You can't restart levels or return to the title screen without resorting to drastic measures like killing your character. This is frustrating, especially when you have to repeat sections due to glitches that have been around for years. The lack of save functionality during boss rushes is particularly annoying, as it forces you to replay them multiple times.”
“While the game has some good aspects, the stability issues really ruin the experience. Not being able to restart levels or return to the main menu without losing progress is a major flaw. The glitches, especially in the boss rush mode, make it feel like the developers didn't prioritize fixing these problems, which is disappointing.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, with many users experiencing significant issues that hinder smooth gameplay. Some players report needing multiple restarts and adjustments to settings before achieving stable performance.
“The game offers a variety of optimization options that allow players to tailor their experience based on their hardware capabilities.”
“After tweaking the settings, I was able to significantly improve the game's performance, making it much more enjoyable.”
“The developers have clearly put effort into optimizing the game, as I noticed a marked increase in frame rates after adjusting a few key settings.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is effectively enhanced by its story, which, while not particularly captivating on its own, complements the overall adventurous tone of the experience.
“The story might not sound that interesting, but it fits the overall adventure atmosphere of the game perfectly.”
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
“Every detail in the environment contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real sense of excitement or tension.”
“The environments are lifeless, making it hard to feel connected to the game's narrative or characters.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's music effectively enhances the emotional experience, providing a wide range of feelings that elevate both cutscenes and gameplay, keeping players engaged and energized throughout.
“The music has an emotional breadth while never failing to raise intrigue in cutscenes or keep you pumped up during levels.”
