Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 327 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • story
Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic Game Cover
Ultimately, the bland, dreary combat sinks the entirety of the experience and it’s with a heavy heart that I must warn you to avoid this title if you have any choice in the matter. Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic is a swing and a woeful miss.
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"Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic" is a humorous RPG/Roguelike game with procedurally generated content, ensuring a unique experience each playthrough. Choose three heroes from 30 unique classes, and embark on a journey to defeat evil forces and save the town of Pixton. The game features randomly generated dungeons, events, and loot, providing endless replayability.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 327 reviews
humor72 positive mentions
grinding16 negative mentions
  • Pixel Heroes offers a fun and humorous take on classic RPG mechanics, with a variety of quirky characters and engaging dialogue.
  • The game features a solid roguelike structure with permadeath, encouraging players to learn from their mistakes and adapt their strategies.
  • The pixel art style and retro graphics evoke nostalgia, while the gameplay is simple yet deep enough to keep players engaged.
  • The combat can become repetitive and tedious, with many encounters feeling similar and lacking variety.
  • Inventory management is cumbersome, as players are limited to 20 item slots, leading to frequent decisions about what to keep or discard.
  • The game can be punishingly difficult, with permadeath and random encounters that can wipe out a party unexpectedly, which may frustrate some players.
  • humor73 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky, cheeky, and often self-referential nature, featuring a mix of pop culture references and absurd character descriptions that elicit genuine laughter. While many players appreciate the lighthearted tone and engaging dialogue, some note that the humor can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game successfully combines its comedic elements with enjoyable gameplay, making it a fun experience for fans of retro-style RPGs.

    • “So many pros to this game, nice pixel graphics, nice combat arrangements, plenty of cool items with special abilities, nice soundtrack, nice humor and references to pop culture and a lot more fun and cool things to discover.”
    • “The game’s off-the-wall humor and lighthearted tone balance the difficulty perfectly.”
    • “It's charming, with biting humor and just the right amount of strategic depth.”
    • “Shallow, unfunny humor”
  • gameplay72 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its simple mechanics and nostalgic RPG elements, while others criticize its unbalanced difficulty, repetitive nature, and frustrating permadeath system that prevents returning to town. Many find the combat mechanics to be basic and lacking depth, leading to a grindy experience, although some enjoy the humor and quirky elements woven throughout. Overall, while the game offers a charming aesthetic and potential for fun, significant gameplay issues detract from its overall enjoyment.

    • “Great game featuring very bold mechanics, good variety of gear, addicting battles, and lots of funny references.”
    • “I found the interface easy to use, the mechanics complex enough for interest, but simple enough for casual play, and the random quest structure looks replayable for some time.”
    • “On that point, the combat mechanics are dead simple, but deep at the same time: a perfect example of 'easy to learn, hard to master.'”
    • “Overall, while the game is nicely polished, the gameplay itself is severely lacking.”
    • “The battles - the core gameplay - are terrible and where the tedium sets in.”
    • “But the gameplay itself is just not that great.”
  • story61 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with many players noting that quests feel random and uninspired, lacking a meaningful narrative or character development. While there are humorous moments and a lighthearted atmosphere, the overall experience is described as repetitive and forgettable, with players often feeling disconnected from their characters and the quests they undertake. The absence of a compelling storyline detracts from the gameplay, making it feel more like a series of disjointed tasks rather than an engaging adventure.

    • “This is the story of Hacky, Samira, and Jamal, three legendary adventurers. They vanquished foe after foe, completed quest after quest, with none of them succumbing to death's touch.”
    • “Pixel Heroes is an engaging, humor-filled story that is fun for people of all ages.”
    • “After a short period of mourning (literally seconds), I must continue the quest for the honor of all the fallen heroes that I’ve led to an untimely death.”
    • “There is no real story and the quests feel random.”
    • “The quests are instantly forgettable as they are fantasy 'parody' quests with no hook and little humour.”
    • “The 'storyline' is quite linear and boring and the three first missions I've played all looked the same.”
  • graphics45 mentions

    The graphics of the game are predominantly pixel art, which elicits mixed reactions from players; some appreciate the nostalgic charm and detail, while others find them simplistic or unattractive. Many reviews highlight the graphics as a labor of love that complements the gameplay and humor, though some critics argue that they lack polish and variety. Overall, the retro aesthetic is seen as fitting for the genre, appealing to fans of classic RPGs, but may not satisfy those seeking modern graphical fidelity.

    • “The graphics are good.”
    • “Graphics: fantastic pixel graphics make this game a lot of fun.”
    • “The retro style graphics, fun music, and Monty Python-esque comedy are a mashup of new and old.”
    • “Graphics are really bad.”
    • “The pixel graphics are also ugly, and I mean ugly as pixel graphics go, not just because it is pixel graphics.”
    • “However, in my opinion, I found that the visuals lean from being nostalgic to being too simplistic and boring for my tastes, with no updated sprites for different weapon and armor equips; the visuals never update themselves and it will look the same throughout the game.”
  • music40 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its nostalgic retro style and catchy tracks, particularly during boss fights. However, several users criticize the music for becoming repetitive and annoying over time, leading some to turn it off entirely. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, it may not be enough to elevate the gaming experience for everyone.

    • “So many pros to this game: nice pixel graphics, nice combat arrangements, plenty of cool items with special abilities, nice soundtrack, nice humor and references to pop culture, and a lot more fun and cool things to discover.”
    • “The music should’ve gotten a higher score, since making my let's review, I delved into the goblin fortress, and that boss fight has the most amazing music.”
    • “Blown away by this game after an hour; I know I'm hooked, immersive, hilarious, and a frackin awesome soundtrack!”
    • “Also for my taste, the music is repetitive and forgettable; I played with it turned off.”
    • “The only glaring issue I had was that the music became obnoxious quickly, and I had to turn my own on.”
    • “But with no volume control, and loops of songs under a minute or two long, the harsh tones of the classic songs quickly drill into your ear until exhaustion.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its roguelike progression system, diverse character classes, and randomly generated quests and locations, which encourage players to return for unique experiences. While some players note limited longevity, many find the combination of challenging mechanics and varied playstyles keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging. The game is well-received for its balance of depth and accessibility, making it enjoyable for both casual and dedicated players.

    • “The replay value is also pretty good, with a roguelike progression system unlocking new characters and multiple campaigns similar to a New Game Plus.”
    • “Lots of options for character classes and items which makes replayability high.”
    • “Experimenting with the varied playstyles sends this game’s replayability skyrocketing.”
    • “Limited replay value, but recommended for those who crave punishment and enjoy extremely random RNG.”
    • “But despite the replayability aspect of permadeath and unlocking new characters, this isn't a game that's going to have a huge lifespan.”
    • “The game manages plenty of depth and replayability without bogging you down with hour upon hour of camping or questing.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many expressing frustration over inventory management and lack of strategic depth in combat. While some appreciate the fun loot and the initial ease of entry, the experience often devolves into a monotonous grind, especially when aiming for 100% completion or after completing higher difficulty levels. The lengthy dungeons and the need to manage junk items further contribute to the feeling of a time-wasting grind.

    • “Loot management is tedious and boring, with no way to mark 'items I want to keep' compared to 'junk I want to sell'.”
    • “Despite the simple and charming aesthetic, it can get exceedingly grindy and repetitive, and god help you if you try to 100% achievements.”
    • “Dungeons feel a bit too long--you have to get through about six packs of trash on average to get to the boss encounter, all the while your inventory will fill up with junk and you're faced with the tedious task of picking through it before you can advance any further.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a humorous and engaging tone, with roadside interactions and comedic quests that enhance the overall enjoyment. Players appreciate how this lighthearted ambiance contributes significantly to their gaming experience.

    • “I loved the roadside interactions and felt that the comical atmosphere made the game more enjoyable. In the end, that's one of the main reasons, if not the main reason, we play games in the first place: because we want to enjoy them.”
    • “There you also face a very funny atmosphere with quests where you can laugh your ass off sometimes.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in this game is lacking, as many NPCs communicate in gibberish, which detracts from the storytelling experience and may disappoint players seeking rich narratives and character arcs.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

55% average critic score

Buy Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic

Play time

73hMedian play time
55hAverage play time
20-90hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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