Purgatory
- June 22, 2016
- Eduard Mirica
Get on Steam"Purgatory" is a single-player Science Fiction Role Playing game with turn-based strategy gameplay similar to Heroes of Might and Magic. As the protagonist Xzus, players navigate the afterlife, recruiting spirits and battling foes to gain enough power to break out of Purgatory and regain life. The game boasts epic pixel art, a vast array of spirits to recruit, and a prequel story to the acclaimed Data Hacker series, accompanied by an amazing music score and extensive grinding.
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Reviews
- The game features a compelling story with interesting character development and plot twists.
- The music and voice acting are well done, enhancing the overall experience.
- The pixel art style is appreciated by some players, adding a unique charm to the game.
- The gameplay is repetitive and lacks variety, leading to a tedious experience.
- Technical issues such as glitches, bugs, and poor optimization hinder the gameplay.
- The game is short and feels incomplete, with many players expressing disappointment in its lack of content and polish.
- story26 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as interesting but suffers from brevity and lack of depth, leading to a feeling of insignificance. While some players appreciate the character development and plot twists, many criticize the disjointed narrative and repetitive gameplay that detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the storytelling is seen as inconsistent, with some players enjoying the concept while others find it lacking coherence and replayability.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“I like the smeared and extra unclean style of the pixel design, because it fits incredibly well with the story.”
“The thing is I love this game's concept, its execution, and how it tells its story.”
“Purgatory with repetitive gameplay, technical issues, weak storytelling, underwhelming visuals, and limited replayability, it fails to deliver an engaging or memorable experience.”
“No real storyline; the story starts out of nowhere and goes nowhere.”
“Fun gameplay, but the game is short and lacking in a cohesive story.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Purgatory" has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being shallow, repetitive, and plagued by technical issues such as glitches and crashes. While some appreciate the basic mechanics and visual appeal, others find the overall experience dull and lacking in depth, with a few noting that it can be enjoyable if approached with the right mindset. Overall, the gameplay is seen as decent but ultimately underwhelming, failing to deliver a memorable experience.
“The art looks so good and the gameplay is nice.”
“Gameplay is fun and balanced.”
“Difficult but fair gameplay, not too punishing.”
“Apart from that, the gameplay is quite shallow and incomplete.”
“One of the major issues with Purgatory is its repetitive and monotonous gameplay.”
“Glitches, bugs, and frequent crashes are common occurrences, hindering gameplay and causing frustration.”
- music15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its charm and fitting atmosphere. However, some reviewers noted that it becomes repetitive over time, particularly during battles, suggesting that additional tracks could enhance the experience. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, its lack of variety may detract from long-term enjoyment.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Purgatory is a turn-based RPG with a skill tree system, a decent amount of enemy types, great music, a compelling story, and a decent amount of levels.”
“Awesome music and sounds too.”
“The music is charming for the first 3 combats and then gets repetitive; it's way too easy.”
“The way the gameplay comes across is dull; even if they changed the battle music or the background every so often, that would add some much-needed spice to this game.”
“I like the art style and music, but both end up being very repetitive.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with many players finding it lacks variety and engaging content. While some enjoy the grind for powerful units, others feel it becomes a chore, often requiring them to replay lower levels to progress. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the enjoyment of the game.
“This game actually contains little to no grinding if you play the aforementioned way, pushing through with your current troops instead of farming easy battles.”
“The game quickly becomes a tedious grind, offering little variety or engaging content to keep players interested.”
“Furthermore, I can’t recommend this as it is very repetitive, grindy, lacking an actual story and many other aspects.”
“♦ Very grindy (this is because you get to a level you can’t beat, you have to go back and redo the same lower level over and over again until you get enough skill points to be able to beat the next level. Also, every time you replay a level, everything stays the same).”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Purgatory" receive mixed reviews, with many players finding them underwhelming and lacking polish, resulting in bland environments and repetitive visuals. While some appreciate the pixel art style and find it artistically appealing, others criticize the game for its limited graphical options and recycled backdrops. Overall, the visuals contribute to a less engaging experience, overshadowed by technical issues and weak storytelling.
“Nice pixel art if you like that graphics type; however, the game itself falls under the love-it-or-hate-it category. It does take getting used to. I can say that I'm one of the few that played it and enjoyed it, and not just for any one thing. I do like some types of pixel art games, not all though. Some purely look cheap and trashy, but this game offered a nice and artistic look for me, combined with RPG elements, which is one of my favorite genres, and strategy, which is another, made this a win-win little gem for me.”
“I like the art style and music, but both end up being very repetitive.”
“Graphics: 4”
“Moreover, the visuals and graphics in Purgatory are underwhelming.”
“The game's art style may lack polish, resulting in bland and uninteresting environments.”
“The geographical descriptions are short, but often surprising, and hint at unique bosses or conditions, but you always get the same recycled backdrops and foes.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its gloomy ambiance and effective music, creating an engaging environment that encourages players to take breaks and return. While the foggy map adds to the atmosphere, some players find the enemy encounters to become repetitive over time. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, contributing to a compelling gaming experience.
“Its atmosphere is great and is the kind of game you can walk away from, fix a snack, then take another whack.”
“I like the gloomy atmosphere and music; the fog on the map is nice.”
“Though the game itself is not too long, it has its own encouraging atmosphere.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant limitations in replayability due to its repetitive gameplay, lack of achievements, absence of a compelling storyline, and no option to reset progress, leading to a one-time experience that fails to engage players.
“No replayability; there are no Steam achievements, no storyline, and no way to reset your save file within the game. Once it's finished, it's finished, and nothing makes you want to play it again.”
“The lack of replayability is disappointing. After completing the game, there’s no incentive to return, as the experience feels final and unchangeable.”
“Replayability is virtually nonexistent. Without any meaningful choices or alternate paths, the game feels like a one-time experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that "Purgatory" is plagued by technical issues and lacks proper optimization, negatively impacting the overall gameplay experience.
“Furthermore, Purgatory suffers from technical issues and poor optimization.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with players frequently encountering glitches, bugs, and crashes that disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
“Glitches, bugs, and frequent crashes are common occurrences, hindering gameplay and causing frustration.”
“The game crashes unexpectedly, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experience constant lag and stability issues that ruin the overall experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is described as charming and humorous, providing a delightful comedic experience for players.
“A wonderfully funny game that keeps you laughing throughout!”
“The humor is spot on, making every moment enjoyable.”
“I couldn't stop chuckling at the witty dialogue and hilarious scenarios!”
