Renowned Explorers: International Society

About

Renowned Explorers is a strategic expedition simulation game. Lead a team of explorers through treacherous environments, solving mysteries, and interacting with natives using a unique expedition system. Manage your team's emotions, resources, and reputation to become the most Renowned Explorer in the International Society.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Renowned Explorers: International Society screenshot

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,580 reviews

gameplay446 positive mentions

grinding44 negative mentions

Unique and engaging combat system that allows for multiple approaches (aggressive, devious, friendly) and incorporates a mood mechanic.
Charming art style and humorous writing that adds personality to the characters and enhances the overall experience.
High replayability due to diverse character combinations, randomized events, and different strategies to explore.

The game can feel repetitive after several playthroughs due to limited expedition locations and similar encounters.
Some players may find the RNG elements frustrating, especially when failing high-percentage skill checks.
Lack of permanent progression or significant unlocks beyond the initial playthroughs may lead to diminished long-term engagement.

gameplay
1,254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
61%
3%
The gameplay of "Renowned Explorers: International Society" is characterized by its unique blend of turn-based strategy, RPG elements, and a whimsical narrative style, featuring a rock-paper-scissors combat mechanic that incorporates mood and emotional states. While the mechanics are initially simple and accessible, they reveal significant depth and complexity as players progress, offering a high degree of replayability through varied character combinations and strategic choices. However, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive over time, and the reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating experiences, particularly in higher difficulties.
- “The gameplay is not boring at all, whether we are talking about the team management and preparation stages of the game, or the exploration, even the fights.”
- “The gameplay's addicting and puts a pretty unique spin on both resource management and turn-based combat, the writing and art are both charming, and it's overall just a straight-up fun game.”
- “The mechanics are fun and easy to learn, but still enough of a challenge to really master to keep you engaged.”
- “The gameplay seemed tedious and uninteresting, and I didn't care for the art style, which I originally thought I was going to like quite a bit.”
- “Suffers from the same problems as Reus, this dev's previous game: too many unnecessary mechanics, and demands the use of a wiki to get anything done past easy difficulty.”
- “The gameplay is also very lackluster.”
replayability
994 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
46%
2%
The game is widely praised for its high replayability, with many players highlighting the diverse team compositions, randomized expeditions, and various strategies that keep each playthrough fresh and engaging. While some reviewers note that replay value may diminish after several runs due to repetitive elements, the overall consensus is that the game offers substantial content and opportunities for exploration, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre. Additionally, the inclusion of DLCs and community challenges further enhances its replayability.
- “The different team compositions and research paths make for an amazing amount of replayability.”
- “This is a really fun and different game with tons of replayability, a charming and lighthearted storytelling style and a surprising amount of depth to be found in mechanics that are easy to pick up.”
- “The replay value is insane, especially with the DLCs.”
- “I do agree with other reviews that the replayability is somewhat limited.”
- “In the end, I realized that there was not much replay value to the game when, after 3 games, I began seeing many of the same events.”
- “I would recommend getting this on sale if possible, just because the game doesn't really have a ton of replay value; rounds tend to be too homogeneous.”
graphics
672 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The graphics of "Renowned Explorers" are characterized by a charming, colorful, and cartoonish art style that many players find delightful and fitting for the game's lighthearted tone. While some reviews note minor graphical glitches and a simplistic aesthetic that may initially seem childish, the overall presentation is praised for its vibrant visuals and engaging character designs, contributing to a fun and immersive gameplay experience. Despite some criticisms regarding polish and depth, the art style has grown on many players, enhancing the game's appeal and replayability.
- “The hand-drawn art style is beautiful, the animations just ooze character, the sound and music design is spot-on... particularly the way the battle theme changes dynamically to reflect the current mood.”
- “The graphics are charming, the gameplay is challenging, but never obscure, the humor is top notch, I'm not sure I have anything negative to say about it.”
- “The art style is fantastic and the characters are very well drawn and look great.”
- “Graphics are primitive.”
- “Cutesy 'charming' art style doesn't make up for boring and monotonous combat, tedious mechanics, and no replay value.”
- “The graphics don't do justice as it makes the game look like a flash game from ten years ago.”
story
594 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
71%
2%
The story in "Renowned Explorers: International Society" is characterized as lighthearted and whimsical, with a choose-your-own-adventure style that allows for varied experiences based on character selection and mission choices. While the overarching narrative is considered simple and somewhat repetitive after multiple playthroughs, the game compensates with charming character interactions and humorous writing, enhancing replayability through diverse storylines and mini-arcs introduced in DLC. Overall, the storytelling is engaging but not deeply complex, appealing more to those who enjoy fun, tactical gameplay rather than a profound narrative.
- “The narratives in each expedition were entertaining and offered a bit of replayability to come across all the different story points.”
- “The story you create as you adventure with your crew is indefinitely compelling.”
- “It's a fantastic system that lets developers deliver character and story exposition through gameplay without even needing any dialogue.”
- “The story overall is pretty bare bones, but the goals and the characters' motivations are presented fairly well. Overall decent, but not really meant to be a strong point.”
- “I'm pretty sure the story part might as well not exist because it's just so meaningless, and it's definitely not the game's strong point.”
- “The games throws a lot of shiny options at you which seem like a lot of content at first, until you realize that in the end it's heavy rock-paper-scissors combat without further depth, packed in a short campaign with no meaningful story or incentive to be replayed, since the unlocks don't really make your next run that different.”
humor
404 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its charm and cleverness, with players enjoying the diverse and quirky characters, witty dialogue, and amusing scenarios that arise during gameplay. The cartoonish art style complements the lighthearted tone, making for a fun and engaging experience that remains entertaining even after multiple playthroughs. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with strategic depth, creating a delightful atmosphere that keeps players chuckling throughout their adventures.
- “From treasures, to events, to even the characters freaking talking to each other is fantastic; even at my 100+ hour mark I was still chuckling at jokes and having a good time!”
- “The game keeps a fairly lighthearted and humorous theme throughout, which is aided by its bright and colorful art style.”
- “It's worth reading through all the text, because some of the situations you find yourself in are laugh-out-loud funny!”
music
206 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
47%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its ability to enhance the adventurous atmosphere and fit the game's art style, while others find it repetitive and uninspired. Many note that the soundtrack complements the gameplay well, though a few express a desire for more variety and less distraction during reading segments. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the experience for some, it falls short for others, leading to a range of opinions on its effectiveness.
- “I love the different characters, the music that is recognized after years of playing from the first single note on, and the art style, which perfectly fits this soothing, challenging, and rewarding game.”
- “The hand-drawn art style is beautiful, the animations just ooze character, the sound and music design is spot-on... particularly the way the battle theme changes dynamically to reflect the current mood.”
- “The music that accompanies you on your adventures makes you feel like a real explorer.”
- “Renowned explorers' music is both domineering and uncertain of the kind of emotion it wants to convey.”
- “The music can be incredibly repetitive and uninspiring.”
- “The music and encounters are extremely repetitive after a few playthroughs, with enemy types, map types, and win conditions having little to no variation.”
character development
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with many praising the charming and clever character designs, as well as the amusing writing that adds personality to the characters. However, some players feel that there is a lack of depth in character progression and story development, noting that while the designs are visually appealing, they do not translate into meaningful long-term growth or narrative engagement. Overall, the game offers a fun and colorful experience, but may fall short for those seeking deeper character arcs or substantial development.
- “There are little jokes peppered in the story everywhere, and obviously a great amount of care has been put into the writing and the character design.”
- “While it's easy enough to get started, the gameplay is quite challenging, underpinned by its deep and complex encounter and character development systems.”
- “This game has everything you'd want in a good roguelite: interesting combat that has depth to its mechanics, interesting art style and aesthetic, character development, customization, various ways of advancement, loads of meaningful choices.”
- “It feels a little repetitive already; there's no storyline or character development of any note, or anything to pull you in really.”
- “The problem is that this is an RPG about collecting artifacts... in which there are no long-term benefits to character development or artifact collection.”
- “Character development in the story sense, not in the game stats sense.”
emotional
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a unique emotional combat system that requires players to navigate the emotional states of characters and enemies, influencing outcomes through various strategies like friendly diplomacy or emotional manipulation. While the mechanics are engaging and add depth to gameplay, they can also lead to unexpected challenges, making emotional awareness crucial. Overall, players find the game charming and immersive, with a wholesome vibe that enhances the experience.
- “Lightweight, yet also interestingly deep 'emotion' based combat mechanic, where you have to pay attention to the emotional states of all the characters and enemies, and deal with them accordingly to get the best outcome.”
- “You win by emotionally overwhelming your opponents.”
- “I love the idea of using emotional warfare; that combined with the graphical polish and playful sense of fun and humor makes it very worthwhile.”
atmosphere
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
34%
6%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming, whimsical, and light-hearted qualities, enhanced by unique soundtracks for each locale and clever writing. Players appreciate the balance between humor and deeper emotional undertones, creating a rich exploration experience. Despite some criticisms regarding art quality, the overall ambiance and character of the game contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a delightful adventure.
- “There's so much atmosphere and character to the game.”
- “However, the charming atmosphere and humorous dialogue will most likely win you over and have you embarking on your next adventure!”
- “The art style and atmosphere are colorful, light-hearted, and varied.”
- “You have three options: one aggressive, one devious, one friendly. The game kind of works like rock-paper-scissors; however, there's more than just the fight atmosphere to consider, because if you want the optimal rewards, you may have to finish a fight in a specific manner.”
grinding
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often perceived as tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over the slow-paced combat and convoluted currency systems. While some find enjoyment in the strategic elements and the thrill of unlocking achievements, the overall sentiment leans towards grinding being a significant drawback that detracts from the game's fun and replayability. Players suggest that the mechanics could benefit from options to streamline or reduce the grinding experience.
- “It's good for a quick fix as you can finish your 5 expeditions in a couple of hours but isn't tedious and has endless replayability thanks to the crew combinations, so you can play it for long periods of time.”
- “Tactical combat is entertaining and not tedious.”
- “It's good for a quick fix as you can finish your 5 expeditions in a couple of hours but isn't tedious and has endless replayability thanks to the crew combinations, so you can play it for long periods of time.”
- “The gameplay seemed tedious and uninteresting, and I didn't care for the art style, which I originally thought I was going to like quite a bit.”
- “It's boring, has a nonsensical system (in which you perform friendly moves after beating the enemies, and for some reason, it not only works but it's the way it's meant to be played), tediously repetitive and has no replayability whatsoever, unless your standards are very low and you enjoy repetitive gameplay over and over.”
- “Unfortunately, the combat is incredibly slow and tedious.”
optimization
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
50%
28%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with notable performance issues on Windows and poor optimization for Mac users, leading to slower gameplay during encounters. While it runs smoothly on most hardware and offers engaging mechanics for resource and crew optimization, some players have reported bugs and a lack of polish in the graphics engine. Overall, the game encourages strategic depth and replayability, but its technical shortcomings detract from the experience for some users.
- “An excellent turn-based strategy with a lot of careful sequence optimization.”
- “Many of the things you can buy feed back into resource generation for future expeditions, so it's got a growth-optimization angle that reminds me a little of Civilization and similar games (though the actual mechanics are thoroughly different).”
- “A fun and engaging game that's enjoyable to pick up quickly, but has many more layers of depth to be optimized than is initially obvious.”
- “As the encounter progresses, the game gets slower and slower, so there is some kind of performance issue there.”
- “One other note I'd make is this game is not optimized well for Mac.”
- “The only criticisms I could make against this game are a slightly clunky overworld map and a poor optimization of the graphic engine (a 2D game should be 100% smooth and polished, not 98%).”
stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game experiences notable stability issues, including frequent micro-freezes, graphical glitches, and occasional crashes, particularly on Linux. While these problems can be bothersome, they are not deemed critical by all players, especially since the game is not a fast-paced FPS. Overall, the technical inconsistencies detract from the experience, making it feel less polished.
- “Runs great in window mode.”
- “Not many... I have encountered some glitches, and the game crashes on me about one session out of 20.”
- “For a game that doesn't seem particularly complex, it sure is buggy.”
- “My only complaint is that the game freezes my computer every once in a while.”

60%Critics’ scoreBased on 6 critic reviews

Buy Renowned Explorers: International Society

26h Median play time

57h Average play time

8-80h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 64 analyzed playthroughs

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