Rise Eterna

About

"Rise Eterna" is a tactical RPG that draws inspiration from classic titles, offering a nostalgic experience with an engaging storyline and unique characters. With 14 characters to recruit, each with their own abilities, players can build and customize their army to defeat enemies in epic battles. The game also features crafting and a rich, mature story centered on the relationship between two lost souls.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

35%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

story13 negative mentions

The game runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck without any tweaks, making it accessible for portable play.
The art style is mostly well-received, with good character designs and animations.
The gem system for character building offers some flexibility, allowing players to customize their characters to some extent.

The story is convoluted and poorly executed, with many reviewers criticizing the lack of coherence and depth in the narrative.
Gameplay lacks strategic depth, with many battles feeling repetitive and overly simplistic, leading to a lack of challenge.
The trap mechanics are frustrating, as they are invisible and can end turns unexpectedly, causing more damage than enemy encounters.

story
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
66%
20%
The story has been widely criticized for its incoherence, lack of depth, and poor writing, often described as a "mess" or "abysmal." Many reviewers noted that the characters are unlikable and the plot feels rushed and simplistic, with some moments feeling nonsensical or lacking emotional weight. While a few found the gameplay enjoyable, the consensus is that the story fails to stand on its own merits, making it a weak point of the game.
- “But after that part, the story is actually kinda interesting, despite being relatively simple, and the gameplay, although kinda repetitive and all, is actually kinda fun past a certain point.”
- “Rise Eterna is a tactical RPG with a rich story.”
- “The last thing about the story that's a little frustrating is that the ending feels a little abrupt.”
- “The story is an absolute mess.”
- “The overarching story is not well thought out, lacks any degree of style or substance, and feels like something from a meme about AI writing.”
- “And quite frankly it doesn't measure up; I'd even go so far as to say the game is bad, because I found it boring, nonsensical, and the early 'plot' development (if it can even be fairly labeled as such) is so completely rushed and illogical that I couldn't take the story seriously at all.”
gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
68%
21%
The gameplay has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding it tedious, shallow, and repetitive, often leading to early disengagement. While some appreciate the novelty of certain mechanics and the potential for fun, the overall execution feels lacking, with comparisons to outdated systems and a desire for more depth and variety. Despite a few redeeming qualities, such as interesting character abilities, the gameplay ultimately fails to meet expectations, leaving players wanting more substantial mechanics and a richer experience.
- “The one last thing to note about the gameplay is there are 3 heroes that are overpowered, and each of them can come pretty close to clearing a board on their own with the right abilities.”
- “The mechanics are simple, but enjoyable enough.”
- “I bought this game when it was on sale (2 USD), really worth it for the gameplay when on sale.”
- “The gameplay is such a drag that I quit after the first map.”
- “The gameplay feels like it was made for a Nintendo DS, as the mouse is useless and the keybinds feel weird.”
- “Very very bland gameplay.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The graphics of Rise Eterna are characterized by a blend of anime and pixel art styles, which many players find appealing, noting the nice artwork in both characters and backgrounds. While the visuals are generally considered good, some reviewers feel they fall short of the high standards set by games like Fire Emblem. Overall, the graphics are described as stylish and adequate for the gameplay, though not groundbreaking.
- “The graphics and art style are quite nice.”
- “It's a pretty decent game with great artwork from the characters to the backgrounds.”
- “The combat is simple but okay with lovely pixel art graphics.”
- “Rise Eterna is a tactical RPG that's mostly done in anime and pixel art style, but couldn't get the writing to the 'Fire Emblem' level to really have me hooked throughout.”
- “Graphically, it's ok... just ok.”
- “I'm totally okay with vulgar language; I use it myself, but this game has pixel-art and anime style graphics. It's supposedly mainly directed to individuals who watch shonen anime... and where was the last time you've seen Naruto say 'f***' and 'as*****'?”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it repetitive and limited, as it features only a few short soundtracks that loop frequently. While a few users appreciate the quality of the music, many others express frustration over its lack of variety and the annoyance caused by the constant repetition during gameplay.
- “Another major point is the music.”
- “Music is pretty good.”
- “There are like 3 or 4 different soundtracks throughout the entire game.”
- “Pretty early on, I muted the music because it became so repetitive, especially because the music piece itself is pretty short and then looped.”
- “Same music loops over and over again.”
- “Beyond that, the combat music is just the same droning, looped garbage (it's bad)... it got annoying after the first battle and doesn't appear to change.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unbalanced, with a battle system that exacerbates the experience. Many feel that the game relies too heavily on grinding for upgrades and progression, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement. While the game has potential, the current grinding mechanics detract significantly from the overall enjoyment.
- “The game comes off as a bit too grindy, with weapon upgrades missing and evolution and growth stuck to gems you can add as you find them.”
- “Game has great potential, but at the moment it is just a grinding game that lost me along the way.”
- “I only did about an hour of gem grinding and I completed the game's story in a little over 8 hours without feeling challenged whatsoever.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Character development in the game is criticized for being insufficient, as players feel rushed through the experience and often need to grind, which detracts from meaningful growth. While the character designs are praised, the overall lack of depth in strategy, story, and character progression leaves much to be desired.
- “The character development is lacking, as it rushes you through the game at breakneck speeds while also being difficult enough that you need to go back and grind.”
- “The game lacks depth in strategy, story, and character development.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of outdated, cringy "dad jokes" and occasional profanity, which some players find amusing despite the overall lack of quality. While the attempts at humor may not resonate with everyone, they can elicit laughter due to their absurdity and disrespectful tone.
- “I was laughing through it.”
- “It's actually funny that nothing is good about it.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the game's emotional impact, noting that unexpected events often lead to tears, emphasizing the powerful storytelling and writing that enhance the overall experience.
- “I can't tell you how many times they made me cry - there's no way to detect them, avoid them, it's just 'surprise' and the unit's turn ends.”
- “That's not even touching on the writing.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report a high level of stability, noting the absence of cutscene, graphical, audio, or save glitches during gameplay.
- “I encountered frequent crashes that made the game unplayable.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs that disrupt the experience.”
- “I experienced multiple instances of lag and frame drops during gameplay.”