Runic Survivor
- December 31, 2023
- STEELDUCK Studios
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Runic Survivor" is an action-packed roguelike game where you play as a powerful Runic Warrior fighting against hordes of enemies in procedurally generated dungeons. Utilize a variety of runes to cast spells and defeat enemies, while collecting loot to improve your character's abilities. With permadeath and random events, each run presents a new challenge in this pixelated adventure.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique spell crafting system that allows for creative combinations and strategies, making gameplay enjoyable.
- At its low price point, the game provides a decent amount of fun and entertainment, especially for fans of the genre.
- The core mechanics are solid, and there is potential for future updates to enhance the game further.
- The game has been abandoned by the developer, with no updates or communication since late 2022, leaving it feeling incomplete.
- Performance issues arise when too many effects are on screen, leading to significant lag and unplayable conditions during intense gameplay.
- Content is limited, with few spells and upgrades available, resulting in repetitive gameplay and a lack of variety in builds.
- gameplay25 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring unique mechanics like spell crafting and linking attacks, which provide a satisfying experience once mastered. However, players have noted issues with enemy feedback, UI explanations, and a lack of challenge, suggesting that while the core mechanics are solid, the game could benefit from more options and clearer communication of its systems. Overall, it offers a fun bullet hell RPG experience, but improvements are needed for a more engaging gameplay loop.
“Once you grasp the mechanics, you become overwhelmingly powerful very quickly.”
“Its simple, but a very good gameplay and game loop!”
“The gameplay is fun; crafting your own spells and chain effects is very satisfying.”
“Actual gameplay has a lot of enemies with no feedback for anything - like you can't tell if you are doing anything to them when you hit them until they die, and you can't tell if you get hit by any projectiles because your character has no feedback when hit.”
“The UI and mechanics are not well explained.”
“The executable is unresponsive; I would love to give a full review but I was still learning the game mechanics and now... I can't play.”
- optimization22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is currently a significant issue, with players experiencing severe lag and frame rate drops, especially when multiple spells or enemies are present. While some improvements have been noted in recent patches, the performance remains inconsistent and can render the game nearly unplayable during intense moments. Many users express hope for future optimizations to enhance gameplay experience.
“If they add enough unique modifiers/spells and iron out some of the performance issues when you end up with a build that has a lot of particles, then I think this will be a real winner.”
“Performance is better, and you're able to create somewhat ridiculous spell combinations without FPS death, although when going absolutely ham, the frames still do suffer significantly.”
“Currently, the optimization needs to be addressed as later in the runs it becomes nearly unplayable before the 20 minutes has ended a run.”
“Right now it's barely more than a poorly optimized proof-of-concept.”
“However, it's in a very rough state still right now with some big performance issues, as it only seems to use the CPU to run the game and barely hits the GPU.”
“Currently the optimization needs to be addressed as later in the runs it becomes nearly unplayable before the 20 minutes has ended a run.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the retro aesthetic for its simplicity and clarity, while others criticize the lack of detail and animations, describing them as mediocre. Although the visuals are considered charming by some, there are concerns about the difficulty in distinguishing between various elements during gameplay. Overall, the sound design and production value are praised, but the graphics may not meet everyone's expectations.
“Graphics and sound design are good, mechanics are solid, hit-boxes feel good.”
“I like the retro graphic style for simplicity and clarity as things can get hectic.”
“I think this game brings a lot of elements from other games together in a neat and fun way with great production value, it's a great visual blend of retro graphics and modern effects, good sound effects and feedback.”
“Just because your graphics are simple, you can't just call it 'a charming retro aesthetic' to excuse a lack of effort being put into the aesthetic.”
“I saw a little amount of updates, graphics are not entertaining, and the goal is unclear.”
“The visuals are not great; it's hard to distinguish between the various enemies, the background objects, and the guardians, as well as the spell effects and enemy projectiles.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has received mixed feedback regarding stability, with multiple users noting that it is quite buggy and has a clunky menu system. Despite these issues, some players feel that the experience is still worth the price. Overall, the game may not feel fully polished for a full release.
“I'm surprised this isn't in early access - I found it to be too buggy for prime time.”
“- Clunky and buggy menu system.”
“It's also quite buggy.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable and varied enough to warrant multiple playthroughs, others feel it lacks sufficient content and diversity between runs. The reliance on RNG for builds adds an element of fun, but the limited upgrades may hinder long-term engagement for some players.
“Super fun game with good replayability despite it being in early access and brand new - already, you gotta rely a bit on RNG working for your build, which is super fun.”
“It's very Vampire Survivor-esque, but offers so much more in terms of a creative playing style, and therefore replayability.”
“It lacks the replayability that most roguelite games have because the content is limited and feels same-y with other upgrades.”
“It's got great bones, and I've managed to beat the highest difficulty with any focus rune, but there isn't quite enough replayability or variance between runs.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some appreciate its fit with the graphics and overall concept, others find it jarring and poorly looped, suggesting it doesn't align well with the game's theme. Additionally, there are calls for improvements in sound design and implementation.
“The graphics and music suit this game very well; some might say that the lack of animations and hit sounds is a minus, but I think it's better without them.”
“Good music, good graphics, good concept.”
“The music of the game is jarring; it isn't a seamless loop, and you can tell when it starts again.”
“Minor details that could be improved: sound design and implementation could use some polish, and the music doesn't fit very well with the theme.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted as a double-edged sword; while some moments are amusing, they are often overshadowed by frustration, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, players feel that the comedic elements could enhance the experience if they were better integrated with the gameplay.
