SAVAGE: The Shard of Gosen

About

"Savage: The Shard of Gosen" is a fantasy-themed, action-packed RPG set in the vibrant world of Planettobor. Players must navigate treacherous landscapes, battle fearsome creatures, and uncover ancient secrets to restore balance to the world. With a blend of real-time combat and strategic decision-making, this game offers a unique and immersive gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 110 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The pixel art is top tier and beautifully crafted, showcasing a lot of passion from the developer.
The gameplay combines elements of RPG and metroidvania, offering a satisfying mix of combat, exploration, and crafting.
The game has a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic titles, with engaging mechanics and a promising foundation for future updates.

The game has been in early access for several years without significant updates, leading many to consider it abandonware.
There are numerous bugs and issues, including crashes and unclear mechanics, which detract from the overall experience.
The game lacks sufficient content and polish, feeling incomplete and often leading to frustration during gameplay.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The gameplay is a blend of platformer, RPG, and action elements that keeps players engaged with unique mechanics and strategic depth. While some find it initially overwhelming, the controls are generally praised for their responsiveness, and the game features satisfying upgrades and a rich visual style. However, there are mixed opinions, with some players expressing boredom and a loss of interest over time.
- “The mix of platformer, RPG, and action keeps you engaged; the backgrounds and enemies are pretty unique and not just a sea of reskinned generic entities. Each type has different mechanics, bringing strategy into the mix!”
- “It's sort of an open action game, with more mechanics and depth than you'd expect.”
- “Extremely satisfying gameplay, cool upgrades, and great detailed 2D art.”
- “Boring gameplay, lost interest in playing it last year.”
- “Learning every mechanic seems a bit much during the first intro, but after that you get 'reset' to start growing more slowly from the real beginning and can practice them.”
- “Finally, we have the gameplay.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its fitting and iconic nature that enhances the overall atmosphere. The soundtrack is described as amazing and nostalgic, often getting stuck in players' heads, while the sound effects complement the experience well. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersive qualities.
- “The pixel art is wonderful, amazing soundtrack and great atmosphere.”
- “The music is always fitting, never grating, and iconic as all get out.”
- “So many great things to this game, animations, art style, music and story are all hitting that nostalgia button for me, and can't get enough of playing it.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The story is engaging and reminiscent of classic narratives, with strong writing and immersive visuals that evoke nostalgia. Players appreciate the branching choices that promise significant replayability, although the game is currently in early access, offering only 50-60% of the storyline and some bugs. Overall, the storytelling and world-building elements are well-received, contributing to a captivating gameplay experience.
- “There's a lot to love - the visuals, storytelling and writing, music, and gameplay.”
- “The writing and story have me engrossed so far.”
- “The story appears to be able to branch in a variety of ways from player choices, which I hope will mean quite a bit of replayability once the main story is completed.”
- “The game isn't finished; you can get through about 50%-60% of the story right now and can access about half of the world map.”
- “As expected for an early access, there are bugs and the storyline is not completed.”
- “From what I've seen so far, the story is similar to something Robert E.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their fantastic animated pixel art and fitting art direction, which evoke a strong sense of nostalgia. Players appreciate the pleasant visual style that complements the storytelling and gameplay, making for an engaging overall experience.
- “The art direction is great, fantastic animated pixel graphics.”
- “So many great things to this game, animations, art style, music, and story are all hitting that nostalgia button for me, and I can't get enough of playing it.”
- “The platforming gameplay is fun and easy to grasp, the graphical style is fitting and pleasant to look at, and the setting and dialogue feel like a spot-on homage to Robert E.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is criticized for being buggy and incomplete, with no updates in over three years. However, some players express a willingness to overlook these issues, enjoying the game enough to report minor bugs and hoping for improvements.
- “Buggy incomplete game that hasn't been updated in over 3 years.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the impressive music and sound effects that enhance the experience, particularly during rainy moments. Overall, the ambiance contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The music is really good, the sound effects are good, and the atmosphere is really immersive, especially when it rains.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Reviews indicate a growing frustration with the monetization practices in the gaming industry, particularly the prevalence of microtransactions and the perception of games as "abandonware." Many users express concern that these trends detract from the overall gaming experience and reflect a shift away from quality content.
- “I cannot condone such abandonware practices; sadly, this is what the gaming industry is moving towards: abandonware or microtransactions.”
- “The work that has been done is commendable, but the reliance on microtransactions is disappointing and reflects a troubling trend in the industry.”
- “It's frustrating to see a game that could be great compromised by aggressive monetization strategies.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Players note that the game's branching storylines based on their choices suggest a high level of replayability, encouraging them to explore different outcomes after completing the main narrative.
- “The story appears to branch in a variety of ways based on player choices, which I hope will lead to significant replayability once the main story is completed.”
- “The game offers multiple endings and paths, encouraging players to explore different choices and experiences, enhancing its replayability.”
- “With various character builds and strategies to try, the game invites players to replay it and discover new aspects of the gameplay.”
- “The story appears to be able to branch in a variety of ways from player choices, which I hope will mean quite a bit of replayability once the main story is completed.”