Scarmonde

About

"Scarmonde is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game with a good soundtrack and 20-hour playtime. Assemble your team of twelve diverse classes, including Knights, Clerics, Thieves, and more, then embark on a perilous journey to claim the Dragon God's Sacred Treasures. Fight for survival in this retro-styled RPG adventure."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 123 reviews

story17 positive mentions

grinding13 negative mentions

Scarmonde offers a deep and engaging class system with 12 distinct classes, allowing for extensive customization and replayability.
The game features a nostalgic 8-bit aesthetic and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Exploration is rewarding, with numerous hidden treasures and secrets that encourage players to thoroughly investigate the game world.

The encounter rate can be high, leading to frequent battles that may disrupt the pacing of exploration.
Some players may find the lack of a detailed map or guidance frustrating, making it easy to get lost in the game's dungeons.
The difficulty balance can be inconsistent, with certain encounters feeling disproportionately easy or hard compared to others.

story
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
4%
The story in the game is minimal and somewhat predictable, serving primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a central focus. While it lacks depth and complexity, players find the narrative engaging enough to motivate exploration, with intriguing NPCs and a dark atmosphere that adds to the overall experience. Many reviewers appreciate the understated storytelling style, which allows for a more immersive gameplay experience reminiscent of classic RPGs, though some express disappointment with the ending and hope for future content to expand the narrative.
- “The story unfolds slowly as you make progress into the depths and return to town (through a souls-like shortcut home) to rest and talk to the townsfolk.”
- “The story is sparse but fascinating as you pick up pieces from NPCs you meet along the way in an ever-changing hub town and dungeon after dungeon with many secrets to uncover.”
- “True to its description, the story is minimally told (but the plot is present!), letting you focus on equipping and specializing your chosen characters as you battle through Scarmonde.”
- “The story is dark, but probably unfinished, since the developer, Ephiam, is working on post-game content.”
- “The story, as it exists, is purely a vehicle for the gameplay.”
- “While there is a bit of a story that ties things together, the focus and fun are really all on the combat, progression, and exploration, with lots of secret treasures to find and rare drops from enemies to make your trips to dungeons easier.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
11%
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its nostalgic and varied soundtrack that complements the gameplay well. While some players found the battle music repetitive and overly loud compared to the map music, others appreciated the ability to customize or mute tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a standout feature, enhancing the game's retro vibe and engaging atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack is what makes this stand out; it's incredible with a lot of variation.”
- “The music is actually incredible and fits the mood at every occasion.”
- “The music is both nostalgic feeling and great.”
- “I can't stand the main common battle music.”
- “It wouldn't be as bad, but the music is not normalized and the battles are too frequent, so you can be listening to the good map music and then get the super annoying 10x as loud terrible battle music that plays way too much.”
- “I wish the original RPGs would have just continued to play the main music instead of having battle music for common battles since that pattern has ruined the sound on almost every RPG.”
gameplay
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
69%
9%
The gameplay of Scarmonde is a nostalgic homage to classic JRPGs, featuring deep class mechanics, a variety of buffs and debuffs, and a focus on player engagement over story. While it employs a random encounter system and some balance issues as the game progresses, the mechanics encourage experimentation with builds and strategies, making it highly replayable. Overall, players appreciate the blend of retro aesthetics with modern quality-of-life improvements, creating an engrossing and enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.
- “For us nerds from the 80s, this is a Final Fantasy/Dragon Warrior game with so many quality-of-life improvements and deep class mechanics.”
- “The battle system definitely gets more fun as you unlock sub-classes, allowing for some deep customization and build crafting.”
- “The game shines in its mechanics and exploration; buffs, debuffs, and ailments are strong and often effective against bosses, and while classes don't seem perfectly balanced, they all have their unique factors, so there's some great replayability here if you like this kind of JRPG.”
- “Outside of bosses and some specific enemy encounters that walk around the area, the game features a (now often considered outdated) random encounter mechanic.”
- “The gameplay balance also becomes increasingly wonky as the game progresses.”
- “My biggest problem is that the game introduces mechanics with no clue they exist.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
38%
19%
The graphics of Scarmonde are characterized by a nostalgic 8-bit pixel art style that effectively captures the essence of classic NES RPGs, reminiscent of titles like Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior. While some users noted limited color choices that detracted from the overall appeal, many praised the crisp visuals and charming enemy designs, highlighting the game's authentic retro aesthetic and its fun exploration elements. Overall, the graphics contribute to a delightful blend of nostalgia and modern gameplay mechanics, making it a standout for fans of the genre.
- “The 8-bit graphics look so crisp it's like I'm playing my old NES again.”
- “Scarmonde perfectly captures the old school aesthetic of 8-bit RPGs like Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior.”
- “A really fun mix of retro pixel art graphics, chiptune soundtrack, and strategic turn-based RPG combat.”
- “I’m not saying the graphics are bad, but I think the limited color choices made it look unappealing to me.”
- “I just built a new PC with a 4080 Super and still all I want to play is this quirky indie game with NES graphics.”
- “Beyond that, it is an 8-bit Final Fantasy visuals inspired JRPG with a heavy focus on exploration and dungeon crawling.”
grinding
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find that grinding in the game is largely optional, as clever strategies can often bypass the need for it. While some players may choose to grind for character improvement or due to early build mistakes, the game is designed to be enjoyable without excessive grinding, with smooth pacing and enjoyable exploration. However, certain late-game battles can become tedious, leading some players to resort to grinding or running from encounters.
- “I don't recommend grinding much in this game since you can win with a good strategy, but you could grind if you mess up your build at the start.”
- “The characters are not limited to level 99, so you will be able to win by grinding forever if you don't want to think.”
- “Towards the end of the game, I found myself running a lot more often as battle difficulty increased, and I found that each fight was taking longer and becoming more tedious.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The game offers significant replayability due to its extensive class system and character customizability, allowing players to experiment with different combinations and playstyles. The unique mechanics and varied class interactions further enhance the replay value, making it appealing for fans of JRPGs. Overall, players can expect a fun experience with ample opportunities for varied gameplay on subsequent playthroughs.
- “Taken together, you get a game that's a lot of fun with a lot of replay value.”
- “Its best selling point is the incredible customizability of your characters and party, leading to a great deal of replayability.”
- “With the ability to choose 12 classes and have 4 subclass shrines, you can alter your playstyle a lot based on how you like, giving it a lot of replayability.”
- “Also, the fact that classes don’t have their innate bonuses when selected as a subclass gives that much more meaning to the choices you make at the beginning of the game – a paladin/warrior will feel a bit different than a warrior/paladin, which increases the replay value of the game.”
- “With the ability to choose 12 classes and have 4 subclass shrines, you can alter your playstyle a lot based on your preferences, giving it a lot of replayability.”
- “It's also fairly replayable, with so many classes to choose from at the start of the game!”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a strong sense of mystery and dread, enhanced by its minimal and cryptic plot. Players appreciate the immersive world and tone, drawing comparisons to the nostalgic feelings evoked by classic NES titles, suggesting that the atmosphere significantly enriches the overall experience.
- “Scarmonde has a great atmosphere. I recall the store saying this game is all about the gameplay, not the story, but I really enjoy the general tone and world of the game. It's ignited my imagination in the way the NES Final Fantasy games did when I first played them.”
- “The plot is minimal and quite cryptic for the majority of the game, but it manages to create a solid atmosphere of mystery and dread.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is praised for its stability, running smoothly on various platforms, including the Steam Deck, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a nostalgic gaming experience.
- “Great game for anyone looking for some old school fun; it runs great on the Steam Deck as well.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
- “I appreciate how stable the online multiplayer is; I rarely encounter any lag or disconnections.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the game's fun elements but note that it requires optimization to enhance quality of life features, such as improved saving mechanisms and a consistent dash function.
- “Fun game, just needs optimization for some quality of life improvements, like saving and always dashing.”
- “The optimization in this game really enhances the overall experience, making it smoother and more enjoyable.”
- “I appreciate the focus on optimization; it makes gameplay more fluid and reduces frustrating moments.”