Seraph

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"Seraph" is a skill-based, acrobatic combat platformer where players help an angel, Seraph, escape a demon-infested prison while bound to a human vessel. Key features include gun-fu combat, dynamic difficulty scaling, and procedurally generated levels designed for high replayability. Experience pretty visuals, a sensational soundtrack, and some grinding as you craft new weapons, Miracles, and items in your battle against dark magic.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 518 reviews

gameplay112 positive mentions

grinding70 negative mentions

Fun side-scrolling action with fluid controls and engaging gameplay.
Dynamic difficulty scaling that adjusts based on player performance, keeping the challenge fresh.
Visually appealing with a unique art style and an interesting story premise.

Repetitive level design with limited enemy variety, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
Final boss difficulty spike that feels unbalanced compared to the rest of the game.
Grinding for upgrades can feel tedious and may detract from the overall enjoyment.

gameplay
314 mentions
36 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by fast-paced, fluid mechanics that emphasize movement and dodging over aiming, creating an engaging core loop that many players find addictive. While the game offers a variety of upgrades and challenges, some players note that it can become repetitive and grindy, particularly at higher difficulties. Overall, the solid controls and enjoyable mechanics make it a standout experience, despite some criticisms regarding content variety and progression systems.
- “Movement feels good and it lends itself well to a core gameplay loop that's just incredibly fun.”
- “The gameplay is fantastic for what it is.”
- “The campaign is ok, but the daily challenges and survival mode are endless fun, combine this to a fast and fluid gameplay and you got yourself an amazing package.”
- “However, there are some flaws in the gameplay that you’ll encounter at higher difficulties, which may lead you to enjoy the game the most at mid difficulty.”
- “There are some good things about the gameplay, but it was kind of boring for me, just moving through the samey corridors while holding down the trigger and trying to dodge the multitude of demons coming for you (in higher difficulties).”
- “Unfortunately, a lack of interesting content and procedural variety, coupled with an MMO level of nearly imperceptible progression tied to a percentage chance enemy drop farming mechanic, ultimately make the game a chore instead of an adrenaline rush.”
story
262 mentions
21 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered weak and often feels like an afterthought, with many players opting to skip dialogues due to their lack of engagement. While there are interesting elements and lore presented through text logs, the main narrative is described as clichéd and abrupt, failing to provide a satisfying payoff. Overall, the gameplay takes precedence over the story, which is seen as a minor aspect of the experience.
- “The story is something I have enjoyed so far and I think that is what keeps me going; I want to see how it ends up and where the devs are running with it.”
- “Interestingly, there is a second layer to the story, discovered through logs that can be found across levels, a story which slowly unravels the setting and circumstances our protagonist finds herself in.”
- “The storyline revolves around Seraph, our protagonist, as she escapes her prison, fights off daemons, and attempts to ascend back to her natural form - but she's currently in her human vessel, Thalia.”
- “There is no dialog with voice acting for the story.”
- “The story of Seraph is insignificant and when I completed the game, it felt abrupt.”
- “The story just ends... you get a choice after the last boss, and when you choose it, it goes straight into ending credits.”
music
102 mentions
35 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many players noting its fitting and energetic nature. However, a common critique is the limited variety of tracks, leading to repetitiveness over time. Overall, while the soundtrack is well-executed and enjoyable, players express a desire for a broader selection to maintain engagement throughout the game.
- “The soundtrack is great, the gameplay is fun, definitely recommend playing it.”
- “Alongside the sober composition of the levels, impulsive industrial music and electronic sound effects contribute to the overarching futuristic design.”
- “With that said, the game offers an interesting story plot, enjoyable gameplay mechanism with exceptional level design and a fine soundtrack in the background to set the perfect atmosphere, making it an overall enjoyable experience that would keep you hooked.”
- “The music fits the game well, but sadly isn't anything memorable outside of playing.”
- “While the music is very well done, there is a very small roster of songs that repeat, level after level.”
- “The music in the game is atmospheric, but since there are such a limited number of tracks, it does get repetitive as you fight through the dozens of levels to reach the end of the game.”
graphics
98 mentions
33 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet clean, with a cohesive art style that some players find appealing, while others criticize the lack of diversity and visual monotony in the environments and character designs. While the layering and animations are praised for their fluidity, many reviewers express disappointment over the repetitive aesthetics and the overall lack of visual fidelity. Despite these criticisms, the game's unique visuals and soundtrack contribute positively to the overall experience, making it enjoyable for many players.
- “From the lighting to the animations of the titular Seraph, the unique and colorful visuals help to highlight the speed and fluidity of movement on display by the protagonist and the demons seeking to destroy her.”
- “Visuals are nice, neat, and elegant.”
- “To be honest, I thought I'd never play a platformer like this again and enjoy it but... the gunplay, animations, graphics, and leveling system are second to none.”
- “I assume this is because the areas are randomly generated (they at least come off feeling that way), but the lack of diversity between tilesets doesn't lend itself well to the game's aesthetic.”
- “There is little visual fidelity in the monster graphics; they are all white/grey/beige assembly of blobs with no real texture.”
- “All of the above graphical complaints boil down to a feeling of visual monotony, and more than that, irritation.”
grinding
70 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for becoming repetitive and tedious as players progress, with many feeling that the required resources drop in insufficient quantities, leading to a frustrating cycle of grinding. While some players appreciate the core mechanics and find enjoyment in the fast-paced gameplay, the overwhelming grind for upgrades and crafting materials can detract from the overall experience, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge. Daily and weekly challenges are noted as a way to mitigate the grind, but the game's design still leans heavily on repetitive tasks that may not appeal to all players.
- “However, as the game goes on, it quickly starts to feel repetitive and grindy.”
- “What started as a good experience just ends up in a grinding and try-hard experience which is beginning to leave a sour taste in your mouth.”
- “I think nearly everyone has come to the same conclusion: fun for the first hour or two, then you realize everything is an obnoxious bullet sponge and upgrade progression is locked behind an insane amount of grinding.”
replayability
64 mentions
31 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The game offers a high level of replayability through features like randomized level layouts, daily challenges, and a rebirth system that allows players to restart with bonuses. While many players appreciate the variety and mechanics that enhance replay value, some note that the experience can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging gameplay and numerous upgrade options, making it a solid choice for those seeking replayable content.
- “The game has nearly endless replay value due to the large amount of skills and perks to unlock and upgrade, thanks to the rebirth system, which allows you to restart from zero but with significant bonuses.”
- “Daily challenges, survival mode, and persistent updates give it replay value, and the price is very reasonable.”
- “So much replayability and content; I would have paid three times the price for this game.”
- “The game with a huge emphasis on replayability gets exponentially more boring the more you play it.”
- “Really disappointing game overall and I cannot recommend this to anyone instead of a good metroidvania (Strider, Axiom Verge), or if they want replayability a decent roguelike (Binding of Isaac, Risk of Rain).”
- “Secondly, the procedural generation is a mixed blessing, as whilst it does bring replayability, it also means the levels lack their own distinctive character.”
optimization
18 mentions
11 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is commendable, allowing smooth gameplay even on low-end systems, with no significant graphical issues reported. However, some players experienced framerate drops during intense moments, particularly in the final fight, which could benefit from further optimization. The dynamic difficulty scaling enhances the experience, rewarding players for mastering controls and performance.
- “Here, in these short, 2 to 3 minute objective-based rounds, the game allows you to fully let loose, refining the perfect mix of aggression, speed, and control to maximize your performance with rewards that contribute towards your seraph's progression.”
- “There is plenty of additional depth to explore for the player looking to optimize their performance.”
- “However, this will hopefully be fixed; that last fight could use better optimization, since the bullet spam repeatedly slowed down my framerate--devastating in a high-speed game like this--and caused one of my two crashes.”
- “Here also lies one of the most frustrating parts: while the difficulty of enemies rises in accordance to your performance in dealing with them, the levels and their architecture are randomly put together, as are the boss enemies, which are extremely buffed normal types with some powerful extra abilities tacked on.”
- “While structured similarly to the main game, here, your performance is tracked with a point system, rewarding players who have mastered the controls and game mechanics with bonus multipliers to maximize their score as they attempt to progress as far as they can in a single life.”
atmosphere
10 mentions
80 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its dark and immersive soundtrack, which enhances the overall experience alongside exceptional level design and art style. While the music effectively sets the mood, some players note that the limited number of tracks can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of engaging storytelling and visual effects contributes to a captivating atmosphere that keeps players invested.
- “The game offers an interesting story plot, enjoyable gameplay mechanics, exceptional level design, and a fine soundtrack in the background to set the perfect atmosphere, making it an overall enjoyable experience that would keep you hooked.”
- “The atmosphere and art style are gorgeous, and the developers are very responsive and listen to the community and their feedback.”
- “Smooth and tight gameplay, nice visual effects, and a captivating atmosphere.”
stability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting significant issues such as glitches, difficulty spikes, and save recognition problems, while others have experienced minimal bugs and appreciate the lenient death penalties. Overall, the game appears to suffer from inconsistent stability, leading to frustration for some users.
- “Between the glitches, difficulty spikes, falling through floors, and going back multiple floors because the game didn't recognize the save, I am so glad I no longer have to play this piece of trash.”
- “Enemy AI freezes up sometimes, and I've fallen outside of bounds twice.”
- “Also, not punishing death harshly was a great idea, especially because some of the combat is buggy.”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its excellent design and fluid animation, enhancing the overall visual experience. However, some users feel that the muted colors of the default character can make her less noticeable against the background.
- “The character design is excellent and the characters are animated fluidly.”
- “I love the default character design, but her colors are so muted that she can get a little lost in the scenery.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its good writing, despite some players feeling disengaged, and includes a hilariously obvious twist. Additionally, a minor glitch involving a character's graphic getting stuck in a prone position adds an unintended comedic element.
- “Even if it didn't really engage me at any point, it's good writing for video games; I'll take it - even with the hilariously obvious twist.”
- “There's also a funny but minor glitch where Seraph's graphic got stuck in a prone position, but otherwise played fine.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be surprisingly touching, particularly in moments that evoke genuine feelings rather than cynicism. The mechanics allow for close-quarters combat without the fear of incidental damage, which adds a layer of intimacy to encounters with enemies.
- “It's even a bit touching when it's not being cynical.”