Shattered Hourglass
- December 25, 2013
- sawworm Games
- 60h median play time
Get on Steam"Shattered Hourglass" is a story-rich, turn-based JRPG with challenging choices and consequences that shape your journey. With over 40 hours of gameplay, explore 4 different story routes, battle 70 bosses, and unlock 9 Job Classes for your 5-character party. Engage in optional activities, puzzles, and quizzes, and enjoy unique side quests and bounty missions. This game offers a vast and immersive world with over 280 items, 260 armors, and 240 monsters to discover.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a rich and engaging RPG experience with a complex leveling system, diverse character classes, and a compelling karma system that affects the story and gameplay.
- There are numerous quests, secrets, and surprises to discover, providing hours of exploration and replayability, along with a variety of difficulty levels to cater to different player preferences.
- The graphics and music are well-received, and the developer is responsive to player feedback, continuously improving the game with updates.
- The dialogue is often criticized for being poorly written and could benefit from professional editing, which detracts from the overall storytelling experience.
- Some players feel that the ending of the game is weak compared to the rest of the story, leaving them somewhat unsatisfied.
- An in-game journal to track side quests and unresolved tasks is missing, which could enhance the overall gameplay experience.
- story8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is rich and engaging, featuring numerous surprises, secret treasures, and time-sensitive quests that can alter the narrative's outcome based on player choices. While the overall plot and character design are compelling, with a strong emphasis on exploration and consequences, the dialogue quality detracts slightly from the experience. Players appreciate the depth and uniqueness of the story, with many praising its ability to surprise even after the main narrative concludes.
“Being able to choose my own path and handle consequences, both story-wise and mechanically, was a game changer for me.”
“Story: unbelievable.”
“There are many surprises and secret treasures to find (you have to explore everywhere), many quests and some of them are time sensitive and may change the path and the ending via good, neutral, and bad karma.”
“When you think the game is over, it surprises you with additional postgame story and the adventure continues.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics are generally well-received, with users noting that they are great for the system and contribute positively to the gameplay experience. Ratings vary, with one user giving a solid 8/10, while others describe the graphics as merely "ok."
“I haven't played for real long yet; gameplay seems fun, graphics and music are both good.”
“Graphics: great for the system.”
“Graphic (8/10).”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players noting that it complements the gameplay effectively. Additionally, the inclusion of the artists' names allows players to discover the background music creators, enhancing the overall experience.
“The music is nice and fits into the game, and the special thing in this game is the artist's names are included, so I can find the BGM artist.”
“I haven't played for real long yet; gameplay seems fun, graphics and music both good.”
“Music: I like it.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its fun mechanics, engaging graphics, and music, with players appreciating the freedom to choose their own paths and experience meaningful consequences. Overall, it has received a perfect score, indicating a strong recommendation to play.
“Being able to choose my own path and handle consequences, both story-wise and mechanically, was a game changer for me.”
“I haven't played for very long yet; the gameplay seems fun, and the graphics and music are both good.”
“Gameplay: buy this and play it.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The controls are clunky and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“There are too many bugs and glitches that disrupt the flow of gameplay.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its strong design and diverse personalities, with well-crafted backstories that enhance the overall narrative. Notably, Juliet's character stands out for her appealing design and charm.
“The character design and story are exceptional, featuring distinct personalities, unique capabilities, and compelling backstories. Most importantly, Juliet is beautifully designed.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players emphasize that effective grinding can be minimized by strategically mastering the abilities of each class and understanding their strengths and weaknesses, allowing for a more efficient gameplay experience.
“If you don't want to spend so much time grinding, you should tactically learn all the classes each character can or can't do and which skills to exploit.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be overly repetitive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the humor in the game is primarily driven by its witty dialogues, which are consistently described as funny and engaging.
“The dialogues are hilarious and keep me laughing throughout the game!”
“I love how the humor is woven into the storyline; it makes every moment enjoyable!”
“The witty banter between characters adds a delightful charm to the gameplay!”
