Shores Unknown
- January 8, 2018
- Vallynne
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Shores Unknown," lead a mercenary company on the run from the Crown, navigating the treacherous Murk to seek truth and forge alliances. Experience gridless, tactical turn-based combat in this RPG set in a land ruled by powerful forces, with danger lurking in the fog and beyond. Your choices will determine the fate of your crew and the course of the journey.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game has great potential with an engaging story and interesting quests.
- The combat system, while challenging, offers a unique experience that can be rewarding once mastered.
- The graphics and world-building are well-crafted, creating an immersive atmosphere.
- The combat is often unbalanced, making encounters feel frustrating and reliant on luck rather than strategy.
- There is a lack of control over character movement and positioning during battles, which detracts from the tactical experience.
- The game has faced development issues, leading to concerns about its future and whether it may become abandonware.
- story56 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players praising its engaging narrative, well-defined characters, and potential for interesting plot twists. However, some critiques highlight a lack of originality and limited exploration, as the gameplay often feels linear and combat-focused. Overall, while the story shows promise and has garnered excitement, it is still a work in progress, with players encouraged to wait for further development in the early access phase.
“The story is excellent and the characters are all well defined.”
“It's been a while since I played an early access game that had this level of polish; the story has been great so far, and I'm excited for where this game will go.”
“Awesome story so far, and a really cool way of progressing; I would highly recommend.”
“The story itself is 'fine', but it felt very unoriginal and did little to grab my attention.”
“The story goes from battle to battle with little to no exploration, strategy or interaction with the world.”
“Pick a path story, on train tracks.”
- gameplay26 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a combat system that can be initially confusing but becomes clearer with experience, though it lacks depth in mechanics such as positioning and penalties for disengagement. While the game is praised for its story and visual polish, many players feel that the combat design is flawed, leading to an artificial sense of challenge and limited strategic choices. Overall, the game shows promise but is still in early access, with ongoing improvements needed.
“Great story and gameplay so far, companions, classes, and art.”
“Also, the gameplay itself is extremely polished for an early access title.”
“Its an interesting game in both gameplay and story, but I suggest anyone who isn't down for the concept of 'early access' to wait.”
“There is no penalty for running past opponents that are not currently engaged, no combat mechanics like attacks of opportunity for opponents running past you, nor any mechanics that force you to engage opponents that are guarding softer targets in the back.”
“I understand that the game should have some challenge, but the challenge feels artificial and revolves around poor combat design choices, lackluster or nonexistent game mechanics, and RNG.”
“If every character has a 'use a normal ability to use a better ability, then go back to normal to charge it again' mechanic and there is 0 positioning, what choices am I really making?”
- graphics8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a low poly style that some players appreciate for its simplicity and ease of navigation, describing the visuals as lush and contributing to a believable world. However, not all players are fond of this aesthetic, with some expressing a desire for more detailed graphics. Overall, the visuals are considered pleasant and easy on the eyes, though opinions on the low poly design vary.
“The game is a nice party RPG with pleasant 3D low poly graphics.”
“The graphics are lush, creating a believable world, and there's evident effort put into the script and acting.”
“Apart from that, the graphics are easy on the eyes, if simple.”
“I now regret starting this because I want to see how it ends and now I have to wait for 1.0. My only drawback is what seems to be a plus for most: I am not fond of the low poly graphics.”
“The graphics are easy on the eyes, if simple.”
- music6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its excellence and ability to create a moody medieval fantasy atmosphere, complementing the solid writing and visual style. Overall, it contributes significantly to the game's appeal as one of the most interesting indie TRPGs of the year.
“The music is excellent and the voice acting is fine.”
“The music is nice, setting up a moody medieval fantasy atmosphere.”
“Complimented by solid writing, great visual style, and a fantastic soundtrack, this game is at least the most interesting indie TRPG of this year.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by fluid character movements that create a dynamic interaction, complemented by a well-crafted soundtrack that establishes a moody medieval fantasy setting. Overall, the combination of these elements contributes to an immersive experience.
“The music is nice, setting up a moody medieval fantasy atmosphere.”
“Your characters move to engage and they move around each other, which really adds to the atmosphere.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Despite its limited content, the game offers a surprising amount of replayability through its engaging storytelling and character-leveling systems, providing players with ample opportunities to revisit and explore different aspects of the game.
“Even with its current limited content, there's still plenty to do and a surprising amount of replayability, both on the storytelling and character-leveling fronts.”
“The game offers a wealth of choices that make each playthrough feel unique, enhancing its replayability significantly.”
“With multiple endings and diverse character builds, the game encourages players to dive back in for a fresh experience every time.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that this RPG does not focus on traditional grinding mechanics such as item farming or level grinding, suggesting a more streamlined and engaging gameplay experience.
“This RPG is not about item farming and level grinding.”
