Springblades
- November 25, 2022
- Tom van den Boogaart
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Springblades" is an upcoming action RPG set on a fantasy island, where you fight quirky characters and battle your way to finding three mysterious gems. Success in combat relies on timing attacks and dodging enemy moves, while equipped gear determines available actions and counters enemy traits. Special events in battle can be triggered by specific gear, adding strategy and excitement to the gameplay.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and charming art style, reminiscent of classic RPGs like Paper Mario, which enhances the overall experience.
- Combat is engaging and requires strategic thinking, with a variety of builds and synergies available to players, making each encounter feel unique.
- It's a fun and quick RPG that offers a satisfying gameplay loop, with humorous enemy designs and enjoyable mechanics.
- The game can become grindy and repetitive, especially as players progress, leading to a lack of engagement over time.
- There are several quality of life issues, such as a messy inventory system and the inability to delete save files, which can hinder the overall experience.
- The ending feels anticlimactic and lacks depth, leaving players wanting more in terms of story progression and final challenges.
- gameplay16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a simple yet engaging turn-based RPG mechanic reminiscent of Paper Mario, though some players find it lacks depth for extended play. While the game features charming elements and interesting mechanics, such as badges and active battle timing, it suffers from issues like unclear blocking mechanics and limited shop offerings. Overall, it provides a brief but enjoyable experience, appealing to those who appreciate unique gameplay over complexity.
“If you enjoy Paper Mario-like combat and gameplay, or are just looking for a simple but effective turn-based RPG, I recommend!”
“It's fairly short, but has a lot of charm and a solid gameplay loop.”
“There's a lot of interesting mechanics and options to choose from in the gameplay.”
“There is a single game mechanic that can't entertain you for long.”
“The actual gameplay cannot hold the game up for more than an hour or two.”
“Right now the game gives a taste of bland and annoying; for example, the game's block or dodge mechanic seems random and does not tell you how to block the different types of attacks.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story in Springblades is described as simplistic and lacking depth, with minimal progression after the initial setup. While there are hints of internal storytelling and a charming art style, players find the narrative insufficient and the overall experience lacking in meaningful content, such as side quests or a more engaging plot. The game serves as a light-hearted action RPG but falls short for those seeking a rich story experience.
“Springblades is a unique little action RPG that provides players with a base story and guided pathing to meet the objectives within it.”
“Some of the later bosses even had some cool internal storytelling.”
“The 'towns' each come with a still image and some text which prompted the little one to try and read it and tell me the story as though in a storybook.”
“It's far too simple, there's no story progression and actual progression for your character turns into a crawl past level 12 or so.”
“Nothing in depth but just hints of story going on.”
“Story itself is absent after the original opening.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a unique and charming cartoon art style that sets it apart from typical RPG aesthetics, such as gothic or realistic designs. Players appreciate the playful and simplistic visuals, which complement the quirky writing and humorous elements, creating an engaging and delightful atmosphere. Overall, the art style contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it visually distinctive and enjoyable.
“The art style within the game is what I found most unique about this game.”
“Springblade's art defies the typical RPG gothic or realism art styles and opts for a more playful and cartoon style, which I appreciated perhaps most about the game.”
“The game is quaintly charming for the first couple of hours thanks to its simplistic art style and playful encounter design, but I can't recommend it on the grounds that it is insanely grindy.”
“A surprisingly deep RPG with a cute, childlike art style.”
“The art style is really charming, and it is very addicting to try to make a build that does the most damage.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant drawback, describing it as monotonous and tedious, particularly due to the reliance on defeating numerous low-level enemies for experience. The lack of replayability and the potential for soft-locking players into endless grinding further detracts from the overall experience, making it difficult to recommend despite its initial charm. Additionally, bugs related to achievements tied to grinding may lead to frustration after long hours of play.
“The game promotes experience farming by smashing the lowest level monsters possible since there is no traditional experience system; the experience bar is more so the number of enemies defeated.”
“I can't recommend it on the grounds that it is insanely grindy.”
“Grinding seems to be a must due to the experience system and enemy difficulty ramp up.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, featuring cute and funny enemy designs, amusing descriptions, and exploitable glitches that add to the fun. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone and clever references, contributing to an enjoyable RPG experience. Overall, the humor enhances the game's charm and playability.
“Cute and funny designs for the enemies that give each area a new feel.”
“Really fun, funny, and cute little RPG game.”
“I love the funny descriptions of the creatures!”
- music5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by sokpop's signature lo-fi style, praised for its fantastic quality and unique charm. Reviewers appreciate the combination of great artwork, humor, and quirky writing that complements the soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.
“The music is Sokpop's standard lo-fi goodness, with great artwork, good humor, and references to their past games.”
“The art style is cute and unique, the music is fantastic, the writing is amusing and quirky.”
“Nice music and gameplay.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users find the game enjoyable and recommend it, noting that while there are some funny and exploitable glitches, these do not significantly detract from the overall stability of the experience.
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the gameplay.”
“There are too many bugs that disrupt the experience and make it frustrating.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players expressed disappointment with the game's ending, feeling it lacked emotional closure and left them questioning the overall experience.
“The game's story resonated with me on a deep level, making me reflect on my own experiences.”
“I was moved to tears by the character's journey; it felt so real and relatable.”
“The emotional depth of the narrative left a lasting impact, making me think about it long after I finished playing.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character design is praised for its cuteness, indicating that the visual appeal of the characters contributes positively to the overall experience, though specific details on character development beyond aesthetics are not provided.
