SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech
- May 31, 2019
- Image & Form Games
- 18h median play time
SteamWorld Quest may be Image & Form's finest game yet, presenting a charming tale and a nuanced combat system wrapped up in a wonderfully cohesive style.
Get on SteamSteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a role-playing game with deck-building mechanics set in the SteamWorld universe. Players control a party of steambot heroes, using cards to plan attacks and strategize during battles. The game features a hand-drawn art style, a rich story, and various customization options for the characters and their decks.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Charming art style and engaging characters with a lighthearted story.
- Unique card-based combat system that allows for strategic deck building and character combos.
- Fun gameplay with a good balance of challenge, especially on higher difficulty settings.
- Repetitive battles and enemy designs, leading to a lack of engagement in the later stages of the game.
- Linear progression with unskippable cutscenes that can become tedious during replaying chapters.
- Limited deck size per character restricts experimentation and can lead to frustrating encounters with immune enemies.
- story1,091 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story of "Steamworld Quest" is generally described as charming and lighthearted, featuring a classic good versus evil narrative with humorous elements. While some players appreciate the engaging characters and whimsical presentation, many find the plot to be predictable, cliché, and lacking depth, often leading to repetitive dialogue and unskippable cutscenes. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a standout feature, with mixed opinions on its execution and replayability.
“The story is lighthearted, doesn't take itself too seriously, and has some lovely details to it.”
“The story was great even knowing most of the RPG game clichés it still brought you in and delighted you.”
“The story is a solid fantasy good versus evil romp with plenty of silliness thrown in for good measure.”
“The story, characters, and dialogues feel lazy, but they manage to keep the plot moving.”
“The story leaves a bit to be desired and the characters aren't as charming as the game thinks they are, but the actual gameplay with the cards is a good time and how cards can play off of each other for super boosts or tag teams keeps things fun and fresh for the dozen or so hours you'll be playing to finish.”
“The story is very boring and has essentially no character development; certainly did not encourage me to continue.”
- gameplay731 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Steamworld Quest" is characterized by its engaging card-based mechanics that blend traditional RPG elements with deck-building strategies, offering a fun and accessible experience. While many players appreciate the charming art style and the variety of gameplay options, some criticize the overall simplicity and repetitiveness of the mechanics, particularly in the later stages of the game. Overall, the game provides a solid foundation for both newcomers and fans of the genre, though it may lack the depth and challenge sought by more experienced players.
“Beautifully combining the uniquely charming art style and witty character writing that is a staple of all games in the 'SteamWorld' series with a simple to understand but addictively fun gameplay loop, 'SteamWorld Quest' might turn some fans of the genre off due to its overall simplistic approach to its story and combat mechanics, but for everyone else, it's a really fun turn-based RPG that is neither any more complicated than it should be nor overstays its welcome.”
“Attention and care was taken into giving a wide variety of different gameplay options and synergies, which really makes you feel like there's no 'wrong answer' during deckbuilding.”
“The gameplay is excellent with some startling build versatility that unfortunately gets hurt towards the end.”
“The downside to this game is in fact the gameplay.”
“While the combat as a whole is fine, (although a bit simple), the mechanics aren't that deep or exciting.”
“The gameplay itself isn't that amazing to justify that amount of cutscenes.”
- graphics320 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "SteamWorld Quest" are widely praised for their charming, hand-drawn art style and vibrant colors, which contribute to an engaging and whimsical atmosphere. While many players appreciate the unique aesthetic and smooth animations, some critiques mention inconsistencies in quality and a lack of graphical options, particularly on higher resolutions. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight of the game, enhancing the overall experience despite some minor drawbacks.
“The captivating narrative, accompanied by stunning visuals and an enchanting soundtrack, immerses players in a steampunk-fantasy world.”
“Beautifully combining the uniquely charming art style and witty character writing that is a staple of all games in the 'steamworld' series with a simple to understand but addictively fun gameplay loop.”
“An utterly delightful game set in a beautifully designed world with whimsical artwork and music.”
“The graphics are very amateurish, very muddy.”
“A huge step back considered the very clean and stylish graphics of the former SteamWorld games.”
“For some reason the developers didn't give players the option to change the resolution so the graphics are pretty bad and fuzzy on my 1440p monitor.”
- music246 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a generally positive reception, with many players praising its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. While some tracks are described as beautiful and memorable, others note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of engaging music and charming visuals contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“The captivating narrative, accompanied by stunning visuals and an enchanting soundtrack, immerses players in a steampunk-fantasy world.”
“The game's story does not disappoint and is enhanced by a wonderful soundtrack.”
“The presentation is outstanding – from the music, character design, and environments resembling stage props, its elements fit together beautifully.”
“The music is uninspired.”
“But I dislike how repetitive the soundtrack is; how there are 20 quests, but some consist solely of a boss fight.”
“The music gets repetitive over time as do non-boss battles.”
- grinding171 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's grinding mechanics have received mixed feedback, with many players finding the late-game experience tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the need for extensive farming of XP, gold, and materials. While some players appreciate the option to engage in minimal grinding to enhance their experience, others feel that the grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, especially when it comes to upgrading cards and completing the game. Overall, the grinding aspect can be a double-edged sword, offering depth for some while feeling like a chore for others.
“On my first playthrough (no grinding), I did game over a total of three times, two because I refused to use a revive item.”
“Whenever the game forces you to adopt certain characters, fighting styles, cards, or upgrades, you'll end up grinding for them, which just kills the vibe of the game in my opinion; similar to Pokémon, only leveling up in Pokémon can be fun, here it really isn't.”
“In the last few chapters, it gets a little too grindy for me with the battles feeling like a bit of a slog.”
“The game is a little grindy in the fact that you have to grind gold and resources to be a completionist and gather the remaining items.”
- humor152 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its quirky, lighthearted tone and amusing character interactions typical of the SteamWorld series. While some found the humor to be hit-or-miss, with occasional attempts at comedy falling flat, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully blends humor with its narrative and gameplay, making for an enjoyable experience. However, a few reviewers noted that the humor may not reach the heights of previous titles in the franchise, suggesting a mixed reception in comparison.
“Really beautiful, funny and very enjoyable game.”
“The story is light and full of humor, as was also the case for other SteamWorld games.”
“Actually, it outdoes the previous games in some aspects - the visuals are great, the soundtrack is once again superb, the atmosphere is brilliant and the cheerful banter between the characters is absolutely spot on, with a few moments so unexpectedly funny I was just gaping at the screen before laughing.”
- replayability78 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the New Game+ mode and different character choices that offer varied experiences, while others find the story-driven nature and lack of randomization limit replay value. Many reviewers noted that while the combat mechanics allow for some unique playthroughs, the overall content does not support extensive replayability, especially for those seeking to achieve 100% completion. Despite these criticisms, some players expressed a willingness to revisit the game for a different experience in the future.
“With 3 out of 5 characters to choose from, your story mode will be different from your neighbor's, and there's some room for replayability.”
“New game+ gives more replayability.”
“Its turn-based card combat is incredibly unique, allowing for personalized strategy and guaranteed replayability.”
“The main campaign isn't especially long, and the lack of randomization and meaningful deck building definitely hurts replayability.”
“Unfortunately it's relatively short and has low replayability.”
“It is a solid game, but do not confuse it with a punishing roguelike; you will not get replayability or challenge on par with Slay the Spire.”
- character development48 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs are praised for their uniqueness and artistic quality, many reviewers feel that the actual development of the characters is lacking, with some describing it as minimal or simplistic. The story serves primarily as a backdrop for character interactions, and while some players appreciate the integration of character traits with gameplay mechanics, others find the overall narrative and character growth uninspiring. Overall, the game's strong visual presentation contrasts with its underwhelming character development.
“The story is fairly simple and seems to serve mainly as a backdrop for our heroes' character development.”
“Character development is top notch; I wish full party-based RPGs had character development this good.”
“Great combination of storyline, character development, and seamless gameplay.”
“The story is very boring and has essentially no character development; certainly did not encourage me to continue.”
“The character designs are lacking - the main character's design in particular is so dull I want to fall asleep looking at it.”
“Tldr - no decisions to make whether it is actual combat, character development/deckbuilding, or exploration.”
- emotional32 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming story, charming characters, and beautiful soundtrack, which evoke feelings of nostalgia and wholesome happiness. Players report experiencing genuine emotional moments, including tears at the end, though some critique the narrative's dissonance and simplicity. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to blend humor and heroism while delivering a touching experience that resonates with both newcomers and seasoned RPG fans.
“The soundtrack is beautiful and emotional, especially the last song.”
“This is the first time in a long time that I have felt that innocent wholesome happiness from recent media, not just video games.”
“Playing through SteamWorld Quest was heartwarming and provided the right amount of challenge on the Legend difficulty to keep it entertaining while the classic tale about good and evil and camaraderie unfolded.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, superb soundtrack, and whimsical art direction, which enhance the overall charm and immersion. While many reviewers appreciate the engaging character banter and atmospheric moments, some feel that certain areas lack depth, leading to a somewhat bland experience compared to previous entries in the SteamWorld franchise. Overall, the combination of great design and sound contributes to a captivating atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding specific gameplay elements.
“Actually, it outdoes the previous games in some aspects - the visuals are great, the soundtrack is once again superb, the atmosphere is brilliant and the cheerful banter between the characters is absolutely spot on, with a few moments so unexpectedly funny I was just gaping at the screen before laughing.”
“That all being said, this game has an amazing art direction, soundtrack, sound design, and overall atmosphere as always.”
“I love the art style, really lends a mythical, whimsical type atmosphere to the game.”
“The explore music doesn't quite fit the atmosphere.”
“The ambient atmosphere feels lacking despite the good art and sound.”
“While the art style is beautiful, it doesn't fully create the immersive atmosphere I was hoping for.”
- monetization14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the absence of DLC and microtransactions in this standalone single-player experience, others criticize the presence of microtransactions that can detract from enjoyment and make the game feel less rewarding. Overall, the lack of additional costs is seen as a positive feature in a market often dominated by monetization strategies.
“No complaints, everything is tight and well-tuned. There's not any DLC or microtransactions; it's a single-player game that stands on its own, and that's something that doesn't happen often these days.”
“The art style, developer, writing, advertising, and skill ramp all give the illusion that this is just trying to be fast food (low-cost, low-investment fun).”
“Microtransactions make the game easier.”
“At least there are no microtransactions.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized for controller use, providing a smooth experience, but it lacks similar optimization for PC, which may affect gameplay. Players note that an optimized deck is essential for success on harder difficulties, while the overall performance remains stable even on older hardware.
“This one, though, has a very pleasant soundtrack, nice art, non-aggravating controls, and really stable performance even on my old laptop.”
“The game is 100% optimized for controller and doesn't feel optimized for PC.”
“I can see that on hard difficulty an optimized deck would be needed for consistent success.”
“The game is 100% optimized for controller and doesn't feel optimized for PC.”
- stability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a highly stable experience with the game, noting that it runs smoothly without any bugs or crashes. The graphics are praised, and the low system requirements contribute to its accessibility and reliability.
“Runs great, good graphics, low system requirements, no bugs or crashes, simple to learn, 5 characters with some options on how to play them.”
“Runs great, good graphics, low system requirements, no bugs or crashes, simple to learn, 5 characters with some options on how to play them.”
