Storm of Spears
- June 17, 2018
- Warfare Studios
- 7h median play time
"Storm of Spears" is an action-packed RPG warfare game set in a fantasy world. Players can build and command their own army, engage in strategic battles, and explore vast landscapes while completing quests and upgrading their character's skills and equipment. The game features a rich storyline, multiple factions, and intense PvP battles.
Reviews
- The dialogue is incredibly well-written and engaging.
- The game features a large world with plenty of secrets and side quests to explore.
- The music is very pleasant and adds to the overall experience.
- The combat system is too easy and lacks challenge, making battles feel repetitive.
- The character designs and visual style are inconsistent, with some characters not matching their portraits.
- There are stability issues, with the game freezing and requiring manual restarts.
- story281 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally described as engaging and cohesive, with a mix of predictable and interesting elements typical of RPGs, such as a rebellion against an evil empire. While some players appreciated the character development and side quests that added depth, others found the plot to be cliché and lacking in originality. Overall, the narrative is seen as a strong point of the game, though it may not stand out significantly in the crowded RPG genre.
“The plot is cohesive and the devs did a good job of presenting their story in an engaging way.”
“I was pleasantly surprised - had a nice story with some decent world building/lore for what it is.”
“The story is engaging and it is worth checking out.”
“The plot is dumb.”
“The storyline is poor and has all the possible cliches.”
“The story is an average mercenary rebellion story that is similar to the vibe from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, but with a few typos and some unresolved story points.”
- graphics39 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as standard for RPG Maker titles, featuring a mix of anime-inspired character images and typical sprites, which some players found appealing while others considered bland or inconsistent. While the game offers a nostalgic retro aesthetic, it suffers from issues like mismatched art styles and limited character expressions, leading to a mixed reception regarding visual quality. Overall, the graphics are seen as adequate for fans of the genre, but may not impress those seeking more modern or polished visuals.
“This game has pretty good graphics and plays in full screen mode instead of in a small window like some of the other RPG Maker games.”
“Definitely a solid title, made with RPG Maker and aimed mostly at lovers of the good old retro JRPGs, with great artwork and an overall good value of the gameplay as a whole.”
“I enjoyed the theme, music, and the graphics that were used, and the story, while a simple one, was good as well.”
“There seems to be a bunch of different art styles going on here and it's kind of off-putting.”
“Graphics were mediocre, even the portraits weren't great and they only had one expression so the main character would be smiling wide during serious or sad scenes.”
“30+ minutes into the game, I had to stop because the graphics were killing me.”
- gameplay30 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this RPG Maker title is characterized by basic, turn-based mechanics that many players found to be repetitive and lacking challenge, leading to a tedious experience, especially in later stages. While some appreciated the nostalgic feel and decent story, the overall execution was seen as uninspired, with limited character customization and simplistic combat that may appeal primarily to fans of retro RPGs. Despite its shortcomings, the game offers a reasonable amount of content for its price, with side quests and a straightforward gameplay experience.
“Gameplay mechanics were easy to get used to.”
“Definitely a solid title, made with RPG Maker and aimed mostly at lovers of the good old retro JRPGs, with great artwork and an overall good value of the gameplay as a whole.”
“Storm of Spears furthermore boasts a generous measure of substance, with over 13 hours of gameplay between the essential adventure and side missions.”
“This is the type of RPG Maker game that my actual 12-year-old self would make, from writing and story to the characters and gameplay... awful.”
“The gameplay/combat was very boring, especially near the end. This is mostly due to how basic it is, and thus combat ends up becoming stale and repetitive.”
“The game was so easy that the gameplay became rather tedious to get through in order to get to the story.”
- music29 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it pleasant and relaxing, while others describe it as repetitive, forgettable, or even annoying. Several users noted that certain tracks can become tiresome over time, and there are complaints about the music starting too loudly. Overall, while some appreciate the soundtrack's emotional depth and fit within the game's context, others feel it lacks originality and quality, often suspecting it may be stock RPG Maker assets.
“I relaxed for 5 ♥♥♥♥ minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Storm of Spears is a 7-hour story-rich JRPG that consists of a very emotionally engaging storyline, and an epic soundtrack that adds to the intensity of the adventure.”
“Good story, nice music, easy turn-based combat.”
“The music is boring and monotone, but mute it and watch some anime in windowed mode, or porn if you went for the adult/nudity tag and got disappointed.”
“Cons: unoriginal and repetitive music, inconsistent character designs, no character development, offensive magic is useless, elemental attributes on weapons are also useless, some of the dialogue requires walking back and forth between rooms.”
“I found the music to be somewhat forgettable, so I opted to listen to my own music as there was no need to hear the game.”
- grinding24 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 79 % negative mentions
Overall, players generally appreciate the minimal grinding required in the game, with many noting that it can be completed relatively quickly without the need for extensive level grinding or farming. While some find the combat tedious and the dungeon design lengthy, the lack of grinding is seen as a positive aspect, allowing for a more streamlined experience. However, a few players mention that certain boss encounters may still necessitate some grinding to ensure character strength.
“Clocking in just under 12 hours of playtime, this game can probably be finished in as little as 5 hours if no grinding or re-exploring of maps is done.”
“You can beat the bosses with the level you gradually become (so no grinding is needed).”
“Sure, there is almost no grinding.”
“Dungeon design was long and tedious.”
“The game was so easy that the gameplay became rather tedious to get through in order to get to the story.”
“But I'd say that adding this camp to add nothing but useless chests with consumables that you end up burning through anyway, and a boss fight that is a side quest, which on its own is worthy of asking why would you make it feel like nothing threatens me by introducing such 'threats' according to the characters, but I can just beat the crap out of them without grinding at all and the rewards are again mediocre.”
- character development11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely lacking, with only the main character, Sura, receiving some attention through her relationship with her brother. The other party members are described as forgettable, with minimal backstory or growth, resulting in an overall unsatisfactory experience in this aspect. While the character designs are praised, they do not compensate for the shallow development of most characters.
“The plot is good, and the character development is decent.”
“Unique character designs for using RPG Maker and a game to kill time.”
“Character designs looked really good too.”
“There's not really enough character development for the three other party members.”
“You get to know Sura a bit, especially through her relationship with her brother; however, the other characters are forgettable and you never get to know them well, with little to no character development.”
“The main character is fleshed out a bit, but overall character development wasn't really there.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users stating it offers little to no incentive to play again after the initial completion. Suggestions for improvement include the addition of more playable characters and a job system to enhance combat variety.
“I would have liked more playable characters, create your own party from the available heroes, or a job system allowing for more styles of combat than just the default.”
“There is no replayability once completed the first time.”
“Has literally no replayability, but is working perfectly in my case.”
“I would have liked more playable characters, create your own party from the available heroes, or a job system allowing more styles of combat than just the default.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the experience. Additionally, some achievements are reportedly buggy, further complicating gameplay. Overall, the stability of this RPG is considered poor.
“There’s nothing in this bland, buggy, and featureless RPG.”
“The five achievements that you can earn are mostly story-based, so it's almost impossible to miss them, though people have reported some of them being buggy.”
“It also had some glitches.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews; while the addition of side quests enhances gameplay and reduces the perception of a cash grab, there are concerns about misleading advertising that frustrate players.
“Though if you want me to get angry, I've got a few things to say about this company and their deceitful advertising.”
“First thing's first, the blonde character shown in the advertising image and intro screen?”
“The addition of side quests was very pleasant and helped extend the game's playtime, making it seem less like a quick cash grab.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its quirky graphical glitches, such as trees growing in odd places and mismatched sprites, which players find amusing. Additionally, the clichéd plot and overly simplistic battle mechanics contribute to a comedic experience, making the game's flaws entertaining rather than frustrating. Overall, the combination of these elements creates a lighthearted atmosphere that players appreciate.
“Some small mistakes in the graphics, but the kind that are funny to find, like a tree growing on someone's house or standing somewhere that you aren't supposed to be.”
“The plot is cliché to the point it's kind of hilarious, and the battle mechanics are stupidly simple and broken. Even on the hardest difficulty, you can inflict 'stop' on every boss in the game and cheese the fight, which is a cool thing to see in an RPG.”
“The sprites don't match the artwork, and the character on the title screen doesn't show up anywhere in the game, adding to the overall humor of the experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for being subpar, with users noting that it appears to have received minimal development time. A transition to a more advanced game engine could have significantly enhanced its aesthetics, performance, and resolution.
“The game's performance is below standards for play.”
“It seems that the game underwent minimal development time; a simple switch to a better game engine version could have significantly improved its aesthetics, performance, and resolution.”
“The game's performance is below standards for play.”
“It seems that the game underwent very little development time; a simple switch to a better game engine version could have significantly improved its aesthetics, performance, and resolution.”
“The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
"Storm of Spears" is praised for its emotionally engaging storyline that captivates players throughout its 7-hour duration, complemented by an epic soundtrack that enhances the overall intensity of the experience.
“Storm of Spears is a 7-hour story-rich JRPG that features a deeply emotional storyline and an epic soundtrack that enhances the intensity of the adventure.”
“The characters' journeys are filled with heart-wrenching moments that resonate long after the game is over.”
“The emotional depth of the narrative truly sets this game apart, making players feel a profound connection to the story and its characters.”