Stranger of Sword City

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 270 reviews
  • story
  • grinding
  • gameplay
Stranger of Sword City Game Cover
Stranger of Sword City comes as fresh dungeon RPG with a captivating story and challenging labyrinths that will get you hooked from the start. Although not perfect, it offers a highly recommended experience.
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"Stranger of Sword City" is a first-person dungeon crawler RPG set in a mysterious realm known as Escario, where the player must assume the role of a "Stranger" with the power to kill beings from another dimension. The game features challenging battles, various character classes, and a unique "Lifepoint" system that makes combat more strategic. Players must navigate treacherous dungeons, defeat powerful monsters, and make choices that affect the story's outcome.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 270 reviews
story39 positive mentions
grinding105 negative mentions
  • Beautiful artwork and character design, with the option to import custom portraits.
  • Engaging and challenging gameplay that requires strategic planning and character customization.
  • Unique mechanics such as the ambush system and the permadeath feature add depth to the dungeon crawling experience.
  • Frequent crashes and technical issues, particularly on Windows 10, hinder gameplay.
  • The grinding can be excessive, with slow progression and difficulty spikes that can lead to frustrating encounters.
  • Lack of clear explanations for game mechanics and poor localization detract from the overall experience.
  • story142 mentions

    The story in "Stranger of Sword City" is generally viewed as average, with many players noting its simplicity and reliance on typical RPG tropes, such as a chosen hero narrative. While some appreciate the intriguing elements and character backstories, others criticize the writing quality and the lack of depth, often feeling that the gameplay's grinding mechanics overshadow the narrative. Overall, the story serves as a functional backdrop to the gameplay, with some players finding it engaging enough to keep their interest, despite its shortcomings.

    • “The story is light but interesting, the combat similar, and the pacing good.”
    • “Difficult dungeon crawler with a lot of flexibility when it comes to character/party building, I was pleasantly surprised to find the story actually really interesting, really dark and mysterious that kept me wondering what's going to happen next at all times.”
    • “The plot does a good job of holding your attention by slowly unraveling the mystery that is the source of your powers, the blood crystals, and why you're in this world.”
    • “The story is fairly rudimentary and serves more as an excuse to progress from dungeon to dungeon.”
    • “This game is awfully balanced and requires endless grinding to progress in the story.”
    • “The setting and some of the characters are interesting at least in design, but their involvement with the story falls flat.”
  • grinding105 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the game is heavily grind-focused, requiring players to invest significant time in leveling up and farming for gear, often leading to frustration due to difficulty spikes and permadeath mechanics. While some players appreciate the challenge and depth of the class system, many find the grinding tedious and time-consuming, with a lack of clear progression making it feel like a chore. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy grind-heavy RPGs, but it may deter players looking for a more streamlined experience.

    • “This game is awfully balanced and requires endless grinding to progress in the story.”
    • “50+ hours of grinding just to finish the game with no emotional payoff for success isn’t worth the time investment.”
    • “The biggest drawback that I experienced while playing the game is the amount of time you will spend grinding.”
  • gameplay98 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mix of classic dungeon crawling mechanics with some unique features, such as ambush tactics and character customization, which can be engaging for fans of the genre. However, many players find the experience to be overly grindy and tedious, with a lack of new mechanics introduced mid-game leading to potential boredom. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and challenge, others criticize the balance and depth of the gameplay, resulting in a polarized reception.

    • “The basic gameplay is you create a team of 6 adventurers who set out to explore a mostly open-ended series of dungeons teeming with all sorts of secrets and nasties, alongside some unique and interesting gameplay mechanics such as your characters setting up ambushes for the enemies.”
    • “It's got an interesting mechanic where you can ambush the enemies (which you do get to see the enemies' level and whatnot before deciding to fight or not) to gain loot (which rarely or never drops from non-ambushed enemies).”
    • “Stranger of Sword City mixes the old-school gameplay of classic RPGs with modern aesthetics and story.”
    • “The lack of new mechanics from midgame makes it easier to get bored in the game.”
    • “The game is simply not balanced and broken all up and down its entire idea of gameplay.”
    • “Mechanically it was not fun, and extremely tedious; basically, a simple AI could play this game because there was no real strategy, only grinding.”
  • graphics94 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and unique art styles, particularly the character portraits and sprite work. However, the 3D graphics and overworld environments are often criticized for being subpar and inconsistent. Overall, while the art style is appreciated, the technical execution of the graphics leaves something to be desired, especially when compared to modern standards.

    • “The art style is wonderful, along with its musical soundtrack.”
    • “Game looks beautiful, the artwork is breathtaking.”
    • “The character portraits and enemies are absolutely beautifully drawn, and the game lets you pick any character portrait you want without any bearing on your class, so feel free to look through the huge assortment of art styles and character designs and pick your favorites.”
    • “The 3D graphics are pretty bad, but the environments get the point across and are really just a backdrop for the absolutely gorgeous sprite work.”
    • “Graphics aren't up to what a game released nowadays should be, but the artworks are gorgeous.”
    • “It's pretty obvious that this is a port, as the graphics aren't all that great depending on the resolution you use (the higher, the more muddy they get; running at 2560x1440 it looks simply okay).”
  • music55 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance gameplay, particularly during battles. While some players find the soundtrack beautiful and engaging, others describe it as mediocre or repetitive, with a few opting to turn it off in favor of other music. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its orchestration and thematic relevance, contributing positively to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The atmosphere and music are literally the best I've ever experienced.”
    • “Oh, and the OST is amazing!”
    • “The music and art style are very good.”
    • “Music either doesn't exist or is unremarkable.”
    • “I turn the audio totally off for the background music but it still plays at the same level constantly and the sound effects and voices are still at default despite the bar being turned to off.”
    • “For me the test on a soundtrack is 'would I buy this separately?' and the answer is a stern 'no.' No single track stands out, and I find myself listening to other music while grinding.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its compelling and immersive qualities, enhanced by a unique art style and a captivating soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the depth and personality of the environment, noting that it effectively contributes to the overall experience, despite some minor flaws. Overall, the combination of art, music, and character design creates a rich and engaging atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “Great art, a good amount of depth and variation available, great atmosphere.”
    • “Music is vocal and orchestrated, gives great atmosphere.”
    • “The characters, atmosphere, soundtrack and gameplay create an amazingly immersive environment (especially with headphones on).”
    • “First is the type of art style by Yoko Tsukamoto; this is a more realistic/gothic art style, and despite some of the scenes looking rushed and incomplete, it's just oozing soul, personality, and atmosphere.”
    • “Despite its slow start, Stranger in Sword City matures into a compelling dungeon crawling RPG that's defined by its gritty atmosphere.”
    • “The characters, atmosphere, soundtrack, and gameplay create an amazingly immersive environment (especially with headphones on).”
  • character development6 mentions

    The character development in the game is praised for its beautiful and diverse character portraits, allowing players to choose their preferred art style without affecting gameplay. While the character designs are well-received, some players feel that the dungeon backgrounds do not match the quality of the character art, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “I like RPGs to be a challenge—but not to punish the player—and I like having rich character art and meaningful character development.”
    • “Character designs are great.”
    • “The character portraits and enemies are absolutely beautifully drawn, and the game lets you pick any character portrait you want without any bearing on your class, so feel free to look through the huge assortment of art styles and character designs and pick your favorites.”
    • “Cons: ugly dungeon backgrounds contrast to the monsters and character designs.”
    • “Etrian Odyssey Lite with better character design.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability, primarily due to its multiple endings, varied dungeon difficulties in New Game+, and the freedom to choose different classes and special powers from the start. While the average playtime is substantial, the ability to tackle maps in different orders and the presence of item drops contribute to its replay value. Overall, players find it enjoyable and worth revisiting despite some limitations.

    • “Many of the maps can be completed in different orders, so there is some replayability in this sense along with the item drops.”
    • “The game offers replay value in the decisions you make regarding which special powers and classes you will use.”
    • “With an average length of 50 to 60 hours (based on reports found via Google), the game appears to offer little in the way of replayability as all classes are available from the start.”
    • “There are also multiple endings, so it has some replayability value, and the dungeons get harder if you go New Game +.”
    • “Replay value in the decisions you make regarding which special powers and classes you will use.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express frustration over the lack of emotional payoff after extensive grinding, feeling that the time invested does not yield satisfying rewards. However, some appreciate the class and skill system, which provides a sense of progression and impact, even if the overall emotional experience falls short.

    • “The class and skill system made me feel like my time spent grinding made a huge difference.”
    • “Even if I just leave the game running without touching anything, it still evokes strong emotions.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability has been criticized for being plagued by numerous bugs, with some players finding it unplayable. While there is potential for enjoyment if these issues are resolved, the current state significantly detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The fact that this game is on sale when it's still buggy to the point where it's unplayable annoys me.”
    • “Maybe under different circumstances when the game isn't so buggy, the game may be worthwhile, but at this point, it is not.”
    • “Odd buggy quests here and there.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as chaotic, with the potential to be either highly entertaining or frustratingly overwhelming. Additionally, the class change system is noted for its comedic potential, though it can quickly turn into a frustrating experience due to the significant impact on character levels.

    • “This type of pure chaos can be extremely funny or extremely insufferable.”
    • “The class change system can be humorous, but it quickly becomes a nightmare due to the leveling speed, as changing class halves a character's level.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Users generally praise the game's optimization, highlighting it as one of the most optimized RPGs available, suggesting smooth performance and efficient resource management.

    • “In my opinion, this is one of the most optimized RPGs ever.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Users express frustration with the monetization practices, highlighting issues with Steam's refund policy, particularly in relation to games that may become unplayable shortly after purchase, which they feel is exacerbated by the platform's promotion of such titles.

    • “The monetization model feels exploitative, as it seems designed to squeeze every last penny from players rather than enhance the gaming experience.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases disrupts the flow of gameplay and makes it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
16hAverage play time
3-35hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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