Sundered

Sundered is an interesting take on the Metroidvania genre. Eshe's journey to collect the elder shards is adrenaline fueled and challenging. While the game is not free from flaws, it more than worthy of a spot in most collections.

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"Sundered" is a hand-drawn metroidvania horror platformer, where you can resist or embrace ancient eldritch powers in a ever-changing world filled with terrifying enemies. Play as Eshe, harness the power of corrupted relics to defeat gigantic bosses and conquer the new Magnate of the Gong boss with local co-op for up to 4 players. Experience beautiful art, chaotic encounters, epic boss fights, and hundreds of upgrades in this unique and challenging take on the classic genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,056 reviews

gameplay244 positive mentions

grinding232 negative mentions

The game features stunning hand-drawn art and fluid animations that create a captivating atmosphere.
Combat is fast-paced and engaging, with a variety of abilities that allow for dynamic gameplay.
The game offers multiple endings based on player choices, adding replayability and depth to the experience.

The procedural generation of rooms can lead to repetitive gameplay and a lack of memorable exploration.
Hordes of enemies spawn frequently, which can overwhelm players and detract from the enjoyment of combat.
The lack of a clear narrative and character development may leave some players feeling disconnected from the story.

gameplay
689 mentions
35 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Sundered" is characterized by its blend of metroidvania exploration and rogue-lite mechanics, featuring fluid movement and a variety of combat options. However, many players find the horde mechanic—where waves of enemies spawn unpredictably—frustrating and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. While the game offers engaging visuals and a unique atmosphere, the combat can feel clunky and grindy, leading to mixed feelings about its long-term enjoyment.
- “The gameplay is fun while you're still progressing, but before the final boss, if you want to fill out the skill tree you might have to grind a bit, and that is rather repetitive.”
- “The gameplay is very unique, and the wide range of abilities it offers creates space for some creativity both in combat and world traversal.”
- “The gameplay is solid, it makes you get better with time and lose fear of the hordes.”
- “The gameplay is frustrating and feels grindy.”
- “The constant and annoying hordes of enemies are the difficulty of the game; instead of feeling challenging and rewarding, it just tries to overwhelm you with sheer numbers of the same enemies.”
- “The horde mechanic means that you never know when you will run into enemies, nor how many you will encounter once they do begin spawning.”
graphics
557 mentions
65 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Sundered" are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which effectively captures a haunting Lovecraftian atmosphere. Players appreciate the fluid animations and intricate designs of both characters and environments, noting that the visuals significantly enhance the overall experience. However, some critiques mention that the repetitiveness of enemy encounters and procedural generation can detract from the visual immersion.
- “The artwork for the game is gorgeous; everything is hand-drawn and really gives off that creepy Lovecraftian vibe.”
- “The graphics are amazing, the controls are top-notch, and the storyline is pretty compelling in wanting to find out more about the world.”
- “Sundered is a metroidvania with beautiful graphics, randomly generated rooms, and things men were not meant to know.”
- “The graphics look like something from Ralph Bakshi, absolutely gorgeous.”
- “Although randomly generated, the paths often just feel cloned and the aesthetic of the areas doesn't quite change often enough for me.”
- “It's biggest let down is the promising visuals that simply weren't enough to carry the game to a playable standard.”
story
461 mentions
39 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story in "Sundered" is described as intriguing yet minimalistic, often conveyed through environmental storytelling and lore snippets rather than traditional narrative methods. While many players appreciate the Lovecraftian themes and the atmospheric elements that enhance the gameplay experience, some feel the story lacks depth and clarity, making it difficult to fully engage with the plot. Overall, the game offers a unique storytelling approach that may appeal to those who enjoy piecing together narratives through exploration, but it may not satisfy players seeking a more structured or detailed storyline.
- “The story is constantly intriguing and appears at just the right intervals, the voice performance adding so much to how it feels.”
- “The story elements are fairly well hooked into eldritch horror and are revealed as you travel through the map and interact with the world.”
- “The story is intriguing, and the way the game shows the story makes it clear that there are only sides of grey, as the humans are brutal and almost evil to the 'natives' that were just happily living in their Lovecraftian-abomination life in their dimension.”
- “My biggest complaint with the game is the minimalistic approach they took with the story.”
- “The story is barely there, and there's literally no ending I'd dignify with that title.”
- “The story didn't manage to pull me in due to the lack of proper exposition (who am I and what am I doing and why), even though it started nicely.”
music
289 mentions
48 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its haunting beauty and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience, particularly during boss fights. However, many others criticize the soundtrack for being sparse, forgettable, or even non-existent at times, suggesting that it often fails to leave a lasting impression. Overall, while the sound design and ambient effects are generally well-received, the music itself is seen as inconsistent, with some players recommending turning it off in favor of personal playlists.
- “The art is gorgeous, the music is hauntingly beautiful, and the shining trapezohedron sends chills down my spine.”
- “The mysterious and eldritch vibes of the game world are perfectly accompanied by a masterfully written soundtrack, and the boss fight music is so absolutely fantastic that over a year later, I still listen to them.”
- “The soundtrack is beautiful and captivating, bringing you into the game's stunning environments seamlessly.”
- “No music, just ambiance; or sparse, forgettable music, it's best to put this game on mute.”
- “Worst part: music is almost non-existent.”
- “The lack of proper music, especially during hordes and bosses, doesn't feel very fitting.”
grinding
238 mentions
1 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often leading to a tedious and repetitive experience for players. While some appreciate the grind as a means to progress and enhance their characters, many find it detracts from the overall enjoyment, making gameplay feel monotonous and frustrating, especially in the late game. The reliance on grinding for upgrades and the lack of engaging enemy variety contribute to a sense of fatigue, with some players suggesting that the game could benefit from a more balanced approach to progression.
- “The map isn't grindy; it changes just enough to keep you on your toes, but the places you discover still show up; only the road there will be different.”
- “The upgrade system/skill tree (more like a forest) ensures eventual victory with some dedication, but it's hard to correctly manually set game difficulty to keep it both challenging and not grindy.”
- “No grinding is required to finish the game.”
- “The problem with it lies in its endgame, because this game has a massive stat tree and it becomes just grinding until you got good enough stats to beat the final boss or fight harder hordes of enemies.”
- “The gameplay and concepts are great, but overall a touch too grindy and that's what prevents a stronger recommendation.”
- “You'll probably have to spend hours grinding the same boring enemies for upgrades, so you can actually survive a late game fight.”
atmosphere
140 mentions
63 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning hand-drawn visuals, haunting soundtrack, and immersive sound design, which collectively create a captivating and unsettling experience. Many reviewers highlight the Lovecraftian themes and unique art style, noting that the atmosphere enhances the gameplay and contributes significantly to the overall enjoyment, despite some criticisms regarding the story and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as rich, engaging, and integral to its appeal, making it a standout feature for players who appreciate a moody and immersive environment.
- “The art and atmosphere: stunning hand-drawn visuals and a haunting soundtrack create a world that's as beautiful as it is unsettling.”
- “The atmosphere is incredible between the music and the art, and each area has a distinct feel.”
- “Gorgeously illustrated, Sundered creates a unique atmosphere and feel with its alien Lovecraftian aesthetic coupled with some fairly frenetic gameplay at times.”
- “The gameplay is piss-poor and the amount of lore/atmosphere/story by no means makes up for it.”
- “Atmosphere is stale.”
- “The combat is lacking, the atmosphere is lacking.”
replayability
61 mentions
33 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a strong sense of replayability, with multiple endings, difficulty levels, and unique power sets encouraging players to explore different paths and strategies. Many reviewers noted that the ability to make choices significantly impacts gameplay, leading to varied experiences across playthroughs. However, some players felt that the replay value could be limited, depending on personal preferences and the depth of the gameplay mechanics.
- “I generally do not see the replay value in games, but I just had to complete it three times back-to-back to see and experience all three paths you can take (resist/embrace/both).”
- “The replay value is also great, with multiple ways to play through that impact the story and outcomes... no spoilers but it's pretty awesome.”
- “Sundered has some replay value as well as there are different paths that lead to different endings along with multiple difficulty settings.”
- “In the course of my three playthroughs, I found very little replayability to this game overall, which makes me quite sad.”
- “As for the replayability, the game doesn't provide an experience worth trying to see all three endings.”
- “There are no secrets, there is little to no replay value, even though there are alternative endings.”
character development
14 mentions
57 % positive mentions
21 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is visually impressive, featuring stunning character designs and animations that enhance the overall experience. While players appreciate the artistic elements and the engaging combat system, some express a desire for a more advanced character development process, such as skill trees. Overall, the game successfully combines exploration and combat with a unique character development system that includes perks and unlockable abilities, though it leans more towards visual appeal than deep narrative growth.
- “The character design is also very fitting of the world that is being portrayed and of the three main sections of the map.”
- “Personally, I'm a sucker for skill trees, so I loved the character development.”
- “Visually stunningly beautiful game with a curious character development system: there are perks, a passive stat tree, and Metroidvania-like unlockable abilities.”
- “I would like to see maybe a more advanced character development process.”
- “The character development feels lacking and doesn't provide enough depth for players to engage with their characters.”
- “While the visuals are stunning, the character development is quite shallow and doesn't offer meaningful choices.”
optimization
13 mentions
54 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is a mixed bag; while some users report smooth performance and high ratings, others note significant CPU/GPU demands that can hinder gameplay on less powerful systems. Despite some performance issues, particularly in the early hours, many players appreciate the improvements made, such as fixes for microstuttering and good performance on Linux.
- “Runs smoothly.”
- “Technical performance is also great.”
- “Optimization: 10/10.”
- “The only downside I can find is about the performance: not surprisingly (being that it's a Unity game), Sundered is really CPU/GPU hungry and it did bend - at times - a rig that plays the new Doom like a charm, so keep that in mind if you want to buy it.”
- “Sundered is a beautiful-looking metroidvania with interesting mechanics, let down slightly by performance issues and a difficulty curve that is simply too steep during its opening hours.”
- “They fixed the microstuttering.”
emotional
9 mentions
89 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional experience of the game to be intense and satisfying, particularly during boss battles that evoke feelings of triumph and tension. The adrenaline rush from combat, especially when navigating without touching the ground, adds to the thrill, while the game's art and sound design enhance the overall atmosphere. However, some players feel that the story elements can be easily overlooked, which may detract from the emotional depth for those not actively seeking it out.
- “The alarm of the horde always made me feel tense.”
- “The combat feels beautiful, and you get the most amazing adrenaline rush from killing an entire horde without touching the ground.”
- “Bosses: they're amazing, the only times I had to stop and actually think about my approaches were with the bosses and they truly made me feel like I was overpowering a monster out of my comprehension, super satisfying.”
- “Some would say it's a boring story, but I confess that it's very possible to miss the story considering that the Valkyrie and Eschaton narrative areas are not exactly highlighted in the truest sense. Unless you seek them out and interact with them (read: hit the black vortex for Eschaton lore), it makes it easy to miss the lore.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky elements, such as funny dialogues with ghouls and absurd scenarios involving Cthulhu and made-up languages that add a comedic touch. Players find the gameplay enjoyable enough to laugh off their deaths, with memorable moments like the hilariously designed second boss contributing to the overall lighthearted experience.
- “At the end of this saga, I was an unstoppable glass cannon laughing at the trapezohedron's meager power.”
- “It's not difficult, but that might just be because I enjoy the gameplay enough that I'm never upset when I die; swarming enemies can get hilarious.”
- “Or to put it differently, the second boss is absolutely hilarious; anyone who avoids dying in the first 5 seconds the first time around is missing out on a great laugh.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has sparked mixed feelings among users, with some labeling it a "lazy cheap cash grab" due to misleading advertising as a "metroidvania." This has contributed to its under-the-radar status, as the game's marketing efforts are perceived as insufficient.
- “Lazy cheap cash grab.”
- “There's a lot of love and hate surrounding this game, and I think a lot of it is surrounding the advertising as 'metroidvania,' which is neither wholly accurate nor inaccurate.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for frequent bugs, particularly with loading screens that often freeze at 40%, leading to frustrating gameplay interruptions.
- “Sometimes buggy.”
- “All of the loading screens stop at 40% and freeze there indefinitely.”