Swag and Sorcery
- May 9, 2019
- Uroboros Games
- 18h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple StoreSwag and Sorcery is a pixel art-style RPG simulation game where players manage a group of heroes, sending them on quests to battle enemies and collect resources. Customization and gathering "swag" for heroes' appearances are key features. Players can build and upgrade their own town, discover new heroes, and engage in strategic battles with unique abilities and spells.
iPad
iPhone
PC
Phone
Windows
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Charming pixel art and animations that enhance the overall experience.
- Engaging gameplay loop that combines resource management and crafting.
- Humorous writing and quirky characters add a lighthearted touch.
- Excessive grind that can lead to boredom and frustration.
- Lack of automation features makes gameplay tedious and repetitive.
- Unfinished content and bugs detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- grinding786 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Swag and Sorcery" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive. While some enjoy the grind as a core mechanic, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to a lack of meaningful progression and engagement. The absence of automation features further exacerbates the grind, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable gameplay element.
“It is not that grindy as others say; if you optimize the way you play, you don't have much need to grind.”
“Gameplay was not tedious; instead, it was fun.”
“Additionally, the emphasis on grinding through areas to level up heroes and craft better gear can become tiresome, especially since the game relies heavily on automated gathering and combat.”
“The crafting and battle loop is very grindy which isn't all bad, however, some items are just straight passable, some stats are just useless and the end game isn't worth playing.”
“It's just not fun after a few hours, the reason for most grindy games is to get to a point, but this game doesn't have one, it's literally just the grind and nothing else.”
- story492 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally perceived as weak and underwhelming, often described as generic and lacking depth, with many players finding it disengaging and filled with bugs. While some appreciate the humor and cute animations, the overall narrative fails to motivate continued play after the main quest is completed, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction and frustration with quest mechanics. Many reviewers suggest that the story feels more like an afterthought, overshadowed by the grindy gameplay and poorly structured quest system.
“The story is fun and entertaining enough, and once you get through it, around the 20-hour mark, you can just be done and move on to something else.”
“The plot is a humorous mix of standard tropes (missing item! villain plots coup!) and not-so-standard ones.”
“The game comes with a quirky little story.”
“The end cutscene felt like a bug where I wasn't sure if I needed to click something or wait for a joke to land; there is no point to the final endless adventure mode - no bosses, no silly quest to incentivize progression.”
“The story is meaningless in the first half of the game I played.”
“The story is pretty lame, the humor is funny the first 5 hours... and after that point it's grind... grind... grind... every minute and if you try to get the game to 100%... it will be tons and tons more grind.”
- gameplay380 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Swag and Sorcery" is characterized by a repetitive loop of sending heroes on short adventures to gather resources, craft items, and participate in fashion contests, which can become monotonous over time. While the game features charming visuals and simple mechanics that may appeal to younger players, many reviewers criticize the lack of depth, slow progression, and reliance on grinding, making it feel more like a mobile game without the benefits of automation. Overall, the gameplay is seen as lacking innovation and variety, leading to a less engaging experience.
“The core gameplay loop involves sending heroes on short adventures to gather resources, battle enemies, and participate in fashion shows.”
“Its whimsical nature and easy-to-understand gameplay make it accessible to younger players, serving as a gateway for them to explore more complex games in the future.”
“The primary gameplay loop is fun (for me at least), and I got at least a little enjoyment out of min-maxing my stats and swapping my gear from person to person.”
“It's just a shame that the gameplay loop doesn't offer more variety to keep players engaged for longer periods.”
“The game has a decent premise... except the gameplay is just plain bad: you spend most of the time waiting as your group grinds, then a couple minutes of activity, then waiting.... you might have fun if you literally play another game while 'playing' this one - or are looking through the internet.”
“The gameplay does not offer anything new after the first 5 minutes.”
- graphics190 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Swag and Sorcery" are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, vibrant colors, and well-animated characters, evoking a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic games. However, many players feel that while the visuals are appealing, they are ultimately overshadowed by the game's lackluster gameplay and repetitive mechanics, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite the aesthetic appeal, several reviews highlight that the graphics alone cannot compensate for the game's shortcomings in depth and engagement.
“The artwork is fantastic, it really is beautiful.”
“Graphics 10/10 - excellent pixel art, awesome animations!”
“Getting the materialistic (for want of a better word) stuff out of the way, the graphics are gorgeous, the music is fun and unobtrusive, the sound design is lovely and makes interacting with the UI (which is nicely intuitive) and the game in general a more visceral experience.”
“Except for the okay graphics, I have absolutely nothing positive to say about Swag and Sorcery.”
“The premise and graphics are cute, but the execution is a slog.”
“I wanted to like it, but aside from the graphics, the game has nothing to offer.”
- humor152 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it quirky and charming, while others criticize it as cringy and juvenile. Many appreciate the lighthearted and absurd elements, particularly in the early stages, but note that the jokes often fall flat and can become repetitive over time. Overall, while the humor adds a fun layer to the gameplay, it may not be enough to compensate for the game's grindy nature and lack of depth.
“Despite these drawbacks, 'Swag and Sorcery' still manages to charm with its quirky humor, stylish aesthetics, and addictive progression system.”
“The narrator and the black cat are fun as hell, and it's a shame there is no use of the black cat as a plot twist or anything at all and ends just as a gimmick to talk with the narrator and say funny stuff.”
“Random little details and funny random actions (such as the king and his various outfits, and seeing him pop his head in the window of the fashion shows) - love that kind of goofy, doesn't-take-itself-seriously vibe, especially when all I want to do is veg out for an hour or two.”
- music48 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as pleasant and cheerful, with some reviewers noting it as a highlight of the experience. However, many players find it repetitive, with only a few tracks that can become monotonous over extended gameplay. Overall, while the music is enjoyable and complements the graphics, it may not sustain interest for long periods.
“Getting the materialistic (for want of a better word) stuff out of the way, the graphics are gorgeous, the music is fun and unobtrusive, the sound design is lovely and makes interacting with the UI (which is nicely intuitive) and the game in general a more visceral experience.”
“One of the best things about this game is certainly the soundtrack as it is definitely stuck in my head and will be for a long time.”
“Relaxing game with pleasant music and graphics.”
“While the art style and music are charming throwbacks, the game fails to live up to its potential.”
“Since we're on the subject of 'not good', the music is quite repetitive.”
“I think there's two or three songs that start to drone really hard after a while.”
- stability40 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder the gameplay experience. Many users feel that the game was released in an unfinished state, lacking necessary polish and balance, while some have noted that it appears to be abandoned by the developers after a rocky launch. Although a few players have experienced minimal issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the game requires substantial improvements to reach a stable and enjoyable state.
“No glitches so far.”
“I found it refreshingly bug-free and polished.”
“I cannot recommend this game to others since it is buggy and needs a lot of polish still.”
“For being a 'released' game, this has so many bugs and glitches it should have never seen the light of release and is still in an early beta state.”
“Yes, games can be buggy at the start, but these are massive bugs that could have been detected by simply game testing before the launch.”
- monetization36 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game adopts a pay-up-front model, eschewing microtransactions and ads, which some players appreciate as a refreshing change from typical mobile game monetization. However, many reviewers feel the gameplay suffers from a tedious grind that resembles freemium mechanics, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction and a desire for more engaging content. Overall, while the absence of microtransactions is praised, the game's slow progression and lack of depth leave players feeling lost and frustrated.
“I think I was most excited that it was a pay-up-front model with no microtransactions, so the full range of content would be there and success would rely on the player's performance.”
“The whole game has a mobile game feeling but without predatory microtransactions.”
“If they fix it with a purchased DLC, I will forever mark this developer as a cash grab.”
“This game feels like the intention of it was to be released as a free-to-play game with microtransactions, but sometime down the line of development management decided to do a 180 and just sell it as a buy-to-play game instead and remove all the microtransactions/loot boxes.”
“I expected at any second to be bombarded with microtransactions to make the game balanced.”
- replayability20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game suffers from a significant lack of replayability, with many users noting that it feels unfinished and offers little incentive to play beyond the initial run. With only seven levels and a subpar quest system, players find the experience to be a quick grind without meaningful endgame content or replay value. While some mention random elements that could enhance replayability, the consensus is that the game ultimately fails to provide a compelling reason to return after completion.
“The RNG makes it replayable.”
“I am sure Soda Dungeon 2 will easily outperform this game in terms of replayability and fun when it's released.”
“The main drawback to this style of game is replayability.”
“The game was unfortunately released in a very unfinished state with multiple items still at the time of writing lacking descriptions, a sub-par quest system that often doesn't recognize whether or not you fulfill the requirements to finish the quest, and a crippling lack of replayability after the first run through the game.”
“Unfinished game, you can get to tier 3 and start earning new materials in endless mode, but there are no blueprints or buildings or anything to use these new materials on. The story is okay for one run, but replayable? No.”
“In essence, this game is a pointless grind, not even a fun grind... and once you beat the game, you beat the game; zero replayability in this one.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Players have noted significant shortcomings in optimization, highlighting the absence of basic features like saving favorite outfits, which adds unnecessary complexity to gameplay. While the pay-up-front model is appreciated, many feel that the game requires excessive micromanagement and lacks efficient questing options, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, there is a strong desire for improvements to streamline gameplay and reduce repetitive tasks.
“In the beginning, you need to pay attention to what you're doing, babysit your runs and build gear for optimization purposes.”
“I think I was most excited that it was a pay-up-front model with no microtransactions so the full range of content would be there and success would rely on the player's performance.”
“There are so many simple optimizations missing, and parts that just feel like unnecessary work on the player's part (for the love of god, give me a way to save favorite outfits so I don’t keep having to redress my entire army every time I need to craft something!).”
“I bought the game and I find it could use some optimization improvements, such as a faster 'questing' option.”
“In the beginning, you need to pay attention to what you're doing, babysit your runs, and build gear for optimization purposes.”
