Sword of the Necromancer

Sword of the Necromancer has some neat ideas on show in its dungeon-crawling gameplay, but it felt a little bit too basic to offer that much excitement. What doesn’t help is the restricted item limit, which often made it difficult to justify reviving monsters and having them fight beside you… you know, the coolest feature of the game. It’s certainly not a bad game and I can’t say that I didn’t have fun playing, but I just wish that it did a little bit more. With a bit of extra work I could see Sword of the Necromancer offering a genuinely unique and engaging dungeon-crawling roguelite experience, but as it stands, there are too many better games to play in the genre instead of it.

60%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

57% User Score Based on 182 reviews

Critic Score 68%Based on 3 reviews

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About

Sword of the Necromancer is a single player and multiplayer hack and slash game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Grimorio of Games and was released on January 28, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

In "Sword of the Necromancer," players explore dungeons, battle enemies, and gather loot as a rogue-like dungeon crawler. The titular sword grants the ability to raise defeated foes as companions, adding a strategic layer to combat. With permanent death and procedurally generated levels, each playthrough offers a unique challenge.

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57%

Audience ScoreBased on 182 reviews

story35 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features a unique mechanic that allows players to revive defeated foes as allies, adding a strategic layer to combat.
The emotional narrative centered around themes of love and loss, particularly the relationship between the main characters, is engaging and well-presented.
The pixel-art style and soundtrack create an immersive atmosphere that complements the gameplay.

Combat feels clunky and slow, with limited options for player actions and a lack of fluidity in movement and attacks.
The restrictive inventory system limits player choices, making it difficult to manage items and summoned monsters effectively.
The AI for summoned monsters is often poor, leading to frustration as they fail to engage effectively in battles.

story
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
66%
3%
The game's story, centered around Tama's quest to resurrect her companion Koko, receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its emotional depth and character development, others find it clichéd and poorly executed. The voice acting and visual presentation are often praised, but the narrative can feel hamfisted or cringeworthy, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many players are drawn in by the heartfelt themes and unique mechanics, making the story a significant, if polarizing, aspect of the game.
- “From the moment you begin, the game sets itself apart by weaving a story centered on Tama, a determined warrior who wields a cursed sword with the power to raise the dead.”
- “Her quest to resurrect her lost companion, Koko, drives the player through dark, procedurally generated dungeons filled with deadly enemies and challenging bosses.”
- “The story is beautiful, the voice acting is great, and the attention to detail has blown my mind.”
- “Stiff gameplay with an undesirable story... this is not fun.”
- “A story and voice acting so cheesy it made me bang my head against the wall to endure it.”
- “The story is as cliched as it gets and too sappy.”
gameplay
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
54%
17%
The gameplay of "Sword of the Necromancer" features a unique summoning mechanic that allows players to revive defeated foes as allies, adding a strategic layer to the typical dungeon crawler experience. However, many reviewers criticize the overall execution, noting that the combat can feel repetitive and clunky, with limited enemy variety and slow-paced movement detracting from the enjoyment. While the emotional narrative and innovative mechanics are praised, the gameplay often fails to deliver a consistently engaging experience.
- “The gameplay loop in Sword of the Necromancer emphasizes both combat skill and tactical decision-making.”
- “What makes this game especially intriguing is its unique mechanic that allows you to revive defeated foes as allies, turning former enemies into undead companions who fight alongside you.”
- “Many players appreciate the fresh take on roguelike gameplay and the way the game challenges them to think creatively about combat and survival.”
- “The gameplay is extremely clunky, visuals are very low tier pixel art, sounds are buggy, for some reason monster familiars take up weapon spaces.”
- “The core gameplay isn't fun or fluid enough.”
- “The entirety of the gameplay is far too slow and the 'tactics' are very basic and rudimentary.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
69%
10%
The game's graphics feature a pixel-art style that aims to evoke nostalgia for classic RPGs, though opinions are sharply divided. While some players appreciate the charm and aesthetic, others criticize the visuals as low-quality and inauthentic, likening them to a rushed project rather than a polished product. Overall, the graphics are described as simplistic and basic, with a mix of enjoyment and disappointment among players regarding their execution.
- “Visually, the game embraces a pixel-art style that pays homage to classic RPGs while offering its own distinct charm.”
- “It's a really comfy experience, and once you have the hang of the possibilities of capturing any enemy and fighting back with it, it becomes quite chill with the cutesy pixel art, Celtic aesthetics, and orchestrated music.”
- “I like its mechanic (resurrecting monsters you defeated to make them fight on your side), the art style, and the plot.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “Visually, this is a hamfisted mess, a dog's breakfast of bad visuals, and this kind of laziness and poor quality should never be foisted on gamers.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack for enhancing emotional and tense moments, while others find it merely adequate or forgettable. Highlights include memorable final tracks and a strong chiptune influence, but some players feel the repetitive nature of gameplay diminishes the overall impact of the music. Overall, while the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, it may not be groundbreaking or consistently engaging for all players.
- “The soundtrack is another strong point, featuring music that amplifies the game’s emotional and tense moments, supporting the narrative’s somber tone and the thrill of combat alike.”
- “The story, the music, and unusual gameplay created an experience that was well worth the cost of the game.”
- “The music sets the perfect tone for delving into a dungeon filled with the monsters created by the mysterious necromancer.”
- “The music in the game certainly exists, not anything worthy of praise or admonishment, just mid.”
- “The soundtrack also wears on you.”
- “The soundtrack is adequate, with the final song being quite memorable.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Sword of the Necromancer" is praised for its deeply emotional narrative that explores themes of loss, grief, and sacrifice, enhancing the typical dungeon crawler experience. Reviewers commend the heartfelt story, particularly its representation of a lesbian relationship, and the impactful soundtrack that elevates emotional moments. While some gameplay elements could be refined, the overall emotional engagement and innovative mechanics make it a compelling experience.
- “Sword of the Necromancer, developed and published by Grimorio of Games alongside Jandusoft, is an action RPG that combines roguelike dungeon crawling with a deeply emotional narrative.”
- “The narrative explores themes of loss, grief, and sacrifice, giving the gameplay an added layer of emotional weight that resonates beyond the typical dungeon crawler experience.”
- “The soundtrack is another strong point, featuring music that amplifies the game’s emotional and tense moments, supporting the narrative’s somber tone and the thrill of combat alike.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive farming to build effective character builds. The clunky inventory system and lack of quality-of-life features contribute to a frustrating experience, making runs feel repetitive and slow, especially with poorly telegraphed enemy attacks and linear boss encounters. Overall, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment of the game, leading to a sense of monotony.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The enemies often don't have great telegraphs for attacks, which, combined with the stiff combat controls, leads to taking a lot of hits unless you play so safe that the game ends up feeling kind of slow and tedious.”
- “Since you cannot skip the bosses, and this is a very linear game, the bosses have already become stale and tedious after just an hour of play.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its meticulous design, with each dungeon offering a distinct environment that varies from eerie crypts to fiery caverns, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- “The dungeons are crafted with attention to atmosphere, each level presenting a different environment that ranges from eerie crypts to fiery caverns.”
- “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the visuals, creating an immersive experience that pulls you into the game's world.”
- “Every corner of the game is filled with intricate details that enhance the atmosphere, making exploration feel both thrilling and unsettling.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight that the character development is significantly enhanced by fluid animations and expressive designs, which contribute to a more immersive gaming experience.
- “The art is complemented by fluid animations and expressive character designs that enhance immersion.”
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character.”
- “Each character's journey is thoughtfully crafted, making their growth feel authentic and rewarding.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on all modern PCs, providing a comfortable and user-friendly gameplay experience.
- “The game runs smoothly on every modern PC, and the gameplay is very comfortable and easy to handle.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless performance even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it maintains a steady frame rate and responsive controls throughout.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted as entertaining and engaging, complementing its interesting plot and solid gameplay. While some players note a lack of variety in maps and lengthy hallways, the overall comedic elements contribute positively to the experience, encouraging players to continue exploring the story.
- “It's a really funny and entertaining game with an interesting plot behind it, something that I personally find important and makes me want to keep playing not only to advance in the dungeon and see more monsters and bosses, but to learn more about the history of Tama and Koko.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is criticized for its clunky gameplay, low-quality visuals, and numerous sound bugs, including inconsistent volume levels. Additionally, the issue of monster familiars occupying weapon slots further detracts from the overall experience.
- “The gameplay is extremely clunky, visuals are very low-tier pixel art, sounds are buggy, and for some reason, monster familiars take up weapon spaces.”
- “The sound effects are also buggy, sometimes being ridiculously loud despite having the volume set low.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game offers a cool concept with some level of replayability beyond the main story, suggesting that there are elements that encourage revisiting the game.
- “It was a cool concept with some replayability after the main story.”

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68%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

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8h Median play time

10h Average play time

3-18h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sword of the Necromancer is a hack and slash game with fantasy theme.

Sword of the Necromancer is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing Sword of the Necromancer.

Sword of the Necromancer was released on January 28, 2021.

Sword of the Necromancer was developed by Grimorio of Games.

Sword of the Necromancer has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Sword of the Necromancer is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Moonlighter, Sparklite, Children of Morta, RAD, Chasm and others.

Sword of the Necromancer

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