Swords and Sorcery Underworld
- December 14, 2015
- OlderBytes
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam"Swords and Sorcery - Underworld" is a party-based RPG with turn-based combat and a 3D environment. The game features abstract yet tactical combat with varied character abilities and over 100 illustrated enemies, each with unique abilities. With 40 spells and first-person view, players will need to carefully position their characters and manage resources to succeed.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great fun for fans of old-school RPGs like Bard's Tale, Might & Magic, and Wizardry, offering a nostalgic experience.
- The game features a variety of classes and character customization, allowing for diverse party compositions and strategies.
- Engaging combat mechanics that require tactical planning, with a rewarding sense of progression as players level up and improve their characters.
- The game suffers from frequent freezing and crashing issues, making it frustrating to play at times.
- Initial difficulty is extremely high, with many players experiencing one-shot kills from enemies, leading to a steep learning curve.
- Graphics and sound design are considered outdated and lack polish, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.
- graphics60 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the unique comic book style and detailed artwork, while others criticize the outdated visuals and repetitive designs reminiscent of early 90s games. Many players appreciate the artistic direction but note that certain elements, like tile artwork, lack variety and detail. Overall, while the graphics may appeal to fans of retro aesthetics, they are considered subpar by modern standards.
“The graphics are rendered in great detail, with plot scenes being shown with static full screen brightly colored comic book-style art.”
“This is a true-to-the-late-80s turn-based dungeon crawler with interesting hand-drawn graphics.”
“None of the dry wit humor of M&M, but the graphics are outstanding and some of the 'monsters' are pretty funny.”
“The graphics are repetitive and boring.”
“Would it really hurt to toss a tiny bit of variation into some of the graphics?”
“The graphics are outdated even for a small budget game.”
- grinding36 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a mixed reception regarding grinding in the game. While some players find it necessary for progression and appreciate the rewards from grinding, others criticize it for being tedious and punishing, especially for weaker groups. Overall, the game seems to require significant grinding, which may appeal to hardcore fans of the genre but frustrate those seeking a more streamlined experience.
“The only downside is that it requires a lot of grinding and you're going to be staying in the same areas for some time until you've gotten to a level where you can handle what's next.”
“Not bad for what it purports to be, but the pacing seems a bit off - lots and lots of grinding is necessary.”
“There's a reason many RPGs don't have grinding anymore; it's not fun for most people.”
- story28 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging and well-paced, allowing players to explore diverse cities, interact with various fantasy races, and tackle unique dungeons filled with quests and puzzles. While some players appreciate the nostalgic, immersive narrative reminiscent of classic RPGs, others find the overall story somewhat shallow and repetitive, hoping for deeper character development and plot in future expansions. The visuals complement the storytelling with detailed graphics and comic book-style art, enhancing the overall atmospheric experience.
“By the time your quest is complete, you'll have explored several cities, gained the support of dwarfs and elves, traveled the elemental planes, and saved the world.”
“The story line has good pacing with just enough quests to keep you moving, but not so many that you've got a lot of loose ends.”
“For those of us who still enjoy the old style of gaming, who don't care about flashy graphics and sound, and just want an atmospheric, immersive story and all the fantasy trademarks of yesteryear, will do well to check out this game.”
“You pretty much use the same battle tactics over and over while progressing through a pretty shallow story, grinding away through levels.”
“I hope there is more depth to character build, dungeons, and story in the expansion.”
“I'm currently doing a fetch quest at level 2.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a simple, grid-based, turn-based system reminiscent of classic titles like Wizardry, featuring easy-to-learn mechanics and distinct dungeon designs. However, players note that the combat becomes less challenging after the initial stages, and long wait times during enemy turns can detract from the experience. While the game offers engaging combat and strategic positioning, its simplistic mechanics may not sustain interest over the full playtime.
“One way to describe it...wizardry but with updated game mechanics.”
“The developer also put in a lot of effort into creating different kinds of dungeons with different mechanics and behavior that are uniquely distinctive.”
“Great brutal combat; there is some grinding here, but it doesn't detract from the overall gameplay.”
“So of the 23 minutes I've played, only 4 were actual gameplay; the rest was sitting and hoping that it would not stay hung on the enemy's turn in combat.”
“Sadly, the combat difficulty rather goes out the window after the first third of the game, and the underlying mechanics are a little too simplistic to sustain the ~18 hour playing time.”
“Or being completely dead makes no difference here - it's just bad gameplay.”
- music14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as decent but limited, with only a few pieces available that players find satisfactory yet insufficient. While some tracks, like the eerie temple music, stand out, many reviewers express a desire for a more extensive soundtrack to enhance the overall experience. Combat sound effects are praised, but the intermittent nature of the music during key moments can detract from immersion.
“Decent musical score.”
“The music that's in there is fine, but I would have liked more of it!”
“The soundtrack is a bit lacking, but nothing's perfect, I guess.”
“The music has been intermittent in my game, such as during a discovery scene, quest reward scene, or the sound of a battle that just turned grim.”
“The eerie music from the temples.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game lacks the dry wit found in titles like Might and Magic, but it does feature some amusing monster designs. Players find humor in the absurdity of situations, particularly when their characters become overpowered despite struggling with the game's logic. Overall, while the humor may not be sophisticated, it adds a lighthearted touch to the experience.
“None of the dry wit humor of M&M, but the graphics are outstanding and some of the 'monsters' are pretty funny.”
“Funny thing is, by the time I surrendered and looked up the answer (which I could just barely piece together the logic of), my knights were dual-wielding greatswords and the thing was worthless.”
“Funny enough.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is reminiscent of classic titles like Black Crypt, offering an immersive and nostalgic experience for players who appreciate old-school gaming over modern graphics and sound. It successfully captures the essence of fantasy storytelling, appealing to those who seek a rich, atmospheric journey.
“For those of us who still enjoy the old style of gaming, who don't care about flashy graphics and sound, and just want an atmospheric, immersive story and all the fantasy trademarks of yesteryear, this game is a must-check-out.”
“I found the atmosphere reminiscent of Black Crypt, but the game mechanics are more akin to Might and Magic III.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with users reporting frequent freezes and bugs, particularly when unlocking content. Many players express disappointment over these issues, feeling that the game had significant potential if not for its technical problems.
“Buggy as hell, keeps freezing whenever I unlock something... requesting a refund.”
“It's a shame that the game is buggy as it had real potential, in my humble opinion.”
“Buggy as hell, keeps freezing whenever I unlock something... requesting a refund.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is considered recommendable due to its fair pricing relative to its design and length, but it has low replayability, which may limit players' desire to revisit it.
“It is still a recommendable game since it has a price that is proportionate to the game's design, length, and replayability (low).”
“It is still a recommendable game since it has a price that is proportionate to the game's design, length, and replayability (low).”
