Talented

About

"Talented" is an arcade roguelite shoot 'em up where you must survive 20 nights of demon hordes and unlock four unique classes, each with distinct abilities and talent trees. The game features randomly generated skill trees, allowing for diverse strategies and playstyles as you level up and acquire new talents. Use an array of abilities, such as a hail of arrows, powerful spells, or even snail allies, to overcome the relentless onslaught and emerge victorious.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 732 reviews

gameplay46 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and engaging randomized talent tree that keeps each run fresh and encourages exploration.
It's easy to pick up and play, making it accessible for both casual gamers and those looking for a deeper strategy experience.
For its low price, the game provides a surprising amount of content and replayability, making it a great value.

The game can feel heavily reliant on RNG, leading to runs that may feel unfair or frustrating if the right talents don't appear.
Some players find the early game to be more challenging than the late game, which can disrupt the expected difficulty curve.
There are complaints about the lack of meaningful player choice in the talent tree, as many talents feel underwhelming or situational.

gameplay
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
60%
6%
The gameplay of "Talented" is characterized by its simplicity and addictive nature, offering a straightforward experience that allows for skill-based progression through a unique talent tree system. While some players appreciate the engaging mechanics and variety across different classes, others criticize the gameplay for being shallow and lacking depth, with repetitive elements that can lead to boredom. Overall, the game provides a mix of fun and frustration, appealing to those who enjoy casual roguelite experiences but may not satisfy players seeking more complex gameplay.
- “Pretty damn fun, music and gameplay are 10/10.”
- “The gameplay is very simple but extremely addictive and has plenty of variables.”
- “Talented is a fun and addictive rogue-lite, the titular talent tree is a really interesting mechanic to explore which makes each run feel quite unique and encourages exploration, but it still allows you to direct your build.”
- “The 'actual gameplay' is something I've literally found myself nodding off at, because it's rather mindless arrow key pressing.”
- “Despite its eerie atmosphere, the gameplay lacks depth and fails to immerse players in its world.”
- “The core gameplay is somewhat boring and not well presented.”
music
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
37%
6%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many users praising it as one of the best soundtracks in a roguelike, featuring catchy, engaging tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. Reviewers noted that the music evolves and intensifies as players progress, creating an addictive atmosphere that complements the simple yet satisfying gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature, with some even suggesting it deserves award recognition for its quality.
- “The music is by far the best I've heard in a roguelike so far. The gameplay is simple, but very enjoyable and won't overstay its welcome. The skill tree is an interesting and unique approach for a game of this type, and just off the look of this alone, I can only eagerly anticipate what could come next because I am loving this so far!”
- “The music is incredible, the skills are fun, and I am overall having a blast!”
- “Addictively simple gameplay that still manages to be engaging at challenging, an expansive skill tree, multiple classes with their own unique loadouts, lovely Game Boy style graphics, and an absolute earworm of a soundtrack that gradually ramps up as you progress in a run.”
- “Serviceable soundtrack.”
- “Even the music is banging.”
- “Addictively simple gameplay that still manages to be engaging at challenging, an expansive (but not overwhelming or confusing) skill tree, multiple classes with their own unique loadouts, lovely game boy style graphics, and an absolute earworm of a soundtrack (that manages to not get old despite essentially being one track) that gradually ramps up as you progress in a run.”
replayability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
44%
9%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability due to dynamic tech trees, diverse character playstyles, and randomly generated skill trees, which keep the gameplay fresh and engaging. While some users note that it may lack depth in certain areas, the combination of randomness and unlockable content offers significant replay value, especially considering its low price. Many players find it addictive and satisfying, making it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy roguelite mechanics.
- “The dynamic tech tree and every unlocked hero plays very differently from each other, making it very replayable.”
- “The randomly generated (and very large) skill trees for each playthrough are fun to explore and give a lot of replayability to an otherwise simple concept (defend yourself from enemies coming at you from four different directions).”
- “I thought it would get old after the first couple of runs, but the randomization and the way each character plays completely differently from run to run makes this immensely replayable.”
- “Lacks replayability and has some flaws.”
- “I don't think it has a ton of replayability at the moment, but having already gotten 7 hours out of it for only $2, I'd definitely say it's worth it and I hope they'll continue to develop it further.”
- “Although this game looks quite simple, it has the most important thing - replayability.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The graphics of the game are consistently described as reminiscent of Game Boy aesthetics, featuring charming, retro visuals that evoke nostalgia for old-school Nintendo games. While some players appreciate the simplicity and color palette, others express a desire for more vibrant colors. Overall, the graphics are praised for their compatibility with lower-end systems and their contribution to the game's engaging and addictive gameplay experience.
- “Music and visuals are top notch, and the variety and depth of challenges are well worth the pickup!”
- “Cute Game Boy-like graphics.”
- “You get a very satisfying roguelite that stands out from the rest quite well due to charming graphics, nice tunes, and randomized runs for high replay value among different classes.”
- “When I first saw it, it reminded me of Game Boy graphics.”
- “I guess it's graphics friendly if you're worried about your dinosaur potato computer/laptop setup.”
- “If this game was actually colored, I'd like it. I know it's the aesthetic it's going for, but now I feel like I'm playing a Game Boy Color game.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the satisfying progression and dopamine rush from leveling up, others criticize the grind as tedious and lacking mental stimulation, particularly when trying to unlock higher difficulty levels and masteries that feel underwhelming. Overall, the grind can detract from the enjoyment, leading to feelings of boredom and frustration.
- “If anything, the game is a bit grindy to unlock the higher difficulty levels.”
- “Went from a very fun yet challenging game with a bumpin' soundtrack to one of the most tooth-grinding and unfair games I've played.”
- “Maybe it gets harder later, but there's no mental stimulation, so I'm not really having fun and too bored to keep grinding.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story in "Stone Story RPG" is noted for its complexity, effectively blending idle clicker mechanics with strategic elements such as managing equipment and adapting to various enemy weaknesses and resistances. Players appreciate the depth of the narrative, which encourages a focus on survival and character management rather than direct control, reminiscent of other games like "Loop Hero." Overall, the game's storytelling is praised for its innovative approach within the idle genre.
- “There is a game called Stone Story RPG, which shocked me at the time on how its developer managed to make an idle clicker game so complex with all that coding, different enemies with different weaknesses and resistances, and how you need to change your equipment according to them.”
- “I felt like if we weren't in control of our character and only managed them to survive the night by changing their stats and skills, that would be cooler in my opinion.”
- “With a host of supportive mechanics like in Stone Story RPG or Loop Hero, of course.”
- “But since I saw the idea from Stone Story RPG, I felt like if we weren't in control of our character and only managed them to survive the night by changing their stats and skills, that would be cooler in my opinion.”
- “There is a game called Stone Story RPG, which shocked me at the time on how its developer managed to make an idle clicker game so complex with all that coding stuff, different enemies with different weaknesses and resistances, and how you need to change your equipment according to them.”
- “With also a host of some other supportive mechanics like in Stone Story RPG or Loop Hero, of course.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its eerie atmosphere, which effectively sets a haunting tone; however, many players feel that the lack of depth in gameplay undermines the potential for true immersion in the world.
- “Despite its eerie atmosphere, the gameplay lacks depth and fails to immerse players in its world.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game performs smoothly on the Steam Deck, but players may need to create or download a custom controller configuration for optimal comfort while playing.
- “The Steam Deck performance is smooth, although you will need to create or download a custom controller configuration to play comfortably as of January.”
- “Steam Deck performance is smooth, although you will need to create or download a custom controller configuration to play comfortably as of January.”