The Broken Seal
- January 29, 2018
- XAREA
- 40h median play time
Get on Steam"The Broken Seal" is a VR game offering a vast, immersive world with magic release through voice. Initially in Early Access, it now features a Non-VR mode for multiplayer questing. Its continued development brings new spells, systems, areas, monsters, and more.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The voice-activated spellcasting system is a unique and fun mechanic that enhances immersion and gameplay experience.
- The game offers a wide variety of spells and abilities, allowing for creative combat strategies and playstyles.
- Despite its rough edges, the game provides a large world to explore with plenty of content, making it enjoyable for fans of RPGs.
- The gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with quests primarily revolving around 'go place, kill thing' objectives and limited variety in enemy encounters.
- The graphics and overall polish of the game are lacking, which may detract from the experience for some players.
- There are significant issues with voice recognition for spellcasting, making it difficult for players with accents or speech difficulties to fully enjoy the game.
- graphics19 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are generally low-quality and dated, often compared to titles from the early 2000s. While some players find the visuals acceptable and even charming in a nostalgic way, others feel that the lack of polish could hinder the game's appeal. Overall, the graphics are seen as a weak point, but they do not detract significantly from the enjoyable gameplay experience.
“It's a great game, I like the WoW style graphics and in most games I don't think mobs are creepy, but a lot of the ones in this game are pretty creepy.”
“The graphics are fantastic and the AI is smart.”
“Graphics range from a little dated to excellent.”
“Graphics are maybe a 4.5/10, nothing too crazy like Half-Life: Alyx.”
“The graphics aren't as detailed as some other games in the genre.”
“Graphically, the game isn't going to win any awards.”
- story15 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and immersion, with many reviewers noting that it features a minimal plot centered around a broken seal and the ensuing chaos. Players express a desire for more engaging side quests and a richer narrative experience, as the current quests are often vague and uninteresting. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a significant weakness, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
“There needs to be side quests with their own storylines.”
“I personally like some story with my slaughter but I didn't mind the directness of the quests.”
“The game barely has a plot worth mentioning, so if you're looking for an immersive story, this isn't for you.”
“But, as it stands, the plot is that the seal is broken, evil things are coming into the nameless lands because of it, and it's up to you to make things go dead until you can unbreak the seal again.”
“There's really no story here.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay offers around 40 hours of content, featuring classic action/RPG mechanics with unique VR elements, such as verbally casting spells. While the multiplayer aspect could extend gameplay further, some users criticize the bow mechanics and the need for gameplay improvements. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative approach but faces challenges with graphical quality and certain mechanics.
“They say there is 40 hours of gameplay.”
“Some classic action/RPG style gameplay with a few twists and good use of VR.”
“Finally, a VR game that's more than just fun mechanics.”
“The gameplay, combat, everything.”
“I hate this bow mechanic.”
“And be ready for some needed gameplay fixes.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be significant, with some expressing frustration over the lack of ongoing support and potential for expansion in areas like farming and dungeons. While the grind can be time-consuming, many appreciate the pacing and variation that help maintain interest throughout the experience.
“Just sucks that there is no more support for the game since there is so much that can be done, like farming, dungeons, guilds, housing, and markets.”
“Very, very big, and the spells take time to memorize, but it's grindy halfway through.”
“The pacing is good, although there is some grinding to keep advancing, with enough variation to keep things interesting.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, ensuring smooth performance and a seamless gaming experience.
“The game is very well optimized.”
“I was impressed by how smoothly everything runs; the optimization is top-notch.”
“The developers have done an excellent job with optimization, making the gameplay experience seamless.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players who appreciate character development in games like World of Warcraft will find this game appealing, as it offers a similar leveling and progression experience.
“If you're a fan of WoW and similar character development and leveling games, then you'll enjoy this one.”
“The character development in this game is incredibly deep, allowing players to shape their heroes in unique ways.”
“I love how the choices I make during character development truly impact the story and gameplay.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game currently suffers from bugs and stability issues, indicating that it requires further development to enhance its performance.
“In its current state, it's buggy and needs a bit of work to improve it.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment regarding the lack of background music in the game, indicating that its absence detracts from the overall experience.
“Where is the background music?”
“The soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety.”
“The music doesn't fit the game's atmosphere at all.”
