The Dark Queen of Mortholme

About

The Dark Queen of Mortholme is a single player role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Mosu and was released on August 15, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

In "The Dark Queen of Mortholme," you embody the Dark Queen, fending off a relentless Hero set on victory. Use powerful, evolving attacks in this pixel-art, fixed-screen battle to stop the Hero’s repeated advances. Your dialogue choices shape multiple endings, revealing different perspectives in this haunting, macabre showdown.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,148 reviews

story140 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

Unique concept of playing as the final boss, providing a fresh perspective on the typical hero vs. villain dynamic.
Beautiful pixel art and engaging dialogue that adds depth to the characters and story.
Short but impactful experience that explores themes of perseverance and change.

Extremely short gameplay, typically completed in under 30 minutes, leading to concerns about value for the price.
Combat feels scripted and lacks depth, with the hero's AI often reading player inputs rather than providing a challenging experience.
Limited replayability due to minimal variation in dialogue and outcomes, making it feel more like a visual novel than a traditional game.

story
340 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
57%
2%
The story of "The Dark Queen of Mortholme" is widely praised for its emotional depth and unique perspective, focusing on the interactions between a final boss and an immortal hero. While many players appreciate the poignant themes of perseverance and change, they also express a desire for a longer narrative and more impactful gameplay mechanics, as the game is often described as more of an interactive story than a traditional game. Overall, the narrative is seen as charming and thought-provoking, though some feel it lacks the depth and complexity that could elevate it further.
- “A very enjoyable and emotional story in a short format.”
- “The dialogue is both witty and thought-provoking, and it creates quite an interesting story.”
- “The story it tells tugs at the heart.”
- “Neither of these seem accurate, and the story was not engaging enough to keep me interested through the combat, and the combat was akin to pulling teeth.”
- “There is little to no gameplay and the dialogues are uninteresting, and there is no story or depth to the characters or world at all.”
- “The story's message is communicated so directly that it leaves no room for interpretation or discovery.”
gameplay
159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The gameplay in this title is largely criticized for being simplistic and heavily scripted, often feeling more like a passive experience than an interactive game. Many reviewers noted that the mechanics are rudimentary, with repetitive combat and limited depth, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciated the narrative focus and unique premise, the lack of engaging gameplay and short playtime left many feeling unfulfilled, suggesting that the game might have been better suited as a visual novel rather than a traditional game.
- “Love the design of the queen and the story is surprisingly touching; gameplay is a little jank but it adds to the charm of the game.”
- “The gameplay is straightforward and simple to learn, which it needed to be to put focus on the story.”
- “The mechanics are just engaging enough that it doesn't feel like you're just button mashing to victory and actually have to try and adapt new tactics as the hero learns from previous battles.”
- “It creates the illusion of gameplay which is ultimately unfulfilling as you would try to engage, but if a scene demands that your health must drop then it will simply ignore direct attack hits to make the required events happen, and vice versa if it's time for the hero to fail.”
- “But the gameplay is sadly a perfect example of the game getting in the way of the play, and that sometimes, less is more.”
- “The actual gameplay is just pressing the same three buttons over and over again until you eventually kill the hero.”
graphics
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
39%
5%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful pixel art style and atmospheric visuals, often described as captivating and reminiscent of classic titles. Many players appreciate the art direction and the emotional tone it sets, although some feel that the overall experience is limited due to the game's short length and lack of content. While the visuals are a highlight, opinions vary on whether they justify the game's price, with some suggesting it feels more like a demo than a full-fledged game.
- “The artwork is pretty and the concept art tab was really cool.”
- “Visually, the game has a dark gothic 2D pixel art style, with an atmospheric soundtrack.”
- “A word for the art direction: top notch, 10/10 aesthetic, really digged the atmosphere and the designs, great pixel art also!”
- “Grade F: How is this very positive? The art and graphics are okay for one room, but there's literally no game here.”
- “Graphically and sonically, the game is competent but unremarkable.”
- “It has a pretty art style, but almost nothing changes gameplay-wise, and it gets boring.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, effectively enhancing the emotional weight of the experience. While many reviewers appreciate the beautiful integration of music with the visuals, some note its repetitiveness and the lack of variety in the soundtrack, particularly during combat sequences. Overall, the combination of evocative music and stunning pixel art stands out as the game's strongest elements, contributing to a poignant and immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack is subdued and somber, underscoring the cyclical nature of the encounters without drawing attention away from them.”
- “Gorgeous pixel art, haunting music, and strong writing give it real emotional weight for such a short experience (30–60 mins).”
- “The loop mechanic and multiple outcomes encourage replaying, and the presentation from the haunting soundtrack to the handcrafted visuals makes each run feel meaningful.”
- “It would be difficult to call the music in this game a soundtrack as it is only one song, and starts over every time you begin fighting the hero. I would have liked to see some additional music in the later fights, or perhaps once you start using your final moves.”
- “The artwork and soundtrack are well done, but it's hard to justify the purchase just for that.”
- “The music is fine.”
emotional
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotionally resonant storytelling, with players highlighting its touching narrative and heartfelt dialogue that effectively inverts traditional gaming roles. The combination of beautiful pixel art, haunting music, and meaningful character interactions creates a compact yet impactful experience, leaving players feeling invested in the story and its characters. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in certain dialogues, the overall emotional journey is considered a standout feature, making it a memorable short adventure.
- “The dark queen of Mortholme is a compact but emotionally resonant indie experience that deliberately inverts one of gaming’s most familiar roles.”
- “Gorgeous pixel art, haunting music, and strong writing give it real emotional weight for such a short experience (30–60 mins).”
- “The story is very charming and honestly quite heartbreaking.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
34%
14%
The atmosphere in "The Dark Queen of Mortholme" is widely praised for its striking pixel art and immersive sound design, creating a gothic fantasy experience that resonates with players. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke emotion and a sense of brooding tension, although some note that the execution may not fully meet the potential of its atmospheric elements. Overall, while the game excels in creating a memorable and oppressive atmosphere, it may fall short for those seeking more engaging gameplay.
- “The pixel art, the atmosphere, and the repeated encounters with the hero all come together to create something memorable.”
- “In under half an hour, it delivers atmosphere, emotion, and storytelling that many bigger games never reach.”
- “The good first: the pixel art is stunning, the atmosphere is strong, and the music pulls you right in.”
- “The game has mostly positive Steam reviews — many players appreciated the idea and the atmosphere more than the execution.”
- “The nature of how the game plays with the 'undying hero never truly acknowledging just how much of a cheat code it is to never be able to truly die because it's a video game' and the 'all-powerful evil villainess with extremely limited moveset, no hypertracking attacks, no cheap trick shots, no multihit combos, no grab attacks, no undodgeable room-wide AOE because it's a video game', their interactions, and the whole design of the game has a very 'we're in a video game' kind of atmosphere to it.”
- “I haven't finished it, but the dialogue and everything just fills a cozy atmosphere that I have been missing.”
humor
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its witty dialogue and amusing interactions, particularly the clever concept of a hero who grows stronger with each defeat. Players appreciate the funny moments and original ideas, though some express a desire for more depth and complexity in the humor. Overall, the game is described as a lighthearted experience that effectively blends comedy with its narrative.
- “Honestly a cute game with funny dialogue.”
- “Cool game, original concept, some funny interactions with the hero and some cool secret endings.”
- “The concept itself isn’t bad, and the story twist where the 'hero' gets stronger after every loss is funny at first.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the multiple endings and dialogue options that encourage a second playthrough, many feel that the short length and limited content diminish its overall replay value. Despite some fun mechanics and narrative twists, several reviews indicate that the game lacks substantial incentive for repeated play, making it more of a one-time experience.
- “Enjoyable and well written, I got 3 different endings so there's some replay value.”
- “There are multiple ending variations as well, so there is a little bit of replay value in here too.”
- “A fun short action-packed narrative experience that embodies what it feels to be that frustrating boss we've seen in many games; the dialogue options make the replay value make sense and the personality of the queen intrigues for multiple runs.”
- “It's worth playing and supporting the devs, but don't expect replayability or something like that.”
- “There's not much replay value to this title, and worst of all, there's a feeling of a canvas that's partially painted with a large portion vacant.”
- “You can finish the game in under 25 minutes, and there’s no replay value to speak of.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
Character development in the game is praised for its emotional depth and natural progression through well-crafted dialogue, though some players express disappointment over the lack of a satisfying conclusion. While the writing and character design are generally well-received, the gameplay mechanics detract from the overall experience. Overall, the character arcs resonate strongly, contributing to a compelling narrative despite some gameplay flaws.
- “But yeah, excellent idea, great execution, beautiful character design, really good writing 90% of the time, and a totally worthwhile experience overall.”
- “With more gameplay depth, extended story content, and stronger character development, the concept could have been more compelling.”
- “Character development hits hard, sometimes in gut-punchy ways, and the game is packed with emotion for its short runtime.”
- “These conversations are brief but carefully written, allowing character development to emerge naturally from repetition rather than exposition.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to boredom, especially when it involves defeating the same enemies multiple times for achievements. While some appreciate the brevity of the game, many feel that the grinding detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a bad visual novel than an engaging action game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Fighting is boring; grinding for the last achievement is also boring. You need to kill the hero in his imperfect form like 10 times before you get a chance to kill him.”
- “It's tedious, repetitive... and the outcome is predetermined.”

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The Dark Queen of Mortholme
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2h Median play time

3h Average play time

1-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Dark Queen of Mortholme is a role playing game with fantasy theme.

The Dark Queen of Mortholme is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing The Dark Queen of Mortholme.

The Dark Queen of Mortholme was released on August 15, 2025.

The Dark Queen of Mortholme was developed by Mosu.

The Dark Queen of Mortholme has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

The Dark Queen of Mortholme is a single player game.

Similar games include Yes, Your Grace, Family Man, Jotun Valhalla Edition, Eldest Souls, Omensight and others.

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