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The Executioner

52%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
replayability, stability
52% User Score Based on 141 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPCPhonePhoneWindowsWindowsTabletTablet

About

In "The Executioner," players assume the role of a morally ambiguous protagonist in a dystopian city, deciding the fates of criminals and negotiating with clients in a tense atmosphere. With a choice-driven narrative and multiple endings, players must balance their morality and make tough decisions that affect the game's outcome. Through various scenarios and character interactions, the game explores themes of justice, power, and consequence in a thought-provoking and immersive experience.

The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
The Executioner screenshot
+4

52%
Audience ScoreBased on 141 reviews
story34 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions

  • The game has a unique and engaging story that immerses players in a dark, atmospheric world.
  • The writing is evocative and thought-provoking, challenging players with difficult moral choices.
  • The art style and sound design contribute significantly to the overall grim atmosphere of the game.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including issues with saving progress and text displaying in Russian despite English settings.
  • The English translation is poorly executed, with many grammatical errors and untranslated sections that hinder gameplay.
  • The game feels unfinished, with only one chapter available and many story arcs left unresolved.
  • story
    84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "The Executioner" is a dark and engaging narrative set in the grim realities of the dark ages, featuring multiple story arcs and decision-based consequences that shape the player's experience. However, many players note that the game is disappointingly short, with only one chapter available and several unresolved plotlines, leading to a sense of incompleteness. Additionally, localization issues, including untranslated text and poor English translations, detract from the overall enjoyment and coherence of the story, despite its intriguing premise and atmospheric writing.

    • “The story is engaging and really makes you think about the consequences behind your decisions.”
    • “A wonderfully crafted story, a grim reflection on the darkest sides of society, a carefully balanced game of choices and consequences, many years of diligent work of an inspired group of creators - the executioner is a rare treat.”
    • “I love the concept and the depth of the story; the writers did amazing!”
    • “The plot of the game only covers one chapter and it is painfully obvious that the developers intended to have many more chapters after that.”
    • “And the worst of all, the promise of an expansive plot is cut short when you suddenly see the credits after a few in-game days.”
    • “This is not a complete story; you're paying for an unfinished project.”
  • gameplay
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a mix of unique mechanics centered around an executioner’s role, featuring tough moral choices, resource management, and elements of combat, which create an engrossing narrative experience. However, players have noted issues with complicated mechanics, poor translations, and bugs that detract from the overall enjoyment. While the concept is intriguing and offers a dark atmosphere, the execution of gameplay elements can feel diluted and inconsistent, particularly due to chance-based outcomes that undermine player agency.

    • “That said - its unique gameplay and story are truly engrossing.”
    • “The gameplay has elements of combat, resource and character management, but the most interesting part is what the game is about — your executioner job, where you have to interrogate prisoners and make tough choices about their fate, and yours.”
    • “The most enjoyable moments, so far, are pre-launch text and tutorial: the first one gives you a proper approach to the gameplay (no wrong choices, but all have their results), and the second one isn't a simple 'follow-and-click' but is a part of the story.”
    • “I was already sort of on the edge with the whole torture mechanic, then the game told me to torture a 7-year-old child to get them to agree to be burned alive - and I think I hit my limit here, guys.”
    • “Some of the mechanics feel too complicated.”
    • “What a piece of shit, there is barely any gameplay in it, the text is boring and detailed in a wrong way, and of course there is this bug that didn't let me continue the game after I left.”
  • atmosphere
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its dark, gritty, and immersive qualities, enhanced by strong descriptive language, evocative music, and striking visuals. However, technical issues such as bugs, grammar errors, and untranslated text detract from the overall experience, leaving some players frustrated despite the compelling narrative and atmospheric depth. Overall, while the game successfully creates a haunting ambiance, its execution is marred by significant flaws.

    • “This is a short, atmospheric RPG that is mostly text-based.”
    • “The accompanying illustrations are also sharp, distinctive, and quite befitting the grim atmosphere and your brutal duty.”
    • “As much as I hate to leave the game a negative review as it has some great descriptive language with a brutally gritty and somber atmosphere, in the end I can't leave a positive review of a game that has eaten my saves twice now, has had a habit of double posting text, has some pretty glaring English grammar/typo problems, and finally there is also the case of the game producing screens with no text resulting in a forced reload (which requires you to start a new game sometimes).”
    • “I would love to recommend this game for its atmosphere and concept, unfortunately the game is riddled with game-breaking bugs, typos, and even untranslated sections at progression points.”
    • “The dark atmosphere around the game world may be shaped by the vile reality or by the protagonist's twisted mind.”
  • graphics
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are described as having a unique and grim art style that effectively sets a haunting mood, complemented by good use of color and illustrations. While the visuals are praised for their quality and ability to enhance the storytelling, some players noted a lack of animations and real-time visuals, suggesting that much of the experience relies on imagination and the game's text. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's immersive and depressing atmosphere, though they may not appeal to everyone due to the graphic nature of the content.

    • “The setting is utterly unique (and severely depressing), the writing is gripping, the mood set thanks to sound, music, and graphics is excellent (and again: very depressing) and the choices you have to make are hard and really matter in terms of what comes next driving the replayability through the roof.”
    • “The visuals are great, sound and voice acting good, and the overall concept is unique and grim.”
    • “The artwork and atmosphere of this game are amazing.”
    • “Somehow the game is legitimately terrifying; it could do with more visuals and animations, and the translations mess up but very rarely.”
    • “What it doesn't have: real-time fights, visuals, isometric action, and animation.”
    • “Though here it's mostly your imagination and feelings from text, not visuals.”
  • music
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the unique and often depressing atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to complement the artwork and narrative effectively. While some describe the soundtrack as somewhat generic, it is generally regarded as high quality, contributing significantly to the overall experience and replayability. The combination of ambient sounds, voice narration, and music creates a vivid storytelling environment that resonates with players.

    • “The setting is utterly unique, the writing is gripping, and the mood set thanks to sound, music, and graphics is excellent. The choices you have to make are hard and really matter in terms of what comes next, driving the replayability through the roof.”
    • “I love the voice narration and music.”
    • “It really paints a vivid story, and the music fits in perfectly with the artwork to add even more flavor.”
    • “The music is adding to a depressing atmosphere.”
    • “The music is a bit on the generic side, although it is well-matched to the setting.”
    • “So for now, the only thing I can actually recommend about this game is the soundtrack.”
  • replayability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers high replayability due to its unique setting, impactful choices, and various item combinations, encouraging players to explore different paths. However, minor bugs and the lack of a save/load option can hinder the experience, making some playthroughs feel time-consuming. Overall, while the replay value is significant, technical issues may detract from the enjoyment.

    • “The setting is utterly unique, the writing is gripping, and the choices you have to make are hard and really matter in terms of what comes next, driving the replayability through the roof.”
    • “The game has a lot of replay value depending on how you combine items and what choices you make early on.”
    • “Also fun when you load a save and interrupt your character going back home, as you're stuck and can't do anything; lots of minor bugs that negatively affect replayability.”
    • “The game has a lot of replay value depending on how you combine items and what choices you make early on, but the RNG and the aforementioned problem of the lack of a save/load option makes different playthroughs time-consuming.”
    • “Definitely a lot of replayability, and I'm excited to see how each 'path' plays out.”
  • stability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report significant stability issues, including frequent freezes, crashes, and numerous bugs in translations and text options. While the game has interesting elements, the overall experience is marred by these technical problems, making it difficult to fully engage with the content.

    • “The translation occasionally feels very buggy.”
    • “What I got was a mess of broken localizations, freezes, and crashes.”
    • “"Raise the stakes" options seem to not do anything at all, but even in the text options, glitches are aplenty and incredibly noticeable. The funny thing is the 'report a bug' option suffers from this, and I couldn't understand it.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever premise of playing as a medieval executioner, which users find both amusing and well-executed for a debut title. However, some players note that the humor is undermined by noticeable glitches, particularly in the text options, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Really, this concept of playing as a medieval executioner is so brilliant on its own, and the execution (yes, I am very funny and witty) of it is very impressive, even more so when you take into account this is Lesser Evil's first game (that I am aware of).”
    • “The 'raise the stakes' options seem to not do anything at all, but even in the text options, glitches are aplenty and incredibly noticeable. The funny thing is that what I'm going to assume is the 'report a bug' option suffers from this, and I couldn't understand.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game emotionally challenging, largely due to its complexity beyond a traditional visual novel format, which adds depth to the emotional experience.

    • “Still, it’s a hard game to get through emotionally, and that’s mostly because the game isn’t a pure visual novel.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of *The Executioner* has been criticized, particularly in the English version, with users noting significant issues and a need for improvements in quality of life features.

    • “The executioner fell a little flat in execution, at least in the English version, but there are definitely optimization problems and quality of life features that could use serious adjustments.”
    • “The game suffers from significant optimization issues that hinder the overall experience.”
    • “There are numerous performance problems that make the game feel unpolished and frustrating to play.”

Buy The Executioner

2h Median play time
2h Average play time
2-2h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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