The Kobolds Left Behind
- July 7, 2022
- Archive Entertainment
Get on Steam"The Kobolds Left Behind" is a bittersweet adventure game where players follow the story of three abandoned kobolds on their final day. This 'walking simulator' features light puzzles, full voice acting, and a duration of around 60 minutes. Despite a few jokes, the game primarily focuses on delivering a heart-wrenching experience with a single, linear narrative and a profound emotional payoff.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features charming characters and excellent voice acting that enhances the emotional experience.
- Despite its short length, the story is impactful and leaves a lasting impression on players.
- The art style and graphics are appealing, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The game is very short, clocking in at around an hour, which leaves little time for character development and world-building.
- The story's ending is abrupt and unsatisfying, with many characters meeting unfortunate fates that feel rushed.
- Some puzzles, like the padlock puzzle, are poorly designed and can detract from the overall experience.
- story24 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is a poignant and emotional tale centered around themes of grief and abandonment, featuring kobolds left behind by their dragon companions. While the narrative is simple and short, it resonates deeply with players, thanks to well-developed characters and excellent voice acting that enhance the overall experience. Although it incorporates humor, the story ultimately leans towards the sad, making it a memorable journey for those willing to engage with its emotional depth.
“Lovely little feels trip, though be forewarned it's a sad story -- psych yourself up accordingly.”
“The story was impactful and stuck with me throughout the day after I finished.”
“To sum up all of my experiences while playing this game: it's a short emotional story with very appealing visuals, lovable characters that are given more depth thanks to a very well-written story and brilliant voice acting.”
“The story is simple; the dragons took a bunch of their kobolds and left all the others so they could go to space for reasons that are never explained.”
“If you are looking for an emotional story with characters you can fall in love with, you should consider giving this game a chance.”
“I will say straight off the bat, if you're looking for a happy story, you won't find that here. It does have its fair share of humor, but this game covers more serious topics like abandonment.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally well-received, featuring appealing artwork and character designs that enhance the overall experience. The floating islands and thoughtfully designed levels contribute to a visually engaging environment, while the art style effectively complements the characters' personalities. Overall, the visuals are a highlight, adding depth to the emotional narrative and gameplay.
“Now the artwork for the game is good; the floating islands looked fine, and the character designs were good too.”
“The art style is part of what sold me on this game. The characters are well made, and the art matches their personalities really well. The levels are well thought out and easy to navigate; I found it pretty simple to figure out where I was supposed to go next.”
“To sum up all of my experiences while playing this game: it's a short emotional story with very appealing visuals, lovable characters that are given more depth thanks to a very well-written story, brilliant voice acting, and all of this topped off with well-designed levels, a light garnish of jokes, and well-placed sound effects and music.”
“The game's graphics are alright.”
“The art style is part of what sold me on this game, the characters are well made and the art matches the personalities really well.”
“The levels are well thought out and easy to navigate; I found it pretty simple to figure out where I was supposed to go next.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally straightforward, involving exploration, item collection, and solving simple puzzles, though some players may find certain challenges, like the pipe puzzle, confusing. While the gameplay is considered good, it is noted as one of the weaker aspects of the overall experience, which is otherwise enhanced by strong art, voice acting, and music.
“The gameplay itself was fine too; I thought the puzzles were cool (although I was pretty lost in that pipe puzzle and felt very stupid for not figuring it out and just relied on pressing stuff until something happened).”
“Gameplay consists of walking around, searching for and picking up items to help you advance forward, and solving simple puzzles.”
“Art is great, gameplay is good, voice acting is quite nice, and the music gets the job done.”
“Gameplay consists of walking around, searching for and picking up items to help you advance, and solving simple puzzles.”
“The gameplay itself was fine too; I thought the puzzles were cool, although I was pretty lost in that pipe puzzle and felt very stupid for not figuring it out, just relying on pressing things until something happened.”
“Gameplay: it's nothing too intricate.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by recurring lines, particularly "kobold magic," which adds a lighthearted touch to the character of Niels, showcasing his hubris and pride. While the game includes lighter moments, it balances this humor with serious themes such as abandonment, suggesting a mix of levity and depth that may require players to prepare for emotional weight.
“He feels more fleshed out than the other characters, and I like the humor in the recurring line: 'Kobold magic!' by him.”
“I know I said that I liked the 'Kobold magic' line from Niels and that it was used a lot, but it makes Niels hubristic and funny, like there was an ego he had and was proud in showing off his magic towards Sophie.”
“It has plenty of lighter moments and humor, too.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its deeply emotional narrative, featuring lovable characters and a well-crafted story that resonates with players. The combination of brilliant voice acting, appealing visuals, and thoughtful design enhances the emotional experience, making it a touching and memorable journey.
“If you are looking for an emotional story with characters you can fall in love with, you should consider giving this game a chance.”
“The actors brought so much emotion that it added another level to an already very emotional story.”
“To sum up all of my experiences while playing this game: it's a short emotional story with very appealing visuals, lovable characters that are given more depth thanks to a very well-written story and brilliant voice acting, all topped off with well-designed levels, a light garnish of jokes, and well-placed sound effects and music.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally seen as functional, contributing to the ambiance and enhancing the emotional experience, though some reviewers consider it one of the weaker elements of the overall presentation. While it may not stand out, it effectively complements the visuals and storytelling, making it suitable for background listening. Overall, it supports the game's emotional narrative and atmosphere without being particularly memorable.
“While writing this, I'm listening to the soundtrack, and I realize I could just have this playing in the background for ages, taking it all in.”
“The sound worked well and the music added to the ambiance of each scene and level as you explored!”
“To sum up all of my experiences while playing this game: it's a short emotional story with very appealing visuals, lovable characters that are given more depth thanks to a very well-written story and brilliant voice acting, all topped off with well-designed levels, a light garnish of jokes, and well-placed sound effects and music.”
“The sound worked well and the music added to the ambiance of each scene and level as you explored.”
“To sum up all of my experiences while playing this game: it's a short emotional story with very appealing visuals, lovable characters that are given more depth thanks to a very well written story and brilliant voice acting, all topped off with well-designed levels, a light garnish of jokes, and well-placed sound effects and music.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
While the game's artwork and character designs received praise, reviewers noted a lack of depth in character development, highlighting missed opportunities for greater tension and growth within the characters.
“The character designs were impressive, showcasing a unique style that enhances the overall experience.”
“I felt there should be more emphasis on character development, as there were many missed opportunities to deepen the story.”
“I just felt there should be more added to it, more tension, more character development; a lot of missed opportunities here and there.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for having minimal replay value and a short duration, which limits the incentive for players to revisit it.
“But it's got practically no replay value and it's far too short.”
