- March 1, 2024
- Wombat Logic
The Secret of Varonis
Platforms
About
"The Secret of Varonis" is an indie Gameboy-style RPG that takes you back to the gaming heyday of 1989. Choose a party from humans, espers, robots, and monsters, each with unique leveling schemes. Explore six diverse worlds, employ over 500 combat items and abilities, and uncover the secrets of the sealed city of Varonis. Enjoy retro mechanics without the grind, with optional field encounter mode. What lies beyond the gate? Discover it in this old-school RPG. *323 characters.









- The Secret of Varonis is a fantastic homage to the classic SaGa/Final Fantasy Legend games, capturing their spirit while incorporating modern quality of life improvements.
- The game features a fully customizable party system with distinct character types, allowing for diverse gameplay strategies and a satisfying combat experience.
- Players appreciate the engaging story, nostalgic aesthetics, and the developers' responsiveness to community feedback, enhancing the overall experience.
- Some players found the inventory management and map navigation to be cumbersome, leading to moments of frustration during exploration.
- There are reports of minor bugs and balance issues, particularly regarding the effectiveness of certain character types and abilities.
- While the game is generally well-received, some players noted that the story is basic and not particularly profound, which may not meet the expectations of those seeking a deeper narrative.
- gameplay64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
The gameplay of "The Secret of Varonis" is a nostalgic homage to the classic Game Boy Saga titles, featuring turn-based battles, charge-based mechanics, and customizable party options, all enhanced with modern quality-of-life improvements. While some users noted occasional bugs with the side HUD, the overall mechanics are praised for their depth and transparency, making the game accessible and engaging for both newcomers and veterans of the genre. The addictive gameplay loop of exploration, battles, and progression, combined with a charming aesthetic, offers a rewarding experience that resonates well with fans of retro RPGs.
“This game has all the thematic charm of the original Saga/Final Fantasy Legend titles with an incredible amount of mechanical depth and transparency.”
“All in all, gameplay is superb, with replay value I have only begun to discover the depth of, 20+ hours in.”
“While nostalgia was the initial draw for sure, what made me stick with the game was the very addictive gameplay loop of battles, progression, and exploration & discovery.”
“The side HUD can be buggy sometimes in not displaying the right health totals or party members, but it can be toggled off/on. Besides that, I didn't encounter any gameplay-related bugs.”
“I had Final Fantasy Legend 1, 2, and 3 growing up, but with little explanation of the mechanics, I never made much progress in them.”
“I've revisited them through the years, but having a game that has all the mechanics explained in-game makes playing the game so much easier than constantly referring to a guide on another screen to make sure what you're doing is going to accomplish what you're trying to do.”