The Slormancer
- April 6, 2021
- Slormite Studios
- 11h median play time
Get on Steam"The Slormancer" is an action-packed, hack-and-slash game with a rich storyline and unique art style. Players must collect and upgrade loot, learn new skills, and defeat hordes of enemies in this engaging and challenging experience. With procedurally generated levels and a variety of game modes, "The Slormancer" offers endless replayability and excitement.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Incredibly deep and fun build variety, paired with engaging combat.
- Charming pixel art style and humorous writing enhance the overall experience.
- Active development with regular updates shows promise for future content.
- Limited content currently available, with only a few enemy types and environments.
- Progression can feel slow and grindy, especially in the early game.
- Some mechanics and skill descriptions are unclear, leading to confusion.
- gameplay347 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its core mechanics, character customization, and engaging combat, reminiscent of popular ARPGs like Diablo and Path of Exile. However, some players find the gameplay loop repetitive and lacking in variety, particularly in the endgame content, which can lead to a grindy experience. Overall, while the game shows promise with its unique mechanics and depth, it still requires further development to enhance the gameplay experience.
“Overall, Slormancer is a must-play for fans of action RPGs and indie games, offering captivating gameplay and a delightful visual and auditory experience.”
“The gameplay is really fun, especially in the moments where the player is taking out over a dozen enemies at a time.”
“The fundamental systems and gameplay are fantastic with a huge array of options, builds, and progression types to play with.”
“The gameplay is what I can complain the most about.”
“Be it during the campaign or the endgame, the gameplay loop is really quite dull.”
“The gameplay feels extremely repetitive, and I'm aware that that's kind of true for all ARPGs, but somehow most of them avoid it feeling as repetitive as this does.”
- story282 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized as light-hearted and humorous, often featuring silly dialogue and quirky characters, which some players find enjoyable. However, many reviews note that the story content is currently minimal, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, and often feels repetitive or simplistic, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus. While there is potential for future updates to expand the narrative, players primarily engage with the game for its combat and character customization rather than its story.
“The storyline is light-hearted, filled with humor that draws you into its whimsical world.”
“The game delivers a nice and fun story combined with a straightforward play style that is easy to pick up even for a novice of the genre.”
“The story is funny, and the gameplay feels good.”
“The story elements consist of mountains of annoying and useless dialogue that ends up serving as a workout for the finger pressing the skip button.”
“The story is pretty sparse and generic so far.”
“The 'story' they advertise is actually you going through the same map but with different layouts each time, and fighting the same 3 or 4 types of enemies (it's actually 2, the others are just reskins).”
- grinding150 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's grinding mechanics are a significant focus, with many players noting that it can be excessively grindy, often feeling tedious and repetitive. While some enjoy the deep character progression and the satisfaction of grinding for gear and skills, others express frustration over the time investment required and the lack of meaningful content to justify it. Overall, the game appeals to hardcore grinding enthusiasts but may deter those who prefer a more balanced gameplay experience.
“Grindy, but not too grindy.”
“Grindy, but not too grindy.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I wish the grind was a little less tedious as I feel at this point I am only pushing for a few things and I feel like it is taking forever.”
“The game feels like a better Chronicon to a point where you reach the highest difficulty and there's nothing much to do besides grinding loot for another character.”
“With the amount of grinding this game will require, it will need an equal amount of content to keep it interesting or I am afraid it will quickly feel more like work and less like fun.”
- graphics101 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful pixel art style, detailed environments, and charming character designs, contributing positively to the overall aesthetic. However, some players find the level design repetitive and lacking in variety, which detracts from the visual experience. While the art style is well-received, there are calls for more polish and diversity in character designs to enhance the game's appeal.
“The graphics are beautiful, if pixely.”
“The visuals are fantastic and combat feels fluid.”
“The slormancer is a really fun ARPG with beautiful pixel graphics, a good soundtrack, interesting skills, and tons of items to collect.”
“Don't be deceived by the visuals.”
“Which its pixel graphics so the fact that they decided to leave that out just seems lazy.”
“The art style is alright, very low resolution pixel art, minimal animations and no directional sprites (there's just a left/right facing sprite that is mirrored), but if you like 2D art the game has a decent style and looks pretty good.”
- music98 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its quality and how well it fits the game's atmosphere. However, some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, leading them to mute it or seek alternative audio. Overall, while the music is considered a highlight by many, personal preferences regarding its style may affect individual enjoyment.
“The music is also great and fits the vibe very well.”
“Amazing soundtrack really adds to the game.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, probably one of the most captivating, immersive & epic sounding indie game soundtracks I have heard in a long time.”
“The only thing that knocks it down is the music - very repetitive, so I mostly muted it.”
“The music is going to be love it or despise it after a while.”
“The only problem is the music, needs more variety.”
- humor88 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its cheeky, light-hearted tone and funny dialogue that enhances the whimsical experience. While some find the humor charming and engaging, others feel it can be hit-or-miss, with certain jokes falling flat or relying on simplistic gags. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor into its narrative and character interactions, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate a comedic touch in their gameplay.
“Slormancer quickly draws you into its world with cheeky, silly humor and the complexity and intensity ramp up quickly.”
“The storyline is light-hearted, filled with humor that draws you into its whimsical world.”
“The humor of the story is great.”
“That is a punishment for players, not funny at all.”
“Go back to town, more unfunny joke NPC banter.”
- optimization24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a significant concern, particularly at higher levels where performance can drop to sub-5fps, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences such as stuttering, freezing, and crashes during intense moments. While some players appreciate the game's depth and fun, many report major design flaws that result in poor performance, especially when numerous enemies and effects are on screen. Overall, the game requires substantial optimization improvements to enhance playability and stability.
“Fans of optimization will also appreciate the fine-tuned performance this game offers.”
“Any ARPG, but especially one that intends to have its players fill the screen with projectiles or chaining effects, must have an incredibly well-optimized architecture.”
“Haven't played much, but I can truly appreciate the depth this game has for its low performance cost.”
“The game itself is fine, but once you get to higher levels, the performance is horrible and you will go down to sub-5fps with the threads doing your calculations going random, resulting in just dying because your HP/MP isn't being updated due to the game stuttering so hard and seemingly ignoring those HP leech threads while calculating for 150 enemies.”
“Third is the actual performance; some endgame builds basically make the game a slideshow or even crash it. Can you imagine the irritation felt after the game crashes after 90 or 95 waves in the game's colosseum 'Great Forge' mode?”
“Game is poorly optimized and unplayable at times due to lag and 'rewinds' in gameplay because the lag is so bad.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the variety of characters and build options, while others find it limited due to balance issues and a lack of compelling content. Recent updates have introduced endgame features that promise extensive replay value, but many still feel that the current early access state restricts the overall experience. As the game evolves, there is potential for increased replayability, especially with the introduction of repeatable content like expeditions.
“They just launched an end game update which offers thousands of hours of replayability!”
“Incredible ARPG with a lot of replay value!”
“There is quite a bit of replay value in all the different things you can level up and progress through, many different builds and pieces of gear.”
“The primary campaign portion seems to be about 5-10 hours of gameplay, and looks like there is repeatable mapping/rifting-like content that seems like it might hold some replayability after the campaign is complete.”
“Limited replay value right now since it is early access, but will still keep you busy for a long time.”
“Since there is no motivation to start a new character to spend time building/playing these different options, the replayability is extremely lacking, which is generally the point of such build variety.”
- stability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it is generally bug-free and polished, players report significant issues such as microstutters, screen freezes during combat, and memory leaks that affect performance. Although some minor glitches exist, the game is still in early access, and players are encouraged to support its development despite the technical problems. Overall, the experience can be frustrating due to the frequent interruptions during gameplay.
“Fairly bug-free overall, with only some very minor issues. For example, looking at the roadmap on the main menu caused my mouse to glitch, requiring a game restart, and I noticed some sprites running backward occasionally.”
“The game is bug-free and polished, which enhances the overall experience.”
“They stack so much damage reduction, which leads to an insane amount of animations. The idea itself is really something I appreciate, but the result is not satisfying to play since you are not able to move because the screen almost freezes.”
“Any time I hit some enemies with something, there is a noticeable microstutter, and when I hit many enemies, the game literally freezes for a quarter of a second or even longer.”
“Currently, the game is plagued by several technical problems: memory leaks leading to stuttering, black screens during loading, low frame rate, and screen freezes on level up.”
- character development8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its deep customization options and complex development trees, allowing for a variety of builds and mechanics. While some players find the character designs and animations to be goofy or generic, others appreciate the blend of humor and serious elements in the character progression. Overall, the game is recognized as a gem for those who enjoy rich character development alongside engaging gameplay.
“However, after an hour you realize it’s a real ARPG with complex character development trees and a ton of mechanics.”
“Deep customization: the variety of builds and character development options are impressive.”
“Looks like we have a game with plenty of character development; if you like this type of game, this is a real gem.”
“Personally, I think Chronicon is much better if you just want to slay thousands of monsters with lots of different builds, sets, and in my opinion, better overall character design. I just can't connect with the characters' goofy-looking animations and designs.”
“The graphics would be good, but most of the character designs are just kind of bad, generic, or annoying.”
“All the aspects of an amazing RPG in one :) very comical yet serious structure to character development.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and entertaining qualities, featuring a well-crafted art style that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the combination of smooth gameplay and an impressive soundtrack, contributing to a captivating and immersive environment, particularly noted in its pixel art and spooky gothic elements. Overall, the atmosphere is described as fun, beginner-friendly, and one of the best in its genre.
“Great atmosphere, super fun to play and beginner friendly.”
“The atmosphere is entertaining and it's just fun to play.”
“The art style and the atmosphere are well made (spooky gothic).”
“The art style and atmosphere are well crafted, creating a spooky gothic feel.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game engaging, with a heartfelt narrative that offers a rich story experience. However, some feel overwhelmed by the game's extensive content, leading to doubts about revisiting it in the near future.
“I think I may have gotten somewhat lucky in that by the time I picked up the game, there were already a couple of acts of the story good to go, which made me feel like I had plenty to be working through.”
“A heartfelt recommendation from me.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Monetization in the game is viewed as a double-edged sword; while some developers leverage it to gather feedback and build a loyal fanbase, others exploit it for quick financial gain, leading to a mixed reception among players.
“Honest developers tend to use this system as a tool to gain feedback and attract a good core fanbase, while dishonest actors use it as a quick cash grab.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, prioritizing profit over player experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many paywalls in a game that could be enjoyable without constant upselling.”
