Traveller's Hymn
- October 8, 2024
- Aquatic Ranger Studio
- 7h median play time
"Traveller's Hymn" is a top-down, open-world adventure game with grid-based exploration, battles, and looting. Players can interact with over 100 NPCs, solve their problems, and uncover the mystery behind the Valley's curse. The game features a hand-designed world, over 100 items, and a hunger system, with an estimated 4-5 hours of content. Credits include Aquatic Ranger Studio, Lin He, Zhengyi Wang, Mandy Hui, and various musicians.
Reviews
- Charming old-school vibe with captivating pixel art and enchanting music, creating an engaging atmosphere.
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay that can be completed in a short time, making it a great free experience.
- Interesting mechanics and exploration elements that encourage players to interact with the world and its lore.
- Movement can feel clunky and lacks diagonal movement keys, making navigation tedious.
- No quest log or journal system, which can lead to confusion and difficulty in tracking objectives.
- Inventory management is cumbersome, as players cannot swap items without clearing space first.
- gameplay16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by fun exploration and elegant mechanics that encourage strategic inventory management and situational awareness. While it offers a simplified RPG experience with minimal stats and character generation, the intuitive design allows players to quickly grasp the satisfying gameplay loop. The game effectively balances its mechanics, making it accessible and engaging without overwhelming players, while still providing unique challenges and secrets to discover.
“Fun exploration, well done game mechanics, and some nice main and side quests.”
“I felt the need to carry different items and swap weapons for certain enemies, which was a nice touch in gameplay as it forces me to be smart with my inventory and have situational awareness at the same time.”
“While it's not necessarily as large or intricate as some other games that try to evoke a similar experience, I think that's a strength rather than a weakness as it makes it less daunting to approach; the lack of in-game guidance isn't confusing because there isn't as much to keep track of, and you'll almost immediately understand the rather satisfying gameplay loop because the mechanics are simple and intuitive.”
“Gameplay is straightforward - no stats, character generation or experience; power is driven entirely by equipment and power-ups.”
“This is also a game that pares down the RPG mechanics to the bare minimum necessary to create strategic choices and to allow each type of weapon and enemy to have different strengths and weaknesses.”
“As far as the gameplay goes, it feels similar to Moonring but mechanically simpler.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a charming old-school aesthetic with whimsical, pixel art that evokes a fairy-tale vibe, reminiscent of titles like Loop Hero. While simplistic, the visuals are complemented by beautiful tile graphics and a fitting chiptune soundtrack, creating an engaging experience for players who appreciate retro styles. Overall, the art and sound design contribute to a unique and memorable atmosphere, despite some repetitiveness in the music.
“This game has a charming old-school vibe, with artwork reminiscent of something like Loop Hero.”
“The pixel graphics and sound design, exploration, and cooking come together perfectly!”
“I love the art style - very whimsical, fairy-tale vibes; each town and dungeon is unique; and NPCs are memorable (don't miss the Dungeon Meshi easter egg references!).”
“The graphics are simplistic, but the UX is charming.”
“If you have the patience, and a soft spot for bit graphics, then this freebie might be right up your alley.”
“The art style is simple but has a lot of character to it.”
- story10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received, featuring interesting lore and a charming main quest that offers enjoyable exploration and character development. However, the linearity and lack of a quest log can detract from the experience, making it easy to lose track of objectives. Overall, players appreciate the engaging narrative and the small, rewarding quests that enhance the journey.
“It is a nice story with interesting lore.”
“I had an amazing time enjoying myself through the journey of exploring the land, interacting and accomplishing little quests for NPCs, and I definitely had a grin on my face at all of the Dungeon Meshi easter eggs <3”
“It has a nice little story, nice little exploration, nice little battles, nice little character development... basically all the nice little everythings tickling someone who does not need the latest AAA, superficial, graphical smorgasbord.”
“The movement feels clunky, and the lack of a quest log makes it easy to lose track of objectives.”
“No quest log, so I had to take notes to remember stuff.”
“I had an amazing time enjoying myself through the journey of exploring the land, interacting and accomplishing little quests for NPCs, and I definitely had a grin on my face to all of the dungeon meshi easter eggs.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its stunning quality and enchanting audio design, often captivating players to the point of pausing their own music. While the chiptune soundtrack complements the beautiful tile graphics and overall art style, some users noted that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music significantly enhances the gaming experience, aligning well with the game's mechanics and atmosphere.
“The tile graphics and chiptune music are beautiful, and the mechanics are elegant in their simplicity.”
“The music is absolutely stunning.”
“Normally, I like to play my own preferred music while playing games, but I found myself always pausing it so I could listen to the audio design of Traveller's Hymn; it's so enchanting!”
“The music can get a bit repetitive.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Traveller's Hymn is praised for its strong atmosphere and impressive presentation, contributing to an engaging experience in the CRPG genre.
“Traveller's Hymn is a fantastic CRPG with an incredible atmosphere and stunning presentation.”
“The game's atmosphere immerses you completely, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
“The rich and detailed world-building creates a captivating atmosphere that draws you in.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to slow movement and the lack of diagonal movement keys, which forces them to use awkward key combinations or the mouse. Additionally, the inability to rebind keys limits accessibility for those with different keyboard layouts or physical needs.
“My only complaint is that the movement is too slow and tedious. There are no diagonal movement keys, forcing you to press two keys simultaneously or use the mouse. Additionally, you can't rebind any of the keys, which is frustrating for those who use different keyboard styles, sizes, or layouts (e.g., AZERTY), or for players with disabilities.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is appreciated for its charm and depth, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience that resonates with players seeking substance over flashy graphics. The narrative and character arcs are described as engaging, enhancing the exploration and battles within the game.
“The character development is truly engaging, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters as they evolve throughout the story.”
“I love how the characters grow and change based on the choices you make, making each playthrough feel unique and personal.”
“The depth of the character arcs adds so much to the overall experience, making you genuinely care about their journeys.”