Unto The End

Unto the End just wants to punish the player. It feels like it went too far off the deep end of 'purposefully difficult game' and ended up in kaizo territory. The challenge here isn’t fun, it’s just annoying.

70%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

optimization, grinding

76% User Score Based on 294 reviews

Critic Score 61%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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About

Unto The End is a single player platformer game with medieval, historical and violence themes. It was developed by Stephen & Sara and was released on December 9, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Unto The End is a 2D cinematic combat-adventure that charts a journey of loss and vengeance, told through unforgiving encounters, skillful combat, and stark moments of beauty. Fight your way through an indifferent wilderness as you search for the creature that has taken everything from you."

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76%

Audience ScoreBased on 294 reviews

story14 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The game features a unique art style and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
Combat is challenging and requires players to be patient and observant, rewarding those who learn enemy patterns.
The game offers multiple endings and encourages exploration, providing a sense of discovery and engagement.

The combat mechanics can feel unfair and punishing, with some attacks being difficult to predict and react to.
The camera and foreground elements often obstruct visibility, making it hard to see enemy attacks and navigate effectively.
The game is relatively short, leading some players to feel that it does not provide enough content for its price.

story
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
82%
4%
The story of "Unto the End" is described as minimalist and straightforward, focusing on a father's journey to return home, but many players feel it lacks depth and engagement. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and visual narrative, others criticize the brevity and simplicity of the plot, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction with the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as a mix of compelling atmosphere and weak narrative, leaving players divided on its effectiveness as a storytelling medium.
- “The story of this game is gripping, subtle and incredibly told.”
- “From the moment you set out, leaving your wife and daughter and home behind for some unknown mission amid the frigid winter winds and snow, you feel it.”
- “Unto the end is a game that wants to tell a story first and foremost.”
- “Sadly, it's way too short to really feel any sense of adventure; there's little to no story, the ending was just 'meh' (unless there are multiples), and I can see more people disliking the game than liking it.”
- “There is no story; the game is solely battle-based and the battles are not many.”
- “Ultimately, the game failed to motivate me to push through the difficult battles - the story did not grab me, nor was the exploration particularly engaging.”
gameplay
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring a unique blend of melee combat mechanics and exploration that some players find engaging and enjoyable, while others criticize it for being clunky and frustrating. Many appreciate the detailed animations and the challenge presented by the combat system, though the learning curve can be steep and the mechanics sometimes feel unbalanced or poorly executed. Overall, while the atmosphere and art design are praised, the gameplay experience varies significantly among players, with some feeling it lacks depth and others finding it rewarding once mastered.
- “I had so much fun playing this game; it creates an extremely unique atmosphere by combining original combat mechanics with cryptic characters.”
- “Being able to explore the areas, characters, and mechanics of this game was an absolute delight.”
- “The gameplay isn't an afterthought; it's really the core of the game.”
- “How can so much labor go into the artwork and design of a game, only to horribly fail with the gameplay mechanics?”
- “Unfortunately the initial friction many have had with the controls and combat mechanics (which appear to be the main draw at first, hence 'dark souls-esque'), have turned people away from the game, or at least some of its more interesting implications.”
- “Very clunky gameplay, no flow.”
graphics
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
74%
22%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork, immersive atmosphere, and unique art style, contributing to a captivating experience. However, some players noted issues with visibility in darker areas and felt that while the visuals are impressive, they sometimes overshadow gameplay mechanics. Overall, the visuals are considered top-notch, enhancing the game's charm and engagement despite some criticisms regarding gameplay value.
- “The game features clean, high-quality visuals, incredible sound design, and enough worldbuilding details to put the devil to bed.”
- “A great game with stunning visuals.”
- “The visuals are simply too dark and too obscured to be enjoyable.”
- “How can so much labor go into the artwork and design of a game, only to horribly fail with the gameplay mechanics?”
- “The atmosphere, artwork, level design, and visuals are top-notch, but some of the foreground, especially in caves, may annoy certain players.”
atmosphere
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
74%
22%
4%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and unique world-building, creating a compelling and often oppressive environment. While many players appreciate the atmospheric elements and innovative storytelling, some express frustration with gameplay mechanics and visibility issues in certain areas, particularly caves. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience despite some gameplay shortcomings.
- “I had so much fun playing this game; it creates an extremely unique atmosphere by combining original combat mechanics with cryptic characters.”
- “The game creates an intriguing and compelling atmosphere.”
- “Great game, very atmospheric and cinematic: you claw your way through claustrophobic dark caverns, full of dangerous monstrosities, lethal chasms, and echoes of your panting.”
- “Great at creating a stifling and oppressive atmosphere, terrible at making a game enjoyable to play.”
- “As much as I appreciate the style and atmosphere, I couldn't recommend this to anyone.”
- “The atmosphere, artwork, level design, and visuals are top-notch, but some of the foreground, especially in caves, may annoy certain players.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its quality and integration with the sound design, which enhances the overall atmosphere. While some players felt the music was not always prominent, they appreciated the variety of sounds that complemented the gameplay. However, for others, the music and art did not significantly elevate their enjoyment, as the focus remained on combat and exploration.
- “Sound design is wonderful, from the music to the breathing of the father.”
- “Beautiful scenes, excellent music, and a tactical battle system.”
- “The simple visuals make this throwback side-scroller feel authentic, with the advantage of non-MIDI music.”
- “To complement the visuals, the sound design is just as great; I originally thought it to be strange that music wasn’t predominant, but I began to appreciate that as I picked up on all the other sounds the game produced.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game offers a mixed perspective on replayability; while some players appreciate the fun and challenging combat, hidden items, and multiple endings that encourage exploration, others feel that its short length (1-2 hours) limits overall replay value. Those seeking a deep narrative or extensive replay options may find it lacking, but fans of combat-focused gameplay may enjoy revisiting it.
- “I do find it quite replayable though, as I enjoy the fun and challenging combat which you don't really get from many other games.”
- “But great replay value.”
- “Overall, I do recommend this game for those who want to try a short or challenging combat game, but people who are looking for story or replay value will probably feel like they wasted their money.”
- “You could easily finish the game in 1 - 2 hours and there is no real replay value.”
- “Despite its short length, the game has a fair amount of replayability, with hidden items, rooms, and secrets to find, figuring out the different ways you can interact with the NPCs, the different endings you can get, the various tidbits of lore you can put together, and of course, mastering the combat along the way.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
Overall, while some players report no framerate issues and find the art style acceptable, many others experience significant stuttering that severely impacts gameplay, particularly in fast-paced combat scenarios.
- “The art style is serviceable, and I didn't experience any framerate issues or performance problems.”
- “For a game that relies so heavily on fast-twitch timing for combat, it's a shame the constant stuttering makes it next to impossible to play.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating and tedious, often facing repeated deaths against increasingly difficult enemies with confusing attack patterns. This leads to a sense of repetitiveness that detracts from the overall experience.
- “Here, that isn't the case: you will die and die and die, grinding against tougher and tougher enemies with unintuitive attack patterns, if you even think about plowing through headfirst.”
- “Game feels repetitive and tedious.”
- “Game feels repetitive and tedious.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players frequently express that certain moments in the game evoke strong emotional responses, highlighting its ability to connect with them on a deeper level. The narrative and character development are particularly noted for their impact, contributing to the overall emotional experience.
- “I would be lying if I said that parts of this game did not make me emotional.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that the game features appealing artwork and character design, suggesting a strong visual presentation that enhances the overall character development experience.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report significant issues with stability, particularly highlighting movement glitches and unresponsive controls, which are especially frustrating in a high-stakes environment where quick reactions are crucial.
- “Movement glitches and unresponsive controls are especially painful in a game when everyone can one-shot you.”