Usurper

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 223 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Usurper Game Cover
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"Usurper" is a single-player Metroidvania Action-RPG, serving as the sequel to "Shrouded in Sanity" in the Skautfold series. The game features an intriguing story, amazing gameplay with a unique "Guard" system that rewards skillful play, and fantastic visuals combined with an exceptional soundtrack to create a distinctive atmosphere. Your mission: rid London of Eldritch horrors unleashed by the Citadel and defeat the nightmares within.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 223 reviews
gameplay34 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions
  • The game features an amazing story and atmosphere, drawing players into its Lovecraftian world.
  • The combat system is unique and rewarding, with a guard mechanic that encourages strategic play.
  • The pixel art and design of the environments and enemies are well-executed, contributing to the overall aesthetic.
  • The gameplay can feel slow and tedious, with a lack of fast travel options and lengthy backtracking.
  • There are technical issues, including framerate drops and glitches that can disrupt the experience.
  • The map system is poorly designed, making it difficult for players to navigate and understand their location.
  • gameplay96 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its unique mechanics and challenging combat reminiscent of metroidvania and souls-like titles, while others criticize its rough execution and steep learning curve. The guard and stamina mechanics add depth, but the slow movement speed and occasional jankiness detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game offers rewarding exploration and a compelling atmosphere, making it enjoyable for those willing to invest time in mastering its systems.

    • “Though the gameplay would be fun, especially for metroidvania and souls-like gamers.”
    • “Challenging, genuinely scary (pretty rare for a metroidvania), and super rewarding in its gameplay (once you get the hang of it).”
    • “Usurper is a metroidvania action-RPG that focuses heavily on gameplay - with a unique battle system and significant replayability.”
    • “For beginners, the game design is craptastic. While it does have enough mechanics to make this more than just a pure asset flip, it's apparent that they've just copy-pasted this same game multiple times and dumped it quickly on Steam as a cash grab.”
    • “The gameplay is really slow, and even if they hadn't been, the whole gameplay seems to move in slow motion.”
    • “The platform mechanics are poorly implemented, there are grammar errors, I've gotten stuck in things and had to restart. The combat mechanics feel like Symphony of the Night without any updates in the last 20 years.”
  • story85 mentions

    The story of "Skautfold: Usurper" is widely praised for its creativity and depth, with many reviewers noting its intriguing connections to the previous game in the series, "Shrouded in Sanity." While some find the narrative convoluted and challenging to follow without prior knowledge of the series, others appreciate the rich atmosphere and character interactions that enhance the overall experience. Despite some criticisms regarding clarity and execution, the lore and setting are highlighted as standout elements that keep players engaged.

    • “The story can be convoluted and cryptic at times, but it stands out as a creative and uncompromising title in the overabundance of media toggling the genre and the lore!”
    • “The story, setting, and characters really end up making Usurper stand out and tie the whole experience together.”
    • “Lovecraftian horrors, fascinating new game design, and a compelling story make this a unique take on metroidvania and souls-like ideas.”
    • “The story assumes you know a ton of events and characters despite you seeing it for the first time.”
    • “The first few minutes of the game introduce you to a dull plot line that is ankle deep.”
    • “The overall story of the game is ho-hum, collect the chain of items to progress, learn things about the environment and townspeople, etc. The real treat is the details and the setting of the game.”
  • graphics51 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the retro pixel art and gothic aesthetic reminiscent of classic titles like Castlevania, while others criticize the lack of clarity and detail in the environments, leading to confusion during gameplay. Although the art style and unique enemy designs receive praise, many reviewers note issues with animations and the overall execution, suggesting that the graphics could benefit from further refinement. Overall, the visuals are seen as adequate for an indie title, but they fall short of contemporary standards, leaving room for improvement.

    • “Graphically, the game is very gothic and serene, like Castlevania, which gives it a nice touch.”
    • “The art style is very cool and detailed, with some unique enemy designs that only Lovecraftian horror can provide.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth and the exploration fun; the graphics and animations are beautiful pixel art that are not the slightly cop-out-ish faux 16-bit pixel graphics that are so popular these days.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “Graphics feel like the old DOS version of Prince of Persia, and you sometimes can't make out if barrels are in the foreground and breakable or not.”
    • “The graphics are vivid, but difficult to parse, making it unnecessarily hard to tell exactly where platforms' edges are and frequently obscuring important gameplay-related objects among the clutter of the detailed backgrounds.”
  • music39 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its somber, piano-driven tracks that evoke a sense of cosmic horror and immersion. While some noted that the soundtrack could benefit from more polish and memorability, the overall consensus is that it effectively complements the game's aesthetic and storytelling, creating a haunting and engaging experience.

    • “The atmosphere, piano soundtrack, background, enemy and boss design are just top notch and add to that perfect otherworldly experience.”
    • “What really stuck with me, though, is just the tone of it – exploring this huge weird living castle, with rough-but-evocative art and melancholic music, steeped in understated cosmic horror – there's just not much like it out there.”
    • “The lovecraftian setting is great, and alongside the game's music gives a very somber and creepy atmosphere.”
    • “Instead I got a very unpolished game with ugly sprites, nonexistent music, and a clunky, slow, and ill-conceived combat system that punishes you for being aggressive.”
    • “The music is all very somber and subdued.”
    • “Usurper's title screen credits all of three people for its development - one for the music, one for the character portraits, one for everything else.”
  • atmosphere27 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dense, immersive quality, enhanced by unique worldbuilding, compelling storytelling, and a strong Lovecraftian influence. Reviewers highlight the effective sound design and music, which contribute to a dark and eerie ambiance, although some note that the soundtrack could be more dynamic. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its standout features, creating a captivating and unsettling experience for players.

    • “The atmosphere is dense, the writing and worldbuilding are very unique and well done, the weapon diversity is quite anime in their presentation, but cool, and I really liked the final encounter.”
    • “The best part of Usurper is the atmosphere; it drips with Lovecraftian ooze.”
    • “The atmosphere is pretty dark and genuinely disturbing at certain points, and the gameplay is satisfying.”
    • “Music tracks and sounds do the job and generate the desired dark and bleak atmosphere; however, do not expect the most pompous movie score.”
    • “The lovecraftian setting is great, and alongside the game's music gives a very somber and creepy atmosphere.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with no significant issues, others encounter minor visual glitches, particularly on ultra-wide and 16:10 monitors. Additionally, there are reports of purposeful glitches that can disrupt gameplay, suggesting that stability may vary depending on the player's setup.

    • “There are a couple of weird visual glitches when playing on an ultra-wide monitor.”
    • “Minor glitches with 16:10 fullscreen.”
    • “Buggy issues for what would otherwise be an interesting experience.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. The lack of checkpoints exacerbates the grind, making it feel more like a chore than a rewarding experience.

    • “I hopped between trying to figure out whether I was enjoying this game or not, and in the end, it was more of a tedious experience than it was good.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Some boss AIs will freak out and become either unbeatable or incredibly tedious.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Players find Usurper to have decent replayability due to its build variety, New Game Plus mode, and optional challenges, enhancing the overall experience. The game's unique battle system and focus on gameplay further contribute to its significant replay value.

    • “There is decent replay value with build variety, New Game Plus, and optional challenges.”
    • “Usurper is a metroidvania action RPG that focuses heavily on gameplay, featuring a unique battle system and significant replayability.”
    • “There is decent replay value with build variety, NG+, and optional challenges.”
    • “Usurper is a metroidvania action RPG that focuses heavily on gameplay - with a unique battle system and significant replayability.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of clever references, witty banter between characters, and amusing weapon descriptions, which provide a lighthearted contrast to the otherwise dark and obscure plot. The interactions, particularly between the protagonist and his parasite, contribute to a comedic tone reminiscent of humorous visual novels.

    • “A lot of funny references like guts, clanking swords, and lightsabers.”
    • “The pretty obscure and gloomy plot is totally lightened by the constant verbal bickerings between the protagonist, his parasite, and the inhabitants of the hub, all in the spirit of humorous visual novels.”
    • “The weapons are practical, and they often come with blunt or humorous descriptions.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with users noting that it appears to be a hastily produced asset flip using GameMaker Studio, which is often associated with low-quality retro games. The developer's catalog suggests a lack of originality, as they seem to have recycled the same game multiple times for quick profit.

    • “For beginners, the game design is craptastic. While it does have enough mechanics to make this more than just a pure asset flip, it's apparent looking at their catalogue that they've just copy-pasted this same game multiple times and dumped it quickly on Steam as a cash grab.”
    • “Gamemaker Studio is most commonly used to make retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players report a lack of emotional connection to the story, feeling that explanations are often superficial and fail to engage them. Additionally, the gameplay mechanics, such as slow movements and floating jumps, contribute to a sense of detachment, making some combat encounters feel insignificant.

    • “The movements made me feel slow; jumping too felt like I was floating.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game suffers from significant optimization issues, including lag, stuttering, and inconsistent framerates, leading to a generally unpolished experience. Players have noted a need for improved responsiveness in controls and better overall performance.

    • “There's inexplicable lag, stuttering, and framerate jumps.”
    • “Though it is unpolished and needs optimization badly, it could use less darkness and more responsive controls.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers highlight that the game features compelling character development through its interesting enemy and creature designs, which contribute to a rich and immersive narrative experience.

    • “The character development is incredibly rich, with each character having a unique backstory that adds depth to the overall narrative.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making choices that truly impact their personalities and relationships.”
    • “The game features a diverse cast of characters, each with their own distinct traits and growth arcs that keep the story engaging.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
1-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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