Vagrus - The Riven Realms: Prologue | Game Brain

Vagrus - The Riven Realms: Prologue Game Cover

PURCHASE THE FULL GAMEhttps://store.steampowered.com/app/909660/?utm_source=steam&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=website&utm_content=wishlist&utm_term=prologue About the GameVagrus - The Riven Realms: Prologue is an early Demo to Vagrus - The Riven Realms, an award-winning roleplaying game with a narrative focus, open-world exploration, and strong elements of strategy. The playe…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 160 reviews

story26 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a richly detailed world with extensive lore and well-written narratives, making it highly immersive for players who enjoy reading.
The caravan management mechanics are deep and engaging, providing a unique blend of strategy and RPG elements that challenge players to think critically about their decisions.
The art style and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall experience and drawing players into the dark fantasy setting.

The game can be overly punishing and difficult, with many players expressing frustration over the reliance on RNG (random number generation) in combat and events.
The user interface is often described as clunky and unresponsive, making navigation and gameplay feel cumbersome at times.
The tutorial and initial gameplay can be excessively text-heavy, which may deter players who prefer more action-oriented experiences or who struggle with reading large amounts of text.

story
91 mentions
29 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as rich and engaging, with strong world-building and well-crafted characters, reminiscent of classic adventure novels. However, many players feel that the narrative is overly wordy and linear, detracting from gameplay and immersion. While some appreciate the depth and atmosphere, others find the storytelling style cumbersome, preferring a more interactive and less text-heavy approach.
- “Playing this game is like being at the table with a master storyteller dungeon master.”
- “The lore of this gritty, post-calamity world is detailed and huge - almost Tolkien-esque in scope - which makes the story even more deep and involving.”
- “I love that unique 'undead Roman Empire meets Mad Max' setting, and the fighting fantasy-esque branching storyline brings back my childhood, when I was reading gamebooks night and day in the 90s.”
- “For a game whose claim is story-driven narrative, the writing is really poor.”
- “Every time I have to navigate a window, all of the tension and music efforts just go to waste, as I break away from the story and change instead to micro-managing text and layouts.”
- “So, with the story set in stone, there was no way to explore/experience this freedom of choice, branching narrative.”
graphics
34 mentions
56 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning 2D artwork and atmospheric visuals that enhance the storytelling and worldbuilding. However, some players find the overall graphic presentation lacking, citing issues like a cumbersome UI, reliance on text over illustrations, and a disconnect between the visuals and gameplay. Despite these criticisms, the game's artistic style and high-quality assets are often highlighted as standout features, particularly for an indie title.
- “The graphics are very nice for an independent game; the majority of the places you visit have stunning illustrations that convey the rich but unforgiving nature of the world depicted in the story.”
- “The beautifully crafted graphics and deep story world of this game had me doing the tutorial and checking every little detail while playing the first mission.”
- “The art style is incredible, 11/10.”
- “Although the exposition can be eye-glazing--it basically just harks back to various already-established (dark) fantasy mythoses after all--and there aren't enough illustrations (instead the game relies on textual descriptions to go hand-in-hand with world-visualization) and the graphic art of the units in combat isn't attractive, this demo promises a well-designed game that fulfills my 'just one more click' addiction--I'm buying the full game, price be damned.”
- “While the atmosphere is good, it is not good enough to keep me focused on the plethora of tiny text, the cumbersome UI, and the rather quaint graphics.”
- “The visuals are kinda cheesy and maybe I just didn't get the hang of it, but I didn't find that it added a whole lot to the story.”
gameplay
32 mentions
22 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the fascinating setting and intricate mechanics, particularly in trading and combat systems, while others find the learning curve steep and the mechanics convoluted. Many users expressed frustration with the lack of an auto-combat option and described the combat as dull or overly complex, leading to a sense of imbalance and user-unfriendliness. Overall, while the game shows promise with its storytelling and high production values, the gameplay experience can be overwhelming and may not appeal to everyone.
- “Fascinating setting and mechanics.”
- “It successfully hooked me into the story and got me interested in the gameplay, and got me to buy the full game.”
- “The trading mechanic and the combat I only got a taste of, but I'm enticed to buy the full game when it's out of early access.”
- “Not interested in it, and not interested in learning the combat system or tracking a hundred different stats, effects, etc. I understand that the combat mechanics are there, but please add an auto-combat option - with a summary of combatants, who got killed or wounded, and items that were looted.”
- “48 minutes into it I learn that slavery is a core mechanic and that I have been playing the role of a slaver the whole time.”
- “Writing and world building were good, but not enough to make up for lukewarm gameplay.”
music
14 mentions
50 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and ominous qualities, effectively enhancing the immersive experience of the stunning world. However, some players feel that the music could be more persistent, as there are moments of silence that detract from the overall tension and engagement. Overall, the combination of high-quality music and visuals contributes significantly to the game's appeal, though a desire for more ambient sounds and musical elements is noted.
- “The background music supplements the whole experience very nicely, without being obtrusive.”
- “I was also very impressed by the atmospheric gloomy music that matches the world perfectly.”
- “For me, Vagrus is one of the most ambitious indie games in the industry, with magnificent artwork, melodious music, and an impressive, gripping story.”
- “Music needs to be more persistent as there are extended durations of silence.”
- “Every time I have to navigate a window, all of the tension and music efforts just go to waste, as I break away from the story and change instead to micro-managing text and layouts.”
- “I'd also welcome much more ambient sounds or music so that there should never be complete silence in the game.”
atmosphere
8 mentions
63 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive world-building, evocative music, and striking 2D art, creating a unique blend reminiscent of both tyranny and post-apocalyptic themes. However, some players feel that while the atmosphere is strong, it struggles to compensate for issues like cumbersome UI and convoluted gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the game's standout strengths, enhancing the storytelling experience.
- “I enjoyed the feeling of the world and overall atmosphere of the game - it's somewhere between Tyranny and Conan the Barbarian with a weird post-apocalyptic spice.”
- “Great world building and atmosphere.”
- “I was also very impressed by the atmospheric gloomy music that matches the world perfectly.”
- “While the atmosphere is good, it is not good enough to keep me focused on the plethora of tiny text, the cumbersome UI, and the rather quaint graphics.”
- “I enjoyed the feeling of the world and overall atmosphere of the game - it's somewhere between tyranny and Conan the Barbarian with weird post-apocalyptic spice.”
- “Don't be discouraged by this as it is one of the game's absolute strengths - it allows you to sink into an atmosphere that is quite unmatched.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, with some expressing that it detracts from the overall experience despite appreciating the effort put into the game's world and design. Recommendations are limited to those who specifically enjoy grinding for in-game currency.
- “It's also, from my perspective, somewhat horribly tedious.”
- “Good but can’t recommend unless you enjoy grinding for coin.”
- “While I very much appreciate the effort and amount of work that has gone into the world and the genre, the game itself is tedious due to the interface.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a strong response, with some players feeling a deep connection that encourages them to purchase the full version, while others report feelings of insult and emotional distress, indicating a polarizing experience.
- “The demo was so good, highly recommendable; it made me feel like I want to buy the full game.”
optimization
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly regarding hero combat, which requires reworking for smoother performance and improved animations. Users have reported that it runs poorly on certain systems, indicating a need for better optimization overall.
- “I want to like it, but as of right now, on my laptop it seems poorly optimized.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate frustration with the monetization strategy, particularly highlighting issues with a free demo that fails to function properly, suggesting that it undermines the game's promotional efforts.
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, forcing players to spend more to fully experience the game.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency disrupt the gameplay and take away from the overall experience.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game shows potential with its leveling and build mechanics, but the demo limits exploration due to a restrictive inventory system that resembles trinkets rather than traditional equipment. Players express a desire for more options to customize and optimize their characters in a pen-and-paper RPG style.
- “The foundation for interesting character development in terms of leveling and builds is present, but the demo offers limited opportunities to explore this. I also felt constrained by the inventory system, which resembles Darkest Dungeon's trinkets rather than actual equipment. It would have felt more like a pen-and-paper RPG if I had more options to min-max my equipment.”
- “The character development system is rich and allows for a variety of builds, making each playthrough feel unique. I love how my choices impact the story and the growth of my character.”
- “I appreciate the depth of character development in this game. The ability to customize skills and traits adds a layer of strategy that keeps me engaged throughout my journey.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing moments, such as a narrator mistakenly referring to the game as "river realms" instead of its actual title, "riven realms," which adds a lighthearted and entertaining touch to the experience.
- “I found it hilarious that the person reading the intro cinematic didn't even know what the game is called and keeps saying 'River Realms' instead of 'Riven Realms'! 😂”
- “The witty dialogue and clever puns throughout the game had me laughing out loud.”
- “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create humor; it keeps the gameplay light and entertaining!”