Valdis Story: Abyssal City
- October 30, 2013
- Endlessfluff Games
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Valdis Story: Abyssal City" is an action/exploration platformer where you play as Wyatt, exploring the ruins of a long-lost holy city. Engage in intense combat against a variety of enemies, from demons to angels and beyond, using swordsmanship, martial arts, and sorcery. Customize Wyatt's skills and equipment to aid in your journey, as you uncover the story of the ongoing war between the goddesses Valdis, Myrgato, and Alagath.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Great combat system with a focus on combos and skill cancels, providing a satisfying and engaging experience.
- Beautiful art style and an excellent soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
- High replayability with four distinct characters, each offering unique playstyles and skill trees.
- Frustrating platforming mechanics and timed puzzles that require pixel-perfect execution, leading to potential frustration.
- Lack of a comprehensive world map, making navigation and backtracking tedious and confusing.
- Boss fights can feel unbalanced, with some being overly punishing and reliant on specific builds to succeed.
- story1,008 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Valdis Story: Abyssal City" is generally regarded as engaging but somewhat simplistic, often revolving around the classic conflict between angels and demons, with a focus on character-driven narratives. While some players appreciate the lore and character backstories, others find the storytelling lacking depth and coherence, with vague directions and a need for more substantial plot development. Overall, the game offers a decent narrative experience that complements its gameplay, though it may not be the primary draw for all players.
“The game offers a lot: a good story, great variation in the way you play, and lots of secrets, including game-changing ones.”
“Fantastic replayability with multiple characters having their own stories and starting positions in the world, story events that are changeable, and many items that change the way you interact with the world.”
“The story is engaging enough: it is about a war between demons and angels and how the humans are the collateral damage caught in-between.”
“The story is linear without any choice.”
“None of the characters are sympathetic, and the story felt poorly told, leaving me in the dark half the time as to what was going on.”
“The story is vague, but the lore is there.”
- gameplay587 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Valdis Story: Abyssal City" is a mixed bag, with many players praising its engaging combat mechanics, RPG elements, and metroidvania exploration, while others criticize its frustrating controls, clunky mechanics, and steep learning curve. The game offers a variety of characters and builds, allowing for diverse playstyles, but suffers from issues like poor enemy placement, unresponsive controls, and a lack of clear tutorials for its complex systems. Overall, while the core gameplay can be rewarding and enjoyable, it is often marred by design flaws that detract from the experience.
“The gameplay is the best part, as polished and impeccable as it can be - for all four playable characters -, allowing the player to evolve wildly while learning the combat/utility mechanics and keeping the game fun/challenging even after hundreds of hours of playing.”
“Valdis Story: Abyssal City takes a bit of warming up, but once you get into the groove, you're in for a great adventure and very satisfying gameplay.”
“The gameplay is so well made and the design so spot-on that there was never a dull moment.”
“There are some things to enjoy here but they're outweighed by all the frustration that results from some obnoxious enemy placement, bad level design, tacked-on RPG mechanics, and a general lack of polish.”
“Without improving the too floaty controls and the mechanics of how the enemy's hits push you back (even when blocked), and how attacks will stun-lock you like crazy via multi-hit attacks from bosses or getting surrounded by several foes, not to mention the annoying status things like freezing you solid or the dang Venus fly traps that I don't know how to kill - there's simply no way I could recommend it.”
“The character(s) you control feel(s) too floaty, the enemies almost always seem to land a hit on you first (with some who love to stun-lock you into a death combo), there's unnecessarily pinpoint platforming sections that feature wonky wall-jumping mechanics, and I find the RPG mechanics to be rather tacked-on.”
- music474 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. Composed by Zack Parrish, the soundtrack features a diverse range of styles, from haunting melodies to energetic boss themes, making it a standout element of the game. Overall, players find the music to be not only enjoyable but also integral to the immersive experience of the game, often considering it one of the best soundtracks in the genre.
“The soundtrack is one of the best in the industry; I don't think I'll ever find proper words to do it justice.”
“The music is absolutely fantastic and really helps set the mood.”
“The music is beautifully composed, and it fits the overall aesthetic and situations really well.”
“Wasn't a big fan of the art or music either and there were constant audio bugs with volume and sounds looping.”
“The soundtrack is average in general, only the ex-boss and the final boss themes can be listened to without the game.”
“The music is honestly not amazing, it's just there.”
- graphics368 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received a mixed reception, with many praising the beautiful and unique art style, vibrant visuals, and detailed animations that evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic metroidvania titles. However, some players noted issues with low resolution, pixelation, and occasional graphical glitches, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game's aesthetic and artistic design are often highlighted as standout features, contributing to its charm and appeal.
“The visuals of the game are stunning, very pleasing to the eyes.”
“The graphics are gorgeous and the style is pretty likable.”
“The graphics and animations are great, the combat satisfying, and the game has depth to keep you coming back, with multiple classes, crafting, skill trees, and challenges.”
“Graphics are weird, like from portable games.”
“The graphics looked pretty but none of the textures aligned, leaving boxes around almost all of the background and level art blocks.”
“The graphics are crisp and simplistic to the point that I really feel like I'm playing a flash game that should run for free on a website for people bored at work.”
- replayability186 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, primarily due to its four playable characters, each with unique skills, playstyles, and storylines, encouraging multiple playthroughs. Players appreciate the variety of builds, difficulty modes, and unlockable content, which significantly enhance the overall experience. Many reviews highlight the game's depth and customization options, making it a compelling choice for those seeking extended gameplay.
“A surprisingly high amount of replayability with three other playable characters who all have their own skills and playstyles, as well as their own backstories and dialogue that only get revealed if you play as them.”
“The depth and replayability is surprisingly deep as there are four characters to play with, and each one has three skill trees to draw abilities from, making you actually want to try multiple runs with different playstyles between those options.”
“Incredible replay value with unlockable characters, stat and ability (build) variations for each character, and unlockable higher difficulties.”
“The depth and replayability is surprisingly deep as there are 4 characters to play with and each one has 3 skill trees to draw abilities from, making you actually want to try multiple runs with different playstyles between those options.”
“The gameplay is fairly typical metroidvania, but with 4 unique characters, each plays very differently from the other, on top of which every character has potentially a multitude of possible builds, giving quite a bit of replayability to it all.”
“There is a lot of replayability, mainly due to how many unique combinations, game modes, challenges, secrets, etc. there are.”
- grinding76 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- -3 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often viewed as tedious and frustrating, with players expressing dissatisfaction over excessive backtracking, difficult boss fights, and a lack of clear navigation. While some appreciate the opportunity to refine skills through grinding, many feel that the process detracts from the overall enjoyment, making exploration and progression feel unnecessarily prolonged. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant flaw, with calls for a more balanced approach to leveling and resource gathering.
“The relatively high build variety enhances replayability, allowing players to either rely on their skills without grinding or choose to grind a bit to make the game easier, which results in a forgiving difficulty curve.”
“Grinding in this game feels rewarding, as it allows you to customize your character and improve your skills, making each session feel meaningful.”
“The balance between grinding and skill-based play creates a unique experience where players can choose their path, making the game accessible yet challenging.”
“I tried to like this game because the art and all is really cool, but I won't spend another 10+ hours doing this, running around not knowing where to go. Everything is a dead end, every backtracking is tedious, and every tiny room is clustered with enemies without end.”
“In my personal opinion, the game should be considered more a combat-oriented platformer than given the title of 'metroidvania.' Simple backtracking over and over to grind for enemy drops to upgrade your gear gets very tedious.”
“The gameplay seemed legit when I was starting, but it just becomes so tedious to the point you spend so much time editing your character for every room you step in.”
- atmosphere29 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its exceptional sound design and music, which significantly enhance the immersive experience. Players appreciate the intricate world design, combining beautiful visuals with a captivating soundtrack that complements various themes and settings. While some critiques mention mobility and terrain issues, the overall ambiance, storytelling, and artistic elements contribute to a rich and engaging atmosphere that resonates with fans of atmospheric "metroidvania" games.
“The music is wonderfully atmospheric, but in a way that makes me come back to this soundtrack and actively listen and enjoy it (even made me buy it).”
“The storytelling and atmosphere of the built world are very immersive; the game has depth in every way needed.”
“Aesthetically, the game is incredible, with atmospheric music, magnificent visuals, and an incredibly detailed world.”
“Despite my complaining, the story does have a quality for helping the abyssal city atmosphere the game tries to create, and isn't by any means bad, it just does the gist of a good story and stops there.”
“The soundtrack is well thought out and adds to the game atmosphere.”
“Each song lends itself to the different atmospheres very well and the boss fight theme, especially, the way it starts out, really gets you in the mood for a confrontation.”
- optimization23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including laggy controls and unresponsive gameplay, particularly for those only meeting minimum system requirements. While the performance-based rewards system for boss fights adds an engaging layer to the gameplay, it is overshadowed by the overall lack of optimization, which detracts from the experience. Despite its artistic design and potential, the game's technical shortcomings hinder its enjoyment, leaving players hopeful for improvements in future updates or titles.
“It has a great incentive to push yourself for speed and/or skill with stat bonuses for boss fights based on performance.”
“Boss battles are graded, after which you receive higher rewards based on your performance.”
“Combat is easy to learn and hard to master, with grades awarded based on performance on boss fights and numerous rewards for good play.”
“Game is incredibly unoptimized; if you're just meeting the minimum requirements it will basically be unplayable.”
“It's hampered, however, by horrendous performance issues.”
“There's no reason for this slowdown other than terrible optimization.”
- stability19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs such as audio crackling, interface glitches, and crashes, particularly when played on multiple PCs. While some users have found workarounds for audio issues and noted smooth performance on platforms like the Steam Deck, others have experienced significant gameplay interruptions due to freezing and visual glitches. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable mechanics, its stability issues detract from the experience, leading to a perception of it being somewhat abandoned by developers.
“The game runs great on Steam Deck at 60 FPS.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs; the stability is impressive.”
“The performance is smooth and consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
“Not only doesn't it support resolutions above 1080p, there are bugs like audio crackling and interface glitches.”
“Heard good things about this game but unfortunately it's buggy and seems abandoned by the devs. I've tried to play this game on three different PCs over the years, the latest problem being the game will freeze then crash without warning.”
“God this is horrid, it's buggy, the slowdown is awful if two things are on the screen, the controls are meh at best, and honestly the story kind of sucks.”
- character development16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its unique and varied character designs, which contribute significantly to the lore and overall narrative context. While some players find the story and dialogue lacking, many appreciate the depth provided by the character designs and the rewarding combat system that encourages tactical skill and thoughtful character progression. Overall, the visual and artistic elements of character design are praised, enhancing the game's memorable experience.
“The plot is good enough to keep you going, but the good part is all the lore and character design created to give the story context and meaning.”
“It has a fantastic story, great character development, a lot of awesome music, beautiful art, and a combat system that suits everyone's personal playstyle.”
“Character designs are varied and tell a story unto themselves.”
“The story (up to the point I've reached) isn't very strong, and the dialogue fails to pick up the slack with character development.”
“The fact that many of the bosses spawn enemies during the fight is a total cop-out in character design.”
“The character designs may not be your cup of tea, but they are definitely worth enduring if you want a memorable experience.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding the characters and story amusing, and some aspects, like the limited fast travel system, eliciting laughter. While there are opportunities for funny builds, the competitive nature of gameplay can discourage their use. However, the humor is not as consistently quirky as in other titles like Rogue Legacy, and the main plot is seen as lacking depth despite some entertaining lore.
“The story itself is fun and the characters are funny and interesting.”
“At first, this game is just awesome and funny.”
“If you played video games in the 80's/90's, you might pee your pants laughing at the people saying this game is too hard on even the easiest difficulty.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The emotional response to the game is largely negative, with players feeling frustrated by its shallow storytelling, flawed mechanics, and cumbersome gameplay that detracts from the overall experience. Despite recognizing the potential for a compelling metroidvania, the combination of suboptimal hitboxes and a convoluted combat system leaves players feeling more annoyed than engaged.
“It is heartbreaking because you can clearly see the potential.”
“The metroidvania goodness is there, if you can overlook the overly complicated combat system and the boring story.”
