Vambrace: Cold Soul

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 390 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Vambrace: Cold Soul Game Cover
Packing some serious challenge, Vambrace: Cold Soul grips you with atmosphere and gorgeous visuals, even as the combat isn't as deep as it could be.
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In "Vambrace: Cold Soul," survive in the frost-covered city of Icenaire, cursed by the King of Shades with deadly Wraiths as its inhabitants. Fight against this supernatural power while taking refuge underground, leading a campaign to save the city's remnants. This game is a tribute to gothic fantasy classics like Castlevania and The Elder Scrolls, offering a challenging roguelite experience with a deep narrative.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 390 reviews
story135 positive mentions
grinding49 negative mentions
  • The art style and character design are stunning, creating a visually appealing experience.
  • The story and world-building are engaging, with interesting characters and lore that draw players in.
  • The developers are actively updating the game based on community feedback, showing commitment to improvement.
  • Combat is overly simplistic, with only two abilities per character, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • The game lacks meaningful character progression, as companions do not level up and can be easily replaced.
  • The user interface is confusing and lacks necessary information, making it difficult to navigate and understand combat mechanics.
  • story409 mentions

    The story of "Vambrace: Cold Soul" is generally well-received, featuring engaging characters, solid world-building, and a narrative that, while not groundbreaking, is above average and enriched by well-written dialogue. Players appreciate the game's visual novel-style storytelling and the impact of choices on character arcs and endings, although some express frustration with bugs and convoluted side quests that can hinder progress. Overall, the game is praised for its artistic presentation and compelling narrative, making it a worthwhile experience for those who prioritize story over gameplay complexity.

    • “A very compelling story with great, amazing artwork, beautiful music and fleshed-out world building.”
    • “First, it has an engaging story, likeable characters, great plot, good world building and lore and marvelous artwork.”
    • “The story is truly what makes this game shine though.”
    • “The story serves its purpose but isn't anything special; the music is fine but forgettable, and the gameplay is fun at first but basically doesn't evolve at all, getting very repetitive and tedious by the end.”
    • “The whole side quest system is very unclear; the game doesn't tell you that if you choose an option, you can just fail a quest right then and there.”
    • “The story gets off to a cracking start and it's obvious that an amazing amount of artistic talent has been channeled into creating the city of Icenaire and its surroundings, but, in the end, it's all rendered a little pointless by the fact it’s attached to such a monotonous and dreary plod of an RPG.”
  • gameplay208 mentions

    The gameplay of "Vambrace: Cold Souls" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive and simplistic mechanics that fail to evolve over time, leading to a tedious experience. While the game draws inspiration from "Darkest Dungeon," it lacks depth in combat and character progression, often resulting in frustration rather than engagement. Despite its appealing art and story, the gameplay is seen as its weakest element, requiring significant improvements to enhance player experience.

    • “The gameplay of Vambrace will be familiar to many roguelite veterans, as it is heavily influenced by Darkest Dungeon.”
    • “Vambrace has many things going for it: gorgeous art, great story, a hot main character, an addictive gameplay loop, and an atmosphere that is oozing with style.”
    • “What impressed me regarding Vambrace's gameplay is that each unit has exactly four actions in combat: attack, defend, wait, and a skill that's unique to their class.”
    • “At a certain point, the sense of tension that the game is clearly going for is just completely replaced by frustrating monotony, particularly when you die to a boss and have to slog your way through an hour of nothing gameplay just to get back to where you were.”
    • “The gameplay is pretty repetitive, and not all that interesting.”
    • “Currently, the core gameplay is really shallow and doesn't give much challenge.”
  • graphics141 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art style, detailed character designs, and atmospheric visuals, which contribute significantly to the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful artwork and worldbuilding, noting that the visuals are a major draw for players, even if the gameplay mechanics may not be as strong. While some critiques mention that the graphics can feel derivative, the overall consensus is that the game's aesthetic is its standout feature, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of visually rich storytelling.

    • “The art style is fantastic, everything looks gorgeous and detailed, and most characters (from playable to NPCs and enemies) are beautifully designed.”
    • “A very compelling story with great, amazing artwork, beautiful music and fleshed-out world building.”
    • “The artwork and the story - absolutely top notch, gorgeous artwork all around, especially the character models.”
    • “Know what you are buying: a VN (visual novel) like game with DD inspired visuals and a patina of DD mechanics that's only skin deep.”
    • “I suppose it could be an awesome visual novel because the only positive emotion I had was about the graphics.”
    • “Will write a proper review when I've stopped being so annoyed at people trying to get so many changes made to the game that it will perhaps end up being ruined in an attempt to please people that want it to be an entirely different game with only the graphics remaining the same because of a shed-load of unwarranted bleating.”
  • music58 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising it as beautiful and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, while others find it generic and repetitive. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the storytelling and overall experience, though some prefer to turn it down or off due to its looping nature. Overall, the music is often highlighted as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's aesthetic and emotional impact.

    • “A very compelling story with great, amazing artwork, beautiful music and fleshed-out world building.”
    • “Music is wonderful.”
    • “The character design, the artworks, the music are great.”
    • “The music is a bit generic and is constantly on loop, so it gets old pretty fast. I usually like to have YouTube on in the background while I play, so I just turn the music down or off.”
    • “The story serves its purpose but isn't anything special; the music is fine but forgettable.”
    • “Music not so much.”
  • grinding51 mentions

    The reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be quite tedious and repetitive, with many players finding the gameplay lacking in evolution and variety as they progress. While some appreciate the charm and art style, others criticize the grind as a mindless slog that detracts from the overall experience, making it feel unbalanced and overly reliant on farming mechanics. However, a few players found the grind manageable and enjoyable, suggesting that it may appeal to those who appreciate deeper exploration and strategy despite its flaws.

    • “I personally found the game enjoyable and not too grindy at all.”
    • “You grind a lot, getting your party wiped out several times, until you gather enough gold to buy enough healing items to get through. It's tedious, no fun, and a pretty boring game concept.”
    • “The artwork is great, but sadly the gameplay is badly balanced, as it becomes a tedious grind without much to enjoy.”
    • “Vambrace: Cold Soul is not bad, but it quickly becomes a mindless, repetitive grinding slog of the same battles that require very little strategy, not to mention the lack of any sort of enemy variety.”
  • atmosphere22 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, gothic art style, and immersive worldbuilding, creating a dark and captivating environment. Players appreciate the combination of storytelling, music, and character design, which collectively enhance the overall experience. Despite some critiques regarding character design tropes, the atmosphere remains a standout feature that effectively draws players into its cold, fantasy setting.

    • “The artwork is really good; I liked the gothic style set in a cold world; it was quite atmospheric.”
    • “Vambrace has many things going for it: gorgeous art, great story, an addictive gameplay loop, and an atmosphere that is oozing with style.”
    • “Packing some serious challenge, Vambrace: Cold Soul grips you with atmosphere and gorgeous visuals, even as the combat isn't as deep as it could be.”
    • “Nevertheless, the setting - albeit classic fantasy - has some dark and gothic atmosphere to it. The design and artwork are good, but every female character looks like a well-rounded and beautified Mary Sue, which may just be their schtick. The story and lore are written quite well, and the different quest branches and endings are interesting. It's funny that the neutral route is also the nihilistic route, which ends with the character getting hooked on fantasy narcotics to cope with her existential dread.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is quite lacking, failing to immerse players in the world effectively.”
    • “While the visuals are impressive, the overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to engage with the game.”
  • character development21 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the diverse and relatable characters, intriguing backstories, and high-quality design, while others criticize the lack of depth in character progression and the absence of romantic elements that could enhance the narrative. Although the story and audiovisuals are praised, many feel that the character development is too straightforward and simplistic, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, while the characters are visually appealing and well-designed, the gameplay lacks substantial character growth and complexity.

    • “Beautiful character design, mysterious story, interesting main character backstory, and overall cool characters to interact with.”
    • “To be honest, I was kind of reluctant to buy the game after reading the bad reviews, but I have to say… I have truly enjoyed this game so far. It's like Darkest Dungeon, but with a more charming character design. The game has an intriguing plot, very well-thought lore, diverse and likable characters that feel real, and I haven't seen any 'pure good' or 'evil' characters so far.”
    • “If you want to get engaged in a well-written story, explore the world, dabble in crafting, and enjoy some truly fantastic artwork and character design, then play this.”
    • “The classes are way too simple, the itemization/character development are non-existent and the combat is shallow, but the audiovisuals are great and the story is interesting, so it is a good experience overall.”
    • “Speaking of character design, it is very bland.”
    • “Could use character romancing to add to the story; it is too straightforward to the end goal, and adding that character development and romancing could really make it perfect.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as adorable and often amusing, with references to pop culture (like Columbo and Sailor Moon) that add a lighthearted touch to the otherwise dark and gothic setting. Players appreciate the quirky plot twists and the comedic elements woven into the story, including a nihilistic route that humorously addresses existential themes. However, some find the game's unpolished animations and simplistic mechanics to be unintentionally funny, contributing to its overall charm.

    • “I had fun playing this, really liked that the devs put extra art to go with the different costumes (the Columbo and Sailor Moon were funny).”
    • “Adorable humor.”
    • “A new story... with a funny old-fashioned plot and 'plot twist'.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The stability of the game appears to be mixed, with some users reporting no bugs on specific platforms like Windows and Arch Linux, while others highlight significant issues, including a buggy experience and a poorly designed user interface. Overall, while some players have had a smooth experience, others have encountered numerous glitches and monotonous quests that detract from gameplay.

    • “It's also still super buggy, and it has the single worst UI I've seen in a game.”
    • “I don't think I can adequately describe how monotonous and buggy the quests are.”
    • “The route to the good ending seems to be based on a total aggregate score from different choices and quest resolutions, so it should still be reachable even if some stuff glitches, but I guess we'll see.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    "Vambrace: Cold Soul" offers strong replayability through its multiple endings and significant story choices that affect gameplay, encouraging players to explore different paths. The game also features a variety of costumes and character customization options, although some players feel that additional skills and classes could enhance the experience further. Overall, the combination of engaging battles and diverse narrative outcomes makes it a title worth revisiting.

    • “Vambrace: Cold Soul takes inspiration from the gothic fantasy of Castlevania, the deep lore of games like TES: V, the replayability of roguelites like Darkest Dungeon, and the sweeping, character-driven epics of JRPGs.”
    • “There are 3 endings, and many costumes are mutually exclusive due to story choices, so Vambrace: Cold Soul has replayability.”
    • “Also, there is good replayability, the game having important choices you have to make, and multiple endings.”
    • “The battle is fun, but it can be improved even more with more skills, more equipment & stats customization, and more playable classes.”
    • “Vambrace: Cold Soul takes inspiration from the gothic fantasy of Castlevania, the deep lore of games like TES:V, the replayability of roguelites like Darkest Dungeon, and the sweeping, character-driven epics of JRPGs.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users noting poor UI and menu navigation, stuttering issues in the overhead world hub, and a range of gameplay mechanics that feel unreliable and unfair. Additionally, the confusing map layouts and repetitive gameplay contribute to an overall lack of polish.

    • “The UI and menu navigation is not optimized.”
    • “Boring, overly difficult combat, unreliable and unfair mechanics, confusing map and dungeon layouts, repetitive and unrewarding gameplay loop, and the overhead world hub has stuttering issues.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

64% average critic score

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Play time

12hMedian play time
36hAverage play time
10-118hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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