November 14, 2024
Karaclan

VED

VED is full of gorgeous graphics and hosts a decent combat system, even if its story and characters do not come together in a satisfying manner.

66%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

music, replayability

79% User Score Based on 34 reviews

Critic Score 67%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

VED is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Karaclan and was released on November 14, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

VED is a story-driven, hand-drawn RPG with a unique turn-based combat system and roguelite elements. Set in two different worlds, VED tells the story of Cyrus, a young hero who sets out on a quest to become a master of sword and magic, and save everything he knows from destruction.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews

story12 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

VED features stunning hand-drawn graphics and a unique art style that creates an immersive atmosphere.
The game offers a compelling narrative with meaningful choices that significantly impact the story and character development.
Its blend of visual novel elements with turn-based combat provides a fresh and engaging gameplay experience, encouraging replayability through multiple endings.

The dialogue and writing can feel stiff and disjointed, undermining the emotional impact of key scenes.
Combat mechanics can be frustrating due to reliance on chance-based outcomes, leading to inconsistent gameplay experiences.
The pacing may feel slow for players expecting more action-oriented gameplay, with lengthy dialogue sections that can detract from the overall experience.

story
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
63%
9%
The story of "Ved" is a central focus, featuring an ambitious narrative that intertwines player choices with branching paths and moral dilemmas, centered around the protagonist Cyrus and his ability to navigate two interconnected realities. While the overarching narrative is praised for its thematic depth and engaging visuals, some players find the execution uneven, with moments of disjointed storytelling and stiff dialogue. Overall, those who appreciate narrative-driven experiences may find much to enjoy, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and character development.
- “The story revolves around Cyrus, an unassuming young man whose life changes dramatically when he discovers the ability to shift between two interconnected realities.”
- “The game leans heavily into player agency, offering branching storylines, faction alignments, and moral choices that shape both Cyrus’s development and the broader fate of the worlds he inhabits.”
- “The story effectively balances lighthearted humor with darker themes, creating a rich and engaging experience.”
- “While the overarching concept is compelling and full of thematic potential, the execution sometimes struggles, with dialogue that can feel stiff and story beats that don’t always land with the emotional clarity they seem to aim for.”
- “The game feels boring, with a bland and uninspiring story.”
- “Ved is full of gorgeous graphics and hosts a decent combat system, even if its story and characters do not come together in a satisfying manner.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
63%
14%
The gameplay in "Ved" combines turn-based tactical combat with a semi-roguelite exploration structure, featuring chance-based mechanics that evoke tabletop RPGs. While the combat system is original and offers some engaging moments, it can become repetitive and lacks depth for long-term strategic play. Overall, the game prioritizes narrative over gameplay, resulting in an uneven balance that may appeal more to those seeking a story-driven experience than intricate mechanics.
- “Gameplay in Ved is built around turn-based tactical combat and a semi-roguelite exploration structure within the magical realm.”
- “The combat system introduces chance-based mechanics reminiscent of tabletop RPGs, using percentage checks and dice-like rolls to determine outcomes.”
- “Turn-based combat, impactful choices, and a unique world-shifting mechanic create an emotional and immersive experience.”
- “The balance between story progression and mechanical engagement can feel uneven, with certain sections dragging due to repetitive encounters or limited mechanical variety.”
- “Where it stumbles is in polish, particularly in writing clarity, pacing, and mechanical refinement.”
- “The combat mechanic is quite basic and repetitive, sadly.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
22%
17%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which creates richly textured environments and expressive character portraits, evoking a sense of nostalgia and artistic identity. Players appreciate the visual appeal and unique aesthetic, although some note that the gameplay can become repetitive. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and storytelling.
- “Its hand-drawn art style evokes the feel of an illustrated novel, with richly textured environments, expressive character portraits, and a strong sense of artistic identity.”
- “Ved masterfully combines visual novel elements with deep storytelling and stunning visuals.”
- “Its hand-drawn art style is undoubtedly its strongest point, creating a visually appealing world that evokes a sense of nostalgia.”
- “However, while the visuals are top-notch, the gameplay can feel somewhat repetitive, especially in the later stages.”
- “Graphics: decent”
- “Ved is a mix of visual novel and turn-based strategy game, boasting a unique hand-drawn art style.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The music in the game is highly praised for its orchestral blend with modern influences, enhancing the overall mood and immersion, especially when the narrative struggles. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, complementing the hand-drawn graphics and contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere. Overall, the music is described as a captivating and integral part of the experience, with a notable rating of 9/10.
- “The soundtrack complements this presentation well, blending orchestral tones with unexpected modern influences, reinforcing the sense that it exists somewhere between traditional fantasy and something more experimental.”
- “It was a new and nice experience for me to try out, and I was definitely fascinated by the art design, soundtracks, and gameplay along with how everything turned out.”
- “Together, the art and music do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to mood and immersion, often compensating for moments where the narrative falters.”
- “It has great graphics and well-done voice over and subtle music.”
- “It was a new and nice experience for me to try out and I was definitely fascinated by the art design, soundtracks and gameplay along with how everything turned out.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a compelling concept and heartfelt narrative, though it suffers from occasional stiff dialogue and inconsistent execution that can dilute its impact. Despite these shortcomings, the game offers an immersive experience through meaningful choices and a unique mechanic, ultimately valuing mood and ideas over perfection. Overall, it presents a charming and emotionally resonant journey, even if it doesn't achieve flawless storytelling.
- “It is not a tightly tuned tactical masterpiece nor a flawlessly written narrative epic, but rather a heartfelt, experimental RPG that values ideas and mood over perfection.”
- “Turn-based combat, impactful choices, and a unique world-shifting mechanic create an emotional and immersive experience.”
- “The game's story, while simple, is heartfelt and drives the player forward.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a contemplative and immersive experience, focusing on psychological depth and subtle animations that enhance the world-building. Users praise the unique and strange elements, alongside the impressive art and monster design, which collectively create a captivating and magical environment. Overall, the emphasis on atmosphere and player choice over mainstream appeal contributes to its distinctive charm.
- “Animations are subtle rather than flashy, but small details—like character movements during conversations or the layered depth of magical landscapes—help create an immersive atmosphere.”
- “The art and atmosphere are amazing, especially in the magical world.”
- “From the outset, the game positions itself as something more contemplative than action-oriented, placing emphasis on choices, atmosphere, and the psychological weight of its world rather than raw spectacle.”
- “It is unapologetically strange at times, prioritizing atmosphere, theme, and player choice over accessibility or mainstream appeal.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game offers a decent level of replayability through its adaptable mechanics and roguelite elements, though some players find the depth insufficient for long-term engagement. While Ved is praised for its beauty and challenging combat, its short length may limit replay value for some. Additionally, the difficulty spikes can lead to frustration, impacting the overall replay experience.
- “Ved is short, but replayable and very beautiful RPG/visual novel hybrid with an interesting and somewhat challenging combat system.”
- “These mechanics encourage adaptability and replayability, though they sometimes lack the depth needed to sustain long-term strategic satisfaction.”
- “The roguelite elements, while adding replayability, can sometimes lead to frustrating difficulty spikes.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization focuses on enhancing tactical decision-making through skills and magical powers, rather than merely boosting numerical strength, suggesting a design philosophy that values strategic choices over traditional optimization metrics.
- “Skills and magical powers open up new tactical options rather than simply increasing numerical strength, reinforcing the idea that the game values decision-making over optimization.”
- “The game feels unoptimized, with frequent frame drops and long loading times that disrupt the overall experience.”
- “Despite the interesting mechanics, the lack of optimization leads to frustrating gameplay, especially in high-intensity situations.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is well-crafted, striking a balance between lighthearted moments and darker themes, which enhances the overall storytelling and engagement.
- “The story effectively balances lighthearted humor with darker themes, creating a rich and engaging experience.”
- “The witty dialogue and clever puns kept me laughing throughout the game.”
- “The absurd situations and quirky characters add a delightful layer of humor that makes the gameplay unforgettable.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight that the game prioritizes narrative growth and ability customization over traditional stat grinding, offering a refreshing alternative in a genre often dominated by repetitive grinding mechanics. Players appreciate this focus on meaningful progression, suggesting a desire for more games that emphasize depth and storytelling.
- “In a world obsessed with games featuring endless grinding, we definitely need more soulful titles like this.”