Vellum

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 346 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Vellum Game Cover
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"Vellum is a cooperative action roguelike, offering both single-player and multiplayer modes, with stunning graphics and strategic gameplay. As a Scribe, dive into magic tomes, casting spells and determining your enemies' evolution. Band together with other players to reshape battlefields and fight through echoes of familiar tales."

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 346 reviews
gameplay25 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • The game features a wonderful art style and engaging story that draws players in.
  • There is a great variety of builds and abilities, allowing for unique playstyles and strategies.
  • The game is fun to play both solo and with friends, with smooth gameplay and frequent updates from the developers.
  • The movement and combat can feel clunky, with some players experiencing issues with dodging and enemy attacks.
  • The game can become repetitive quickly, with some players feeling that the enemy variety and challenge do not scale well.
  • There are performance issues, particularly with frame rates dropping during intense gameplay, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay56 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and a unique art style, offering a smooth and addictive experience with significant replayability. While many players appreciate the diverse build options and cooperative elements, some express concerns about balance and complexity, noting that certain mechanics can feel unintuitive or overwhelming. Overall, the game provides a fun and polished roguelite experience, though it may require adjustments to enhance clarity and challenge.

    • “Great updates and consistency, great content, overall a blast to play and very smooth gameplay feel.”
    • “This game flows like ink on parchment—smooth, with mellifluous references and astonishingly fun gameplay, all stylized to a fine point.”
    • “Genuinely one of the best games I've ever bought, the gameplay is very diverse and engaging, and at higher difficulties you really do have to think instead of just holding the W key.”
    • “The overly complicated maps just compound this design flaw to make for agonizing gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay itself is kind of boring; movement feels sluggish and the game is somehow too easy yet frustrating at the same time (I played 5 runs, won all of them and honestly had enough).”
    • “There are some questionable gameplay choices, like your dash not moving you in the last direction of your last input, but second to last, or that one elite that pulls you to itself from any point on the map and you can't do anything to it, other than hope that it won't have too many enemies around it.”
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique and aesthetically pleasing art style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. However, some users report performance issues, including frame rate drops and graphical bugs, particularly in high-level play, which detracts from the visual enjoyment. While the visuals are not cutting-edge, they are considered charming and immersive, contributing positively to the game's thematic elements.

    • “Vellum is an amazing game, with great visuals.”
    • “The art style and visuals are really nice, and I saw some other people complain about performance I think, but it runs just fine for me and I've had no issues performance-wise.”
    • “The movement is very nice and the art style is absolutely stunning.”
    • “There are very few maps, so the game will feel aesthetically repetitive.”
    • “My old computer is no excuse; I can play far more graphically intensive games with at least 60 fps, so I shouldn’t be getting an average of 20~40.”
    • “Graphic bugs and huge frame drops.”
  • story21 mentions

    The story is praised for its whimsical and immersive qualities, complemented by a unique art style featuring anthropomorphic characters. Players appreciate the depth and variety in missions, which are well-paced and enhance the overall experience without hindering gameplay. The customization options and mission-specific rewards add to the engaging narrative, making each run feel fresh and rewarding.

    • “A wonderful art visual and story that I can get behind.”
    • “The art style, enemies, classes, and story are all so immersive and have such depth to them.”
    • “I found the story to be whimsical, and I am digging the artwork - the anthropomorphic fountain pens do it for me.”
    • “Next would be for the quest tome and pages, I wish you could see your progress towards completing them.”
    • “☯ story ☯”
  • optimization11 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some players report stable performance and no issues, others experience significant lag, especially during late-game runs and with multiple objects on screen. Many users express hope for future updates to address these performance concerns, indicating that the game has potential for improvement.

    • “Optimized in the future for end game runs, the game definitely has more potential than it already has.”
    • “Some performance issues, but I'm confident the devs will fix them up in the future.”
    • “I think the game is great and has a lot of love poured into it, but I think what would make me and a lot of other players get a lot of mileage out of it is some optimization to what the player can do.”
    • “Poor optimization when runs reach past appendix 6/7.”
    • “Although be warned that this game has optimization issues as of release (current as of June 2024) and will lag even the best computers.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its great depth of replayability, with unique mechanics, build potential, and enjoyable modifiers that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some players feel it lacks sufficient incentives for currency use and may not sustain long-term interest for everyone. While many find it engaging and fun, a few express concerns about its longevity after initial gameplay.

    • “Great depth of replayability.”
    • “A very unique, creative, and intensely fun game with loads of replayability.”
    • “Great build potential, endless replayability, decent gameplay variation with ink colors, fun (and plentiful) modifiers, and a brilliant art style on top of it all.”
    • “It has some replay value, but is missing some serious sinks for the currency you earn.”
    • “I wanted to like this game, but after an hour of play (4 games), there were numerous points that made me unable to see the game offering much replayability.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game, while currently limited to a single track due to its early access status, is generally well-received, with players appreciating its quality and how it complements the art style and gameplay. However, some users find the repetition of the track and environments to be a drawback, leading to a desire for more variety and impact in the sound design. Overall, the music is considered good but not exceptional, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The art style is clean, the general theme is amazing, the music and audio are great, and it's a neat little challenge.”
    • “Everything ties together so beautifully; the art style and music are amazing, and the gameplay is fluid.”
    • “Overall, the sound and music are pretty nice. Nothing super outstanding, but it's good overall, and I dig that.”
    • “As it's early access, there is currently only one song track during the levels (though it is not a bad track, to be fair).”
    • “I can only slightly fault the sound design and music; it doesn't quite feel impactful enough for my personal taste, but this is not enough to affect how well designed the game is.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some find it manageable, completing the main levels in a short time and enjoying the unlockable cosmetics, others express frustration with the tediousness of certain challenges and the risk of losing progress due to crashes. Overall, grinding can feel rewarding but may also lead to moments of dissatisfaction, especially when compounded by technical issues.

    • “After 20 hours of grinding out the meta progression and just playing the game, it crashed and then erased my save file out of existence after the latest update.”
    • “I was able to complete all of the main levels in the first 12 hours of playing, and to fully upgrade everything after that only took 3 more hours of grinding through the levels.”
    • “An example is a mini-challenge where you have to climb a vertical rock that has little footholds for you to jump on; it doesn't feel satisfying to get to the top normally, and if there's a horde of enemies jumping around trying to knock you off, it just feels like a tedious delay of the inevitable.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Users appreciate the humor in the game, particularly enjoying quirky elements like the "funny little fountain pen heads," which add a lighthearted touch to the experience. The developers' engagement with the community also contributes to the overall comedic atmosphere.

    • “I like the funny little fountain pen heads, hehe.”
    • “Thank you for responding, dev! That's kind of funny, actually. :D”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, often considered unparalleled even when compared to genre giants like Hades and Risk of Rain 2. Reviewers highlight the seamless integration of gameplay, graphics, and ambiance, contributing to an immersive experience.

    • “The atmosphere is unmatched, even by other titans of the genre, like Hades or Risk of Rain 2.”
    • “The combination of gameplay, atmosphere, and graphics creates an immersive experience.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game features a complete experience without any microtransactions, and players appreciate the regular updates, highlighting it as a well-designed gem.

    • “The game is all there already with no microtransactions and regular updates, and I'm happy to say this is a gem.”
    • “The character designs are inspired, and I appreciate that the game doesn't rely on microtransactions.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is profound, with players expressing deep attachment and heartbreak over its limited recognition, highlighting a strong connection to its narrative and themes.

    • “I'll shill for it until the day I die; it's genuinely heartbreaking to see only 192 reviews at the time of writing.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report a high level of stability, noting that they have not encountered any significant bugs or issues in the game. Overall, the game's performance appears to be solid and reliable.

    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I've encountered numerous bugs that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
    • “Stability is a major issue; I often find myself getting kicked out of the game unexpectedly.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is praised for its creative abilities and unique character designs, which contribute to immersive and engaging worlds. Players appreciate the depth and originality of the characters, enhancing their overall gaming experience.

    • “The character development is incredibly rich, with each character having unique abilities and backstories that make them feel alive.”
    • “I love how the game allows for deep customization of characters, making each player's journey feel personal and unique.”
    • “The progression system is well thought out, allowing characters to evolve in meaningful ways that impact gameplay and story.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

9hMedian play time
78hAverage play time
6-16hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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