Venaitura
- August 2, 2021
- Ephiam
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreVenaitura is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game, often described as "Dragon Quest meets depression," with a good plot. Assemble a party of four Champions to stop Lord Zadigan from using the Venaitura to spread evil across the land of Tsufana. Use the spacebar to confirm/talk, x key to open/exit menu, and arrow/directional keys to move the character. Activate windowed mode by pressing the Function key and then F4.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a large selection of character classes and equipment, allowing for diverse party combinations and strategies.
- Boss fights are engaging and well-designed, with unique mechanics that encourage the use of status effects and debuffs.
- The story, while not overly deep, features intriguing twists and a charming retro aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for classic RPGs.
- The game suffers from a high random encounter rate, which can make exploration feel tedious, especially in larger dungeons.
- Some classes feel underpowered or less useful in certain encounters, leading to a lack of balance in party composition.
- The dialogue can be overly verbose and sometimes lacks clarity, making it difficult to identify important story elements or quest objectives.
- story31 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally engaging, featuring intriguing twists and a mix of humor and tragedy, though it occasionally suffers from pacing issues and hit-or-miss dialogue. While some players appreciate its nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic Dragon Quest titles, others find it clichéd and lacking depth, with a narrative that can become disjointed. Overall, it offers a decent experience for fans of the genre, but may leave some players wanting more in terms of storytelling coherence and character distinction.
“There's some surprising turns taken in the game that kept me intrigued, and I loved how the final plot threads came together.”
“The story is amazingly well put-together, with fantastic writing laced with humor but also dripping in tragedy.”
“An amazing old-school RPG that feels like the games you know and love but provides a story that features twists and turns unique to the experience.”
“Some of the dialogue and story beats are hit-or-miss; the monster catching area was the most fun I had personally, but other times the dialogues can drag a bit.”
“The story devolved into King Arthur despite being more original in the beginning, and Merlin is a woman for some reason.”
“Although it's an accurate recreation of early Dragon Quest games, I have to say, the story and dialogue really hurt my experience playing this game.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its charm and the noticeable changes that enhance the experience, particularly when progressing to new areas like getting a boat. However, some users express dissatisfaction, describing the music as lacking in quality. Overall, the soundtrack is generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“I love the music, and once you get the boat, I really noticed the change in the music.”
“The music is cute, and the vibe is perfect.”
“The game has a great soundtrack.”
“The music kinda sucks and the auto-battler is poorly designed.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay features classic turn-based RPG mechanics with a focus on strategic combat, including the effective use of status effects against enemies. While the combat is solid and prevents mindless button mashing, the game suffers from excessive text that may detract from the overall experience. Overall, it serves as a commendable homage to traditional RPGs.
“It's awesome that a single developer took simple RPG mechanics and pushed them into interesting directions.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's what you'd expect from classic turn-based RPGs: random encounters galore.”
“The game has solid combat mechanics that do well to keep you from button mashing your way through fights.”
“Another gameplay bonus is that using status effects on enemies can work in our favor.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback; while many appreciate the charming retro art style and variety, others feel that there is a lack of graphical feedback during battles, making them feel less engaging. Additionally, the inconsistency in character portraits, which are traced and vary in style, detracts from the overall visual cohesion.
“Amazing game with a ton of variety, a super cool retro art style, and a great story to experience!”
“The premise is great, the graphics are charming, and I love the freedom of choice when it comes to assembling your party.”
“I wish there was more graphical feedback to make it easier to take in information - some visual effects from spells in battle, HP bars, icons indicating what type of item you just picked up, etc. Battles almost felt like a text adventure with so little animation.”
“While the menu and world sprites are good, the portraits are all in different art styles and are clearly traced.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a mix of corny names and puns, which complement its darker plot elements. The dialogue among characters is engaging and humorous, with well-developed NPCs contributing to the overall comedic tone, though it may not be award-winning.
“The game does its world-building quite well, and despite the corniness of its names, puns, and humor, the plot can be very dark.”
“The dialogue is also very humorous between different characters, and all the NPCs have their own characteristics!”
“It's not going to win any awards, but important characters are fleshed out enough to be interesting, and some of the dialogue is genuinely funny.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its diverse character classes and the inclusion of a new game+ mode, allowing players to craft unique heroes and experience the content in different ways. Overall, users feel that the value for the price is excellent, enhancing the game's longevity.
“Honestly, for this price you can't go wrong. You get a solid RPG with lots of content and a bunch of replay value, as there are so many different character classes to choose from and a New Game+ mode as well.”
“Various classes help to give the feel of crafting your heroes, and add replay value.”
“Honestly, for this price you can't go wrong; you get a solid RPG with lots of content, but the replayability is limited due to the lack of meaningful choices in the story.”
“While various classes help to give the feel of crafting your heroes, the overall gameplay experience doesn't change much with each playthrough, reducing replay value.”
“The game offers a new game+ mode, but it feels more like a chore than an incentive to replay, as the core experience remains largely the same.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Many RPG Maker games are recognized for their emotional depth, often achieving significant emotional resonance alongside technical execution. However, some players feel that the narratives can leave them feeling disconnected from their characters' actions, questioning the nobility of their accomplishments within the story.
“Most RPG Maker games are as much of an emotional achievement as they are technical.”
“Normally, I'm supporting the actions of my own characters in a game like this, but most of the story made me feel like I wasn't really accomplishing anything noble.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as uniquely melancholic, gradually revealing its depth and engaging players as they become invested in the world and its characters. Initially requiring some time to appreciate, it ultimately captivates with its emotional resonance.
“It took me a while to warm up to it, but as I went on and the game revealed more of its hand, it started to come into its own. I became invested in the world, its characters, and its uniquely melancholy atmosphere.”
