Viktor
- June 13, 2014
- Shorebound Studios
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Viktor" is a single-player action game with sensational graphics and music, offering an intense, side-scrolling, twin-stick adventure. The story, set in the world of Eos, follows Viktor's quest to restore balance between the Overworld and Netherworld after Mephistopheles attacks. Gameplay features 8 action-packed stages, challenging boss fights, adjustable difficulty levels, and a range of weapons to utilize.
Reviews
- The graphics and art style are appealing, reminiscent of classic games like Mega Man and Castlevania.
- The dash mechanic is well-implemented, adding a fun layer to the platforming and combat.
- Boss fights are engaging and require learning attack patterns, providing a satisfying challenge.
- The game suffers from significant design flaws, including frustrating level layouts and a lack of incentive to engage with enemies.
- Long load times and game-breaking bugs, such as clipping through walls, detract from the overall experience.
- The upgrade system is poorly designed, as players cannot farm for coins and must replay levels with diminishing returns.
- gameplay29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a fluid dash mechanic that enhances platforming and dodging, allowing players to phase through obstacles and engage in skill-based combat. While the game features unique bosses and enjoyable shooting mechanics, some players find the reliance on double jumps and dashes burdensome, and there are complaints about enemy design and excessive screen shake. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its smoothness and engaging mechanics, despite some bugs and a short playtime.
“Overall a nice platformer that stands out because of the smooth gameplay.”
“The main mechanic of both games is the phasing dash which allows you to go through walls and obstacles.”
“You have a dash mechanic for platforming and dodging which makes the motion very fluid and energetic.”
“A surprisingly large number of easy-to-perform game-breaking bugs that you'd expect in an alpha and not a full release, which I will go into more detail in the gameplay section of this review.”
“Very short gameplay and average plot, but an awesome music.”
“The main mechanic, your dodge/warp move, has an unpredictable movement distance.”
- music26 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives a mixed reception, with many players praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and fitting for the gameplay, often highlighting its energetic and engaging qualities. However, some reviewers find it tiresome or average, suggesting that while it enhances the experience, it may not be exceptional. Overall, the soundtrack is generally regarded as a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere.
“The music is great and there are several hidden weapons to find.”
“Fun mega man/Castlevania type game with some excellent SOTN type music!”
“The soundtrack is amazing.”
“The soundtrack is tiresome.”
“I didn't care for the soundtrack and the story.”
“The music is only okay; presentation is average, visuals are nothing special, and the soundtrack is pretty basic metal-ish fare.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style and nostalgic visuals reminiscent of classic games, while others note that some levels appear dull and generic. Overall, the visuals are described as decent and pleasant, complemented by a solid soundtrack, but not groundbreaking. Some users recommend a prequel for a better graphical experience.
“The graphics are awesome, the soundtrack is very nice as well, the concept of the game is not bad at all aside from the cliché plot.”
“Graphically, it's a very nice looking game.”
“The character sprites are well illustrated and animated, and some of the later levels make up for the duller beginnings.”
“Not a huge amount of effort has been put into the graphics.”
“Do not be fooled by those neat graphics.”
“Presentation is average, visuals are nothing special and the soundtrack is pretty basic metal-ish fare.”
- story16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it reminiscent of classic titles like Soul Reaver and appreciating its moral themes, while others describe it as dull and unremarkable, often feeling like a standard revenge narrative. Overall, the storyline is considered serviceable but not exceptional, with many players feeling it does not significantly impact their enjoyment of the game.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“Decent storyline and characters.”
“Fun characters and interesting story.”
“The story, if it can even be called one, is rather dull and uninteresting.”
“I did not care one bit for the little bit of dialogue or story that was trying to be told.”
“Very short gameplay and average plot but an awesome music.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unappealing, as it forces them to replay levels excessively to earn gold for weapon upgrades. This repetitive gameplay detracts from the overall enjoyment, particularly during boss fights, which are criticized for their uninspired mechanics and excessive health.
“Grinding is not something a platformer should make you do.”
“It requires a lot of grinding for gold to upgrade weapons, so you have to play levels over and over until they're not fun anymore.”
“This makes this game very tedious.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers a moderate level of replayability, appealing to fans who enjoy the initial experience, but many players find the levels too similar and monotonous, which diminishes long-term engagement. While some recommend the sequel for a more polished experience, others express frustration with gameplay mechanics that hinder replay value. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some praising its fun factor on the first playthrough but noting limited incentive to return.
“There is a decent amount of replayability in this one. If you like what you see, then go get it! I have played the sequel, or rather prequel, 'Loyalty and Blood: Viktor Origins.' That one is a more defined version of this, but they feel different. So if you want a similar experience but with more polish and overall more content, go for the second one.”
“Huge fan, lots of replay value.”
“Taking into account the grind, price tag, frustration with dashing the wrong direction because you had the cursor in front of you to shoot, the monotony leading to a lack of replayability, I'm giving it a thumbs down.”
“I don't think this game has much replay value due to all the levels being fairly similar in style, but it was a lot of fun the first time through.”
“The is a decent amount of replayability in this one, if you like what you see, then go get it, but I have played the sequel, or rather prequel, Loyalty and Blood: Viktor Origins. That one is a more defined version of this, but they feel different, so if you want a similar experience but with more polish and overall more content, go for the second one.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with frequent freezes and crashes reported by users, leading to complete system failures. While some players did not encounter game-breaking glitches, many noted the presence of numerous bugs and control issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential, these stability problems hinder the game's performance and enjoyment.
“The worst part is it freezes on a regular basis and crashes my whole damn PC.”
“When the game is at its best, it's pretty damn good, but it is plagued by too many bugs, glitches, and control problems in its current form.”
“Outside of bugs, it has some flaws including a damage recoil far too great for its slippery controls to justify and needless use of a lives system, made especially frustrating due to the wall glitches eating up extra lives like candy.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is primarily derived from amusing moments that players capture through screenshots, rather than a consistent comedic tone throughout gameplay. While the bosses present a fun challenge, the humor does not reach the levels of classic platformers like Contra or Mega Man, as the gameplay focuses more on avoiding attacks than on delivering a humorous experience.
“Mostly just funny things you take screenshots of.”
“The humor in the game adds a lighthearted touch to the challenging gameplay, making each encounter memorable.”
“The quirky character designs and witty dialogue keep the atmosphere fun and engaging.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its blend of elements reminiscent of the Contra and Castlevania series, featuring a dark ambiance that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the engaging environment and the satisfaction of navigating through the stages, complemented by impressive boss encounters.
“Viktor is a mix of Contra and Castlevania for me; it may be a simple game, but it has cool bosses, a captivating atmosphere, and it feels great to walk through the stages.”
“The dark atmosphere is incredibly immersive.”
“The dark atmosphere feels oppressive and lacks any sense of depth.”
“The game fails to create an immersive atmosphere, leaving it feeling flat and uninspired.”
“Despite the attempts at a moody setting, the atmosphere feels more generic than engaging.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While many users report performance and crash issues, some players, including the reviewer, have not experienced these problems, suggesting that significant optimization improvements may have been made since launch.
“Most negative reviews I've read have to do with performance and crash issues, none of which I've encountered during my playthrough, so I think it's safe to assume most of the major issues have been worked out.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite the interesting gameplay, the poor optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
“I was disappointed to find that even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally seen as lacking, with Viktor being specifically noted as the least impressive among the character designs.
