Vindictus

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 6,632 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
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"Vindictus is a historical hack and slash massively multiplayer online game, where up to 2 players can play together in co-op mode or single-player. The game features brutal combat with complex and fast-paced system, allowing players to utilize combos, magic and environment to defeat enemies. Choose from 16 distinct characters, each with unique skills, armor and personality."

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 6,632 reviews
story370 positive mentions
grinding362 negative mentions
  • The combat system is incredibly fun and engaging, offering a unique experience compared to other MMOs.
  • The character customization options are extensive, allowing for a variety of playstyles and appearances.
  • The game provides a nostalgic experience for long-time players, with a solid story and enjoyable gameplay.
  • The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to lag and performance issues even on high-end PCs.
  • The monetization model is heavily focused on microtransactions, making it feel pay-to-win and frustrating for free-to-play players.
  • The introduction of a fatigue system limits playtime and progression, which can be discouraging for players.
  • story1,506 mentions

    The story in Vindictus is generally regarded as decent, with many players appreciating its depth and character development, particularly in the first season. However, it suffers from repetitive quests and a lack of engaging delivery, often relying on lengthy text dialogues that can detract from the overall experience. While some players find the narrative compelling and immersive, others criticize it for being generic and tedious, especially as the game progresses into later seasons.

    • “This game is amazing, the story is fun to follow or you can simply just ignore it and go from one beat-em-up dungeon to another without a single problem.”
    • “The story is actually one of the best as far as mmorpgs go and the action combat is still feels unmatched more than half a decade later.”
    • “The story is interesting and the characters are unique and have their own personalities.”
    • “The story is utterly forgettable and riddled with plot holes.”
    • “The writing is downright awful and so long-winded that I dreaded every time I finished a story mission because I knew what I would be subjecting myself to when returned to town.”
    • “The story is a massive time waste.”
  • gameplay823 mentions

    The gameplay of Vindictus is often praised for its fast-paced, action-oriented combat mechanics, which many players find engaging and skill-based, reminiscent of hack-and-slash titles like Monster Hunter. However, criticisms arise regarding the game's repetitive nature, grindy progression, and monetization strategies that can detract from the overall experience. While the core gameplay loop is enjoyable, the presence of fatigue mechanics and a reliance on microtransactions can hinder long-term enjoyment for some players.

    • “The gameplay is fast-paced with emphasis on timing and reactions compared to traditional MMOs.”
    • “The core gameplay is well designed and extremely tight, rewarding you for learning patterns and boss timings and carefully placing your dodges and attacks for maximum effect.”
    • “The gameplay is unique, fluent, responsive, and instant.”
    • “The gameplay is very very very simple from what I played, but I picked the sword/shield character, so I had pretty limited combos and I was level 1, so I can only assume I did not have nearly even close to all the skills you eventually get.”
    • “Gameplay is ass, skins are just ass and booba.”
    • “The gameplay is okay but that's not enough of a reason for me to waste my time in a game where the devs want to milk every last cent out of you with scam tactics and microtransactions.”
  • graphics738 mentions

    The graphics of Vindictus receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the game's stunning character models and vibrant visuals, especially for a title released in 2010. However, numerous criticisms highlight issues with optimization, lag, and dated environmental textures, leading to a frustrating experience for some users. Overall, while the graphics can be impressive, they often struggle to meet modern standards, particularly on lower-end systems.

    • “The graphics are amazing for a game that came out 12 years ago.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, with some minor flaws.”
    • “The graphics are stunning, and the combat style is very fluid and it doesn't feel like I'm playing a stick man game.”
    • “Graphics is horrible at default settings, and I don't mean aged in a charming way.”
    • “For a game that you want to play entirely for the models and looks, graphics should be at least decent, but here it's just ugly.”
    • “The graphics aren't great, which would be fine, but the game just runs poorly at some points even though my PC is still keeping up with the newest releases.”
  • grinding373 mentions

    The grinding aspect of Vindictus is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the late game where players report needing to invest hundreds of hours to progress or acquire gear. Many reviews highlight the game's reliance on RNG for drops, making the grind feel unrewarding and frustrating, especially for free-to-play players who may find themselves at a significant disadvantage compared to those willing to spend money. While some players appreciate the combat and find enjoyment in the grind, the overwhelming consensus is that the game demands a substantial time commitment, often leading to a repetitive and exhausting experience.

    • “Super cool game, very nice graphics, nice feel and speed, not too grindy but you still can if you want to have the best gear for your level.”
    • “Levelling is easy especially if you follow the storyline, not too grindy.”
    • “The gameplay is a little repetitive but fun nonetheless, there's also next to no grinding needed until you hit the 30-40 level range and in all honesty it still isn't much.”
    • “Gearing up requires way too much farming and materials, as well as a ridiculously low rate of success to enhance your gear in any meaningful way, with countless ways it can go bad, and it does, all the time.”
    • “Very punishing RNG, extremely grindy to barely even enter endgame, and almost a dead game with only 10 whales left AFK in town. This game will not let you have fun if you're not willing to grind for the next 10,000 hours.”
    • “You will spend countless, and I mean countless hours grinding for gold or materials for armor and weapons, and soon realize that it is futile.”
  • optimization215 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and crashes, even on high-end systems. Many reviews highlight the outdated engine's inability to utilize multicore processors effectively, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. Overall, the consensus is that significant improvements in optimization are urgently needed for a smoother and more enjoyable experience.

    • “Game is pretty fun for what it is, would really love if they optimized it a little more though.”
    • “A great game that could use a bit more optimization.”
    • “The graphics look great and are so well optimized that my dinky laptop with an integrated graphics card can play it.”
    • “The game is horribly optimized and I guess the devs don't care to improve it.”
    • “Poorly optimized, constant lag spikes and jitters.”
    • “The biggest problem with this game is optimization.”
  • monetization115 mentions

    The monetization model of the game is heavily criticized for being exploitative and aggressive, primarily relying on costly microtransactions for cosmetic items and some gameplay advantages, which many players feel detracts from the overall experience. Users report that essential customization options and upgrades are locked behind a paywall, with some items costing upwards of $200, leading to a perception of the game as a cash grab. While some players find enjoyment in the gameplay without spending money, the overwhelming presence of microtransactions and the associated grind significantly diminish the game's appeal.

    • “The foundation of the game is incredibly solid with a simple but fun gameplay loop, great combat, and decent character customization that was really good for its time. Monetization was about what you expected for a Korean MMO, with it mostly being cosmetic monetization with a bit of pay-to-power.”
    • “This game is free to play and makes money through microtransactions in a cash shop. The large majority of items are cosmetic items for your player character, and a good number of convenience items. In-game credit can be earned rather than bought for a truly free-to-play experience with dedication.”
    • “It is free to play and the economy isn't upset by microtransactions, but it is grindy as hell and just not that much fun when you get down to it.”
    • “The game has by far one of the greediest monetization strategies, where cosmetics require upwards of $200 for a guaranteed outfit while also requiring a significant amount of paid upgrade material to have a chance at half of the content at the endgame.”
    • “Essentially, you have a game with an amazing concept that will never reach its potential due to an extremely greedy publisher that has no desire to actually bring it back, paired with a dying player base that has those in the extremes accept the monetization for what it is and indulge Nexon's unbelievable quench for money.”
    • “The monetization scheme in this game is absolutely insane.”
  • stability104 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and performance issues, even on high-end PCs. Many players experience significant lag, freezing during gameplay, and persistent glitches that detract from the overall experience. Despite some enjoyment of the game's content, the overwhelming consensus is that its technical problems severely hinder playability.

    • “This is an okay game; it looks good and is not buggy at all.”
    • “Runs great, combat is really fun and has a bit of weight to every combo.”
    • “Customization is fantastic, quests are enjoyable, and you don't have to grind for a single thing.”
    • “It's just so buggy even on an Alienware 18 PC; I wouldn't even bother.”
    • “For it being out as long as it has, when you alt+tab it lags out and freezes up where I have to shut the game down and restart.”
    • “The game is buggy as hell and the graphics are pretty good compared to most other MMORPGs.”
  • music104 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising the epic and atmospheric soundtracks that enhance boss battles and overall gameplay. While some find the music to be outstanding and integral to the experience, others criticize it for being forgettable or poorly integrated, particularly during dialogues and certain game sections. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to its immersive qualities.

    • “Very fun gameplay (best combat in any MMO that I have played), decent story, beautiful soundtrack and lots of fan service.”
    • “The music is superb; just listening to the music is almost enough to make me want to play the game again.”
    • “The intense and epic soundtrack makes battles come to life.”
    • “I disabled the music and put the SFX volume to ~15% volume, just to have the game bug out in the beginning and play the intro mission without any sound at all. At some point, while there was a lot of dialog, the music started again at full volume, and while there is dialog, you can't access the options menu for some reason.”
    • “Poor optimization, awful animation, music does not fit well... everything seems uninspired except for the armor designs when you create your first character.”
    • “The individual levels are very samey, the music is forgettable.”
  • humor46 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as quirky and entertaining, with players enjoying the absurdity of character interactions, rag-doll physics, and humorous animations. Many find the dialogue and cutscenes to be unintentionally funny, while the game's design allows for amusing moments, especially when playing with friends. Overall, the blend of risqué humor, silly character customization, and comedic gameplay elements contributes to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience.

    • “A unique dress-up simulator made in the Source engine where all the resources went right into upgrading character animations and visuals just so you can dress your character up and make her do funny faces at you as she's bathing in the blood of her enemies for that trop bon moe gap bonanza.”
    • “Every game has its issues, but even the glitches or the weird finishing poses are funny to me more than they are bothersome.”
    • “The game itself is entertaining, the dialogue is nice and funny, if a little dodgy in the translations every once in a while.”
    • “Not funny at all.”
    • “I wish that people would post useful reviews instead of unfunny one-liners that help no one.”
  • emotional27 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players, with many expressing feelings of heartbreak and attachment to the storyline and characters, despite criticisms of repetitive content and lackluster voice acting. While some players find the narrative touching and capable of evoking tears, others feel that the game's decline and grind-heavy mechanics detract from its emotional impact. Overall, the game offers moments of genuine emotion but is marred by issues that prevent it from fully realizing its potential.

    • “And it's so heartbreaking because when it's good, there's nothing like it.”
    • “The game is slowly dying, and it's heartbreaking to see the demise of a game that had serious potential to be one of the best MMORPGs of all time.”
    • “Although the English voice acting is nothing to be desired, the actual story of the game is amazing and heartbreaking.”
    • “Boring story, almost no cut scenes (might as well just read a choose your own adventure book since my choices affect the story) or even voice acting. Missions are repetitive, combat isn't as great as people claim. It took me roughly 2 hours to make the game work properly, the tutorial doesn't help much most of the time, and I can only level up skills in town. Graphics are not the greatest, and that's just a start.”
    • “Extremely boring story; it's all text-based, which you may enjoy, but it more or less got in the way for me.”
    • “Overly monetized, boring story, random enhancement.”
  • character development26 mentions

    Character development in the game is marked by impressive and detailed character designs, offering a range of customization options that allow players to create unique avatars. However, the narrative and emotional depth are criticized, particularly in the prologue, which lacks meaningful character development. While the visuals and combat mechanics are praised, some players feel that the reliance on premium content and grinding detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Plenty of attention to detail and flavor in animations and character design.”
    • “Amazing outfit and character design with more than enough options to stand out from the crowd, allowing interesting fashion choices throughout everyone's personalized characters.”
    • “Intrinsic equipment system and strong character development.”
    • “It is uncomfortably borderline to anime with everything from the character design to the unapologetic obsession with sexualizing the female characters, to weird cartoon cats and even chibis.”
    • “Hilariously bad - the prologue made absolutely no sense and I was laughing like crazy throughout it - you can't have an emotional moment in a prologue without some character development!”
    • “Where character design is concerned, the game offers a detailed (and above average) character editor but remains restricted to a handful of pre-designed looks and combat abilities archetypes.”
  • replayability19 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players noting the endless customization options, diverse playable characters, and engaging mini-dungeon battles that encourage repeated play. While some users mention minor annoyances, the frequent updates and new content contribute to a strong replay value, making it appealing for both casual and dedicated players.

    • “☑️ infinitely replayable”
    • “Each battle (this is what the quests/missions are called in game) is like a mini-dungeon that is replayable.”
    • “I believe it will have high replay value and with so many classes to choose from the customization is endless!”
    • “Replayability: I needed something better than your typical MMORPG with a failed plot and little replay value.”
    • “Replayability: if you like it, okay then, otherwise hell no!”
    • “Replay value: 4”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The atmosphere in Vindictus is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and appealing visuals. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a thematic environment that complements its satisfying combat and well-designed enemy encounters. Despite some concerns about potential pay-to-win elements in the endgame, the overall ambiance and charm contribute significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “Overall the combat and atmosphere is amazing.”
    • “The music makes a great atmosphere in the world of Vindictus and is, as well as the gameplay, one of its biggest advantages.”
    • “Overall, the game is pretty polished for what it is, has a charming atmosphere and rewards time spent over money spent.”
    • “It manages to set the theme where the atmosphere, geometry, and visuals cannot.”
    • “Every boss battle and cutscene comes with some epic background music, as well as NPC towns that suit their atmosphere.”
    • “Overall, the game is pretty polished for what it is, has a charming atmosphere, and rewards time spent over money spent.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
160hAverage play time
4-118hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 41 analyzed playthroughs

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