Virelia

About

Virelia is a single player action game. It was developed by SmoGames Studio and was released on November 27, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Virelia is a single-player 3D adventure featuring a charming cartoon art style and a wholesome, atmospheric story. Players explore magical dungeons filled with traps, puzzles, and challenging bosses using a versatile magic staff, blending fast-paced combat and platforming. Despite some bugs and grinding, its excellent visuals, wonderful soundtrack, and humor create an immersive, fairytale-like experience.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 995 reviews

story88 positive mentions

grinding28 negative mentions

Engaging combat mechanics that allow for a variety of playstyles and strategies.
Beautifully designed environments and a captivating post-apocalyptic world.
Strong character interactions and a compelling story that unfolds throughout the game.

Many gameplay mechanics feel unfinished or rushed, leading to a lack of polish.
Repetitive enemy types and level design can make the game feel monotonous.
The camera and controls can be frustrating, leading to issues during combat and platforming.

story
406 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
68%
10%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simplistic and lacking depth, often feeling rushed or predictable. While some appreciate the engaging character dynamics and emotional moments, others criticize the narrative for being poorly presented and difficult to follow, particularly due to its reliance on environmental storytelling and scattered lore. Overall, the story is seen as decent but not exceptional, with many players feeling it could have benefited from more development and clarity.
- “The story is the best.”
- “The characters are well written and the plot keeps you hungry to know what is going on in the beautifully crafted world.”
- “The story is fun and uniquely engaging, as you're basically at the mercy of following around this cute little NPC girl that helps you along the way.”
- “The story is extremely simple, which would be fine if it made up for it in other ways.”
- “With no one to like, I could not get invested in the (very) little story that was there.”
- “For a game about a story about going on a journey, there sure was little of said journey taking place.”
gameplay
249 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while some mechanics are enjoyable, others feel unfinished or frustrating. The parry and combat systems are highlighted as fun yet challenging, but issues like clunky controls, repetitive enemy designs, and inconsistent mechanics detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game offers engaging visuals and a decent atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “Great fighting mechanics, fast-paced, parrying is satisfying and the weapon-stealing mechanic is very fun and gives you a wide variety of strategies that suit your playstyle.”
- “The gameplay is challenging and fun throughout.”
- “The gameplay consists of rather chaotic and unremarkable melee combat, some shooting, few casual puzzles and platforming which is strictly linear, predetermined auto-jumping from point to point.”
- “Lots of gameplay mechanics feel unfinished or rushed.”
- “The gameplay consists of rather chaotic and unremarkable melee combat, some shooting, few casual puzzles, and platforming which is strictly linear, predetermined auto-jumping from point to point.”
- “The gameplay is passable - mostly on-rails platforming with clearly indicated jump and climb points, as opposed to free climb and free jump.”
graphics
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
51%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and aesthetic appeal, particularly in character design and environments. While some players note that the visuals are charming and hold up well for their age, others criticize them as outdated or inconsistent, with occasional graphical glitches and texture issues. Overall, the game's graphics are generally considered solid but not exceptional, fitting well within its thematic context.
- “Fantastic graphics and gameplay.”
- “The graphics are amazing!”
- “The visuals are beautiful, even if the framerate occasionally has a panic attack.”
- “The graphics are mediocre and flat, with your character and bosses being the only detailed things.”
- “The graphics are alright, and it does run at a solid 144fps most of the time, but there do seem to be some weird issues with the shadows sometimes, where they appear as just dark lines all over the characters.”
- “The graphics remind me of a late-stage Unreal Engine 3 game, which is a compliment - I find the overall look quite charming.”
music
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
3%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional weight of the experience, particularly during intense battles and boss fights. However, some players find the ambient music excessive or forgettable, noting that it can sometimes feel more like noise than a cohesive soundtrack. Overall, while the music is often highlighted as a strong point, its effectiveness varies significantly among players.
- “The ambient noise and music are excellent, and overall, the game's environment is one of the prettiest, most enjoyable of anything I've played lately.”
- “The soundtrack swells in the most intense battles, making victories feel almost cinematic.”
- “I’ll say it: Yuka Kitamura and Motoi Sakuraba composed one of the greatest soundtracks in gaming history.”
- “The only part of the game that didn't consistently let me down was the music, and that is due to it hardly being there.”
- “When it does, however, it sounds less like music and more like noise.”
- “The music was for the most part forgettable and I can't remember a single piece from the game; it wasn't terrible, just not anything amazing either.”
atmosphere
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
35%
8%
The atmosphere in the game is generally praised for its dark, immersive quality, with many reviewers highlighting the rich lore, detailed environments, and captivating visuals that enhance the overall experience. However, some critiques mention that while the atmosphere is good, it lacks the standout qualities of other titles in the genre, and certain areas can feel monotonous or underwhelming. Overall, the combination of atmospheric world design and engaging soundtracks contributes positively to the gameplay, despite some inconsistencies in execution.
- “The atmosphere is dark and melancholic—depressing, but somehow comforting, like a bad childhood memory or autumn just before school starts when summer ends.”
- “The atmosphere and map design are genuinely breathtaking and super detailed.”
- “The environments are detailed and atmospheric, with incredible lighting that brings the dark fantasy world to life.”
- “Atmosphere – 5/10. The atmosphere is fine, but nothing stands out.”
- “Overall score – 5.5/10. Dark Souls 3 has the most refined combat and controls in the series, but it falls short in world design, atmosphere, and boss consistency.”
- “Atmosphere is monotonous and bland.”
grinding
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
9%
82%
The grinding aspect of the game receives mixed feedback, with some players finding it tedious and excessive, particularly when pursuing achievements or maxing out character abilities. Others appreciate that grinding isn't necessary for progression, labeling the grind level as average, though some still feel it can consume a significant amount of time. Overall, while the grind can be enjoyable for some, it may deter those who prefer a more streamlined experience.
- “The grind level is average, making it manageable without feeling overwhelming.”
- “Grinding isn't necessary to progress, which allows for a more relaxed gameplay experience.”
- “The grind is only relevant if you care about leaderboards or ranks, so you can enjoy the game at your own pace.”
- “There isn't a ton of replay value, unless you feel like grinding achievements.”
- “Some bosses get their own levels for you to easily run in and fight them solo, and I really liked this; I just wished all bosses got this treatment as it makes grinding for weapon skill shards very tedious as you have to run through the entire area to fight them.”
- “The skills are nice, but unlocking them takes too much time and grinding for such a short game.”
optimization
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
35%
34%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering and frame rate drops, even on high-end systems. While the facial capture technology and character performances are praised, the game's technical execution is criticized for being chaotic and poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience for some users. Despite these issues, the narrative and voice acting are highlighted as strong points, suggesting that the game has potential that is hindered by its optimization shortcomings.
- “The game still runs smoothly, like eleven years ago when it came on the PC platform.”
- “Performance: excellent (system: i7 13th gen, RTX 4070 mobile at 1080p 60fps).”
- “This gradual approach allows for continuous optimization, steadily reducing friction and increasing overall speed.”
- “Its chaotic, clunky, and not optimized well.”
- “Campaign and multiplayer are a joke, and the game is not optimized for any system.”
- “I have encountered a few bugs already and none were the kind of 'funny' bugs, the optimization is also garbage.”
stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting minimal issues such as occasional crashes and minor graphical glitches, while others have encountered significant bugs that disrupt gameplay, including input problems and immersion-breaking visual errors. Despite these concerns, many users still find the game enjoyable and recommend it, noting that the performance is generally stable on various platforms, including Linux. Overall, while the game has its share of bugs, they do not universally detract from the experience for all players.
- “Well made for its time, so it holds up well and runs great on portables.”
- “Runs great on Linux/Proton at 4K 120fps without any crashes.”
- “Pros: fast, bug-free engine and gameplay.”
- “To many bugs and glitches not to mention the servers are terrible.”
- “The native configuration of the application simply doesn't work correctly and, nowadays, some glitches with shadows and textures (especially one that makes strange lines appear on characters) break the game's immersion completely.”
- “It is very buggy up close to walls, and it often times just breaks if you are trying to lock onto a taller enemy, which becomes a problem with some bosses.”
character development
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that significant character growth occurs offscreen, making it feel superficial and rushed. While some relationships, like that between the main characters, have moments of charm, they often fall short of meaningful connection, and the female protagonist is criticized for being overly reliant on the male lead. Overall, the character design and development do not meet expectations, leaving players wanting more from the narrative experience.
- “The unique biopunk setting, the excellent character design and dialogues, or perhaps, the gameplay that has some nice twists and variations during the game's campaign.”
- “Perfect character development, voice acting, mocap, pacing, and world building.”
- “There is even a bit of character development through watching FMVs, but don't expect too much!”
- “The story isn't too bad, but it feels a bit rushed. There's not as much character development as I'd liked, and the ending seemed a bit abrupt.”
- “Most of the journey that you are meant to go on actually occurs offscreen, along with the character development that the party supposedly is building between the cast.”
- “I praised the writing earlier, but your character's traveling companion detonates the explosive band on your head if you get too far away. This obliterates all the character development; awww, they're growing closer together, that's so sweet... but then it just becomes a joke.”
emotional
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the strong character dynamics, particularly between Monkey and Trip, which form a compelling core despite some critiques of its overall impact compared to earlier titles. Players appreciate the blend of humor and heartfelt moments, with many noting the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from laughter to tears, through its storytelling and character development. While some feel certain emotional beats fall flat, the lush environments and engaging soundtrack contribute to a resonant experience that resonates with long-time fans.
- “Monkey, Trip, and Pigsy strongly embody their 'Journey to the West' archetypes, their evolving banter and reluctant respect forming the emotional core.”
- “It’s visually breathtaking, emotionally resonant, and brutally fun.”
- “This is, at its heart, a game with well-written characters, emotional depth, and care.”
humor
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding it cringe or dated, while others appreciate its comedic moments and character interactions. The writing and voice acting contribute to the humor, making for endearing and funny scenarios, though some players noted that the humor can feel forced, especially in DLC content. Overall, while the humor may not resonate with everyone, it adds a layer of enjoyment for those who appreciate its quirky charm amidst the game's engaging gameplay.
- “I've put tons of hours in on console and now I'm running it on PC with my son, and we are constantly laughing.”
- “Even the story is good, filled with many comedic moments and funny one-liners, a lot thanks to the great work of the voice actor, too.”
- “I praised the writing earlier, but your character's traveling companion detonates the explosive band on your head if you get too far away. Hahahahaha! Like this obliterates all the character development, awww they're growing closer together, that's so sweet. Beep beep beep booooooooom! Lmao, c'mon now!”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it high due to the variety of items, skills, and locations, others feel it lacks depth and is primarily driven by achievement grinding. The replay value seems to depend heavily on individual player preferences, with some enjoying the challenge and variety, while others see it as limited compared to other titles in the genre.
- “Good time to write a small review... I like to come back from time to time because the game offers a high replay value due to its variety of items, skills, and locations to explore and conquer.”
- “I've played all the Souls games now, but this one still has a magic that makes it so replayable.”
- “One is the difficulty of bosses which is not as trying and frustrating as some other Soulsborne Metroidvania platformers, but offers immense replayability due to the vast variety of weapons, armors, accessories, and magics.”
- “There isn't a ton of replay value, unless you feel like grinding achievements.”
- “Mechanics lack significant depth/replayability.”
- “Replayability – 5/10; replay value depends on the player.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviews highlight a growing frustration with monetization practices in gaming, particularly criticizing titles like "COD7" for being perceived as cash grabs. In contrast, games like "Enslaved: Odyssey to the West" are praised for their focus on entertainment rather than aggressive monetization strategies, appealing to players seeking a more traditional, story-driven experience without the burden of microtransactions. Overall, there is a clear desire for games that prioritize player enjoyment over profit.
- “Enslaved: Odyssey to the West endures as a throwback to a time when games existed simply to entertain you, not force an agenda down your throat or bleed your wallet dry with endless microtransactions and battle passes.”
- “This game is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys single-player, story-driven action/adventure games without the pressure of aggressive monetization tactics.”
- “It's refreshing to play a game that prioritizes storytelling and gameplay over monetization strategies that often detract from the experience.”
- “Just when you think COD can't get any worse, they release COD 7... just a cash grab at this point.”
- “Considered mediocre at the time of its release due to its linear level design and simplistic, basic combat, 'Enslaved: Odyssey to the West' nonetheless endures as a throwback to a time when games existed simply to entertain you, not force an agenda down your throat or bleed your wallet dry with endless microtransactions and battle passes.”
- “Feels like what an abyssal moon boss in Genshin would be like (if Genshin also happened to be well balanced and not a cash grab).”