Vzerthos: Heir of Thunder
- January 19, 2017
- DarkDes Labs
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamVzerthos is a 2D isometric old-school techno-fantasy styled Top-Down Shooter. Player's arsenal includes skills of the Thunder God's heir and three types of guns - use them to slice and dice, burn and blow up your enemies!
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox
Reviews
- Vzerthos offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic isometric RPGs, with well-built dungeons and a variety of weapons to unlock and upgrade.
- The game features hand-crafted levels filled with secrets, encouraging exploration and providing a sense of progression as players become more powerful.
- Despite its short length, the gameplay is enjoyable and the charming soundtrack adds to the overall experience, making it a fun pick for fans of the genre.
- The controls can feel awkward and clunky, detracting from the fast-paced action that the game aims for, and the RPG elements are overly simplified.
- The game suffers from bugs and design issues, leading to a perception of amateurish quality, and the plot is often confusing with many holes.
- Many players find the combat repetitive and the overall experience lacking depth, making it hard to recommend to those seeking a more polished game.
- gameplay20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying its nostalgic elements and variety of weapons, while others criticize it for being a simplified and poorly executed "Diablo-like" experience. Despite its budget constraints, many found the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, particularly appreciating the skill-oriented mechanics and nostalgic soundtrack. Overall, it seems to strike a balance between enjoyable gameplay and some shortcomings in execution.
“The gameplay was so good and the graphics looked so amazing that it tends to cover over those two issues.”
“Basically, the gameplay feels like Diablo with WASD controls, very similar to Nox.”
“Over the course of the story, you will get a good variety of weapons with unique mechanics.”
“Boring 'Diablo-like' game, which seems to be badly made - graphics, gameplay, and control-wise.”
“Most people compare this to Diablo, but I don't see too much of a resemblance in the gameplay.”
“Although the actual RPG elements are very simplified in favor of a more skill-oriented gameplay.”
- music12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic quality, featuring distinctive sounds reminiscent of old sound cards and synthesizers. Many users appreciate the soundtrack's tributes to classic titles, particularly noting its homage to Doom, as well as the amusing parodies of beloved tracks. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience with its nostalgic and entertaining elements.
“Music is so cool with the distinctive sound of old bad sound card's internal synthesizer, and I really love good soundtracks.”
“I personally found Vzerthos very nostalgic because of all the references in style, music, and gameplay.”
“I found it rather amusing to hear some soundtrack parodies of my favorite titles.”
“I personally found vzerthos very nostalgic because of all the references in style, music, and gameplay.”
“+nostalgic soundtrack & gameplay”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story is criticized for being poorly written, with numerous grammatical and spelling errors, and a plot that is riddled with holes and confusion. Many players feel that the narrative is basic and lacks clarity, often giving the impression of starting in the middle of the action. While there is some initial exposition, it quickly fades, leaving players to navigate a disjointed storyline.
“Over the course of the story, you will get a good variety of weapons with unique mechanics.”
“The plot has a lot of holes, some parts are incredibly confusing, and it feels quite expensive for what it offers.”
“The story is poorly written, with glaring grammatical and spelling mistakes.”
“The plot is basic but feels like you are jumping in somewhere in the middle.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising their quality and visual appeal, while others criticize them as poor and indicative of a lack of polish. Many users feel that the graphics do not compensate for other issues, such as gameplay and controls, leading to an overall negative impression for some. Despite the divide, engaging gameplay can sometimes overshadow the graphical shortcomings.
“The graphics looked so amazing that they tend to overshadow any minor issues.”
“The visuals are stunning and really enhance the overall experience.”
“The game's graphics are impressive and contribute significantly to its immersive quality.”
“I think the graphics are pretty poor and the game is riddled with bugs and bad design decisions.”
“Bad controls, bad graphics... uninstalled it.”
“Boring 'Diablo-like' game, which seems to be badly made - graphics, gameplay, and control-wise.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its high replayability despite its short length, with players encouraged to revisit it to uncover hidden secrets, enhancing the overall experience.
“The game is short but extremely replayable, and you'll get even more out of it if you go back and try to find all the secrets.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised as enjoyable and engaging, despite criticisms of its clunky mechanics and outdated interface. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be a standout feature that enhances the fun of the experience.
“The game is clunky and the interface is more than dated, but it is fun and the atmosphere is quite cool!”
