Watcher Chronicles
- January 19, 2022
- Third Sphere Game Studios
- 10h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Watcher Chronicles," players face challenging, skill-based combat in a purgatorial world invaded by sinister beings known as "The Watchers." Explore a large interconnected world filled with secrets and game-changing loot, and play through the entire game in local co-op mode with a friend. Optionally, player 2 can use their own locally saved character in co-op.
Reviews
- The game features a well-executed cartoony art style that evokes nostalgia and enhances the overall experience.
- Combat is engaging and rewarding, with a variety of weapons and armor that allow for different playstyles and strategies.
- The game offers a challenging yet fair difficulty curve, making boss fights feel satisfying and rewarding upon completion.
- Some mechanics, such as the stamina system and hitboxes, can feel restrictive and frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- The game lacks depth in its metroidvania elements, with limited backtracking and exploration opportunities.
- Repetitive enemy encounters and a lack of variety in combat can lead to a feeling of monotony over time.
- graphics17 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game feature a well-executed, cartoony art style that evokes nostalgia for mid-2000s flash games while effectively supporting the gameplay mechanics of a souls-like experience. While some players appreciate the vibrant colors and artistic design of characters and environments, others express a desire for a darker atmosphere and more variety in enemy designs. Overall, the visuals are described as charming and simplistic, enhancing the game's accessibility and enjoyment.
“The art style is gorgeous.”
“Don't be deceived by the simple visuals, the design of the game is quite artistic and the dungeons, weapons, armor, and bosses all look fantastic.”
“The graphics and art are really well done and the colors are vibrant.”
“I'm not a big fan of the artwork; I prefer a more dark or gloomy atmosphere.”
“Don't be deceived by the simple visuals; the design of the game is quite artistic and the dungeons, weapons, armor, and bosses all look fantastic.”
“Good enemy variety and a colorful, sharp, cartoon/flash game looking art style.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by clunky controls and frustrating enemy mechanics that detract from the overall experience, making challenges feel grindy and tedious. While exploration is integral to the game, the lack of environmental cues can lead to missed areas, and the town's layout is inconvenient. However, the game offers good build variety, RPG mechanics, and extensive replayability, with tight controls that enhance the side-scrolling RPG experience despite its punishing difficulty.
“Better mechanics and more freedom, and this game would be a gem.”
“It perfectly captures the aesthetics of the mid-2000s flash games while it carries the qualities and mechanics of modern action RPGs.”
“The gameplay and controls are great for a side-scrolling RPG, and tight enough to get you through the punishing difficulty.”
“Clunky controls, frustrating enemy mechanics that just annoy you... challenge is not fun, just grindy and tedious to me.”
“The 'town' area is also unnecessarily tedious by making you go to several different NPCs for stuff that are not conveniently close together, and as far as I can tell, there is no running mechanic at all.”
“Exploration is a key part of both Metroid and Soulslike games, but without the aforementioned environmental cues to let the player know they must return when they have their double-jump, wall slide, hook-shot, or other such mechanics, it is quite easy to miss entire regions.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered underdeveloped, lacking depth and detail, with players expressing a desire for more lore and engaging narrative elements. While some appreciate the potential for storytelling through collectibles and environmental hints, the overall consensus is that the plot, particularly the ending, feels uninspired and requires more effort to be compelling.
“Giving items story, lore, and other information handles this quite well as well.”
“As does some optional collectibles like journal entries -- bits of prophecy on walls players can optionally read -- etc. The story isn't bad; it just needs more.”
“The game needed more of that and in more ways to make the story compelling.”
“The storyline could use more detail and fleshing out.”
“Generally like the game except the end... I would assume the author did not put much effort into the story ending.”
“Story-wise, there isn't much here, with no item lore or deep backstory.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with players appreciating its variety across different zones and noting the quality of the soundtrack as a standout feature. Reviewers commend the developers for their focus on creating an enjoyable gaming experience, highlighting the music as a key element that enhances the overall atmosphere.
“The music is pretty nice as well as varies from zone to zone.”
“Soundtrack is also really nice.”
“The dev really focused on the things that make gaming enjoyable - there's no flashy UI or over-the-top unreal graphics engine, but the game at its core is extremely well executed and the soundtrack is top notch.”
“It's a fun game and a wildly impressive release for an indie team. My hat is off to the developers and art/music team; thanks for making this, and I hope it continues to improve and many people buy it!”
“Competent soundtrack.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is perceived as less grim compared to typical souls-likes, making it potentially suitable for younger players, though its difficulty may still be a barrier. While some players appreciate the depth and engaging lore, others prefer a darker, gloomier aesthetic, finding the artwork less appealing.
“S&S is more in-depth, with a more engaging atmosphere and lore.”
“It almost seems like the game would be great for getting a kid into souls-likes because it has a less grisly atmosphere, but I imagine it would be too hard for most kids.”
“I'm not a big fan of the artwork; I prefer a darker or gloomier atmosphere.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, citing clunky controls and annoying enemy mechanics that detract from the challenge. Additionally, the layout of the town area requires excessive backtracking to interact with NPCs, further contributing to the grindy experience.
“Clunky controls, frustrating enemy mechanics that just annoy you. The challenge is not fun; it's just grindy and tedious to me.”
“The 'town' area is also unnecessarily tedious, requiring you to visit several different NPCs for tasks that are not conveniently close together. As far as I can tell, there is no running mechanic at all.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's extensive replayability, noting that each playthrough offers around 15 hours of gameplay, encouraging multiple runs to explore different outcomes and experiences.
“Extensive hours of gameplay, with around 15 hours for each playthrough and tons of replayability.”
“The game offers a variety of choices that make each playthrough feel unique and engaging.”
“With multiple endings and different character paths, I find myself coming back for more every time.”
