Wormskull
- April 3, 2020
- Wolfs Moon Studios
- 40h median play time
Get on Steam"Wormskull is a single-player Role Playing game, serving as a prequel to the popular RPG Ashes of the Night. As protagonists Duncan and Maduin, players must outrun impending doom while enjoying character attribute customization, improved battle skills, and the ability to create equipment and potions. With an average playtime of 25-35 hours, this difficult game warns of a steep learning curve, but rewards patience with a rich, engaging storyline."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Wormskull offers a nostalgic old-school RPG experience with engaging characters and a decent storyline that unfolds as you progress.
- The game features a robust crafting system, allowing players to gather materials and create powerful items, enhancing gameplay depth.
- With a lengthy playtime and a variety of characters to choose from, players can enjoy diverse gameplay styles and strategies.
- The game suffers from tedious grinding, especially in crafting and resource gathering, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- Some players have reported issues with map design, including incomplete areas and a lack of backtracking options, leading to frustration.
- The initial difficulty spike can be off-putting for some, as early encounters may feel overwhelmingly challenging before players level up.
- story55 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring engaging characters and a coherent narrative that unfolds as players progress, allowing for character development and exploration of individual backstories. While some players find the story initially confusing or lacking depth, many appreciate its originality and the way it ties into the broader game world, with significant ramifications that connect to previous titles by the developer. Overall, the story is considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience despite some critiques regarding pacing and clarity.
“The developer has a great story to tell, and he tells his story through the eyes of 14 recruitable characters with 14 different classes.”
“By far the best parts of this game are the story and the individual characters, which are very engaging, interesting, and entertaining.”
“The story is amazing, the characters feel rich and well developed.”
“The story is non-existent in the beginning.”
“It's an RPG first, so you'd expect a fully formed story from square one.”
“At times the backstory of certain characters feels... rushed.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while it can be tedious and time-consuming—especially for skills like mining, fishing, and foraging—many appreciate the sense of achievement that comes from leveling up and acquiring better equipment. Some suggest using auto-clickers to ease the repetitive tasks, while others note that grinding is essential for character progression and crafting. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant part of the gameplay experience, with mixed feelings about its necessity and enjoyment.
“And leveling mining could not be more tedious: clicking repeatedly on a rock block with enough pickaxes in the inventory.”
“This is a very long exciting game but does tend to become tedious with trying to level up foraging, fishing, and mining as you need to get 20,000 experience and level 10 to get better equipment, etc.”
“The only con for me, I would say, is that I felt like there was a fair amount of grinding necessary, whether just not to get killed, or to get whatever materials you needed.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this title shows significant improvement over its predecessor, featuring enhanced battle mechanics, a robust crafting system, and a deep character progression system with 14 playable characters. Players appreciate the balance of gameplay elements, including a focus on crafting and unique stat allocation upon leveling up, making it a highly recommended experience for fans of challenging RPGs. Overall, the game combines an epic story with detailed mechanics, offering over 40 hours of engaging content.
“It's a clear improvement compared to their first game, Ashes of the Night, especially with the debut of certain mechanics like the first version of 'veteran experience' that allows the player to strengthen certain stats permanently.”
“The battle mechanics are sound, and with 14 different playable characters (4 at a time), there are a lot of different classes and attributes to satisfy anyone.”
“So if you enjoy challenging RPGs, over 40 hours of gameplay, quick battles, many characters, lots of items, weapons, armor, a robust crafting system, a great story, and quests, then Wormskull is a must-play.”
“Lots of rough patches, some mechanics from other games are not here.”
“Gameplay is about the same, but there is a large focus on crafting here, as well.”
“The battle mechanics are sound, and with 14 different playable characters (4 at a time), there are a lot of different classes/attributes to satisfy anyone.”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and variety, enhancing the overall experience without becoming repetitive. Players appreciate the catchy soundtracks that suit different environments and intensify during key moments, such as battles. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's enjoyment.
“The music in this game is top notch, and I'm always rocking out to it whenever I'm in battles.”
“Kudos to the music artists/director because this is an important feature that keeps me playing.”
“The sound effects when you enter a new zone and the music that ramps up once you fight that 'big bad' are amazing and a very welcome addition.”
“The music is catchy too.”
“Kudos to the music artists/director because this is an important feature to keep on playing.”
“The sound effects when you enter a new zone and the music that ramps up once you fight that 'big-bad' are amazing and a very welcome addition.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beauty and artistic quality, with detailed environments and well-designed enemies enhancing the overall experience. However, some players feel that the graphics are inconsistent, with certain areas appearing bare and lacking depth, particularly in relation to the storyline and gameplay mechanics. Overall, while the visuals are appreciated, opinions vary on their execution in the context of the game's design.
“Overall, the graphics are beautiful and a lot of effort has gone into making the storyline.”
“Artwork is beautiful, from the scenes of moving through the game to battle scenes where you will see fantastically done enemies to battle, including excellent backgrounds.”
“Graphics are on point for what they're going for.”
“Anyway, what do you get: a game with bare-bones graphics; a confusing story... heck, forget the story, it is one dungeon after the other, nothing more; grinding (the use of one simple rock for mining till you get legendary skill...); some hidden places; and did I mention grinding?”
“I love the graphic type and the turn-based fight system, which has been great compared to how they have changed the fighting systems like in FFVII Remake.”
“I love the old school Final Fantasy graphics.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its witty dialogue and engaging character interactions, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience in the JRPG genre.
“Great JRPG with funny dialogue and good character progression.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, making every quest enjoyable.”
“I love how the characters have such witty banter; it keeps the gameplay light-hearted.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game is generally well-received, many users feel that it lacks significant replayability, suggesting that once completed, it may not offer enough incentive for players to return.
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a deeply emotional experience, with one user expressing that after investing significant time in the game, they were moved to tears by the conclusion, highlighting the strong connection formed with the game's world and characters.
“After so many hours fishing, gathering, crafting, and living in this world, I cried very manly tears at the end.”
“The story touched my heart deeply, making me reflect on my own life choices.”
“I felt a profound connection to the characters, and their struggles resonated with my own experiences.”
