Wulverblade
- January 30, 2018
- Fully Illustrated
- 1h median play time
It’s nothing hugely original, but Wulverblade certainly has heart and style.
Get on Steam"Wulverblade is a challenging side-scrolling beat 'em up game set in 120 A.D. Britannia, where you help the northern tribes fight off the Roman army. With historical inspiration, the game features an epic storyline across eight levels and various game modes, including local two-player co-op and deadly arena battles. Experience good graphics, a rich narrative, and immersive combat in this ode to classic games like Golden Axe and Sengoku."
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Wulverblade offers solid and challenging beat 'em up gameplay that's great fun with a friend.
- The animation and sound design are well-done, contributing to an immersive experience.
- The game features a wealth of satisfying replay incentives, including historical snippets and varied combat mechanics.
- The lack of character progression is a significant missed opportunity, making the gameplay feel repetitive.
- The game can be too frustrating for casual gamers due to its difficulty spikes and clunky controls.
- Core gameplay doesn't evolve much, leading to a monotonous experience over time.
- gameplay23 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its addictive nature, solid mechanics, and engaging animations, while others criticize its repetitive enemies, lack of progression systems, and clunky controls. Many players find the core beat 'em up mechanics enjoyable, but note that the experience can feel generic and frustrating due to limited attack options and a lack of variety. Overall, while the game offers fun moments, it falls short in depth and fluidity, making it more appealing at a lower price point.
“The gameplay is fantastic.”
“The controls are tight, and the overall gameplay has a perfect difficulty curve.”
“[solid and challenging beat 'em up gameplay that's great fun with a friend, well-done animation and sound, wealth of satisfying replay incentives].”
“Is a badly designed game and not entertaining gameplay at all.”
“90% of the time you are just spamming your basic attack, heavy attacks are clunky and your weapon can break after a few uses. There is no progression system or unlock mechanics, enemies are repetitive, the movement is very bad for a side scroller, and your hero feels super slow between the animations. There is no fluidity in the combat.”
“From what I could gather through gameplay and video reviews, there is no item or upgrade system either, so you're just walking from left to right, killing a few hundred enemies per stage... and all of that on a timer apparently (the top middle reads 15 minutes that constantly ticks down).”
- graphics15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique watercolor and pastel art style, which adds charm and vibrancy to the gameplay. Players appreciate the smooth animations and comic book-like visuals that enhance the overall experience, making it both visually appealing and engaging. The combination of great artwork, sound, and historical elements contributes to a captivating aesthetic that sets the game apart in the beat 'em up genre.
“One thing that I really enjoyed about this game was the art style; it has a very watercolor/pastel look to it, and I really enjoy when developers use this kind of art style.”
“The game is packed with charm and lovely graphics.”
“The highly stylized visuals are really something to see, and the sound is so great; it's all like a comic book coming alive while being in control of the action.”
“And even the graphics aren't nice to look at.”
“Graphics, story, gameplay is ok.”
“Graphics”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it serviceable and enjoyable, while others express boredom due to a lack of variation, particularly in the early chapters. However, many appreciate the game's cohesive narrative, enhanced by cutscenes, character-specific dialogue, and lore elements, all set against a beautifully rendered backdrop of 2nd century Britain. Overall, the story is considered decent and engaging, contributing positively to the game's experience.
“This game plays just like Streets of Rage but has a much more cohesive story.”
“More story than most games of this type with cutscenes before and after each level, dialogue that changes with your character, and notes/lore to find.”
“The story and the setting are deeply rooted in 2nd century Britain, and the makers have tried to keep the look of the characters and the landscape firmly based in that without being slaves to it.”
“As a fair disclosure, we haven’t finished the game yet, and though the environments and the story itself until now haven’t offered much variation (it’s mostly about fighting the Roman invaders), maybe the game will surprise us in the last chapters after all. At this moment, sadly, I’m kind of annoyed and bored by it.”
“- most of all, the story.”
“Graphics, story, gameplay is ok.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as good and complementing the artwork and animations, though some players feel it lacks memorability and originality, particularly in the context of Viking themes. There are also frustrations regarding the accessibility of the original soundtrack, as players expect easier access to the OST after purchasing the game. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the experience, it does not stand out as exceptional.
“Good mechanics, nice graphic style and animation, good music.”
“Great artwork, sound, and music together with smooth animations make this a very addictive quality game.”
“Most of the old school games had the OST available directly in the folder, not in some kind of package or anything.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but apart from the soundtrack/history/art part, the core concept of the game is very bland at best.”
“The music is fine, not the greatest Viking music I've ever heard, but it's actually good. However, there's no way of getting your hands on it. I paid for this game, so why can't I have access to the OST?”
“Most of the old-school games had the OST available directly in the folder, not in some kind of package or anything.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking in value, others appreciate its variety and have replayed levels multiple times, indicating a strong potential for replayability.
“This is what eventually makes the game highly replayable.”
“So replayable, I have even replayed the first level twice already; there's so much variety in this game.”
“Not much replayable value.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the grinding aspect of the game is intentionally designed to evoke a nostalgic, old-school experience, many players find it less appealing compared to modern titles that offer more engaging and replayable gameplay. The repetitive nature of grinding may not resonate well with those seeking enjoyable gaming experiences, especially after a long day.
“Sure, having grown up in the 80s myself, I get it. Obviously, it’s supposed to be teeth-grinding old-school (a time when processing power was low and games were rare), but meanwhile we’ve experienced loads of modern titles with an alternate approach that emphasize other entertaining aspects and actually encourage replays. Also considering co-op, as a reality check, who’s got a spouse at home that longs for that kind of self-torture after a hard day of work?”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged. I find myself questioning why I’m even playing when all I do is repeat the same tasks over and over.”
“I appreciate a challenge, but the amount of grinding required to progress is just frustrating. It feels like the game is more about time investment than skill or strategy.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Wulverblade is highly praised for its meticulous attention to historical detail and immersive design, reflecting the developers' passion for the project. The inclusion of documentary-style intermezzos further enhances the game's rich and engaging ambiance.
“Wulverblade is first and foremost a labor of love, and you can see that in the attention the developers paid to the atmosphere, historical detail, and the delightful documentary-style intermezzos.”
