Wyvern

About

Wyvern is a single player and multiplayer role playing game. It was developed by Ghost Track Inc and was released on March 9, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Wyvern is a 2-player, old-school 2D graphical MMO-RPG, inspiring games like Gauntlet, Nethack, and Ultima IV. It boasts a massive and continually developed world, with real-time combat, adventuring, and a text output area for updates. The command-oriented gameplay allows for hundreds of customizable commands, hotkeys, and the creation of custom macros. Both single-player and multiplayer/co-op/PVP modes are available.

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70%

Audience ScoreBased on 108 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

Wyvern offers a nostalgic experience for fans of classic RPGs, with a rich world to explore and a variety of character customization options.
The community is active and supportive, providing help to new players and fostering a sense of camaraderie.
The game features a unique blend of text-based commands and graphical elements, allowing for deep gameplay and character development.

The game suffers from significant UI issues, including flickering and unresponsive elements, making it difficult to play.
Many core features, such as trading and meaningful single-player content, are locked behind a paywall, which detracts from the overall experience.
The gameplay can be confusing and punishing for new players, with a steep learning curve and a lack of clear instructions.

graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
62%
14%
The graphics of the game are generally considered mediocre and dated, which may deter many players, especially in comparison to contemporary titles. While some appreciate the retro aesthetic and find charm in its simplicity, others criticize it for lacking visual appeal and sophistication. Overall, the graphics are a significant factor in the game's mixed reception, appealing primarily to fans of old-school graphical MUDs rather than those seeking modern visuals.
- “In the world of RPGs, it had a clear goal: to upgrade the experience of a text-based dungeon crawler/MUD with a graphical, real-time interface - a simple idea that worked out beautifully.”
- “Graphics and music are top notch.”
- “The gameplay, the music, even the graphics is what make Wyvern so unique.”
- “Visually, this has some fairly mediocre/dated looking graphics that will understandably be a turn off for a lot of gamers, and it's a big contributor to the failure of the game to attract gamers despite having no up-front cost.”
- “But it looks like an old mud because the game is around 20 years old, so if graphics is the be-all and end-all for you then maybe skip this game.”
- “Despite being a low graphics MMORPG, it feels like any generic MMORPG resistance stacker with the depth of a puddle.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The game's story and quest system are criticized for being confusing and buggy, with many players experiencing broken quests and unclear objectives, particularly in the tutorial phase. While there are various quests and exploration opportunities, the lack of a coherent narrative and frequent technical issues detract from the overall experience, making it challenging for new players to engage with the game effectively. Despite these issues, some players appreciate the depth of certain quests and the community support available for navigating the game.
- “I also like how quests bring you into the game.”
- “Wyvern is no simple 'straight line storytelling' game.”
- “You have random dungeons scattered across the map, very roguelike (Nethack/Crawl vibes) and a bunch of quests you can do.”
- “The quests can be bugged, even the tutorial can be bugged - and it doesn't get you ready for the game - yet.”
- “The game is very buggy, quests break pretty frequently and if you have Steam overlay enabled, the UI will just outright break at times.”
- “Took about 40 minutes to get into a situation where the quest path leads around in a circle; I relogged, same problem, switched the active quest, same problem, game is broken.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Gameplay in this game is criticized for its unfun troll mechanics, which include disruptive elements like teleportation, blindness, and cursing items, leading to low engagement during boss fights. While some players appreciate the nostalgic mechanics and character customization, the overall experience is marred by the presence of microtransactions and a lack of meaningful gameplay progression, making it feel generic and frustrating. Despite some enjoyment from specific character builds, many feel the game is not worth the investment due to its greedy monetization practices.
- “My highest level character is a pixie mage and I really enjoy the gameplay.”
- “The mechanics that first drew me into the game all those decades ago are still there - I can still cast fireballs, build giant mages, or go toe-to-toe with a beholder.”
- “[*] Various mechanical fixes, experience curve editing, as well as a level cap increase to 50.”
- “Boss fights in this game offer low engagement, with the exception of troll mechanics.”
- “The troll mechanics involve teleporting the boss or the players to random locations, 'blinding' players which completely blacks out the game window and makes it unplayable, cursing their healing items (unicorn horns) so they can't even cure the blindness, removing potion-based resistances from players when they can't find any gear to use instead, and cursing their 'luck stones', which are a paid microtransaction item.”
- “Don't let the retro aesthetics fool you; this is a pretty generic game overall with unnecessarily annoying gameplay mechanics and just not worth your time.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The music in Wyvern is highly praised for its nostalgic quality and atmospheric impact, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Users appreciate the combination of high-quality graphics and music, noting that both elements contribute significantly to the game's uniqueness. There is also a call for supporting the artists behind the soundtrack, emphasizing the importance of their contributions.
- “Nostalgic music.”
- “Graphics and music are top notch.”
- “Some music is done by MIDI files.”
- “The music and atmosphere, or the 'vibes' if you will, are perfect.”
- “Setup a means of donating so that the artists (that includes the people putting the music and sounds together) can get the bonus check they deserve.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a cash grab that detracts from the overall experience, with forced microtransactions implemented in an unfinished product. While some players feel they can avoid these mechanics without significant loss, the overall sentiment is that the monetization has negatively impacted the game's quality and balance.
- “Microtransaction disclaimer: I know that because of capitalism, the game can't stay up and remain free if nobody puts any money in. However, if you do partake in the microtransactions, make sure that 1) the money keeps being worth the fun, and 2) you can afford the money you're putting in, and 2a) you're always aware of how much money you're spending.”
- “It has a few updates that I don't super care for, in terms of implementing microtransactions and in-app purchases, but so far (level 11 and 06/27/2022) I don't feel like I'm missing much by staying away and avoiding these mechanics.”
- “This is a real nasty cash grab exploiting a once beloved game property, and that's not okay.”
- “However, the good news was far overshadowed by the negative changes, most egregious being the forced monetization of an unfinished product and the ensuing warping of the game around the power creep introduced by all the new changes.”
- “tl;dr: the lead developer is clueless, monetization ruined the game, and due to stagnant growth this game now lags severely behind comparable RPGs.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, particularly with the user interface, which frequently glitches when the Steam overlay is enabled. Users report that quests often break, and the overall experience is marred by persistent bugs, leading to a negative impact on gameplay.
- “The user interface glitches out heavily every time the Steam overlay pops up, forcing you to disable it or download the client from the official website.”
- “The game is very buggy; quests break pretty frequently, and if you have the Steam overlay enabled, the UI will just outright break at times.”
- “I'd change my recommendation to a yes if the game's UI wasn't a buggy mess.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that it often leads to a forced meta where certain races dominate due to their inherent advantages. The repetitive nature of grinding through procedurally generated dungeons to reach higher levels can become tedious, causing some players to lose interest before experiencing the end game. Achieving the ultimate goal of becoming a "demi-god" is seen as requiring excessive grinding, which many find unappealing.
- “This ended up with giants being the strongest race by far, and mobs that are balanced for giants' HP and dwarves' resistances, but are almost a guaranteed kill against any other race that isn't wearing melee resistance rings (a forced meta that requires about a week of grinding per ring, per character).”
- “I have not experienced the end game yet since whenever I start grinding I eventually get bored and put down the game for a few months. It requires doing procedurally generated dungeons over and over again until you reach a high enough level to skip the low-level part of said dungeons.”
- “There is of course the end goal of becoming a 'demi-god,' which is another way of saying max level character, but that requires more grinding than I am willing to do.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers consistently praise the game's atmosphere, highlighting the music and overall vibes as exceptional and perfectly suited to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The music and atmosphere, or the 'vibes' if you will, are perfect.”
- “The game's environment is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
- “Every sound and visual detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that stays with you long after playing.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often described as sharp and witty, with clever dialogue and situational comedy that keeps players engaged and entertained. Many users appreciate the game's ability to blend humor seamlessly into its narrative, making for a lighthearted experience. Overall, the comedic elements are a standout feature that enhances the gameplay.
- “Who's laughing now?”
- “The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch!”
- “I couldn't stop chuckling at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations!”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the game's emphasis on fostering a clean and wholesome environment, highlighting its positive emotional impact on the community. This focus contributes to a sense of belonging and emotional well-being among players.