Xenon Valkyrie

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 63 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
Xenon Valkyrie Game Cover
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Xenon Valkyrie is a roguelite platformer with pixel art graphics. You explore alien caves, battle enemies, and collect upgrades to progress. Each playthrough features randomized levels and permadeath, offering a challenging and replayable experience.

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Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews
music7 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game features charming pixel art and a vibrant soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Frequent updates from the developer have addressed many initial bugs and gameplay issues, improving the game's overall quality.
  • The gameplay loop is engaging, with a mix of challenge and progression that keeps players coming back for more.
  • The game suffers from frustrating mechanics, such as mandatory melee combat against bosses and unclear hitboxes, which can lead to cheap deaths.
  • Procedurally generated levels can result in unfair layouts, making it difficult to access items or progress without taking damage.
  • Lack of tutorials and poor translation can leave players confused about controls and game mechanics, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
  • gameplay24 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it frustrating due to a lack of variety and clarity in mechanics, as well as challenging controls that can feel clumsy. While some appreciate the retro style and presentation, the core gameplay loop is often described as repetitive and lacking engaging elements, leading to a reluctance to revisit the game. Overall, it seems that while there are enjoyable aspects, significant tweaks are needed to enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “If you enjoy very technical gameplay, you might feel the opposite and Xenon Valkyrie might be worth checking out.”
    • “Takes a while for your eyes to adjust and some of the mechanics are unclear the first few runs, but it's still fun.”
    • “Gameplay is very nice, it's just classic style retro.”
    • “I want to like this, but the core gameplay loop feels frustrating in a dozen small ways.”
    • “It was actually really hard to decide whether or not to recommend this game because there are things about it I love (the great pixel art and chip tunes), but the mechanics were fundamentally lacking and often downright frustrating.”
    • “There are various other things that make the game clumsy (having four usable abilities, but having to cycle between them rather than mapping them to separate buttons? Really?), but one can learn to work with them and they feel sort of forgivable, but really the simple boringness of this game's main gameplay makes it impossible to recommend.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its energetic and nostalgic quality, with many players considering it a standout feature. However, some users note that the soundtrack can be repetitive and the lack of volume control options is a drawback. Overall, while the music enhances the game's appeal, opinions vary on its repetitiveness and the overall gameplay experience.

    • “Booting up the game made me feel like a kid again; the game and its soundtrack radiate with energy and excitement.”
    • “One of the big standouts for this game is the music.”
    • “Music / sound is very loud, with no in-game volume sliders, just on/off.”
    • “Music is a bit repetitive.”
    • “The music itself sounds unique, and I'm not sure of the source, but it definitely reminds me a lot of Cave Story, as does a lot of the aesthetics of the levels.”
  • graphics12 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro art style that is visually appealing, with pixel graphics and a sci-fantasy anime theme that evoke nostalgia. However, some players note a lack of unique level designs, as many tiles serve dual purposes, and there are concerns about technical issues affecting gameplay. Overall, while the aesthetics are praised, there is a desire for more depth and variety in the graphical presentation.

    • “As a retro platformer, it has an outstanding art style, nothing more than that unfortunately.”
    • “The soundtrack and art style are great and have a nice retro feel to them.”
    • “It plays a lot like Spelunky, with pixel graphics and a sci-fi fantasy anime theme.”
    • “There are no more unique designs for levels, only different tile graphics.”
    • “Do the graphics add any value other than aesthetics?”
    • “Don't use interpolating graphics - it looks like smeared Vaseline on your screen; the standard look is crisp and very pretty.”
  • story9 mentions

    The story in the game is described as vague and lacking depth, failing to engage players or provide a compelling narrative. Comparisons to other titles like Cave Story highlight a perceived lack of finesse and originality, with some reviewers expressing disappointment in the overall storytelling and character development. Overall, the narrative aspect does not seem to resonate well with players, leaving them feeling disconnected from the game's world.

    • “The music itself sounds unique, and I'm not sure of the source, but it definitely reminds me a lot of Cave Story, as does a lot of the aesthetics of the levels.”
    • “+ some story”
    • “The story is vague, so I can't comment on it.”
    • “This is my comment on the game after I think I beat it (only got a bad ending, I think, because I completed all missions in 1 hour and 16 minutes).”
    • “It reminds me of Cave Story a bit, but with a tad less finesse than that game's character feel.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some find it tedious and question the need to navigate poorly designed maps, others argue that strategic experimentation with stat builds can mitigate the grind and make progression smoother. Overall, the experience may depend on the player's approach rather than an inherent grindiness in the game.

    • “The game's tedious otherwise, so decide if you really want to go through these janky pixelated maps just because of the promotional art.”
    • “As I make my way through, I feel more like there is a certain intended way of playing this, not just grinding to the teeth.”
    • “Honestly, I don't see why people say this game is grindy or frustratingly difficult. If you just take the time to experiment with stat builds, you can cheese all the way to late game quite consistently, even on completely unfunded runs.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express a nostalgic emotional connection to the game, feeling energized and excited, reminiscent of childhood experiences. However, some also feel frustrated, perceiving that the exploration and combat elements may detract from the overall experience, making parts of the game feel like a waste of time.

    • “Booting up the game made me feel like a kid again; the game and its soundtrack radiate with energy and excitement.”
    • “It kind of made me feel like every run I'd had beforehand was simply training for the run I would find this weapon in.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Players find the game offers significant replayability, with each route providing a distinct experience and revealing hidden content beyond the initial playthrough. However, some feel that the overall polish could enhance this aspect further.

    • “I just 100% completed the game, and it had even more replay value than I thought. Every route feels very different, and surviving your first run is barely scratching the surface of all the hidden content in this game.”
    • “This game has incredible replayability, with multiple paths and choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
    • “The variety of endings and character interactions ensures that no two runs are the same, making it a game you can come back to time and again.”
    • “Frankly speaking, this game would have a lot more replayability if it were more properly polished.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability has improved significantly due to developer responsiveness to community feedback, addressing initial bugs and performance issues. However, some players still experience visual clutter and slow weapon switching, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “That being said, if the problem of visual clutter and the slow/buggy weapon switch gets dealt with, I can see myself enjoying this game.”
    • “Originally, it was buggy and nearly impossible, but the developers have worked with the community to create a better game.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is often derived from its quirky translations, which, while imperfect, add an amusing charm that many players find entertaining.

    • “The translation is a bit wonky, but it's hilarious to see, at least for me.”
    • “The humor in this game is spot on, with clever jokes that had me laughing out loud.”
    • “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create humor; it never fails to make me smile.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Players have praised the developers for their responsiveness to feedback, noting that they have effectively addressed and optimized nearly all requested issues in the game.

    • “The dev has been listening to player feedback and has pretty much fixed, repaired, and optimized almost everything we asked for!”
    • “The optimization updates have significantly improved performance, making the game run smoother than ever.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers continuously optimize the game, ensuring a better experience with each update.”
    • “The optimization is lacking, causing frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
    • “Despite some improvements, the game still suffers from long loading times and inefficient resource management.”
    • “The performance issues make it hard to enjoy the game, as it often feels sluggish and unresponsive.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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