Zorbus
- September 14, 2022
- Zorbus
- 28h median play time
Get on Steam"Zorbus is a single-player, traditional roguelike game with fantasy theme and turn-based strategy. The game features a randomly generated dungeon, permadeath, and recruitment of other creatures. Inspired by tabletop D&D, Zorbus aims to create an alive and eventful dungeon, free of hunger mechanics and item identification."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Zorbus is a well-crafted traditional roguelike that offers a rich atmosphere with engaging sound design and character interactions.
- The game features a robust companion system, allowing players to recruit and manage allies, which adds depth to the gameplay.
- It has numerous quality of life improvements that enhance the user experience, making it accessible for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.
- The game's difficulty can be punishing, especially in the early stages, leading to frustration for players who may feel overwhelmed by enemy encounters.
- Some players have reported issues with balance, particularly regarding the power of magic users compared to melee characters, which can limit playstyle diversity.
- The user interface can be complicated to set up, particularly for players on Linux, which may detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay41 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a blend of traditional roguelike mechanics and modern conveniences, offering a polished experience with a strong emphasis on player choice and emergent interactions. While many players appreciate the depth and clarity of the mechanics, some express frustration with the initial difficulty and certain unbalanced elements, particularly regarding spellcasters. Overall, the game is praised for its attention to detail and educational design, though there are calls for more mechanical variety and interactive elements to enhance the experience further.
“Tons of emergent gameplay, fun interactions, and a very clever AI that frequently uses advanced strategies in combat the way a dungeon master would.”
“Zorbus is an extremely well-polished traditional roguelike; every mechanic feels like the best version of itself and it all works very smoothly.”
“It's a pure dungeon crawler without hunger mechanics, so you can explore - and die - at your own pace: your empty stomach won't kill you, monsters will.”
“Many builds are effectively unplayable due to buggy or inconvenient mechanics.”
“The main problem, however, is that it does just enough to check the box to technically have mechanics without actually taking the time to polish them and make them fun.”
“The running away mechanic is obnoxious and just makes the game tedious to play.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive dungeon-crawling experience, enhanced by effective sound effects and engaging lore reminiscent of the Forgotten Realms. Players appreciate the lively interactions among characters and monsters, which contribute to a sense of adventure, despite some criticism regarding the abundance of low-quality loot. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, elevating the experience for fans of roguelikes and dungeon exploration.
“Probably (if not certainly) the best roguelike when it comes to the atmosphere of being in a dungeon.”
“This game nailed the atmosphere as a dungeon crawler!”
“Before I started playing, I did not realize just how much I missed the Forgotten Realms lore in my life, and Zorbus truly delivers - short snippets of text for each monster and journal entries of failed adventurers create the perfect atmosphere of delving deep into a D&D-esque dungeon.”
“I was really satisfied with the atmosphere, and it definitely boosts your mood like you're actually crawling through a dungeon, even though the graphics are very simple.”
“There's far too much garbage loot. While it does add to the atmosphere, it's kind of annoying to wade through so much junk all the time.”
“Honestly, the thing that really sets it apart is the atmosphere.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, featuring witty dialogue, amusing sound effects, and entertaining lore that enhances the experience. Players enjoy the funny interactions between characters and the quirky loot, although some balance issues are noted, particularly with overpowered casters. Overall, the humor adds significant value to the gameplay, making it a worthwhile experience.
“The game is also surprisingly funny, and the sound effects and art have really grown on me.”
“Fantastic game with some seriously funny dialogue, worth every penny!”
“Plus, the mobs' chatter is hilarious!”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with users praising the attractive and polished aesthetic that enhances the classic dungeon-crawling experience. While some find the interface occasionally frustrating, the overall visual presentation, including the design of dungeons and the atmospheric sound, effectively immerses players in the gameplay. The simple graphics are complemented by a strong sense of logic and aesthetic in the map design, reminiscent of classic D&D campaigns.
“A very well-polished classic-style D&D-influenced roguelike boasting an excellent and intuitive UI/QoL, very crafty AI (was impressed to see they use a lot of the same tactics as a sensible player would!), interesting and attractive dungeons, and appealing graphics/sound.”
“The map generation is very well done, floors have a clear logic to them and a strong aesthetic sense. It really does feel like exploring an ancient temple, and the mapping is very reminiscent of classic AD&D campaigns, think Tomb of Horrors or Temple of Elemental Evil.”
“If you're looking for a dungeon crawl, Dungeons of Dredmor is exactly that, but with a great art style, music, sound effects, and character diversity and customization.”
“The graphics are very simple and lack detail, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The character models are poorly designed and look outdated, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
“The environments feel bland and uninspired, lacking the visual depth that would enhance the gameplay.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with many character builds feeling slow and risk-prone against powerful enemies. The early game is particularly criticized for its repetitiveness and lack of enjoyment, leading some players to abandon their original strategies in favor of more effective approaches. Additionally, the mechanics for managing followers and escaping encounters contribute to the overall sense of tedium.
“I tried multiple approaches - a two-handed warrior, a sword-and-board guy, a stealthy spearman, a bowman and so on - but all of them felt very tedious, slow, and risk-prone, as you consistently meet enemies whose power rivals even the best-equipped solo adventurer.”
“In the end, even my lone wolf warrior build ended up starting as a summoner mage and pivoting into weapons by mid-game - otherwise, the 2nd and 3rd floors felt insurmountable, tedious, and way too random.”
“Very tedious and frankly un-fun early game (which you will repeat often).”
- story5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The story in Zorbus is engaging, with character progression and NPC personalities contributing to a meaningful narrative that unfolds as players explore the dungeon. While some players may find the lack of clear goals initially disorienting, the game's logical design and immersive environment help create a cohesive and enjoyable experience. Overall, the story encourages creativity and strategic thinking, particularly through character choices.
“All in all, I enjoyed exploring the character progression and learning the story of Zorbus.”
“Due to the personality NPCs have in this game, a story emerges for your PC and their recruited followers.”
“The dungeon has logic; the rooms have logic, story, and furniture; they are not just thrown out of some mindless random algorithm.”
“I'm used to playing grand RPGs, so having no story or not understanding my goals for fighting in this dungeon was a little strange.”
“The dungeon has logic; the rooms have logic, story, and furniture. They are not just thrown out of some mindless random algorithm.”
“Due to the personality NPCs have in this game, a story emerges for your player character and their recruited followers.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a desire for a nuanced emotion system in the game, where monsters exhibit emotional reactions based on their characteristics and interactions, potentially influencing combat dynamics. This emotional depth adds a layer of engagement, as players can form connections with characters, highlighted by poignant moments like the sorrowful farewell of a character.
“I still shed a tear for hippo man's dying cry to me....”
“Add an emotion system, in which monsters have emotional reactions to other monsters, depending on their faction, nature, alignment, and so on.”
“And their emotional state comes in degrees, so that a neutral wizard can finally get ticked off by you, and then attack, but not before.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music and sound design in the game are praised for enhancing the overall atmosphere, with engaging banter from party members and monsters that adds a unique sense of adventure. Unlike many other roguelikes that feature generic soundtracks, this game offers a more immersive experience through thoughtful audio elements, complemented by great art style and animations. While the frequent dialogue may become repetitive over time, it is generally well-received and contributes positively to the gameplay experience.
“While other roguelikes just put music in their game, it feels very stale in stark contrast to this game.”
“If you're looking for a dungeon crawl, Dungeons of Dredmor is exactly that, but with a great art style, music, sound effects, and character diversity and customization.”
“The game features animations, music, and sound effects that enhance the overall experience.”
“While other roguelikes just put music in their game, it feels very stale in large contrast to this game.”
“The game has animations, music, sounds.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, users report significant stability issues, with many builds being nearly unplayable due to buggy mechanics. However, the game is noted for its detailed settings and performs well on Linux.
“The game features very detailed settings and runs smoothly on Linux.”
“The stability of the game is impressive, with minimal crashes and lag.”
“I appreciate how well the game performs across different platforms without any major issues.”
“Many builds are effectively unplayable due to buggy and inconvenient mechanics.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy any aspect of it.”
“I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
