Reviews

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  kidc

  May 18, 2016

  Pros: Love the artwork, game seems like its well made and fun to play Cons: This control screen is killer on my hands, makes playing very difficult. Check out my video of the first dungeon if youd like to see what the game is like - https://youtu.be/nk_gcgd4HXI
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  moth dust

  May 19, 2016

  I saw this game, and thought it looked really cool. Even though the art isn't amazing, I still bought it because I try not to judge a game on it's art. I started the game and I was instantly put into a deep storyline. The combat reminded me of a fan-game called The Legend Of Zelda: Black Crown. The battle system is really cool, and I can see a lot of Dark Soul-esque themes in the game. So far I'm having a lot of fun with the game.
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  Bozley

  May 19, 2016

  Not even an hour deep into playing this game. Already ripped a clump of hair from my head. 10/10
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  Dude A

  May 19, 2016

  Awesome game. Love the music, combat, customization, and the devolopers. The music was so awesome. During a fight with the boss the music made me play outta my mind because i thought i was the main character in an anime. :) The combat is smooth. The only thing i hate is that magic items or spells can only be used a certain number of times. So building a mage character will be harder especially since the spells also cost mana(I'm fine with mana). Your weapons can be enchanted to have special effects. Fire, water, wood..etc. I started a disscusion to ask about adding a camera that centers the character instead, not expecting them to put it in or anything but just ask if they planned on adding it and got an almost immediate answer saying that he would add it in with the patch the next day just for me. I was so surprised and thought he was joking but the next day the patch notes said it was added. So i went in game and there it was. Awesome developers. The game itself is really fun to play and having awesome developers behind it and always improving it for their players is a 10/10 in my book! Overall: The game is awesome and i would definitely reccomend this game!
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  Banana

  May 20, 2016

  I'll start off by saying I can't stand dark souls, I think dark souls is the worst game ever made and as I started playing this game, it became very obvious the description isn't lying and it really is similar to dark souls. I hated every minute of the tutorial because of this but then came the boss fight, as I roll and attack the boss, I actually felt fun, unlike the smaller easy monsters in the tutorial, the boss required some skill. Of course it wasn't too hard, it was definitely doable. This very same experience was horrid for me in dark souls but somehow ended up fun in this pixel drawn world. If you like dark souls, it's for you, if you like zelda, it's also for you. There's something about 2D games that makes things better, perhaps we're too used to 3D by now that going backwards is entertaining. Nevertheless this game accomplishes things other 2D games aren't even attempting, clever movement, the weapons are drawn with full 360 rotation unlike the common 4 direction frames. I only just started but it seems the basics are well done. The developer seems pretty enthusiastic and already patched every bug mentioned, gotta love indie developers that care.
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  artofwar

  May 21, 2016

  TL;DR Simple but satisfying gameplay that delivers on its promise of a Dark Souls style Legend of Zelda. Like Dark Souls, the game can be very challenging at first but then ultimately can seem quite easy once you master the mechanics. I finished the game twice and saw what I think are the only two endings, but I expect I will continue to play around as I experiment with different builds and perhaps try to achieve a deathless run (it tells you how many times you died upon completing the game). If you're a fan of this type of game in general, I encourage you to give it a try. Although it's not perfect, this game definitely exceeded my expectations.
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  Atticus

  May 22, 2016

  First off, I would like to clarify that I am in no way directly affiliated with the developer of this game. The opinions contained herein are my own, and are shared here to attempt to give an accurate and comprehensive picture of my experience with this game. I omit commenting on the plot itself, as I don't feel I have enough information at present to comment accurately on the componant, and won't bother giving input on the multiplayer since I live a ocean away from everyone I've tried to play with. That said: EPOCH is a 2-D adventure game with a strong influece from the BloodSouls series. The mechanics are inspired by those found in BloodSouls games, in which the player is encouraged to pay close attention to attack animations, enemy traits, and one's environment while reacting appropriately. Much like BloodSouls games, the strict difficulty of the game is just lenient enough to convince the player that difficult obstacles CAN be overcome given the correct strategy. This draw to overcome challenges serves as an excellent hook that leaves one fuming at seemingly 'unfair' enemies and puzzles, only to return to the game minutes later as a potential solution claws at the player's mind. Whether the solution lies in upgrading a weapon, reconfiguring one's equipment, or approaching the obstacle differently; EPOCH continuously offers the player a sense of challenge, with the proper tools to succeed lying in wait. This balance between difficulty and mechanics is exactly what makes the BloodSouls experience so engaging, and it is just as well implemented in EPOCH. This drive to overcome obstacles lends itself to EPOCH's unique approach to exploration. The player levels up by acquiring 'Essenses' hidden throughout the game. Each essense gained earns the player 1 experience point, which can be allocated to improving the character's stats, upgrading equipment, or gaining new skills. Some of these are left directly in the player's path, some are neccesary for progressing further into the game, while others are more subtly hidden in nooks and passageways. This encourages players to actively pay attention to the environment, and serves as incentive to revisit previous areas in the hopes of uncovering more experience. Many have alluded to this mechanic as remeniscent of 'Metroidvania'-style exploration, and in a sense this is not inaccurate. However, by giving the player the agency to decide how this experience will be used, one never has the sense that their efforts are wasted on perks which aren't beneficial to one's character. In this sense, exploration in EPOCH very much feels like a hunt to complete a jigsaw puzzle, with the final picture looming ahead of the player as they try to conform the game's mechanics to their own style of gaming. The levels themselves are divided into about a dozen areas which are interconnected by small hubs populated with NPCs. The levels themselves are not terribly large, and new avenues open up to the players as they progress through the game which allow for more convenient passage between hub-areas. That said, navigating these mid-ways can be confusing at times as one struggles to recall the path to a particular landmark. The areas themselves are visually unimpressive (with noteworthy exceptions in the form of pixalated statue-art) and contain countless corridors which can be difficult to distinguish from each other in one's mind, save for trace color cues. Further, at the time in which this review is being written, the game features no over-world map which might alleiviate this frustration. While these shortcomings are cetainly forgivable given the nature of the game's engine, it's unfortunate that the environments themselves are rather bland when one of EPOCH's greatest pulls is it's incentive to explore. Yet EPOCH compensates for it's visuals with a well-utilized soundtrack. While the environments may not be visually impressive, each boasts distinitive, memberable tunes from the sombre tones of the game's main theme at The Tower to the sharp, unnerving notes of the spider-infested tunnels of Bloodrood. The tracks also compliment EPOCH's sprarce, yet compelling, plot as each evokes feelings of anxiety, drama, awe, and tranquility at the appropriate moments. The quality of the soundtrack is one of Epoch's strongest assets, as it manages to engage the player's imagination with EPOCH's melancholy reality. Maybe I'm wrapping too many words around my experience, and appear overtly partial to the game. In closing, I'm happy to promptly list a number of things I dislike about the game. The dodge rolling mechanics can be unresponsive at times, which sometimes hamper combat; there's a lack of diverse end-game equipment; the inability to respec experience can lead to frustrating handicaps that compromise the player between restarting a character 50 lvls in or bearing one's past judgements; bugs are quite common; &c. And yet, I insist that EPOCH is a worthwhile and unique exeperience. Rather than a 'rip-off' of its insiprations EPOCH is more appropriatly a tribute to these influences. It is one of the few games of its kind that manage to manipulate its constraints while providing enough original content and ingenuity to distinguish itself from the crowd. Despite its constraints, it manages to deliver a genuine, underivative BloodSouls experience tempered with its own individual aethetic and passion. Further, the growing community coupled with the developer's drive to improve the game promise to help the game steadily improve in the future. EPOCH is a must-try for avid dungeons crawlers, lore hounds, and retro 8-bit enuthisiats alike.
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  CptAylott

  May 23, 2016

  From this post I only have played for about an hours worth of this game single player. At first it's a little strange to play takes a little while to get use to the buttons (Remapped mine now) but as you play the game it sucks you in wanting more which is great. I really enjoy this game so far and recommend you at least give it a try! :D
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  Pewpsockemz

  May 27, 2016

  I love this game! Old school co op RPG feel with cool action combat. Progression is fun. Levels are done really well. Challenging gameplay. Awesome bosses. Beautifule music. Very good game!
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  Crabman

  May 30, 2016

  It would help if there was a tutorial that shows us how to work multiplayer, its a good game, but i feel it would excel if only i could play with my friends
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  taronin

  May 30, 2016

  This game has potential, but as of this review it's still fairly buggy and feels incomplete. It's being actively worked on, and IMHO should probably (still?) be marked and marketed as an Early Access title. Avoid for now unless you want to help with the game's development. This will be updated with a more comprehensive review if development slows down or the game reaches a state that feels more finished to me. EDIT 2021: 5 years later, I decided to revisit the game to see if it had been improved. It seemed to respond to controller input so I used that as I went to start over, but then couldn't even get through the new game setup because some of the menus suddenly decided that they were mouse only. While the game doesn't claim to support controllers on the Store page, this kind of "maybe sometimes it works" thing is slipshod and annoying. It turns out I'm not really that curious, so at this point I closed and uninstalled the game. I guess anyone who's curious won't ever get to find out if I would have thought it had improved since 2016.
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  Lamb Sauce

  May 31, 2016

  I purchased this game for two reasons. I missed SNES Games, and the souls genre is up my alley. This game, albeit it a little buggy at times as a result of the underdeveloped engine it uses, is an amazing time and worth every penny.
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  Thea

  Jun 1, 2016

  Been playing this game for about 3 hours, having alot of fun with it so far, if you like 16 bit graphic styles and Legend of Zelda type gameplay with an above average difficulty, this game is for you.
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  Dawnfinder

  Jun 16, 2016

  'prepare to die idiot' this is a godly game
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  Mi_Llamo_Jeff

  Oct 5, 2016

  From The little bits Ive managed to stumble through I feel Id really like this game if I wasnt constantly fighting the controls and getting seemingly backstabbed in the face by the first boss. Rolling seems slightly broken in that after rolling theres a chance the directional key wont respond and forces you the release the key and push it again Finally the dev doesnt seem to be responding to any disscusions since promising controller support eventually Unfourtunately what little of the game I managed to play(due to afforementioned issues) hasnt inspired me to attempt to push through and have decided to refund Edit: Forgot to mention how limited character creation is, The diversity in races is alright but there are only like 7-10 hairstyles and about the same number of hair colors TLDR Cant reccomend due to slightly broken rolling
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  KingDDDking

  Dec 9, 2016

  Great game. very fun mechanics for combat. very similar to dark souls. lots of secrets to find.
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  Konscious

  Dec 14, 2016

  Thought it had been a while since negative review so game might have improved. Nope. 1. Buy game, install. 2. Doesn't launch multiple times, after 4th attempt launches. 3. Port Forward multiplayer, follow instructions, nothing works. 4. #fuckit, soloplayer even though I bought it to play with friends. 5. Find secret path, awesome. 6. Monster "detects" me in secret path, blocks exit, somehow can't hit me and I can't hit him. I'm stuck. 7. Get to first safe zone, spend 20 minutes trying to figure out how trash or get rid of items from inventory. Unable to figure it out, google.com, still nothing. 8. Guess I'll exit the game. Game doesn't have an EXIT GAME button? Have to use Task Manager to close game. 9. Refund pls. Game videos make it seem better than it is. Highly disappointed.
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  40GallonTophat

  Dec 19, 2016

  tl;dr: A Souls-like without the Souls-iness. Don't bother. Ps & Cs: + Lots of secrets and hidden paths + Graphics work fine for the game + Story seems interesting - Very imprecise controls destroys the Souls-iness - Controls are very bizarre and unintuitive I really wanted to like this game, but it's so slipshod. The inventory / crafting system is extremely poorly implemented. The game tries to be like Dark Souls, but without the tight controls it really just comes across as cheap. The game supports controllers, however I was never able to get a spell to work. They're also missing very basic functions like a close button. If you can find it for < $5, and you're a Souls fanatic, it might be worth your time, however for everyone else I can't recommend it. As an aside the dev did say he would address the close button which shows he's at least a good dude.
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  JayArr42

  Dec 23, 2016

  It is intentionally bad. It's marketed as "dark souls-esque," but really, it's just a big fuck you. Everything is wrong with this game. I didn't enjoy a minute, I muscled through thinking, "Oh, it will get good if I can only find _______" and it just never did. There are fights that are designed for you not to win. Not just like... "can't win now, come back later" kind of thing. The one that stands out to me is that there is a repeating rival you have. The first time, cake walk. Second time, not awful. The third time, he starts speaking while he's attacking, and your attack/roll buttons are in charge of the speech bubble. So you have to close out of the text box to attack him or run away. The next time, the room is barely big enough for the two of you, he speaks multiple speech boxes and you can't do anything until they are gone, so he will kick your ass over and over again. And that's not a fun challenge. There's no skill to be had there, there's no learning curve, you can't improve on your skipping speech skill. It's just mash the exit button and hope you don't get killed. And when you finally beat him, you don't feel accomplished, you feel like you wasted 30 minutes on a giant middle finger. And I found almost every fight to be some sort of bull shit like this. Just over and over again, things designed to kill you, but that there is no sense of accomplishment in overcoming. At the end of each challenge, I would just say, "oh, well I'm glad that's over," and was never once excited to see what came next. Also, level up system, you can only level up a hand full of times, so good fucking luck if you level up the wrong thing, you won't get another chance. Also, the inventory management is SUCH trash. I have always thought that inventory management shows a developer really cares about the experience of the player. It shows how poorly this was slapped together. You can deposit your extra items in a chest that you can access anywhere in the world. But if you put more than 20 things in, they start filling over the other slots. Not deleting the items mind you, but overlapping. So lets say you put in 5 items, but there isn't any free spots. And then you realize "Dang, I need that ONE gem back." If you want to get a gem now you need to withdraw the sword, the hat, the staff, the other gem, that other gem, the money, the other sword, and THEN you can take out the gem you need. Then you have to put all that shit back in. Their inventory management system is basically, "Fuck you, you deal with it." Also, there is not a fast travel option. So you have to run around this fucking obnoxious world. You miss something in the north? Well looks like you will have to cross 2 different biomes to get there again. Oh, still not accessible? Better cross another 3 to find what unlocks it. It's work. I don't play videogames to work this hard for this little pay off. There are so many gameplay issues. I regret buying this.
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  Pie_The_Gore-Ass

  Dec 2, 2020

  EPOCH is a fascinating game. It's one of the first RPGs I've ever played, and beaten. I got it several years ago back when literally nobody had heard of the game - which, let's be real here, that's *still* true even to this day. But that's a shame, because it really is a cool, mysterious, great game with intriguing story, few but endearing characters, wonderful pixelated graphics, and challenging fights all throughout, from Ry the Dark Warden 30 seconds in to [spoiler] Rios the Creator [/spoiler] at the end. You can play as one of several different races, from the traditional dwarves, elves, and humans, to more original ones, such as the aquatic race of the Ghroulians or the mystical automatons called Cogsmen (I think that's what they're called? Idk it's been awhile since I played). Each race comes with a special ability that helps you out in some way throughout the game, though I'm gonna be honest, some abilities are straight-up better than others. For example, as a Ghroulian, you start the game with the ability to swim, which you would otherwise get around halfway-ish into the game. It nets you some cool stuff that you wouldn't get until later, but once you hit the point you'd normally get that power, it becomes obselete. What's not obselete, though, is the gameplay and story. The story is very mysterious, and you never really put the whole thing together. You can figure out most of it through item descriptions and character dialogue, and the final words of the now-deceased souls you collect on your adventure. The game is quite like Dark Souls in this and other ways, or so I've heard. It features many deities, ancient castles and other locations, temples, and other such things. Magic is quite prevalent, allowing you to use all sorts of runic spells to blast away your foes. Which brings me to combat, which is pretty cool. You get two hands, which you can use to either wield a pair of one-handed weapons or a single two-handed weapon. You can dodge-roll, parry, jump backwards, sprint, and do other fancy maneuvers. Combo these with powerful weapons and spells to get the edge on your enemies. The bosses are pretty hard, especially the ones not directly in your path (another Dark Souls trait). But I love the challenge, and have beaten every boss multiple times over. So yeah, love EPOCH, it's got awesome artwork, interesting story, good combat, all the stuff you could want out of an RPG. Lots of bugs, though, which is what makes me give it an 8.5/10 P.S. DON'T waste your time with the successor, Nother. It's super laggy, even on a decent computer, and the story makes NO sense. Graphics are bad too.