This rogue-lite influx is really getting out of hand. Headup Games and Devespresso Games have produced an admirable attempt at a frozen and far more expansive Darkest Dungeon, but its inconsistent dedication to various components of gameplay make VAMBRACE: Cold Soul equally overzealous and underwhelming.
If you pick up this game for one reason and one reason alone—do it for the artwork. The stylized gothic-manga hybrid character design cannot be described as anything other than gorgeous. The muted colors with rich shading incite a spectacular juxtaposition of beauty and morbidity. Backgrounds are lugubrious, yet entrancing. Perhaps a bit cliche, but our heroine, Evelia Lyric, stands out visually with her multicolored eyes, somewhat disguising the hollowness of her character.
So here is the dichotomy I find so frustrating—for so much going on, we gain so little. Strap in. In such a text heavy narrative, the story is disproportionately shallow. The character banter has its clever moments, but the overall time spent scrolling through monologue after monologue is a huge deterrent. Next—so many menus, so much chaos in figuring out what they all mean. RPGs have a ton of features, I get it, but finding each one of the hundreds of missing codex pages is grounds for a very depressing drinking game. After devoting a herculean amount of time to this title, I am still devoid of an understanding as to why I needed so much text or to which menu all the “important” information has scampered off to. The maps….what? Chasing one exclamation point to the other only to reach said destination and be sent away or told what I seek is not available to me is a grotesquely agonizing way to spend one’s time.
Gameplay does require a reasonable amount of strategic prowess to maintain any kind of momentum. Do pay attention to the tutorials in the beginning, mainly the ones about ordering your characters during battles and exploration. Some characters have higher levels of awareness, making it less likely to lead your party into an icy crevasse of death. Others have a keener eye for finding chests or dish out deadlier blows to enemies…and so on. While these features aren’t unique to this title itself, they do keep you connected to the decision-making interface.
Combat is basic and provides little that has not been done before. This isn’t necessarily bad, but when your enemies become more difficult, you’ll wish you had more options for battle tactics. While the actual combat mechanics are not what I would call memorable, the artistry of this bleak and frigid world is what makes the fights stand out from the rest of the rouge-lites.
You can enjoy VAMBRACE: Cold Soul , but keep your expectations low and acknowledge the reality that seeing this journey to completion will take a really long time and more than likely, will render you somewhat disappointed.
Rating: 5/10
Check Out the VAMBRACE: Cold Soul Trailer:
For more information, please visit here: https://www.headupgames.com/game/vambrace
PlayStation 4 Review
Kendra grew up in the era where playing Donkey Kong in the dentist's office was a thing. Her creative mind enjoys the imaginative genius that goes into the intricate worlds and enticing narratives that have become the new wave of gaming. Forever a devotee of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, Kendra has stepped into the next generation of gaming with favorites like God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Spider-Man. She is always looking for the next gaming challenge and utilizes her fancy English degree to articulate her detailed reviews for hungry gamers like you.
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