Necro Story – Review

RPGs have always fascinated me because of the opportunity to explore unique worlds, delve into deep narratives, and experiment with innovative mechanics. When I started my journey with Necro Story , I was curious to see what Rablo Games’ indie title had to offer. The premise of the game is intriguing: a reanimated necromancer reluctantly needs to save the world by rebuilding the extinct humanity. Combining dark humor, creature collection, and strategic combat, the game promises to offer a different experience within the genre.

Throughout the hours I spent with the game, I encountered moments of genuine fun, but also challenges and inconsistencies that required patience. Necro Story is an interesting mix of creativity and simplicity, a work that clearly conveys the passion of its developers, but that, in some aspects, could have benefited from greater refinement.

Below, I’ll break down my experience into five main categories, exploring the aspects that make this title unique and the areas where it could improve.

Mechanics and Gameplay

Necro Story ‘s gameplay is one of the most intriguing and, at the same time, most complex aspects of the game. You take control of a necromancer who, with the help of Vivi, a ghost mage, explores a small but challenging world. The game’s structure combines strategic RPG elements and auto-battler mechanics , which makes it a unique experience.

The combat system is dynamic and requires you to balance spell casting with resource management. There are five schools of magic available, each offering spells with varying effects, such as poison, summons, lifesteal, and demonic transformations. Each spell has a mana cost and cooldown, which forces the player to think strategically during battles. The ability to customize your playstyle through the skill trees is one of the best parts, allowing you to create creative and powerful builds.

Another interesting mechanic is soul capture. Whenever you defeat enemies, their souls float around the screen, and it’s up to you to capture them. These souls can then be used to build your army of minions, each with specific abilities. However, this mechanic can get repetitive, especially since the game doesn’t really explain the differences between the types of colored souls that occasionally appear.

Despite these innovations, the gameplay is not without its challenges. The lack of a map or journal system makes navigation confusing, especially in areas where enemies constantly respawn. Additionally, avoiding combat is nearly impossible, which can be frustrating when you just want to explore.

Graphics

Necro Story ‘s visuals are charming and show the dedication of the development team. With a hand-drawn style and a “hazy” tone, the game conveys a dark fantasy atmosphere with touches of lightness. The game’s areas are well detailed, from gloomy castles to mystical deserts, as well as environments inspired by the underworld.

The creature designs are another highlight. There is a good variety of enemies, each with their own unique aesthetic, even if in some cases models are recycled with color changes. Despite this, the art direction manages to bring to life a world that, although small, is rich in personality.

The graphical style is simple but effective, and stands out more in motion than in screenshots. The choice of muted colors and a slightly matte sheen help create a dark fairytale feel. However, some players may find the visuals too simplistic, especially when compared to other more elaborate indie titles.

Sound

Necro Story ‘s audio complements its visual and narrative aesthetics well. The soundtrack is understated and pleasant, ranging from light music in menus to more energetic tones during combat. While the battle music is adequate, it becomes repetitive after a few hours, which can reduce immersion.

The sound effects, on the other hand, are a highlight. Each spell, attack, or interaction in the environment has a distinctive sound, which contributes to the atmosphere of the game. In addition, the game uses humorous sounds effectively, aligning with the comedic tone of the story.

However, the audio has its moments of inconsistency. Some effects, while well done, can seem overdone or out of context, while other moments could have benefited from a more impactful soundtrack.

Fun

If there’s one thing Necro Story does well, it’s providing moments of genuine fun. The dark humor and interactions between the necromancer and Vivi are one of the highlights of the experience. The jokes and dialogue break the seriousness of the dark fantasy RPG genre and bring a lighthearted tone that is quite captivating.

Battles are also engaging, especially when you experiment with different spell combinations and team formations. The strategic challenge of managing resources and capturing souls keeps the player engaged, even if the occasional repetitiveness can get tiresome.

On the other hand, the lack of a map and the difficulty of avoiding combat in tight areas can make progress frustrating. Still, the feeling of victory after defeating a boss or creating a powerful team of minions makes up for the more tiring moments.

Performance and Optimization

In terms of performance, Necro Story performs well for an indie title. During my playthrough, I didn’t encounter any major glitches or significant technical issues. The game ran smoothly, even in busy areas.

However, there are a few minor flaws that deserve attention. The explanations for certain mechanics, such as the meaning of colored souls, are superficial or absent. Additionally, the lack of a map or guide system can be seen as a design flaw that negatively impacts the experience.

Another point is that, although the game does not require extreme precision, the controls are responsive and work well for the game’s purpose.

Conclusion

Necro Story is a title that mixes traditional RPG elements with innovative ideas and a humorous tone that sets it apart in the market. Although it has its flaws, such as the lack of clear explanations and the repetitiveness of some mechanics, the game exudes passion and creativity.

I recommend Necro Story to players looking for a light, fun, and uncompromising experience. It may not be the most polished or deep RPG, but it offers a unique charm that is hard to find in bigger titles. With some tweaks and refinements, this game could become a cult classic in the indie genre.

Positive Points:

• Hand-drawn and creative visual style.
• Unique and interesting soul capture mechanics.
• Dark humor and captivating dialogues.
• Strategic combat with spell customization.

Negative Points:

• Lack of a map or journal makes navigation difficult.
• Insufficient explanations for some important mechanics.
• Repetitiveness in battles and soul capture mechanics.
• Battle music with little variety.

Rating :
Graphics: 8.0
Fun: 7.5
Gameplay: 7.0
Sound: 6.5
Performance and Optimization: 8.0
FINAL GRADE : 7.4 / 10.0