Empyreal

Empyreal, developed by Silent Games and published by Secret Mode, is a sci-fi action RPG that leans into a blend of methodical combat, loot-driven progression, and a mysterious, almost philosophical narrative backdrop. Set on an alien world dominated by a massive and enigmatic structure, the game builds its identity around the act of venturing deeper into the unknown, where each expedition feels like a calculated risk rather than a straightforward mission. It presents itself as both a test of skill and a slow unraveling of a larger mystery, even if its storytelling often takes a secondary role to its systems. The core gameplay loop is structured around repeated excursions into the Monolith, a sprawling and layered environment that serves as the central focus of progression. Instead of offering a fully open world, the game is divided into contained zones that function as self-contained challenges. This design gives each run a clear objective, emphasizing efficiency and preparation over aimless exploration. Players enter, engage with enemies, collect resources, and return stronger, creating a rhythm that feels deliberate and cyclical. While this structure keeps the experience focused, it also means that much of the gameplay revolves around repeating variations of the same core activities. Combat is where Empyreal finds much of its identity. Encounters are built around timing, positioning, and an understanding of enemy behavior, rather than relying purely on stats or button-mashing. Different weapon types introduce varied playstyles, encouraging players to experiment with approaches that suit their preferences. Defensive mechanics such as dodging and parrying play a significant role, rewarding precision and awareness. This creates a satisfying sense of mastery over time, as players become more comfortable with the game’s systems and begin to handle encounters with greater confidence. However, the learning curve can be demanding, especially early on, and may feel unforgiving for those not accustomed to this style of combat. Progression is heavily tied to equipment and customization, with a strong emphasis on refining builds to suit different challenges. Gear is more than just a reward—it’s a core part of how players interact with the game. Adjusting stats, abilities, and loadouts allows for meaningful variation, giving players the freedom to shape their approach. This system adds depth and replayability, as experimenting with different combinations can significantly change how encounters play out. At the same time, the reliance on loot as a primary motivator can make the experience feel repetitive, particularly when progression becomes tied to incremental upgrades rather than new mechanics. One of the more interesting systems in the game is the way it introduces variation into its structure. Elements that influence enemy composition, rewards, and overall conditions add a layer of unpredictability to each run, preventing the experience from becoming entirely static. While this doesn’t completely eliminate repetition, it does create enough variation to keep players engaged, especially during extended play sessions. It also reinforces the idea that preparation is just as important as execution, as players must adapt to changing circumstances. The narrative attempts to explore deeper themes related to existence, discovery, and the unknown, but it often remains understated. Story elements are delivered in fragments, with much of the context left for players to interpret. While this approach can create a sense of mystery, it also means that the narrative lacks the clarity and emotional impact needed to fully resonate. Characters and interactions provide some grounding, but they rarely develop to the point of becoming a central focus. As a result, the story feels more like a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a driving force. Visually, Empyreal presents a world that is both imposing and restrained. The Monolith itself is an effective centerpiece, conveying scale and intrigue, but the segmented design of the environments can make the world feel less expansive than it initially appears. While there are moments of visual strength, they are not always sustained throughout the experience. The audio design complements this with atmospheric soundscapes that enhance immersion without overwhelming the player, maintaining a consistent tone that aligns with the game’s themes. Where the game begins to struggle is in maintaining long-term variety and cohesion. While its individual systems—combat, customization, and progression—are well-designed, they don’t always evolve in ways that keep the experience feeling fresh. Repeated encounters and familiar environments can lead to a sense of monotony, particularly for players who engage with the game over longer periods. Additionally, the lack of clear direction in certain aspects of progression can create moments of confusion, making it harder to stay fully immersed. Despite these shortcomings, Empyreal succeeds in delivering a distinctive and often rewarding experience for players who appreciate deliberate, system-driven gameplay. Its emphasis on skill-based combat and build experimentation provides a strong foundation, even if not all of its ideas are fully realized. It’s a game that rewards patience and persistence, offering satisfaction through mastery rather than spectacle. In the end, Empyreal stands as an ambitious and thoughtful entry in the action RPG space. It may not achieve complete cohesion across all its systems, but it offers enough depth and individuality to remain engaging, particularly for those willing to invest time in understanding its mechanics. For players drawn to challenging combat and layered progression, it provides a compelling, if occasionally uneven, journey. Rating: 7/10

Empyreal is criminally underrated. There must have been something horribly wrong with the marketing strategy because the number of reviews and players dont reflect the quality of the game. The maps are breathtakingly beautiful. Gameplay is polished with a very small amount of jank. I personally love being a lootgoblin so thats a big plus for me. Interesting story with a more than 1 ending. My only gripe is that there are only 3 types of weapons. Obviously the devs know how to make a good game, for the next one you'll just have to pump up those marketing numbers. :D

After playing this game for a couple hours today, I am somewhat of an expert. You're welcome. Good romp. Def worth under 10 dollars that is for sure. Some gear things can be a little obscure. Some npc conversation options are a hoot. Things I am dying for. 1. Double jump. It just needs this. 2. After a whiff spear attack you are just locked in place for a excruciating long time staring at the end of your weapon. why? (yes I know you can dodge out of this.) 3. When the blacksmith is working, its the most annoying thing in the world that he hits his hammer on the anvil NON STOP in rhythm. Just, take a break every once and a while. 4. On some larger open desert maps, getting from point a to b is a long walk, would be nice for some traversal options. **All together, I feel like this game deserved more hype. The environment alone is very good and worth 10 bucks.

Empyreal - 100% Completion Review Score: 7.5/10 Empyreal is a loot based game about exploring a giant and mysterious alien structure on another world and finding out it's secrets, after fully completing this game i'll give some Pro's, Neutrals and Con's. PRO'S: -Has character creation, male/female, body, hair, colors etc. -Has multiple different starter classes to choose from but nothing is permanent you can change anything by simply equipping different gear -As this is a loot based game there is tons of gear, armor, weapons and loot to find and stats for each can be changed with stat changing spheres in game -Good combat with lots of different weapons to choose from and abilities you can use and craft -Good animations, stylish moves and jumping and dodging -Good environments, -Fully voice acted -Good characters that are well designed and written -When repeating a level a different boss can appear each time which help with making repeats a little less repetitive -Treasure's that can still be used for crafting won't be auto-sold with the quick sell feature which is really useful -Can help other players by gifting apparitions revival items or by sending a random item through the portal that opens up after a boss battle -Can change your appearance and transmogrify your equipment once you unlock it with a new NPC that arrives with the 3rd quadrant exploration -Every boss has their own little cutscene which is neat NEUTRAL'S: "No Score Change From These" -Game time about 20 hours, depends on rng -Decent performance, one crash, one memory leak that required restart CON'S: -Bosses in the second quadrant area will get stuck on the sides of the high rise platform and refuse to come back to the middle -Can't use modification spheres more than once -The Logo's boss fight is unbalanced, instant block that gains shield, flying, every area of effect element attack, every status effect attack, just too much Overall Empyreal was a game that surprised me, it turned out to be a pretty good loot based game with strong gameplay and if your someone who really likes character creation or loot games then you will probably like this game, but as always, It's.. Up.. To.. You and i'll leave it at that. (^_−).

Really fun combat, cool world building, confusing gear optimization I played Empyreal when the demo first became available and immediately wishlisted it because the combat was already so much fun. It feels satisfying and challenging but without being as punishing as a souls-like. I'm relaly enjoying both mace/shield and the glaive. I'm struggling with the cannon but that can potentially be a lot of fun too. The game doesn't have a real campaign but basically sends you right away into maps that vary in layout and increase in difficulty to collect better and better gear. You do get a couple of quests to accomplish in these maps which in turn move the story forward and develop your relationship with NPCs in the hub. I wouldn't call this a real campaign though. It does help to create a nice backstory that fits to the beautiful design of the maps. The main motivation is obviously to collect more gear and unlock additional abilities. The game has a crafting system that allows you to modify and optimize your gear pieces and lean into different playstyles. My main problem with Empyreal is that like other games it offers a multitude of gear stats but but it is difficult to understand which to prioritize. There is very little hand-holding in the game and unfortunately there are (at least up to now) no detailed guides available on the internet. It's definitely one of the most fun I have had with an action RPG recently! If unsure, just check out the demo and judge for yourselves!

Рекомендувати можу хіба що з великою знижкою, щоб ціна була не більше 200 грн. Гра побудована за досить простою схемою: отримуємо карту в один з 4-х регіонів, телепортуємось, досліджуємо карту, збираємо всяке гуано і б'ємо різних автоматонів дивного дизайну, щоб отримати лут з таким самим химерним дизайном та нові карти для порталу. В принципі ця схема працює і якщо немає в що пограти, то кілька вечорів можна витратити на цю гру. АЛЕ, я не відчуваю хоч якоїсь складності. Померти тут можна хіба що якщо ви знайдете якусь круту гранату і замість автоматона якось невдало кинете її собі під ноги стоячи на сходах. І другий момент, це те, що різновидів карт небагато, а бігати по одних і тих самий картах швидко набридає. І ще це неоптимізований UE5.

Определённо рекомендую данную игру к ознакомлению, для меня она стала открытием в этом году. При входе в начальную локацию (игровой хаб) сначала посетили сомнения, выглядело пусто, и непонятно что зачем и для чего. Первые два прохода через портал пробежал в общем минут за 5-10, пока не попал в третью более открытую зону, где представления об игре начали меняться. Боевая система в целом простая, но приятная. Лута судя по всему много, у каждого свои статы, которые можно менять. На локациях можно лазить везде, ограничений как таковых в передвижении нет, везде спрятаны секретные места и сокровища для крафта и продажи. Рандомизация сложности локаций, к которым нужно подстраивать свой шмот. Маленький совет: 1) Первое время чаще взаимодействуйте со всеми NPC в хабе, даже если кажется, что у них для вас ничего нет; 2) Продавайте сокровища, которые не нужнв для крафта; 3) Не торопитесь продавать снаряжение (одежду, оружие, щиты), в игре есть трансмогрификация, появляется ориентировочно после 4-й сюжетной локации, как и смена внешнего вида персонажа. 4) Не бойтесь везде залезть, игра это позволяет и зачастую поощряет. И кто сомневается из-за отсутствия русского в игре - в интернете есть русификатор.

This is certainly a game. Is it a bad game? No, not really. Is it a good game? Also, no. I really, really wish that there was a "mixed" review option rather than just the recommend or not recommend. Overall, I will say that if you can pick this up on a steep discount and don't go in without overly high expectations, you can get some enjoyment out of it. The first few hours were actually pretty fun. Unfortunately, it doesn't remain so. On the positive side of things: it has nice looking graphics with a pretty decent character creation system (appearance wise, not class wise. we'll talk about that in negatives). The various NPCs are remarkably fleshed out for how little they actually communicate with you. The map designs had a lot of hidden areas to discover and were often quite beautiful. And now the negatives. I'll break this down into further into categories. [u] Combat: [/u] This is a type of looter-shooter (like Borderlands or Diablo) where all your character progression is achieved via collecting randomized loot and creating a build based on that loot. You have three main playstyles: a tanky Shield and Mace build, a dodge-based glaive build, and a ranged cannon build. The problem with this set-up is the implementation. At first, your character is pretty weak but it is the beginning of the game and you expect that. However, once you start finding top-tier equipment...nothing changes. The high-level gear just doesn't do much. It never incentivizes you to change your playstyle to fit an awesome new weapon or armor set. It just...has slightly higher stats attached. Emphasis on *slightly.* [u] Story: [/u] There is a story here and it has the potential to be interesting but it is so strangely told. I'm 30 hours in and I still don't feel very grounded in the world. I understand the basic premise but there are no lore documents to collect so all your understanding of the story comes from conversations with NPCs of which there aren't many. Again, this is one of those things that are fine in the early hours but gets frustrating as the game progresses and you feel like there should be a lot more to the story to uncover and there just isn't. [u] Level Design: [/u] Continuing the theme of things that are good at the beginning but don't hold up by the end, there are four main "areas" each with a small selection of maps in each area. The areas themselves are quite distinct: a crumbling academy building, a vast open desert, a lush overgrown ruins, and an ominous shadow covered realm. But once you've seen an area, you have seen it. Even the loot locations don't change. The big chests full of the best gear? Same place. The little lootable rocks and plants? Same location. The small chests and orbs? Same location. This makes replaying very repetitive. [u] Bosses: [/u] There are two types of bosses: the ones that are available from the start and called things like mini-mage or wasp, and some high-level bosses that have actual names like Aletheia or Bythos. The first type are okay and moderately varied. But the latter are not. They are technically different classes but they all play pretty much the same. I eventually got to the point where I just brought a bunch of grenades and threw them all at the beginning just to get through the slog-fest of the exact same fight over and over and over. I like to 100% my games whenever possible, but I admit that I am dreading doing so for this one. It just isn't gripping enough in the mid and late game. Overall, I don't recommend this game but if you get it on a steep enough sale and you aren't overly obsessed with obtaining all the achievements then you can get a good 10 hours of pretty reliable fun before the weaknesses really start to show themselves.

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