Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King Review (PC)

Last Updated on: 25th February 2021, 02:30 am

When I first came in contact with Redlock Studio’s Shattered – Tale of the Forgotten King, a few things caught my eye.

The first was its style and character design, which, in my opinion, resembled the one of the mangaka Nihei Tsutomu, know for the series Blame! and Knight of Sidonia. The second aspect was its gameplay, being a fan of souls-like games since I first experienced Dark Souls, and his aesthetic, which I had not seen before in the genre.

But now that the game has released, did it live up to the expectations?

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Before We Begin

Before we begin, it’s important to take into consideration the fact that the title is Redlock Studio’s first full game, and that is an indie title, so you cannot compare it with AAA titles like the souls series, and other big-budget juggernauts of the industry.

With that in mind, the choice for a more polygonal style in its involvements makes the game stand out, especially when you enter more open areas. Or when the focus is not on the number of elements on the screen, but on how they are shown and behave with each other.

On the other hand, some environments, especially the darker ones, are hard to navigate, causing a few unwanted deaths, and making it hard to distinguish the elements at times.

Gameplay

Gameplay-wise, the title blends many different styles, having a souls-like at its core, but focusing a lot on an action-RPG approach, with highlights its double jump + dash mechanic, which gives another layer to its combat. The gameplay is fluid but can look outdated in comparison with other indie titles in the market.

The dated gameplay coupled with the lack of polishing and the fact that the game suffers from a lack of customization options of almost any kind really hurts the product in general.

Performance

Performance-wise, the game runs okay on most machines but bugs are not rare, especially in transitions, where the only way to keep playing is to lose your progress and load your save.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King proves to be a good game with an intriguing storyline, charismatic characters, captivating lore, and an artistic choice that stands out, serving as a testament to the potential and love of its developing team.

But the fact that the game turns to already established mechanics to deliver its experience, the bugs that in some cases can hurt the gameplay, and its lack of polishing in many areas, makes the title one that can please fans, but as of now, is not capable of fulfilling its expected potential.

You can check the game’s launch trailer below, together with its official synopsis:

”The world as it was is gone, lost with the disappearance of the King. As a Wanderer of these forsaken lands, it is up to you to piece together the fragments of reality and retrace the fall of civilization through skill-based combat, innovative open-world platforming and the testimonies of survivors… some more trustworthy than others.”

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Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King is currently available for PC via Steam, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

You can buy the game here and help support us.