Recent reviews by Gabie

Best full game on Steam

nice and good want more pls

oh no i'm speedrunning

This game isn't for everyone. I don't mean this in a way to imply that it takes "good taste" to enjoy this experience. Do keep in mind that you can complete this game with many less hours than what I have here so far. I will give three main reasons to back up my initial claim:

1 - This game is slow, VERY slow. It crawls at a grueling pace, but if you've been a fan of GemCraft for a while you know this is part of the package. On the other hand, there are frenetic fast-paced moments during gameplay when you can't avoid pausing and multitasking, like when you accidentally break a barrier and the reavers flood in. In my opinion, the pacing is perfect for the series but especially this installation.

2 - This series has always been hard, but this one really does take the cake. It's not beginner-friendly in that sense. This game has clearly been tweaked to challenge the veterans of GemCraft. It's arguable that it had been overdone when skill/battle trait progression was locked behind Trial mode - which ties into my third point later. I, personally, enjoyed playing Trial mode and did it almost every level up until the wizard stashes were moved out, the incentive just wasn't there anymore. The HP scaling on later levels is very harsh, but with clever skill point spending and strategy it's possible to overcome with minimal EXP farming...

3 - This game really wants you to replay levels again and again, sometimes over 10 times just to get that sweet EXP from newly-acquired skills and battle traits. In some instances it felt like replaying levels for that reason was unavoidable, however, this did not make the experience less cathartic or enjoyable to me. It fits the newly enhanced game difficulty and mechanics.

Overall, I'd say this has been the best GemCraft installation so far. The lore continues to develop and tension is at an all-time high. It was especially enjoyable to watch the events I was a part in during Chasing Shadows unfold before my eyes in very creative ways. Level design was phenomenal, the art made the world feel real and integrated with itself, from increasingly icy maps to the north to hellish crimson maps near the Spiritforge.

Can't wait for the next one! See you in 2025 lol