Ikenfell Reviews

Ikenfell is ranked in the 60th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Noisy Pixel
Ian Goudelock
8 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2020

Ikenfell provides players a charming adventure with an engaging battle system that is both fun and engaging. Accompanying it is a superb soundtrack that immerses you in its silly bizarre world. While I didn’t get fully invested in some of the characters, I still enjoyed unraveling the mystery. If you’re looking for a cute tactical RPG that’s accessible to new players but also provides some unique systems for genre lovers, you shouldn’t have a problem with letting Ikenfell work its magic on you.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2020

kenfell is definitely a game worth experiencing if someone appreciates any of its parts. Like RPGs with unusual battle systems? It has that. Love chiptune soundtracks or the music from Steven Universe? Stop on by. Appreciate the idea of a life as a student at a magical academy where things are surprisingly hazardous? This is a good alternative!

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8.8 / 10.0
Oct 12, 2020

Ikenfell offers a wonderful journey for players to embark on, with the charming narrative and creative combat mechanics coming together to make for a memorable escapade. There’s plenty of variety to be found across the game world too, whether that’s when exploring the countless dungeons, battling the monsters that run rife throughout the magical school, or just when tinkering with your party setup – there really is plenty to uncover in the game and it ensures that you definitely won’t grow bored as you see the lengthy tale through to its conclusion. It does have its flaws, most notably with the easy-to-solve puzzles and the learning curve of the battle mechanics, but for the most part Ikenfell’s adventure is a charming treat that RPG fans are sure to enjoy.

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7.5 / 10.0
Oct 16, 2020

Ikenfell is an RPG that captivates with its charisma. The journey of the group of magic students is punctuated by great story moments and good character development, and the retro atmosphere gives its universe a unique charm. Structurally, the game features classic exploration concepts and interesting tactical combat - mixing positioning and action commands was a good idea. However, the title is compromised by conservative aspects and balance issues that can make things frustrating. In the end, Ikenfell is a pleasant experience, even if it is not very special.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Oct 15, 2020

Old-fashioned role-playing fans, Harry Potter and other magical school environments fans, and enthusiasts for retro games in general will certainly appreciate Ikenfell. Unfortunately, some points prevent the title from becoming really unmissable or extremely memorable. The biggest problems are the structure of the narrative and the unbalanced challenge of the confrontations, but the overall package appeals to several points, such as its visuals, soundtrack, striking story and unique battle system.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

5 / 5.0
Oct 22, 2020

If you’re into JRPGs and love a good narrative you won’t want to miss Ikenfell.

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Oct 26, 2020

It’s not that Ikenfell is outrageously bad or anything—at least, not until the very end—but it suffers from being unnecessarily cumbersome and tedious, sporting a lack of subtlety that eventually comes across as preachy. More than anything, though, I struggle to forgive the fact that it isn’t a tactical RPG at all. Ikenfell is a standard jRPG with a positioning system that barely matters thanks to long-range attacks and enemies’ penchant for moving large distances and teleporting you around.

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3.5 / 5.0
Dec 21, 2020

Ikenfell is a difficult game to adjudicate on. In terms of its storytelling and visual presentation, it is an enriching experience that always had me eager to know what was going to happen next. From a gameplay standpoint, it’s a dull slog that just feels like it needed more of a punch and a lot less padding.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2020

Of course, this shouldn’t deter you if you want to know more about the world and its people. All in all, Ikenfell is an easy recommendation for any RPG fan who wants a fantastical journey with charming characters, great combat, and an excellent soundtrack.

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Oct 18, 2020

As far as RPGs go, Ikenfell is one impressive adventure with unconventional yet rewarding combat set in a lighthearted world.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2020

The dungeons also have some basic puzzle solving that adds good variety, and it's nothing short of divine that you save the game, change party members, and heal up by talking to a random cat just lounging in place. If Super Mario RPG helped you become a master of timing-based moves, Ikenfell offers a warm and satisfying playthrough. Undoubtedly, though, some will find the non-combat elements overly simple and the battles too demanding.

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4 / 5.0
Oct 8, 2020

Ikenfell likely won't replace the Harry Potter series as a whole when it comes to providing a signature web of tales centered around a magic school, but it still provides one impressive journey on its own.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 23, 2020

While I greatly appreciated and enjoyed the story, music, and ambiance of ikenfell, the repetitive nature of combat began to wear on me towards the end despite initially standing out as a fresh take on a classic. Patience will be paramount for those looking to enjoy this gem that is just lacking a bit of polish.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2020

There's a lot to love about Ikenfell: its characters, charming narrative, and polished strategic combat all come together to create something truly unique and magical. While it calls on themes from other pop culture titles, the story within is all its own. Slow at first, Ikenfell's true narrative starts to unravel as you meet new friends and unlock clues behind Maritte's sister's disappearance. For $19.99, Ikenfell is well worth the price if you're a fan of pixel games with an inclusive storyline and a beautiful soundtrack.

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RPG Site
Top Critic
9 / 10
Oct 12, 2020

Ikenfell is a great game wrapped in a small package. Even with small pacing issues and a battle system that I often wanted to skip, I had a surprisingly good time with this game. Almost every aspect of it shines on its own and put together it’s a great retro-style RPG that takes the commonplace world of teenage magic and proves that it can be an inclusive space full of introspection and growth.

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Paste Magazine
Jessica Howard
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Nov 27, 2020

So, while I didn't play Ikenfell when I was 12 because, ya know, it didn't exist in 2004, this game somehow manages to capture an unassuming sense of nostalgia that comforted me throughout the entirety of my playthrough. It brought me back to being that jerk of a preteen, wondering if my crush would message me if my AIM away status was the right set of Green Day lyrics, or if it would ever feel like I was wearing my Hollister shirt rather than it wearing me. But beyond these trivial issues that felt monumental at the time, it made me wish I'd have been gentler to that weird little girl, and told her it's okay to be selfish right now-but make the goddamn most of it and do it with ferocious sincerity.

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Feb 1, 2021

Ikenfell captures the charm of its muses and adds its own flavor to create something unique and rewarding. It’s a clear labor of love, and the result was well worth the effort.

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Oct 8, 2020

In theory, its intricacies should be bracing, but in practice the fixation on spacing and formation further slows down the pace.

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8 / 10
Oct 13, 2020

Ikenfell is a charming little turn-based tactical RPG that hooks you in quickly with a well-written story and strong cast of characters and keeps you locked in for its duration with a surprisingly complex combat system. There are accessibility options here to suit all levels of player, a good idea considering how tough some of the battles can be along the way, and, overall, this is a heart-warming and unique entry to its genre that comes highly recommended.

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80 / 100
Oct 8, 2020

Ikenfell has a unique battle system and story that can make for some of the best moments in an RPG this year, but unfortunately it doesn't always use these to its advantage and has multiple boring boss fights with the plot meandering in the first half. Still, its highs are so high that it is well worth seeing through to the end.

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