Dark Deity Reviews
There’s no mistaking that Dark Deity was heavily inspired by Fire Emblem. But what’s important is that it differentiates itself. And it does, giving it a well-earned place in strategy genre. Filled with wonderful characters with a ton of personality, and an intriguing but linear story with some decent audio, we have a title that will surely quench the thirst of FE fans that need to get back on that strategic grind.
A fun indie take on a classic SRPG formula.
An outstanding homage to Fire Emblem which, in its rich cast of characters and thoughtful tweaks to combat, occasionally surpasses its classic inspiration.
The central loop of battling, chatting and levelling up is as compelling as you could ever want it to be, with an interesting story told well and a meaty 20 hours or so of no-frills tactics. Dark Deity lacks the romance options of Fire Emblem, as well as the first-party flair you expect from a Nintendo title, but the latter is hardly surprising and would be an unreasonable standard to hold almost any indie game to. Dark Deity delivers a convincing and essentially satisfying facsimile of GBA Fire Emblem, but perhaps fails to stand on its own two feet. Then again, we're not sure that was ever really the point.
I found myself immensely enjoying the time I spent playing Dark Deity. It particularly reminded me of playing some of the more recent Fire Emblem titles like Awakening and Fates, but I arguably found myself becoming more invested in the plot and caring even more for its characters. The gameplay, while somewhat reminiscent of those Fire Emblem titles, also provides some key differences that help greatly emphasize the strategy component of the game’s campaign. To SRPG fans looking for another Fire Emblem-esque experience, I’d wholeheartedly recommend giving Dark Deity a chance. It is a truly enjoyable addition to the genre, and one I’m glad I got the chance to further peruse.
In just barely differentiating itself from titles that inspired it, Dark Deity produces a charming and complex yet flawed SRPG that strategy fans will enjoy.
With technical issues and unexplained game systems, the clever map design and charming art can't make up for Dark Deity's glaring issues.
Dark Deity adds enough to the Fire Emblem DNA to stand on its own legs as a classic SRPG, with a low-price tag and hours of quality Dark Deity is a must play for strategy fans and a possible entryway to first timers to the genre.
Remember when Fire Emblem games focused more on story and combat than on fishing, construction, and class studies? So do the developers of Dark Deity, an SRPG that survives some annoying bugs and UI issues to provide a satisfying, briskly-paced adventure.
Dark Deity is rough around the edges, but has a great structure to its core experience. The sprites look pretty good, and the class changes are one of the highlights to the experience. A weird weapon system, random little problems/glitches and stunted character interaction, all detract from what is fairly solid otherwise. This is the type of strategy game that with a few core patches and overhauls could really become something to look out for.
Dark Diety is a good budget Fire Emblem-like game. Though the graphics might not be as good, and the story may not be as well written, the game is still worth playing. It gives the same atmosphere as Fire Emblem and the Langrisser series did and features almost the same gameplay. I do wish there was a bit more to combat options and story detail but for the price, this game gives you so much more than its cost.
I've come across a bug where I couldn't move a unit during a turn multiple times, and loading times between chapters lasted much longer than expected for a game of this scope. Music lacks oomph during battles and the level up sound is more of a whimper than a fanfare. This severe lack of polish does not eclipse the brilliance peaking through but it does dim it.
It’s hard to develop your own voice until you understand how other artists find theirs. While I ultimately find Dark Deity to be uninspired and certainly won’t be replaying it every year or so, as I do Fire Emblem, I also hope that this developer produces another tactics JRPG. I would buy that in a heartbeat, because I am quite certain that with a bit more experience as a team of artists, not only will this developer find its own voice, but it will start to build on everything that made those GBA Fire Emblem titles great. That – the promise of some kind of “Fire Emblem Plus” – is some exciting promise indeed.
Dark Deity is a small game that understands its limitations. It delivers thought-provoking battles, if not necessarily the most balanced ones. It gives players a lot of tactical choice, if not in the most informed way.
Dark Deity delivers virtually everything I could ask for from an entry into one of my favorite genres. Fun, intricate battles, meaningful character progression, and a cast of characters I quickly became invested in. If these features sound appealing to you, I cannot recommend this game enough.
Dark Deity has proven to be a fun game, whether you're a big fan of the genre or not. It's a classic strategy RPG that traps you in its story and make you empathize with the characters. Despite one or another flaw, the game is capable of entertaining for hours with objectives much more dynamic than just clearing the map of enemies. It mixes nostalgic air with punctual innovations.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
On a whole, Dark Deity does offer up a solid turned based tactical experience with plenty of units types to choose from as you move from one theatre of battle to the next. Adding in elements like character bonds which adds in a depth to the story is nice but at times I do wish there had been a bit more side content and not simply going down the road from one giant battle to the next hoping that you both had enough time to finish it and that the system didn’t crash as there’s no way to save while in the thick of it. This all said, I enjoyed my time with Dark Deity and I do hope to see more from these developers down the line with a sequel or a spiritual successor to this decent homage to Intelligent Systems’ Fire Emblem series.
You can see in Dark Deity that the developers have a great love for classic SRPGs like Fire Emblem. Even if the story and presentation aren't overwhelming, the battle system does a lot right. Starting with the active abilities, which really add something and aren't just a decorative effect. Then there are the different classes, which gave me the opportunity to customize my squad the way I wanted. Finally, to the little things, like the battle animations, which add a lot of charm to the game. In my opinion, if more had been invested in the story presentation in addition, the title could have reached a wide range of players. Thus, Dark Deity remains an insider tip among SRPG fans that can be bought without hesitation.
Review in German | Read full review
For SRPG fans clamoring for games of a more “classic” style, this title comes highly recommended, especially with the replayability afforded to it through its custom campaign options. I know for sure I’ll be loading this up on the regular for a long time to come.
Dark Deity removed some of the most important parts of what makes these styles of games so loved. While the game itself is fun, and if you’re looking to scratch the itch that Three Houses may not have quite hit, Dark Deity might just do the trick. If you’re looking for that original, hard-to-master-might-need-to-restart-the-game type of difficulty instilled in your mind by the original Fire Emblem games, Dark Deity misses the mark here.