Severed Reviews
Severed sounds like it should be some cheap gimmick. So many other games have tried to base their identity around touch screen functionality and failed miserably, and yet for Severed it works. Not only is the touch screen-based combat incredibly enjoyable and addictive, it makes the game significantly better. It doesn't feel like it was shoehorned in, and this is perhaps the best example of touch screen controls to date. There are some other issues, but these are so minor that they're barely worth mentioning, and this is simply a fantastic experience from beginning to end. The combat, combined with the haunting, memorable aesthetic, makes the game stand out as one of the better indie titles available on the Wii U. So grab your stylus and be prepared, because Severed is a cut above the competition.
For a game so focused on the monstrous and the grotesque, Severed's power lies in how it shines a critical and emotional light on an intrinsic part of what it means to be human.
For Switch owners looking for a interesting adventure they can play on the move, Severed is absolutely essential.
Severed begeistert mit einem frischen Design und einer absolut gelungenen Touchscreen Steuerung. Der Titel wird zwar Rätsel und RPG Fans eher wenig fordern und wird euch unterwegs teilweise komische Blicke von den Menschen um euch herum bringen, aber ansonsten können Severed eigentlich jeden Besitzer empfehlen. Vor allem wenn ihr eine spannende Geschichte erleben wollt und keine Angst vor etwas abstrakten Design-Ideen habt.
Review in German | Read full review
Severed is not without its share of flaws, but they're overwhelmed by the amazing atmosphere that creates tension and even fear while you're slicing you way through this Dia de los Muertos-inspired adventure.
Severed is an excellent dungeon crawler, with a frenetic gameplay and a series of wonderful puzzles.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Even after I completed the final challenge of the story, I couldn’t wait to dive back in
Severed is an interesting mix between the exploration of classic dungeon crawlers like Dungeon Master and a combat system inspired by recent mobile games like Fruit Ninja and Infinity Blade. A good way to add more value to your PS Vita. The game is maybe just a bit too hard.
Review in Italian | Read full review
DrinkBox Studios pushes the boundaries on the Vita’s unique hardware once again. Although from a technical perspective it occasionally lets them down, Severed’s unique combat system and beautiful art style carry the day on what is a fun, if not short-lived, dungeon crawler.
Between the puzzles that need to be solved throughout this world (enough to fill up a few hours’ worth of gameplay), enthralling battles and a superb presentation, Severed gives you another good reason to cherish your Vita.
Severed is a great experience that comes perilously close to overstaying its welcome. The combat is fast and intense, the dungeon exploration is enjoyable, and the visuals are enticing. The combat can become repetitive and is completely dependent on your touch-screen, but by and large, it's a fun and well-made game. As you slash your way through the bizarre monstrosities that populate the land, Severed manages to be engaging without feeling like a roadblock. It won't change the mind of anyone who hates touch-screen gaming, but it's a great example of how it can work, and it's one of the best indie games on the Vita.
First Person, Dungeon, RPGs, Touch controls, a weird mix, that makes Severed another reason to own a PS Vita, which is nowadays a very rare feat since the portable console has been completely outcast by Sony, yet kept afloat by developers such as Drinkbox Studios. There is no doubt this is a game that needs to be in your library, so go dust off that Vita and play this game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
To summarize the Severed was a little tricky, we have a great project, with wonderful realization of the unusual controls and an amazing story, but at the same time, a little tight through backtracking gameplay, beautiful in its own way of living the other world and not expressive main character, everyone decides that important to him, we can only suggest.
Review in Russian | Read full review
DrinkBox Studios is one of my favorite smaller development teams. They have a knack for merging cool gameplay mechanics with bright, colorful visuals that I happily spend hours with at a time. Severed is no different - in fact it may be their best overall effort yet. While it is true that this title has seen some prior releases, it plays better on the Switch than any of its prior platforms.
If a colorful, morbid, corporeal, dungeon-crawling Punch-Out!! isn't sweet enough to sell Severed, consider it a vision of a world where the PlayStation Vita remained a stronghold of original and endearing creation.
Severed is a short adventure that has a lot of major gameplay elements packed into it. Its unique art style will keep your eyes engaged, while your brain will be firmly occupied with the puzzles and sword play. There’s not a lot more you could ask for from a $14.99 game.
A fantastically strange and unique first person adventure that manages to make touchscreen controls seem fresh and interesting again.
Severed's distinct look and touchscreen controls make it more than your average dungeon crawler.
Top marks to Drinkbox for daring to be different, and using the PS Vita's touch screen to create a unique gestural combat system. The action can be somewhat repetitive at times, but Severed's story is compelling enough to keep driving you on. That, combined with the beautiful-looking graphics deliver a dungeon crawler that's well worth experiencing.
Overall, Severed does a lot of good with its excellent and challenging combat, intricate dungeon maps full of collectibles, unique and visceral upgrade system, and a fantastic presentation. Its biggest shortcoming is its lack of opportunities to engage with its world and Sasha’s history, but with everything that works so well about the game, I can mostly forgive this slight. My roughly nine-hour experience was a great joy, filled with memorable sights, sounds, and (physical) touches. Maybe, like Okami for Playstation 2, it will be the console’s swan song, but it is hard to discredit a unique experience like this one purely for coming to the party so late.