Unepic Reviews
In the end, Unepic would probably be a better adventure game. This twenty hour or so unabashedly old school RPG is frequently broken up by conversations between characters and these interactions are amusing enough to make the often finicky platforming and combat sections worth persevering with. As a whole, the game has enough charm to recommend to fans of the genre, and those that stick around will likely be impressed by the surprisingly deep RPG mechanics and the Metroidvania approach to level design. However, it's hard not to wonder if the quality of the writing on display here would be better served in a game with a stronger focus on storytelling.
'UnEpic' for the Wii U is a nice distraction, a change of pace between AAA titles. It is a reminder that videogames do not necessarily require huge budgets or cross-continent teams to be both successful and fun to play. Although the game doesn't introduce anything new in terms of game mechanics, it represents a new option for owners of the Wii U who may be struggling to find a reason to turn their consoles on. The utilitarian use of the gamepad elevates 'UnEpic' as a better than average port from the PC and serves as a proper item management tool. It's hard to argue against the $9.99 asking price based on the amount of time you can spend with 'UnEpic', just don't expect the experience to be overly memorable.
Unepic is deliciously old-school and thoroughly addictive, but it feels like a snapshot of an earlier time and, as such, those who have never experienced the games that this is a love-letter to may find it hard to get on with. The writing is very hit and miss - mostly miss - but it tells a decent enough story, until its final act and the horrible endings… Ultimately, a fun but flawed experience.
On a system that already has its fair share of Metroidvania style outings, UnEpic fails to deliver the same level of adventure and excitement as its competition. Truth is UnEpic feels… well exactly that delivering a fairly ordinary take on the genre and one that plays totally fine but lacks the ingenuity and satisfaction you want.