Ghostlore

Prepare yourself for the madness that is Ghostlore. Jump into this ‘Eastpunk’ inspired action-RPG where you must traverse beautiful and mystical land and fight incredible monsters inspired from Southeast-Asian folklore. In this stunningly realized game, you battle through procedurally generated maps comprised of gorgeous 2D isometric art. A truly amazing ARPG, this game not only looks perfect and plays perfectly, but it may also teach the player about southeast-Asian culture and folklore. If this sounds like a grand old time to you then buckle up as we get a little further into it.

Gameplay

As stated, this is an ARPG, which means it functions a lot like other classics you may know. Chronicon, Grim Dawn and Diablo are all games that immediately come to mind. With over 40 different enemies, each with unique quirks and tactics, you’ll have your hands full as you travel across this beautiful landscape hunting these incredible monsters. Combat is fluid and real-time, meaning this is more of a test of skill than numbers.

As you explore, you’ll discover many interesting foodstuffs which will boost your stats and allow you to fight more effectively. This element adds in a much-needed element of preparation before getting into some of the more difficult battles. I found the food and preparation stages would really multiply my excitement for getting out there in a way that many other games can’t really do.

Something I will warn you for, is that this is something of a Menu RPG. I don’t know if that means anything to you but I’ll explain it as this: You will spend a lot of time in menus while playing this game. There we go, that about covers it. There is a considerable amount of customization available in this title and that goes a long way for gameplay but it does also take a while to sort out your preferred playstyle. Thankfully, it’s not too overwhelming.

Visuals

Something that you will instantly recognize as one of the games finest traits is the art style. There is something strangely reminiscent of Age of Empires II about this game. That may seem insane but play it and see what I’m talking about. There’s a cleanness to it and I really enjoy that.

Soundtrack

The music in this game is truly brilliant. I really enjoyed encountering the different songs that play in different areas and during combat. I loved the style of the music, a unique East Asian blend that you can’t get anywhere else. It’s incredibly fitting for the story and setting, and perfectly accentuates every scene that it is in.

Pros

• Great Visuals
• Interesting Setting
• Excellent Music
• Informative for people who do not know much about Southeast Asian culture and folklore

Cons

• Besides the setting being unique, the game doesn’t really do all that much to differentiate itself from many other titles in this genre.