Fates of Ort

Fates of Ort is a very real RPG game. I must say I didn't feel this good playing an RPG game in a long time. Don't get this wrong, this game is no Witcher, and no Cyberpunk, it's also no Kingdom Come Deliverance. But it has an interesting story to tell, set in a unique universe. With nice sidequests, and a lot of decisions that might or might not matter in the end (I won't spoil!). The combat system is also interesting (albeit not without its issues), which makes up for a time well spent.

Goated with the sauce.

its really good, even if rough around the edges

This game surprised me on a whole other level. I saw the game a couple of times before in some bundles and I though it looked interesting, but I didn't know if I would like it. One day, I get it in a bundle and decided to try it out when waiting for the release of another game that was releasing in a couple of weeks, and I loved the game. I would describe this game as an open world RPG with magic at the center of the gameplay and a tactical style of fighting, since the spells you cast cost your HP and time moves only when you move. The fact that spells uses your HP made each fight more enjoyable, especially when I didn't reach a fast travel point in a while. But I have to say the game can be easily cheesed depending on the choices you make, for example having the sleep spell and placing the explosion spell multiple times near the sleeping enemy leads to an easy win. The other thing I really liked is how your choices affect the game. Some quest will be locked out depending on what choices you made during the game, in fact, I literally couldn't reach one area of the game because I used a couple of items earlier that made accessing the area impossible. Sure I was bummed out a little but it was near the end of the game and was a rather small zone for a couple of side quests. But yeah, if this game looks interesting to you, I have to recommend it, it is definitely worth it and it's a shame there isn't much attention to this game. ---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☐ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☑ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{ Game Size }--- ☐ Floppy Disk ☑ Old Fashioned ☐ Workable ☐ Big ☐ Will eat 10% of your 1TB hard drive ☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it ☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data ---{ Difficulty }--- ☐ Just press 'W' ☑ Easy ☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master ☐ Significant brain usage ☐ Difficult ☐ Dark Souls ---{ Grind }--- ☐ Nothing to grind ☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks ☐ Isn't necessary to progress ☑ Average grind level ☐ Too much grind ☐ You'll need a second life for grinding ---{ Story }--- ☐ No Story ☐ Some lore ☐ Average ☑ Good ☐ Lovely ☐ It'll replace your life ---{ Game Time }--- ☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee ☐ Short ☑ Average ☐ Long ☐ To infinity and beyond ---{ Price }--- ☐ It's free! ☑ Worth the price ☐ If it's on sale ☐ If u have some spare money left ☐ Not recommended ☐ You could also just burn your money ---{ Bugs }--- ☑ Never heard of ☐ Minor bugs ☐ Can get annoying ☐ ARK: Survival Evolved ☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs ---{ ? / 10 }--- ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☐ 6 ☐ 7 ☐ 8 ☑ 9 ☐ 10 ---{ Author }--- ☑ https://vojtastruhar.github.io/steam-review-template

I didn't really expect this game to be as good as it was. We have a low key masterpiece here! It reminds me a bit of Zelda with maybe a touch of Dink Smallwood. Fantastic quests, lots of choices that actually will effect the end of the game, and the spells feel powerful and satisfying. The exploration is my favorite part of the game and its likely you won't see everything in one play through. I got it on sale but I feel like the experience is worth the asking price!

Czemu nikt o tym nie mówi? Ta gra to prawdziwy diament ukryty w czeluściach Steama. Nie spodziewałem się tak doszlifowanej produkcji, a graficznie tez nie jest najgorzej. Ma swój własny urok. Ze swojej strony bardzo polecam.

It's a very good indie game with a unique gamepaly idea

It's beautiful indie game.

Just a great game. Awesome concept. Good setting / atmosphere / art style. I want to see more in this world. Combat is chaotic, strategic, and satisfying. Time only passes when you move / bullet hell. Yet, not exactly that simple. Perfect. Playing on the steam deck. Excellent experience.

Fates of Ort, developed and published by 8BitSkull, is a game that initially looks like a familiar retro-inspired action RPG but quickly reveals a much more deliberate and carefully constructed design beneath the surface. It draws from classic top-down adventure games in its presentation and structure, yet it reshapes the moment-to-moment gameplay in a way that feels both accessible and quietly innovative. Instead of relying on fast reflexes or constant action, it builds its identity around control, pacing, and thoughtful decision-making, creating an experience that rewards patience more than speed. The most defining element of the game is its relationship with time. Movement dictates everything—when you move, the world moves; when you stop, everything freezes. This simple mechanic fundamentally alters how encounters play out. Combat becomes less about reacting in real time and more about positioning, planning, and executing actions with intent. You’re constantly pausing, assessing enemy positions, and deciding your next move before committing. It creates a rhythm that feels almost puzzle-like, where each encounter is something to be solved rather than rushed through. This approach makes the game approachable for players who might struggle with traditional action RPG timing, while still offering depth for those who enjoy strategic play. Combat is further shaped by the game’s use of magic, which introduces an interesting layer of risk and consequence. Spells are powerful tools capable of clearing groups of enemies or turning difficult encounters in your favor, but they come at a cost—often draining your own life or carrying other drawbacks. This forces a constant balancing act between aggression and restraint. You can’t simply rely on your strongest abilities without thinking about the consequences, and that tension adds weight to every decision. Combined with the time-based system, it creates encounters that feel controlled yet meaningful, even if the overall difficulty curve remains fairly forgiving. The world of Fates of Ort is structured with a degree of openness that encourages exploration and player-driven progression. You’re not tightly guided from one objective to the next; instead, you’re given the freedom to choose where to go and what to pursue. This non-linear approach extends to major milestones as well, allowing players to tackle challenges in different orders or even attempt significant encounters earlier than expected. Along the way, side quests and smaller stories add context to the world, often presenting choices that can influence outcomes or close off certain paths. This gives the game a sense of consequence, even if the overall narrative remains relatively straightforward. Storytelling centers around a magical catastrophe and a spreading corruption that threatens the world, placing your character—a young mage—at the heart of unfolding events. While the main plot follows a familiar structure, it is supported by smaller character interactions and localized narratives that give the world texture. These moments, though not deeply complex, help create a sense of place and continuity, making the journey feel more personal. The writing is functional and occasionally engaging, even if it doesn’t aim for dramatic storytelling or heavy emotional impact. Visually, the game adopts a clean pixel art style that emphasizes clarity over detail. Environments are easy to read, which is especially important given the reliance on positioning and movement in combat. While the visuals may not be particularly intricate, they are consistent and effective, creating a cohesive world that supports the gameplay without distraction. The audio design follows a similar philosophy, offering a subtle soundtrack that complements the experience without drawing too much attention to itself. Despite its strengths, the game does have areas where it falls short. The open structure, while appealing, can sometimes lead to a lack of direction, particularly for players who prefer clearer guidance. The world, though functional, doesn’t always feel as dynamic or reactive as it could, and certain interactions can come across as static or predictable. There are also occasional technical rough edges, with minor bugs or inconsistencies that remind you of its indie scope. None of these issues are severe, but they do prevent the experience from feeling fully polished. Even with these limitations, Fates of Ort manages to stand out through its core ideas. It doesn’t attempt to overwhelm with scale or complexity, instead focusing on refining a few key mechanics and building the experience around them. The combination of time-based control, meaningful resource management, and open-ended exploration creates a game that feels distinct without being inaccessible. In the end, Fates of Ort is a thoughtful reinterpretation of the action RPG formula, offering a slower, more deliberate take on the genre that prioritizes strategy and player choice. It may not have the depth or production value of larger titles, but its unique approach and focused design make it a memorable experience for those willing to engage with its pacing. Rating: 8/10