Svarog's Dream

No gamepad support :(

Very unique and highly addictive - one of the best rpg games I've played in a while. Give it a try!

Singularly unqiue game, what a gem. Absolute must play.

A friend introduced me to this game because they knew I specifically like this style of ARPG. So I was biased to like it. However, this game far exceeded my expectations. It has interesting mechanics, a compelling story, and more character than it knows what to do with. It has ideas from many games I think perhaps it could be quickest described as titan quest + skyrim with roguelite characteristics. The first thing I noticed is the build system is very much in the vein of titan quest and grim dawn. You earn 3 points per level and spend them on two different class trees. The twist to that build system is that everytime you spawn in you choose a premade character with varied stats and special traits. When you die you have to choose from a selection of characters again, and if you feel it needed, you get a free respec after that choice. This gives you something of a guide in terms of how you want that character to build class wise. It makes for a system where what is the "best" build is circumstantial, as a character with say low intelligence and bravery (source of mana regen) is going to struggle to force a magic build to work. as an example my first character had great dex and peircing training and a bonus to theft so I ran them as a sort of stealth archer build. After their death and another quick interceding death I was given a character with special trait biased to summons so I respec'd entirely to take advantage. Speaking more to the death mechanic in relation to the story is where the games character really shines through. I found it super neat that the ideas of deaths and new game+ were not waved a way as merely part of a gameplay loop but instead are built directly into the story. Because of this the world never has a break in immersion. There is no pause in the narrative for game reasons the narrative and game are fully merged. The slavic myth setting is fun and refreshing as it is not so commonly explored. The games story is compelling with 5 possible endings (with the expansion) and multiple plotlines to get there. The world is very much alive and your actions directly, and in some cases indirectly, shape it permanently. Natural disasters will kill NPCs, Monster hunters will kill a side quest you ignored, and special merchants will wander the map. The only negative I can think of in my first 24 hours of play is that combat can be a bit clunky at times, as the game has a lack of polish in terms of visual effects and movement. I personally found some of the magic attacks from bosses hard to read for example, and a couple of my own spells it a bit tricky to follow at times. It sometimes feels like the combat was maybe imagined to be a bit slower than it was in terms of damage both from the enemies and yourself. You do start to get used to it just don't expect the flowy easy to follow combat of a AAA Arpg. In conclusion for the price tag I think this game has a great dollar value. What little it lacks in polish or visuals it makes up for with ambition and creativity in spades. I highly recomend Svarog's dream especially for people who like Diablo style ARPGs, and people who like choices matter gameplay.

Bought this on a whim and ended up really enjoying it. The world and story were interesting to me which along with the dangers around every corner made exploration actually feel adventurous. You can feel the love that went into this while playing and it is totally worth your time.

It's been a while since I found a game that was really fun. 8.6/10

wow what a cool game. will turn out to be one of my all time favorites right up there with sacred. would perish by fighting a mob of werewolves again. 7/5.

Really unique auteur game that subverts expectations in the RPG genre. Trippy and philosophical, best played blind. Spoilers ahead. In the vein of classic RPGs like Risen and Gothic you play as an unassuming hero in a harsh, unforgiving world. There is genuine danger venturing out of town and you will get humbled and die, often. Understanding what the game asks of you, learning to play by its rules, you begin prepping for each adventure like a real person plausibly would. In an ecosystem of prey and predators, you quickly realize you are bottom of the food chain. And if you lean into that role - choose to flee rather than fight - you may soon discover that you can turn enemy mobs against each other, for example, or lead a swarm of enemies into a boss then pick off the survivors. You start to consider your very own presence as a force in this world, leading you to uncovered mysteries... As much as it is about theorycrafting, builds, character progression, there also takes form a sort of meta-game that is self-aware and prompts you to ask questions about deeper matters, beyond the game but only in a format that can be explored as a game. Brilliant use of the medium itself.

The question "Who am I?" was never meant to find an answer, but to remove the false sense of who you think you are. <3

I was sceptical at first, but damn.. This is masterpiece, 10/10 game. It Gameplay mechanic, ideas, Slavic mythology, story twist and choices.. just phenomenal