The Harrowed

The Harrowed is a charming and fantastical adventure in an immersive, rich setting. Best elements of the game are the character interactions, and how their personal stories are deeply embedded in the setting (and in each other's stories). The writer(s) get a 5-star on this one. Combat is fast-paced and true-to-style. Each enemy is unique, and character abilities are diverse and iconic of the archetypes. I found the frequency of encounters was just right- just enough to force decisions to use resources, but not too many as to slow down the progression of the story. The plot taps into a rich history that comes to the foreground as events of the past, present, and future collide. I greatly look forward to the next chapter in the story.

Quick and fun tale in JRPG-form. Took me like 6 hours to beat. $3 well spent in my book. Story: good...and then great (really loved the ending section of the game) Characters: one of the characters, Hargon, is a perpetual troll and I love it. Music: cool. I especially liked the ending section Combat: meh. i'm not a huge old-school JRPG guy. I was mostly in it to get to the next bit of plot

I've been really enjoying The Harrowed so far. It's a super classic RPG with a really interesting world and very compelling characters. A couple of things that really stand out to me are the music - they've done a great job building the right atmosphere for the different areas you explore and the character building. You really get to know the characters - I'm partial to Vlastok myself. Another thing that I really appreciate about this game is it moves along at a nice steady clip. It doesn't belabor any areas or make you feel like you're slugging through to the next encounter or plot bit. Definitely recommend it to others.

What so many RPGs get wrong is the combat. It feels like most developers use turn-based battles to fill time. They make you use the same commands over and over, whittling down creatures until they're dead. Fill health bars back up when they're low. Repeat. What I really want is a set of tools that I can use to address a given problem. I want interesting encounters that make me do clever things. I want to feel like I'm a freaking genius because I pulled off a W. And I want to feel like I'm getting stronger as I do it all. In the Harrowed, every fight plays like a miniature puzzle. You have a multitude of tools on a multitude of characters. The cooldown-based moves add an interesting angle and the balancing is top notch. Leveling up slowly brings new playstyles and strategies, but the whole thing never feels like it's too much or totally impossible. The Harrowed is a 6 hour game that reuses a few tileset assets from the standard RPGM suite, but at 3 bucks it scratches the RPG itch and leaves me wanting more of Vlastok and Beckett. I don't think there's much else to say. It's easy to pick up and the main theme slaps

Fun throwback RPG game. Great balance of combat and world exploration. Pacing is crisp and the interplay between the characters is fun. Love the story and looking forward to any future chapters. Took me about five hours to complete and the price is right for sure. Definitely recommend.

The Harrowed is a short and sweet game built on the classic RPG formula! Come for the wonderful pixel art and stay for the world building, engaging story, and well written characters. Over the course of the campaign I explored a variety of diverse biomes all while watching the bonds between the characters grow. Combat was simple to understand and provided just enough spice to make the story beats feel earned. I particularly liked how the cooldown system added a rhythm to the battles. If you're looking for an adventure in a dark and captivating world, The Harrowed is for you.

Only negative is that I had to write this review myself. All the makings of a classic.

Fun and engaging romp through a well thought out fantasy world. Immersive, simple and clear graphics are well combined with high quality, detailed pixel art. Great feel. The game has progressed a lot since the beta, good work from this dev team.

Fun short fantasy game. Good characters and their dialogue. Monsters are well imagined. Looking forward to the next levels.

Fun romp through a true-to-form D&D inspired world with RPG mechanics in the vein of Final Fantasy 1-3. Great attention to detail in terms of characters and motivations. Especially appreciated a number of optional secrets/"easter eggs" for those who enjoy exploring every bit of the environment. Pros: - Comprehensive world with relatable characters and a story that will keep you interested in progressing - No random battles! I really appreciate being able to avoid enemies while looking for secrets/exploring areas - Story is partly told through menu items and descriptions (similar to Dark Souls) - Short (4-6 hr) runtime means you can experience the whole story in one or two sittings Cons: - Short (4-6 hr) runtime means the whole story is over in one or two sittings - Difficulty not adjustable - would like to see easy/hardcore modes available for replay - Seems like this only touches on the full expanse of the lore and world of Ulm - maybe more of it will be shown in another chapters? Full disclosure: I playtested a beta version. Release version is much improved and overall I'd summarize as a "Good Game" and "a fun, if brief, romp for the old-school RPG-lover."