Vzerthos: The Heir of Thunder

Not really worth your time. Skills are redundant to the point of repeating, combat is almost entirely avoidable, and upgrade system was poorly tested and balanced

Top, oh yeahh great game.

Vzerthos is a very mixed experience for me. It's a top-down hack 'n slash with some very minor Diablo vibes. It also has one of the worst stamina systems I've ever experienced. This is a character that isn't making it up a flight of stairs. In fact, if they worked in a building on the third floor they'd lose their job for showing up late every day. Live on the upper floors of an apartment building? Once inside they're never leaving, because it's all so exhausting. If you manage to work past the stamina system you have a fairly rudimentary combat system spread out over several weapons with some additional environmental hazards to help you kill enemies. The dungeon design is fairly straight forward with a few red herrings to lead you into nifty traps or ambushes. Boss battles are ok, but lack anything that really makes them feel like you've achieved something. Still... It's got a fair amount of enjoyability.

I could not complete the game at the time of this review, I was soft locked right before I was able to beat the final boss. I died fighting the boss, I last saved in the plains as I was buying some upgrades and I spawned back there. only to find I could no longer teleport or use my powers anymore and I am trapped at the start of the game. I am assuming when I fought the boss she took my powers and that persisted even though I died when it should not have. restarting did not fix it, the only option I have is to start the game over at this point if I want to "finish" it. I think for my own sanity I will mark it complete and move on. I think the game is great, it needs a little bit of polish. . A lot of the hate is undeserved, I see a lot of people hating on the art style, while it does need some work its really not that bad its meant to look like an older style game. now while I do see people talking about bugs I did not run into any until the end of the game like I mentioned above. Sadly as much as I enjoyed the game I do have to give it a bad review given that I could not even complete it due to a soft lock at the end of the game. The one thing I will say, this game is listed as…

Vzerthos: Heir of Thunder is an indie action game that embraces the aesthetic and spirit of the late 1990s and early 2000s, where design ambition and simplicity coexisted in strange harmony. Developed and published by DarkDes Labs, it positions itself somewhere between a top-down shooter and a light hack-and-slash adventure, blending elements of fantasy and technology into a world of dark castles, mystical energy, and gods stripped of their power. The story follows Vzerthos, the heir of the Thunder God, as he embarks on a quest to rescue the kidnapped Princess Se’Vera and reclaim his stolen divine strength. Though the narrative is minimalist and more a framing device than a complex plot, it captures the spirit of a bygone era of game storytelling—simple heroics tinged with mythic grandeur and an atmosphere of mysterious otherworldliness. From a gameplay standpoint, Vzerthos: Heir of Thunder operates as a focused, skill-driven experience rather than a deep RPG. Played from an isometric perspective, it encourages players to balance melee and ranged combat across labyrinthine stages filled with traps, secrets, and enemies. The player wields a variety of weapons infused with elemental…

If you're a fan of old-school hack-and-slash games, Vzerthos: The Heir of Thunder delivers a solid dose of retro-inspired action. The 2D isometric visuals, blending pre-rendered low-poly models with hand-drawn art, give it a unique techno-fantasy vibe. The gameplay is fast-paced and satisfying, letting you slice, dice, and blast enemies with a mix of the Thunder God's heir skills and three types of guns. It’s straightforward, chaotic fun—perfect for diving into over a weekend. What really stands out is the creative choice to tell the story through comic-style cutscenes. These short, stylized panels add a lot of personality and charm, making the tale of rescuing Princess Se'Vera from the evil Baron Vakhzon feel like a quirky graphic novel. It’s a refreshing break from the usual walls of text or lengthy cinematics in other games. That said, the story itself can be a bit confusing. The game throws you into the action with minimal explanation, and the comic cutscenes, while cool, don’t always clarify what’s going on. I found myself piecing together the plot more than I’d like, which made the narrative feel a bit disjointed. A little more context or clearer storytelling could’ve eleva…