Gravethorn

This game wants to be Blasphemous and Bloodborne without knowing what makes those games special. For $5, its hard not to recommend, but here we go. First off, this is not a metroidvania. Sliding up stairs is a nightmare, ledge grab feels bad, most rooms have very few enemies, there's like 25 enemy types besides bosses making different areas the same enemy types but different health and damage pools, "Travel to the Chapel" does not show it has a cost but it does, travel cost seemed to be more expensive if I had more money, after 1500 gold the game decides on death that it takes like 20% even if you pick up your soul, almost all enemies can be parried expect a certain few making it really confusing if I messed up the timing or not, bosses teleporting/going invulnerable is not fun period, being able to change some equipment and not others while away from bonfire is annoying, and the whole last zone does NOT feel like it was tested. TLDR: 4/10

It sparks that uneasy feeling of exploration and the learning required for first time fights. For $5? Yes. Every time I will buy that game so the devs can keep the lights on and make the next one.

Nice story, fun gameplay, satisfying visuals

Phenomenal story, art, progression, and story. Sfx are satisfying. Combat is simple but fun. Platforming is minimal which I’m fine with because the aerial movement isn’t super precise. Lots of bugs that are generally minor. The game forces you into ng+ after the ending (there is a clear warning) which I’m not a fan of. Overall feels like a worthy (even though buggy) spiritual successor to blasphemous and last faith: very fun and worth playing, ESPECIALLY for $5, a total steal.

Gravethorn is an absolute gem of a 2D soulslike metroidvania. Tight, deliberate combat makes every fight feel earned, and the challenge hits a perfect “tough but fair” sweet spot. When you win, it’s because you improved, not because the game went easy on you. The exploration is just as satisfying. The world feels interconnected and purposeful, packed with secrets, shortcuts, and rewarding detours that make backtracking exciting instead of tedious. Every new ability opens up meaningful paths. (Did I mention how satisfying it is to shoot shadow crows?) Visually, the dark gothic pixel art is stunning. The atmosphere is thick, moody, and immersive. Each area feels distinct and alive (or beautifully and creepily decayed). If you love skill-based combat, haunting environments, and rewarding exploration, Gravethorn is absolutely worth your time!

If you like Blasphemous (as I do), Gravethorn is a no brainer recommendation, especially as it's only $5. For a solo dev Soulsvania game, it's got solid artwork/atmosphere, gameplay and storytelling. That said, judging it on its own merits, I have my share of issues with it: 1) It's got bugs: not constant but bad. At one point, important quest-related dialogue choices went invisible on my screen, forcing me to choose blindly. A boss randomly stopped spawning adds. Common enemies in NG+ suddenly started taking 77 hits to kill (restarting the game resolved the issue). And I also simply had the game crash on me. (Edit: Unfortunately, this is still true. Had a number of unpleasant bugs on a second playthrough, including related to quest dialogue.) 2) The in-game economy feels needlessly stingy, particularly when fast travel (actually, really everything) costs currency and goes up in price over time. (Edit: Ceases to be an issue in New Game Plus.) 3) Some of the missable quests could do a much better job letting the player know that their choices have permanent consequences that will necessitate an additional playthrough. (Edit: I had a comment about New Game Plus feeling unbalance…