Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection Review

Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection Review

Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection is a 3D remake of the 2021 RPG Grimorio of Games. original Necromancer Sword. The game features updated graphics, redesigned combat and a tactical summoning system. And while it falls short in some areas, for the most part this remake is good.

Tama goes to the crypt of the legendary necromancer along with the dead priestess Coco. One day she let Coco down. Never again. Tama takes up the titular Sword of the Necromancer, a dark artifact capable of raising the dead, and sets out to resurrect Coco at any cost. On her path lies an ever-changing dungeon, countless monstrous enemies, and the Necromancer whose power she seeks.

As Tama delves deeper into the dungeon, the player learns what brought her down this path. Koko, the daughter of the high priest of her religion, wanted to know how people really live. Her father gave only empty words to those who sought his advice.

She wanted to achieve more and enlisted the help of Tarma. You must reach rock bottom to find out what went wrong during Coco's pilgrimage and why Tama is desperate to resurrect her.

Something for everyone

Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection, like the original, is an action RPG with roguelike elements. Unlike the original, the action takes place in three dimensions, allowing for more complex dodges and dogfights. It also expands the game's narrative by adding new cutscenes and additional plot details.

The narrative is relatively sparse and is revealed through collectibles and after completing stages. Tama is a lovable and flawed protagonist, and Coco is a charmingly lost Lenore. The discovery of their tragic romance served as good motivation to get better. And achieving good results is the key to the game mechanics.

The main feature is simple: you can revive 20 monsters at once after defeating them and use them in battle. Tama can bring out three monsters at once, each of which has its own tactics. Tama herself specializes in racing across the battlefield, dodging attacks, and striking enemies. She also has several ranged options, including bows and various spells. It's up to you to tailor your gear to suit your playstyle.

The game quickly switches between fast-paced action and strategic planning. It's not enough to just have strong monsters. They also need to be used well. Some monsters, such as healers, can fill gaps in Tama's arsenal. Others specialize in one area, such as defense or speed. Summoning the right creature at the right time can be the difference between bitter defeat and hard-fought victory.

Necromancer's Sword: Resurrection fleshes out the situation

Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection has three different modes and very polished combat. The main game is full of ARPG elements. Tama and her summons gradually level up and fight in different rooms with different victory conditions. However, it also features a challenge mode and a Boss Rush mode.

Challenge mode is a purer roguelike experience. Tama starts at level 1 each time, although she retains her items and summons and players must create a build for her. Each room has a different type – treasure, puzzles, combat, exploration – and clearing a few will get you to the boss fight. Defeating the boss will give you a trait that you will keep for the rest of the run. Levels and character traits are not carried over to the main game, but items and summons are retained. Boss Rush retains Tama's current stats and forces her to quickly fight five bosses as a skill test.

This game as a whole is quite difficult. If you're not a roguelike fan, I suggest leveling up before trying any of the challenge modes. However, if you do, you're in for a treat. Procedural generation provides virtually infinite replayability. This also means that many of the summons you find will have strange weaknesses.

The layout of the levels can create a very nice feeling of verticality. Tama can jump and many enemies can fly, so lifting feels natural. Each dungeon room has three challenges that experienced players can complete. And for the observant, there are chests hidden here. You can also play with a friend in co-op.

Dead on Arrival

Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection is a pretty solid experience. However, it is not without its drawbacks. The music creates a pleasant atmosphere of a tragic, self-destructive journey into an ominous dungeon. And the voice acting is frankly phenomenal. Tama's voice actress really brought her outstanding performance to this project. Unfortunately, the visuals are painfully retro.

I'll be frank: the art design is good, but it's not a particularly good-looking game. The original version had some great sprites and pixel art. The 3D graphics in this game are simply disappointing in comparison. They're practical and have a nice retro feel to them, but they really can't be compared. At least the animated cutscenes and portraits are good.

In the Challenge Mode dungeons, I found several instances where I simply couldn't figure out how to complete a puzzle. This made me very upset. Luck and enemy placement play a disproportionate role in combat missions.

Summons can sometimes get stuck or stop attacking, and Tama will sometimes fall in slow motion when hit. Even with the red lines representing enemies, I keep getting confused about which monsters are mine and which ones are wild. And the game crashed several times.

Overall, Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection is a solid gameplay experience. I just wish the 3D graphics were prettier and the game would stop crashing.

***Steam code provided by publisher***