Operencia: The Stolen Sun Released, Reviews
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Zen Studios has released their turn-based European folklore-inspired dungeon crawler Operencia: The Stolen Sun. You can pick the game up for your Xbox One, or buy a PC version on the Epic Games store or Microsoft store. And before you do, here's the official launch trailer:
A bit about the game:
It’s launch day for Operencia: The Stolen Sun! On behalf of all of us at Zen Studios who have poured our hearts and souls into this first-person dungeon crawler for the last two years, we welcome you to the fantastical world of Operencia!
Operencia launches today exclusively for the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X and Xbox Game Pass, the Epic Games store, and Windows 10. We think you’ll enjoy this revived subgenre of the ‘80s and ‘90s and hope the success of this modernized approach to the old-school “blobber” will inspire other developers to further revitalize such games with their own unique spins.
With Zen being based in Hungary, an added degree of regional pride drives every aspect of this game, and we hope that shines through as our own unique spin. The Central European mythology and folklore that inspired the settings and characters makes Operencia one of a kind in the gaming industry. In development of this game we’ve had the pleasure of delving into the lighthearted folktales, enchanting mythology, and even some legends that are so darkly twisted, you really have to wonder what kind of demented minds dreamed them up – and we’ve seamlessly strung them together to share with you!
Operencia, a world where history meets legend. It’s an odd mix – but a very delightful one! And we can’t wait to hear what you have to say about it.
Go ahead and let us know @OperenicaRPG on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and visit our website at www.OperenciaRPG.com. But most importantly… get to downloading the game!
You may also be interested in these early reviews that happen to be fairly positive:
GameSpot 8/10:
Operencia tells a wonderful story derived from Central European folklore, mythology, and history, and it does so with unwavering confidence in its makeup. Companion characters are funny, and the banter between them makes for a fun experience that's not without its heartfelt moments. In terms of combat, the strategizing is so engaging that you'll likely end up charging rat warriors headfirst instead of hopelessly attempting to avoid bumping into them. Best of all, though, this world is so stunning that you'll just look at the trees, the water, the rocks--everything. It’s a shame that some of the puzzle solutions are needlessly frustrating and present significant obstacles in getting through the story, but aside from that Operencia provides a truly special experience.
Operencia transports you somewhere far, far away, and once you get there, you'll probably want to stay a while.
TheXboxHub 4/5:
Operencia: The Stolen Sun on Xbox One is gorgeous as well; graphically impressive and a consistent joy to look at. The textures are intricate and deep, the lighting is wonderful, and it uses Unreal Engine 4 to great effect. I was in awe at some of the environments from the dripping wet walls of a sunken castle, the pulsating mushrooms of an infinite tree, to the moonlight piercing through stone windows. Operencia never disappoints when it comes to visuals, and it never slackens off in the audio department either. The music is wildly original and sets the mood for many of the areas and fights in the game.
Operencia: The Stolen Sun is wildly ambitious for Zen Studios and for their first RPG it is incredibly impressive. It’s filled with passion and the team clearly love the genre. It does not get everything right, but if this is evidence of more to come, I can’t wait to see what the studio can do next.
Video Chums 8.6/10:
Although I absolutely loved my time with Operencia, it does have a couple of problems. The most notable of which is that some of the puzzles are abstruse to the point where you'll aimlessly pace around a dungeon for an extra hour or so while wondering what to do. Once, I had to enter a false wall in an isolated corner of a dungeon to retrieve a key item in order to progress. Other times, you'll need to search for glowing symbols on posts, discover hidden buttons next to other buttons that hurt you when you touch them, and figure out which order to activate certain switches. It can be frustrating stuff for sure. My only other complaint is that the menus can be quite cumbersome. Sometimes, I'd level up and not allot the earned points because I didn't feel like fumbling around in the menus. Even in battle, familiarizing yourself with what each skill specifically does takes a while due to the lengthy explanation of each.
