DISCLAIMER, I don't own the game I just post this as a warning.
Apparently the game is in development at the moment (02/18/2021) they announced in the news of the forum (https://www.gog.com/forum/general/in_development_shores_unknown_11584), check the first comment, probably it was a mistake and the game is not listed as "In Dev", until they solve it, use this review as a notification!!! For the modders, fell free to remove this review once the situation has changed. Good day!!!
As this otherwise promising early access game has possibly been abandoned due to the Ukraine-Russia war. There was a post from developers about a year ago that development was resuming production, this was at a time when things were looking more positive for Ukraine when it looked like they may have turned the corner in the conflict. And the government was trying to encourage small business to keep doing what they do. But no update or post at all since then and it also seems this costly war is going to drag out for a long time.
I hope they can relocate and finish the game elsewhere, as with GSC and their Stalker 2 game which is being finished in Prague now. But as a very small studio it's unlikely they have the means to do so and it's possible they have been disbanded, perhaps even drafted.
I recommend wish-listing to register interest, and keeping an eye on things at this point. However, there is some game to be enjoyed here and if you want to support and perhaps give a lifeline to the studio perhaps making a comeback later down the line then go ahead. But it's likelier this game has reached the end of it's production and won't be completed which is a shame as it was shaping up well.
The game just released in early access. It is highly polished for an in development title.
I like the art style. The game is very narrative heavy with lots of chances for conversation between your companions. The story is off to a great start and is probably the best part so far. There are choice and consequences as a potential companion can instead be killed if you make poor choices.
The combat is turn-based, but different. Some people may have a hard time with it. I have played a few times and died horribly, then made different choices and fought the battle again and had little trouble. Have patience and you will figure it out. For some people, the combat may not be tactical enough, though I don't know what all abilities the characters will gain over time. My characters have already gained several new abilities and I am just now into the second major area. I do believe there is one fight in the early area that you have no chance winning if you stumble upon it too early. Leave it for later.
I have had zero crashes or bugs. The developer is very active on their discord and has already proven they take feedback seriously by incorporating a fov slider after several requests for one. I wish all developers did this. This game is very solid right now and will only get better. It is also refreshingly unique & charming.
Please be aware that this is a review for the initial early access, but this game has a lot of potential.
I really enjoyed the game despite the early access limitations and small bugs. I love the ambiance and the characters, and even the relatively simple graphics are fantastic, especially in the mountains and the mountain town.
Yes, the game is not easy and I had just a bit of frustration on one or two fights because of beloved characters being one-shot, but you can win most of the fights on the first try if you manage your party carefully, and some characters biting the dust now and then does not have any consequence that I could see.
Really, at this stage, there is just one main suggestion that I would make, which is manage movement better during the fights. Placement should matter (although I love the fact that it's fluid, and that people are darting in and out of position, really realistic to me after LARPing for 30+years), and characters should not be able to run through the entire battlefield to get to a foe without serious consequences, and taking into account the speed limitations and effects like Hobbled. And then, of course, you can add more ranged attacks that make sense, etc.
I'm sure that's in the work already and I really, really like the fact that fights are "fuzzy" and not limited to a grid and precise placement.
So thank you a lot for the game already, had a blast playing the Early Access, definitively worth it even at this stage, and really looking forward to the next stages.
First of all it is in development with warts and all. Don't be surprised if you get stuck pretty early and have to surrender the game as unplayable beyond a point.
That said it is pretty fun until you get stuck. On the plus side a lot of effort has been put into graphics making it a very rich playing experience. You can stop at any point and get a 360 degree view from where your hero stands. A fair bit of work has gone into dialog which gives the game some depth. And game play is pretty clear; you are guided from one objective to the next without much room for confusion.
On the negative it is a little too guided. There is one plot line and any deviation from it won't last very long. Even the fights don't leave you with significant choices. While I prefer a little more sandbox feeling in games, it is not a fatal flaw as you can still get caught up in the story. Another problem the game has is balance between fighting groups. Most groups are relatively easy as long as you have taken the time to look for arms stashes and booty and put some thought into arming your team. But some are near on impossible. I did one battle around 10 times trying to figure out the trick to winning it before I finally gave up and returned the game. I have nothing against puzzles, but provide some clues or leave the puzzles out of the game.
Another negative should be fixed right away. Even though your group is getting stronger and stronger the player has no sense of that at all because your enemies are also getting stronger and stronger. You get better gear and magical items and it seems like you are just stuck in place. I think a player would get much more sense of progress if they could see the impact their new gear is having. That could be fixed by keeping enemies similarly difficult but increasing the number of them to keep the challenge up. Another option would be to keep enemies similar until introducing a new kind that is much harder.
All in all, fun but should be improved
