A Sublime Loot-Focused Action RPG?
How many RPG characters have you created from scratch? One day I imagine that when I die, my creations will all arrive at my funeral and get together for some sandwiches, chatting about how badly I treated them in a game. There would be Losty the 1st from Skyrim and Lucy the Loner from Baldur’s Gate 3, sighing and pretending to look upset.
But here I am, creating yet another, this time for Empyreal, an action RPG. This time around I’ve let them out into the world to hopefully win the battle and collect the glory. Empyreal actually means sublime, but does this game live up to its moniker?
Alien Worlds and Ancient Secrets
Empyreal is an action RPG with a focus on the loot system. The story, after choosing your character, places you in a sci-fi fantasy land; a desert base holding an army and scientist types, as well as your home.
This is an alien world, and there are ruins of ancient civilisation scattered all around. In plain sight is a huge monolith called The Ziggurat, which is the focus of the game. You are to go into this mysterious object, utilising its strange portal-like properties that whisk you off to different biomes. Here you find the secrets it holds…
Loot and Grind
To begin with, the story and world-building found in Empyreal are intriguing, building as you take in dialogue choices, dictating how you want your character to interact with the NPCs. But as you progress through the game, you realise that the story and journey aren’t as important as the gameplay loop. For me, that’s a bit of a shame and the narrative comes across as a little half-baked.
The gameplay though delivers, especially in terms of some exploration to be had across a variety of locations. There is no map marker, which is a bold move, so you might have a quest to go to or a person to speak to, but you won’t know where to go. Some will love this lack of hand-holding, but for me I am too used to being guided, so was constantly left a bit frustrated.
The gameplay loop focuses on specific situations, as you head somewhere in the four main biomes, battle some minor enemies, and then take on a big boss, who will drop some loot for you to nab. From there, it’s a case of going back to base, improving your loadout loadout for the next run. Simple yes?
Souls-y Strategy
Well no. See, the combat in Empyreal has a real Souls-y feel to it, mostly in terms of strategy and complexity. It works very well and does become pretty addictive because even on the easiest level, you will easily get killed if you don’t pay attention. Parrying is key here, and using your shield and mace at the right time is important too.
It’s up to you to tweak and play with your loadouts, discovering what works best for you and the situations you find yourself in. This also goes for the buffs and skills you chose to use in combat. It’s a great system and one that is the heart of everything that Empyreal does. The thing is, whether you grow bored with the loop or not will determine your enjoyment levels.
Graphics and Presentation
In terms of visuals, initially I wasn’t particularly impressed with the graphical prowess of Empyreal, with opening segments feeling a bit old hat and generic. However, as the game progresses you should well start to appreciate the work that has gone into the finer details, as well as the landscapes with their incredible draw distances.
The soundtrack is good as well, with some great music accompanying the action and combat. And running alongside that is some good voice work, even if some of the lines of dialogue feel a bit cheesy at times.
A Lengthy Loot Quest with an Action Core
Empyreal is a long old game, and you could easily find yourself sinking tens of hours into it. Become one with the addictive and fun gameplay loop, and you’ll have a good time, but you may find that it overstays its welcome after a while. Sadly, the narrative and world-building don’t quite hit, and at times it’s tricky to connect to what is on offer.
But if you are looking for a new loot-focused action-RPG, then Empyreal could be worth a sublime shot.
Important Links
Enter the Monolith – Empyreal Launches on Xbox Series X|S, PS5 & PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/enter-the-monolith-empyreal-launches-on-xbox-series-xs-ps5-pc/
15 NEW Xbox Games Due to Release in May 2025 That Will BLOW YOUR MIND! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/15-new-xbox-games-due-to-release-in-may-2025-that-will-blow-your-mind/
Buy Empyreal on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/empyreal/9nv4j14zzqqn
