There’s a fine line between challenge and frustration when designing a game, and Deathbat clumsily lumbered into the latter’s territory, transforming into an irritating grind-fest. And while many people (at least 1440) may be fans of this style of action, I rarely find that unrewarded, drawn-out grinding sessions lead to engaging gameplay experiences.
Hail to the King: Deathbat
Subscience Studios · Oct 16, 2014
About
You play as Andronikos, the resurrected King of the Underworld tasked with reclaiming the lands of Haides from his despotic doppelgänger, placed into power by a sadistic demigod. The game’s design is not for the faint of heart, as players will need to traverse massive levels, combat skillful undead, and best unforgiving bosses.
Along the way you’ll mix and match brutal melee combat with projectile magic attacks battling through beautifully designed and hellish landscapes inspired by the band’s iconic discography and artwork. Interact with characters along the way to learn about your surroundings and solve puzzles to unlock the mysteries of Moros Island.
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Critic reviews
- 6.0And in the end, I think A7X fans will likely be far more forgiving of Deathbat’s flaws than I. It’s obvious that this game is a passion project for M. Shadows, but the problematic combat and archaic design issues aren’t likely to make this trip to Bat Country worthwhile for any but the most ardent admirer.
- 8.5Despite my critiques on the controls, health regens and continue system of Hail to the King: Deathbat, it still provides an unrivaled experience on the iOS format. The price tag might scare off a few people who are on the fence about purchasing it, but let’s get one thing clear — you do not have to be an A7X fan to enjoy the hell out of HttK.
- 4.0But being a mediocre action-RPG is not the point of Hail to the King: Deathbat; this is a game by Avenged Sevenfold for their fans, and unless you are one, stay away from this game. It’s an interesting passion project, but it’s something that feels like it’s being made because someone really wanted it to be made, rather than because there was some good idea at the core of it.
- 8.0I really enjoyed the universe that’s being created in Deathbat, and I hope to see additional titles in some form or fashion (a tower defense title would be amazing). As mentioned earlier, it doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of the best in the genre, but it doesn’t have to be in order to be enjoyable.
- 3.0Hail to the King: Deathbat comes off like an idea that never got fully fleshed out. It's a pudgy mess of hack-'n'-slash ideas that don't bond together to create anything resembling a working whole. A poorly put together dungeon crawler with little personality and bad controls.
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