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As I'm approaching 30 hours of play over roughly two weeks, I've decided to write my first-ever Steam review for this game. I've been following its development for some time now, and the negative reviews have always put me off purchasing it, especially considering the not-so-light price tag. Couple that with the fact I'm a Mac user, and it felt very likely I would be disappointed, even if I got it to work. Fortunately, I was wrong.
I downloaded the demo and got it running without any issues on Crossover (v23.5.0, I'm on a MacBook Pro running Sonoma). It serves as a fantastic introduction to the game's mechanics, universe, and lore and a prequel to the main storyline in which you control a character that will assume a supporting role in-game. I was sold and bought the game as soon as I finished it. I'm writing this testimony because I feel this game's lukewarm (or outright terrible, in some reviews) reception on Steam is a bit unfair, and I think the devs (it seems to be a tiny team) deserve some recognition for what looks like a real labour of love.
I've always been a big RPG and strategy fan, but nowadays, with work and real-life commitments, I've become somewhat of a casual gamer. I do enjoy complex games, but my playing sessions are usually limited to 1-2 hours. I'm sharing this information to say that I'm not an enthusiast of impossibly difficult games, ultra-complex mechanics or anything of the sort. And I don't think Stoneshard is any of that. It is challenging, even frustrating sometimes, but it gives you so much freedom that there's almost always a viable strategy to get what you want. It reminds me a bit of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in that you can grind and power through with brute force, sure, but you can also steal, ambush and trick your way to the top. You might die a lot, but each run shows you the weak spots in your strategy so you can refine your course of action until you achieve goals that seemed impossible before.

SETTING

The story unfolds in a medieval/renaissance, low-fantasy universe (think Game of Thrones) that allows for a charming degree of realism, presenting historically inspired locations, equipment and lore. The world feels alive: culturally distinct settlements, harsh expanses of wilderness and mysterious locations filled with (often supernatural) danger and loot. The nomadic mercenary lifestyle is well represented as you have to manage your supplies, lodging and budget. (this aspect seems to be on the brink of a major update with the caravan system).


GAMEPLAY

Stoneshard plays like a cross between a light roguelike, a cRPG and a hack-and-slash (Diablo II comes to mind). Action is universally turn-based, which means you can (and should) take your time to think before each step. Experience and levelling up are acquired through battle and exploration, and you can unlock the tiers of the many skill trees by reading books that can be acquired as loot or bought. There are no fixed character classes, but you can pick from a roster of characters with different backgrounds that, in turn, grant each one an unique ability (the option to create a character from scratch is in the development pipeline) and the skill-trees you chose to invest your points in define your character aptitudes and can cater to your playing style.
Besides that, the game has enough survival elements to make it compelling, but they are part of a streamlined system that's easy to understand and manage. This characteristic applies to virtually all aspects of gameplay: The mechanics have quite a lot of depth, but are intuitive enough for you to figure out on your own, and they don't force you to play with a calculator in hand or consult the wiki every 10 minutes. For some reason (it might also be due to the graphics), it reminds me of LucasArt's Desktop Adventures series in its intuitive presentation and in that each quest feels like a standalone adventure (which also nicely bookends gameplay sessions).
The quest system seems to be a work in progress, as well as factions, crafting, alchemy and many other planned features. Other players have noted development has been slow, but the devlog is up to date and features constant sneak peeks of what's to come. Besides that, the game is perfectly playable and engaging in its current state. I haven't come across any game-breaking bugs.

GRAPHICS

Stoneshard's graphics were probably what got me interested in the game in the first place: gorgeous high-resolution pixel art, smooth animations, visible equipment changes, and consistent UI. It looks impressive, and I dare say there's nothing like it in 2024. Its consistent art direction and execution are on par with the most visually elaborate late-90s PC, Amiga or Neo-Geo games. The graphics showcase the commitment and effort put in by the art team, as nothing feels out of place, and everything is polished to the smallest detail. Character, scenario and equipment designs are outstanding: everything feels grounded and consistent with the game's low-fantasy setting.


PRICING AND DEVELOPMENT

Although the free demo is a nice gesture, and I bought the game on sale, I felt the price was a bit high. I'm based in South America, so games without regional pricing weigh a lot in our pockets. For comparison, Stoneshard's price tag in my country is close to Steam top-sellers like GTA V, Farcry 4 or Monster Hunter: World. I think it will be more than fair for the finished product, but EA games always run the risk of being abandoned. I was an avid player of Towns, another ambitious project with a somewhat hefty price tag for EA, and it failed spectacularly, triggering the community's ire. That said, it fortunately doesn't seem to be the case here. Though I've seen a lot of complaints about the updates being few and far between, the devs are active on Twitter, and the updates so far seem to have been substantial, often bringing in not only content like new items and enemies but whole new mechanics (this includes the next one in the pipeline).

BOTTOMLINE

Stoneshard might not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you are an old-school RPG fan, medieval fantasy buff, and enjoy a fair challenge, I can't recommend it enough. You're guaranteed to spend many hours playing it. It's engaging, gorgeous and exceptionally polished for an EA game. When and if the development roadmap is fully realised, it might become one of my favourite games ever. I can attest it's not impossibly hard or grindy, and it's in active development, albeit slow, as of 2024.