Numen: Contest of Heroes

 PC
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 21
  3. Negative: 8 out of 21

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  1. DantheMan
    Aug 31, 2011
    8
    First, before you buy this game you should know that that developer has publicly stated they do not plan on patching the game any more. Some people have reported game breaking bugs. I personally have not on Win 7 64bit. Second, this game has got a lot of negative reviews that arise from false expectations due to inappropriate marketing. On some websites this game is listed as anFirst, before you buy this game you should know that that developer has publicly stated they do not plan on patching the game any more. Some people have reported game breaking bugs. I personally have not on Win 7 64bit. Second, this game has got a lot of negative reviews that arise from false expectations due to inappropriate marketing. On some websites this game is listed as an "Action/RPG" when the game manual specifically states it's NOT an action/rpg. This game is a casual RPG directed at tweens/young teens. If you are looking for an RPG with complex stats like Drakensang or Neverwinter Nights avoid this game. If you are looking for a game with adult themes like Dragon Age or The Witcher avoid this game. If there is such a thing as a "family orientated" RPG Numen is it.

    When Numen is evaluated based upon what was designed to be instead of evaluated against a set of false expectations the fact of the matter is that this game is a worthwhile contribution to the RPG genre. At the beginning you start off as either a boy or girl and have the ability to develop into either a magic user, archer, or melee fighter. The player progresses the story by completing MMO styles quests such as killing X monsters or collecting X items. One different feature of Numen is the ability to curry favor with a god of your choice by doing various things in the game to please your god such as by killing monsters, making sacrifices, or defeating other AI heroes. Another aspect of the game is that you are in competition with eight other AI heroes. Defeating other AI heros helps curry favor with the gods but it doesn't, unfortunately, make that much difference in the long run.

    The designer does make some rather unfortunate decisions. For one, you can only save the game while you're resting and the places you can rest are not necessarily close to where the action is. Another hassle is the reality that many of the maps are quite small and it's possible to kill all the monsters on the map and still not get enough items to complete you quests, meaning that you have to rest to get the monsters to reset. Further, all the monsters on a map reset every time you either die or move between maps. This results in a great deal of unnecessary fighting that doesn't do anything to advance the story and the tactics aren't complicated enough to hold interest on their own; the net result giving the game at times a grindy feel. Numen is often said to play like an MMORPG without the MMO part and there is an element of truth to that. If you are seeking a game that is intellectually stimulating or challenges your reflexes this game isn't it.

    Still, the game manages to be a pleasant diversion so long as you don't expect too much from it. The graphics are well designed. The story is easy to follow and make senses. There is a enough detail to the game so that you actually have to think about what items you equip and where you put points in your stats as you level up. No one would ever confuse Numen with a AAA RPG release but in fairness to the developers it's not designed to be. It succeeds well at what it tries to be which is a casual, easy-going, light RPG designed for young people or gamers looking for a stress-free experience.    … Expand
  2. Matseb2611
    May 23, 2012
    6
    Numen: Contest of Heroes is not a bad game at all. It's just not mindblowing either. I'd probably describe it as lukewarm since it manages to be all right at just about everything but doesn't excel at any of those things. Right from the beginning the game makes it clear that you'll need to specialise in one of the three ways of offence: melee, archery, and magic. Additionally, once you'veNumen: Contest of Heroes is not a bad game at all. It's just not mindblowing either. I'd probably describe it as lukewarm since it manages to be all right at just about everything but doesn't excel at any of those things. Right from the beginning the game makes it clear that you'll need to specialise in one of the three ways of offence: melee, archery, and magic. Additionally, once you've finished the part as a teenager and start as an adult, you get to choose 1 of 9 Greek Gods to be loyal to (3 Gods for each of the combat type). This is a really good concept for a game, even though I felt it didn't quite live up to its potential. The combat itself is not bad, although a bit slow-paced. There is a fair bit of micro-management in regard to items your character is wearing, although it's a bit of a mess at times, i.e. the kind of items you find do not progress with your level. You can find a lvl 50 item when you're still lvl 20 and it won't be any use to you for a long while. The game also has some MMO elements and makes you feel like you're playing an MMO game, even though it's not an MMO at all. Basically, as you picked one of the Gods to serve, you are competing against the heroes loyal to each of the other 8 Gods, but these heroes are all AI-controlled. You come across them in quests sometimes, where you have choices of whether to help them or not, and you also get to have tournaments where you fight against them. Despite having a fairly good gameplay and fairly good graphics, the game lacks immersion. It could be due to the world not being big and diverse enough, and it could also be due to the fact that there is no voice acting at all. Lastly I'll mention that the game has a few bugs, like for example quest items which you don't need anymore but cannot get rid off from your inventory, etc. To sum up, Numen is a good game, but it just lacks that fire that could make it great.… Expand
  3. Shait
    Apr 4, 2012
    0
    It's an MMORPG without the MMO, if you want grind and do again same quest without the whole social interaction then this is game for you. I'd rather play some REAL MMORPG.
  4. TheCyberDruid
    Dec 9, 2013
    5
    It's not a good RPG, but it's not a total catastrophe either... The item and level grinding is boring, it lacks in story and especially in side quests and the level 'design' is pretty much non-existant. Most of the game looks more random than Diablo while it isn't. While the game isn't a complete waste of time and has some moments, the lack of speech for the few NPCs, the mindnumbing andIt's not a good RPG, but it's not a total catastrophe either... The item and level grinding is boring, it lacks in story and especially in side quests and the level 'design' is pretty much non-existant. Most of the game looks more random than Diablo while it isn't. While the game isn't a complete waste of time and has some moments, the lack of speech for the few NPCs, the mindnumbing and pointless arena fights and a lot of other small details make the game very dull and sometimes tedious to play. There's just so many better Diablo clones around and this one is hardly worth anybody's time. The final battle is a joke compared to the other boss fights. So many design flaws in one game that it's almost a candidate for a rotten tomato award... Unless you're extremely bored and have nothing better to play, stay away from this game.… Expand
  5. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    3
    An rpg with a distinct MMO-blandness to it, but no actual multiplayer. If it were online, it'd be the game you suck it up and play with your friends because they think it's good for some reason. As a fully singleplayer experience, it's, well, pretty much equivalent to playing a bad free MMO on a server with no other people. Weak interface, graphics, story, audio, animation, characterAn rpg with a distinct MMO-blandness to it, but no actual multiplayer. If it were online, it'd be the game you suck it up and play with your friends because they think it's good for some reason. As a fully singleplayer experience, it's, well, pretty much equivalent to playing a bad free MMO on a server with no other people. Weak interface, graphics, story, audio, animation, character customization, pacing, enemy variety, art design... Good setting. Ancient Greece has lots to draw from, but just go play Titan Quest or something.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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No score yet - based on 2 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. Eurogamer Italy
    70
    A good mix between an hack 'n' slash and an MMO, Numen is a nice enough game with some interesting ideas. Despite it lacks for some technical details, it doesn't' lack for the fun.
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  2. Gaming Nexus
    58
    A lot of good ideas are present but they're hampered by poor pacing, technical issues, and loose ends. It's fun for an action role playing game but will probably leave you wanting more.
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