Apotheon

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 254 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 136 out of 254
  2. Mixed: 95 out of 254
  3. Negative: 23 out of 254

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  1. chadflowers
    Feb 4, 2015
    9
    Apotheon is a MetroidVania styled game with the look of Greek Pottery painting. This game does everything right. It has tight platforming, expansive levels, gorgeous atmosphere, extremely detailed graphics and not to mention the unforgiving combat. Something I found very frustrating with the game was the inventory. The inventory, while vast, won't let you sell unused weapons back toApotheon is a MetroidVania styled game with the look of Greek Pottery painting. This game does everything right. It has tight platforming, expansive levels, gorgeous atmosphere, extremely detailed graphics and not to mention the unforgiving combat. Something I found very frustrating with the game was the inventory. The inventory, while vast, won't let you sell unused weapons back to merchants to use that money towards more useful items. You face Greek Gods such as Apollo, Ares, Athena, Hades, etc..

    There's not much about Apotheon, other than the non-sell able inventory, that I can complain about. It's a truly wonderful and enjoyable experience. Yet another fantastic game to start off 2015 with a BANG!    … Expand
  2. Trunks252
    Feb 9, 2015
    7
    Hardcore Gamer wrote that Apotheon was a classic case of "style over substance". I can 100% confirm that this is NOT the case. Apotheon is a classic case of style AND substance. Yes, the visuals are very impressive and a fresh compared to most other generic cartoon or stylized games, but it doesn't stop there either. The voice acting is top notch and the greek mythos is a fantasticHardcore Gamer wrote that Apotheon was a classic case of "style over substance". I can 100% confirm that this is NOT the case. Apotheon is a classic case of style AND substance. Yes, the visuals are very impressive and a fresh compared to most other generic cartoon or stylized games, but it doesn't stop there either. The voice acting is top notch and the greek mythos is a fantastic platform for storytelling and exploration, and explore you will. There are many side paths and hidden treasures to be found, and even more side quests to conquer.

    On top of this, the game is a blast to play. The game has a heavy influence from RPGs and Metroid-vania style games. Combat is deep and challenging, and there are dozens of weapons to choose from and a variety of melee, thrown, projectile, and even specialty and rare weapons. There are also many consumables and bombs to help augment your character or strategize against any of the tough boss battles. Upgrades are also plentiful, as you can visit the marketplace to learn new crafting recipes, upgrading weapon proficiencies and armor strength, etc.

    However there are problems that can't be ignored. The game crashes around once an hour, but this isn't a huge deal due to the auto save feature. Some of the stronger enemies can occasionally knock you outside of the map, and barriers prevent you from getting back on track. The UX is strangely designed, and often impossible to use correctly during more intense combat scenarios. Selecting weapons or items mid-combat is nearly impossible without taking damage or pausing. Combat itself can sometimes be akward as well, as weapon hit boxes for certain weapons like the spears are so far out that you can be right next to the enemy and still not hit them.

    All in all, I had to subtract a couple points due to technical flaws, but the bugs can easily be patched. This is worth full price, and definitely worth a free download on PS Plus. 8/10    … Expand
  3. wsacramoni
    Apr 1, 2015
    6
    It’s an OK game and I would NOT recommend adding to your play list. There’s a good game in here somewhere, but in order to find it you’ll have to know where to look, and perhaps turn a blind eye to some significant drawbacks.
  4. miteshu
    Feb 16, 2015
    9
    this game has the most beatiful and well tought art i have seen in a while. the greek vassel animation is beatiful and the game is good. it makes me remember prince of persia. but mostly the art.
  5. hoppypoppy1
    Feb 11, 2015
    8
    fluid combat, entertaining music, solid level design. Basic enough story, nothing spectacular. Gods punishing humans then one human (you're character) stops the Gods and saves the world. Heard it all before. But it's free this month! Who can complain?
  6. AvxrageJoe
    Jun 21, 2015
    6
    Apotheon was a fun game, for a time. The game's story is far too bland. The combat system was something fresh at first, but it also got boring really quick. As a player all you need to do is to kill waves and waves of enemies. By the time I had reached the final level of the game, I just found myself rushing and dodging through the countless enemies, because fighting them was too tedious.Apotheon was a fun game, for a time. The game's story is far too bland. The combat system was something fresh at first, but it also got boring really quick. As a player all you need to do is to kill waves and waves of enemies. By the time I had reached the final level of the game, I just found myself rushing and dodging through the countless enemies, because fighting them was too tedious. The post game is pretty much nonexistent and the game has no replay value. The soundtrack was nice for the most part. So there was at least something good with the game.

    The game was a PSN plus monthly game. And that's all what it should be. I would not pay any extra for a game like this.    … Expand
  7. Faceless2015
    Feb 14, 2015
    8
    First of all, those who says this game is boring is lying to you. It brings a good story and it gets you interested in mythology. I had timed when I found my self glued to the ps4 remote. Bit the most bad thing you can do in a game like this is screw up the controls. At times I found it frustrating to be in combat. And the gameplay can be sticky. This is what holds this back. But otherFirst of all, those who says this game is boring is lying to you. It brings a good story and it gets you interested in mythology. I had timed when I found my self glued to the ps4 remote. Bit the most bad thing you can do in a game like this is screw up the controls. At times I found it frustrating to be in combat. And the gameplay can be sticky. This is what holds this back. But other than that. This is a game that you can play to past time.i dont expect this to be played head on, non stop. No this is not for that. I recommend this if you want to just start your ps4 and play for a few hours.… Expand
  8. seriimac
    Aug 8, 2016
    7
    Amazing setting, nice story, but repetitive gameplay. Also, not so comfy controls. The font is too small.
    But the visual style is perfect! Wish to see more games in this setting.
  9. Jarhead335
    Aug 5, 2015
    7
    Apotheon is a few things. It is an incredible visual triumph, for starters. The art style, various level designs, and smooth movement make it quite pleasing on the eye. That's its main selling point. After that, the diverse range of weaponry available in the game, and the great feeling of triumph after overcoming a difficult group of enemies or boss are right up there with Dark Souls onApotheon is a few things. It is an incredible visual triumph, for starters. The art style, various level designs, and smooth movement make it quite pleasing on the eye. That's its main selling point. After that, the diverse range of weaponry available in the game, and the great feeling of triumph after overcoming a difficult group of enemies or boss are right up there with Dark Souls on the, "damn, that was satisfying," scoreboard. Coupled with a pretty engaging score, and the look and feel of Apotheon was both unique and incredibly enjoyable.

    The story, while lacking much context, is pretty straightforward. You must traverse Mount Olympus attempting to save humanity by stealing necessary items from (think Apollo's Lyre), or gaining the help of, many prominent Greek Gods and Goddesses. I felt compelled to continue on my missions, despite their incredible difficulty at times.

    However, it is obvious from the start that this game was developed for a mouse and keyboard. Looking around and remaining fluid in combat are downright painful at times with the twin-sticks. Very often I felt hampered in my ability to spring over enemies, dispatch them quickly beneath a volley of arrows or javelins and move on. Instead, I'd leap over an enemy, take about 10 seconds too long swiveling my view back towards the enemy, and spend another 10 seconds painstakingly attempting to level my reticle with a foe's head, just to miss anyway. Another key drawback is that the platforming mechanics were actually quite...ugly. Having to crouch through floors to descend from one floor to a next is old news in platformers, but for some reason in Apotheon it felt off somehow. I can't quite explain it, but traversing the physical levels themselves sometimes felt tedious and lacked fluidity. I didn't love it. Similarly, the inventory system was pretty strangely integrated and was clunky. On top of that, to craft items one must pause the game fully and scroll down through the menu, which I hated. Why not hotkey a button on the D-Pad or touch pad for the inventory/crafting? Missed the mark there, too.

    Overall its look and feel were good enough to bolster it into the "good" category, and it showed flashes of greatness at times. But on the whole, its various mechanical drawbacks were too much to keep it from feeling like a real gem to me, and while I enjoy playing it and will continue to play it, it's not something I'd consider a classic or must-own.    … Expand
  10. brows76
    Feb 8, 2015
    6
    A very cool and original aestheic is bogged down by a rather dull and lifeless combat system. It controls like a poor early PC game with awkward animations and bland attacks. Still it looks very neat.
  11. Makaveli
    Feb 3, 2015
    9
    Game kind of reminds me of a 2D Dark Souls mostly because of the stamina bar.. You must defeat gods and acquire their powers a la God of War... You get a bunch of different weapons like spears,swords,bombs,bows etc... weapons break fast so you are constantly picking up weapons through the journey.. You can upgrade your armor,weapons and you can also repair your armor with repair kits.
    I'm    Game kind of reminds me of a 2D Dark Souls mostly because of the stamina bar.. You must defeat gods and acquire their powers a la God of War... You get a bunch of different weapons like spears,swords,bombs,bows etc... weapons break fast so you are constantly picking up weapons through the journey.. You can upgrade your armor,weapons and you can also repair your armor with repair kits.
    I'm not sure how long the game is as I have not beaten it yet. I'm almost done though.

    It's a fun game, give it a shot...    … Expand
  12. Dionysus777
    Feb 23, 2015
    5
    Rereview. I originally gave this game a higher score before i had Time to realize what a technical mess it was. Even after the patch, it still crashes to the dashboard every other time i open a chest! Man this could have been a great game but it ends up being broken like half the other games nowadays. No i didn't get it for free! So i will remember the developer and publisher and neverRereview. I originally gave this game a higher score before i had Time to realize what a technical mess it was. Even after the patch, it still crashes to the dashboard every other time i open a chest! Man this could have been a great game but it ends up being broken like half the other games nowadays. No i didn't get it for free! So i will remember the developer and publisher and never purchase their products again. I truly hope they come up with a standard in this industry atleast for unfinished products. I know there is more people like me that only purchase quality products. I dont know why developers want a bad name? This isn't accepted in any other industry in America. Look at the auto industry and Where their deception led them. Seriously, honestly, people almost every Other game ive purchased in the last decade has had serious technical problems on release. Im 1 broken game from never making a gaming purchase again. This is coming from a 30 year hardcore gamer, nonetheless ethics are still more important to me. I have no respect for anyone or anything that tries to sell snakeoil for medicine. And yes the video game industry has become the best snakeoil salesman around. The worst part is nobody holds them accountable! Sure your free to purchase snakeoil if u want. It should however be labeled as such first so people who respect themselves dont accidentally buy it.… Expand
  13. hb1209
    Feb 4, 2015
    10
    Dis game is beast! amazing atmosphere, music, design, gameplay, story.
    For me its 2D Dark Souls mixed with ancient greece
    absolutely beautiful indiegame.
    for me its the ps+ game of the month and even better then transistor.
    trust me and play this game, its amazing.
  14. VickTorrie
    Feb 4, 2015
    10
    Gamers versed in the God of War universe will feel right at home playing Apotheon. This 2d adventure game also reminds me of a similar beloved game: Guacamelee. As a free game for PS4 PS Plus users in February I highly recommend digging into this game.
  15. True_Reclaimer
    Mar 7, 2015
    10
    Really loved this game more than I thought I would, as it turned out it was the 1st game I bothered to get a Platinum trophy for. Definitely the best Indie sidescroller of 2015!
  16. xMedusax
    Feb 5, 2015
    9
    I made a metacritic account just to review this game and that should give you an idea of how good it is. Creative re-imagining of existing Greek myths, interesting art style, simple yet good mechanics, scaling RPG-like weapons and armor scaling system, unlockables, and rewards you for simple exploration, although their isn't a ton. Game is actually surprisingly long at around 5-6 hours.I made a metacritic account just to review this game and that should give you an idea of how good it is. Creative re-imagining of existing Greek myths, interesting art style, simple yet good mechanics, scaling RPG-like weapons and armor scaling system, unlockables, and rewards you for simple exploration, although their isn't a ton. Game is actually surprisingly long at around 5-6 hours. For the price, this is a must own for any gamer.… Expand
  17. pir8pat
    Feb 6, 2015
    4
    Review:
    Technical: 0/1
    This game at time of review is terribly buggy with frequent random crashes. The game is unstable enough for me to want to stop playing till a patch. Sound: .5/1 The voice acting is good and nothing is to grating but overall the sound and music is mostly forgettable. Art: 1/1 The game is beautiful capturing the feel of period pottery and featuring a good    Review:
    Technical: 0/1
    This game at time of review is terribly buggy with frequent random crashes. The game is unstable enough for me to want to stop playing till a patch.

    Sound: .5/1
    The voice acting is good and nothing is to grating but overall the sound and music is mostly forgettable.

    Art: 1/1
    The game is beautiful capturing the feel of period pottery and featuring a good variety of environments. The art is one of the games selling points.

    Mechanics: .5/1
    The game does have very good combat that feels great unless to many enemies jump on you making it hard to tell what's going on and the inventory system is clunky. The platforming also suffers from unwanted stickiness. Other wise the game has a lot of depth to master in its combat. Another main selling point.

    Personal factor: 0/1
    I want to enjoy this game but beat em ups are not one of my preferred genres. That coupled with the frequent crashing sucked out all the enjoyment the mechanics and art were giving me. As I was unable to get through the game I can't speak to length or replay ability. Hopefully the game can get better post patch but in its current state i'd give it a pass.

    Final score 2/5 poor (avoid)    … Expand
  18. LetsDoThis305
    Feb 11, 2015
    8
    Aside from minor gripes, I'm very pleased with this game. The graphics fit the mood of the game which makes it stand out. The game play is fun and addictive. The RPG elements are just enough to not make the game boring or tedious. As you get deeper, you really start to see the love that was put in this game. There are some crashing issues (Hades) but very solid otherwise.
  19. naveedesahar
    Feb 24, 2015
    4
    Played for 1 hour, no doubt developers have put some efforts to make this game and actually this is the only reason I'm not giving this game 0. In comparison with the 90's 2D games, this game deserves 10/10 but 90's was 25 years ago. It is obvious why this game is free to play PS Plus because no one would pay a penny to play this game.
  20. DeusXCom
    Feb 21, 2015
    9
    This game is amazing! I always loved ancient Greek mythology, as a child I was reading Greek myth stories with ancient Greek art style illustrations and Apotheon lets you play this, in this exact art style, these exact themes and characters, almost a childhood dream coming to life. Visually it's beautiful, aesthetic is very appealing and unique, the gameplay is fun, it reminds me a bit ofThis game is amazing! I always loved ancient Greek mythology, as a child I was reading Greek myth stories with ancient Greek art style illustrations and Apotheon lets you play this, in this exact art style, these exact themes and characters, almost a childhood dream coming to life. Visually it's beautiful, aesthetic is very appealing and unique, the gameplay is fun, it reminds me a bit of Guacamelee, except with much better theme which of course is pure love in here, the gods you meet, the quests you do, various locations you explore, the secrets you discover, this game is full of good stuff. Hunting in the forests of Artemis, descending into dark underworld of Hades, roaming the seas of Poseidon, puzzle mazes of Athena, wine party with Dionysus and so on. All of this is injected with monuments where you can read the excerpts of real Greek literature about these gods and characters, further enhancing your experience and it's all accompanied by an absolutely fantastic soundtrack that fits the theme of this game perfectly. Subtle sounds of ancient instruments, atmospheric ambient tracks or majestic choirs and chants, reminds me of Vangelis and I love it. The only problem I have right now are minor technical problems such as occasional crashes, important items not appearing or being exploded into solid wall, your own character being thrown away into solid wall unable to move, forcing you to restart, or some trophies not popping, but I'm sure that's nothing a patch won't fix and all you will have left is one of the most pleasant indie surprises of recent years and a fantastic unique title. 9/10… Expand
  21. sparriskrigaren
    Mar 8, 2015
    5
    I really can't get over the poor controls, awful jumping mechanics/physics and the atrocious animations. Art style is nice, but seriously - the animations? They look like s**t.
  22. rodericrinehart
    Feb 7, 2015
    7
    Had a good amount of fun with this Metroidvania. Nice art style, enough variety to keep you entertained and interested. Getting it for free on Playstation Plus was just gravy.
  23. TheDictator
    Feb 4, 2015
    2
    Ridiculously bland, just like a cheeseburger without cheese or meat. The whole fighting part feels like origamis fighting on some soapy grounds with padded sticks, average level design; the only thing worth praising are the graphics that are quite good.

    A well deserved 2 out of 10, most over hyped indie game of 2015 by far, so far.
  24. Turbodowg
    Feb 10, 2015
    0
    How can I sum up this terrible game? Well it doesn't deserve a full review so here goes:

    Utterly terrible game. Boring, awful graphics, crude sluggish controls, appalling level design, horrific music score, non existent story line all add up to create this months dreadful free PSN game. Look, you cant even give this rubbish away. Avoid at all costs if you have any respect for your self    How can I sum up this terrible game? Well it doesn't deserve a full review so here goes:

    Utterly terrible game. Boring, awful graphics, crude sluggish controls, appalling level design, horrific music score, non existent story line all add up to create this months dreadful free PSN game. Look, you cant even give this rubbish away. Avoid at all costs if you have any respect for your self or gaming.    … Expand
  25. Mosh603
    Mar 9, 2015
    8
    Apotheon is one of the better games on the PSN (PS4) store. Has great art, visuals, and music. The combat is simple, a tad repetitive, but it doesn't make the game unplayable. You can roam the map and do objectives as you please, while hunting for items and new weapons. Overall, I would recommend this game.
  26. alexmanea
    Feb 28, 2015
    7
    Apotheon kinda reminds me of God of War in terms of story so I found it pretty nice. I really had fun playing this game but there was one thing that pissed me off: it crashed. It happened sometimes when I travelled from a place to another and it was very frustrating. Once it crashed after a boss fight and I had to replay that boss fight. Nevertheless, it was a fun game and I recommend itApotheon kinda reminds me of God of War in terms of story so I found it pretty nice. I really had fun playing this game but there was one thing that pissed me off: it crashed. It happened sometimes when I travelled from a place to another and it was very frustrating. Once it crashed after a boss fight and I had to replay that boss fight. Nevertheless, it was a fun game and I recommend it to everyone that likes a game which requires skill in order to beat.… Expand
  27. tsakiym
    May 11, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. nice try for a game. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it. hi mom… Expand
  28. ElektroDragon
    Mar 18, 2015
    10
    Beautiful game, brilliant execution and fun gameplay. The combat is just right. Could have used some deeper RPG elements. Great hidden areas. The game just oozes style and intelligently makes use of Greek mythology. There are some bugs and crashes, so hopefully more patches are incoming.
  29. drlowdon
    Dec 19, 2016
    6
    With the Gods having abandoned the human race a young warrior, named Nikandreos, awakens to find his village on the verge of being destroyed by raiders. After fighting off the invaders, and saving his village, he sets out to get his revenge on the Gods with the help of Hera (the wife of Zeus).

    In terms of gameplay Apotheon is a 2d action game with some metroidvania elements that I must    With the Gods having abandoned the human race a young warrior, named Nikandreos, awakens to find his village on the verge of being destroyed by raiders. After fighting off the invaders, and saving his village, he sets out to get his revenge on the Gods with the help of Hera (the wife of Zeus).

    In terms of gameplay Apotheon is a 2d action game with some metroidvania elements that I must admit I quite enjoyed, despite the fact that it gets about as much wrong as it gets right. The graphics for instance, which are designed to look like the type of art you'd see on ancient Greek pottery, give the game a fantastically unique look, but when the screen gets crowded or you enter a darker area (such as the section set in Hades) it becomes very difficult to actually see what’s going on. Thankfully this doesn't happen too often but it certainly makes for a frustrating time when it does.

    The combat, which is the primary focus of the game, is an equally mixed bag as. Despite the opportunity to use multiple weapons and tactics, the controls never really feel comfortable even after playing for the eight or so hours it'll take to complete the game and I couldn't help but make unfavourable comparisons to the excellent Salt and Sanctuary in this regard.

    With the crashes and bugs which I've heard other reviews mentions fixed I found Apotheon to be a game that added up to more than the sum of its parts and anyone that has it sitting in their library having picked up with PS+ should give it a try.    … Expand
  30. RedWulfr
    Dec 27, 2015
    6
    If you like the side scrolling lode runner stylish game in a well told historical context this is the game for you. If you dont like games with that exact combination. Its pretty boring.
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Awards & Rankings

88
#88 Best PS4 Game of 2015
70
#70 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Apr 22, 2015
    60
    Strikingly handsome and fun for a while, Apotheon's scrappy combat and awkward controls spoil its atmosphere, costing in a place among the action-platformer elite. [Apr 2015, p.94]
  2. games(TM)
    Apr 12, 2015
    80
    The positives do make it stand out. [Issue#159, p.112]
    Read full review
  3. CD-Action
    Apr 1, 2015
    85
    The best news about Apotheon is that it does not just look astonishing, but it is also a great, very enjoyable metroidvania game made with passion. [04/2015, p.62]
See all critic reviews »