Severed

 PlayStation Vita
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 96 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 96
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 96
  3. Negative: 10 out of 96
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  1. NaramSuen
    Aug 13, 2016
    10
    I was a huge fan of Guacamelee and had been excited to play Severed ever since it was announced. Unfortunately, I had to wait longer than others to play Severed due to different release dates in different PSN regions. Luckily, it was well worth the wait. On paper, Severed shouldn't work, it is a first person dungeon crawler which uses the touch screen for combat. However, Drinkbox deliversI was a huge fan of Guacamelee and had been excited to play Severed ever since it was announced. Unfortunately, I had to wait longer than others to play Severed due to different release dates in different PSN regions. Luckily, it was well worth the wait. On paper, Severed shouldn't work, it is a first person dungeon crawler which uses the touch screen for combat. However, Drinkbox delivers an unforgettable experience by creating a melancholy environment that uses exploration to tell its story. Combat is surprisingly fun and the severing mechanic encourages you to be thoughtful as you approach combat as to maximize your resources. In terms of length, I would have preferred more time in this world, but Severed is by no means too short. Even though the game is now available on iOS, I would strongly urge every Vita owner to support Drinkbox and buy Severed!… Expand
  2. shangoat
    May 6, 2016
    10
    I signed up to write a review for this game, that's how good this game is.

    Like others mentioned, being a Drinkbox game, Severed has similar gradient Flash art style to Guacamelee, but goes for a darker tone in story. Severed is the protagonist, Sasha's left arm, but also her family and enemy. The game features first person dungeon crawling similar to Intellivision's Advanced Dungeons &    I signed up to write a review for this game, that's how good this game is.

    Like others mentioned, being a Drinkbox game, Severed has similar gradient Flash art style to Guacamelee, but goes for a darker tone in story. Severed is the protagonist, Sasha's left arm, but also her family and enemy. The game features first person dungeon crawling similar to Intellivision's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and Fruit Ninja style combat system which surprisingly requires player to think before act, in a Metroidvania 'come back later to unlock hidden path' world map.

    Overall a 10 hour game with unique art style and engaging gameplay. I can see it get ported to and succeed on mobile platforms in months to come. For PSN trophy hunters, it is a easy platinum.

    After all, there's not many NA PS Vita exclusives left in 2016, let alone a brave(risky) diversion from an established studio. Drinkbox could've release this game on other platform concurrently, but they chose the Vita. That's why I recommend Severed to every PS Vita owner.    … Expand
  3. kerJuno
    May 21, 2016
    10
    Just in a few words.

    This is far my favorite game this year on PSVITA.
    The only one with affordable Platinum Trophy that made me wanna get it.

    Everything reached my expectations : touch gameplay, dark mysterious story, and crazy art.

    Thank you Drinkbox, the best 8 hours I spent in a long time.
  4. TrevZ
    Apr 26, 2016
    9
    This game is what all PS Vita owners should pick up! it has great combat systems(espescially for a touch based game) as well as amazing art style, and surprisingly dark and interesting story. I'm a fan of Drinkbox studios and am loving this game. For 15$ you can't go wrong.
  5. urubublue
    Sep 4, 2016
    10
    Great psvita game! The combat System is amazing and contains many elements of RPG inserted in a great story. The game takes advantages from vita touch controls with perfection.
  6. Shadzard
    Apr 30, 2016
    9
    This game is very addictive. The story is not the most original, but the gameplay, the music, and the beautiful graphics make it worthwhile. A must buy for vita owners.
  7. guesxy
    Apr 29, 2016
    9
    What a game for the Vita, waited to quite long for it. As fan of previous work by DrinkBox (mainly Guacamelee), this game doesn't disappoint. Amazing art style, music, involving combat. It's not immensely challenging, but it is quite involving. Also getting that 100% is a joy :) For the price, it's definitely worth it!
  8. willischarted
    Apr 30, 2016
    9
    Those disappointed that Severed wasn't a Guacamelee sequel should still give Severed a try.

    Despite the focus on the touch screen, Severed still feels like a legitimate game, unlike many found on phones. The gameplay is simple (but unsurprisingly) offers incredible depth. While the player's abilities are not as varied as Guacamelee's, there are many enemies that require the player to    Those disappointed that Severed wasn't a Guacamelee sequel should still give Severed a try.

    Despite the focus on the touch screen, Severed still feels like a legitimate game, unlike many found on phones. The gameplay is simple (but unsurprisingly) offers incredible depth. While the player's abilities are not as varied as Guacamelee's, there are many enemies that require the player to think strategically with different "tells", "moves" and "attacks". There was never a moment when the controls felt "gimmicky", "forced", or unresponsive.

    The art style is very beautiful harkening back to DrinkBox's previous game. Also the metroidvania-esque "unlock new abilities and return to previous areas" should make fans feel right at home.

    Finally where Guacameele was fun and vibrant and cheery, Severed's story is dark and moody a major departure for the studio from their previous games. Despite this, the story is gripping and interesting with a major focus on "show" rather then "tell" storytelling.    … Expand
  9. TSTMS2
    Jun 4, 2016
    1
    Next stupid Indi game on PS VITA - Severed good for 3DS no for PS VITA , for Indies games is Best 3DS , but PS VITA need Normal 3D Games, Severed 2 D anime game n o for my PS Vita
  10. EmirKhorasani
    Mar 4, 2017
    9
    Severed is the epitome of a great Vita game. This challenging dungeon crawler has fun combat, strategy, and exploration. Completing this masterpiece 100% is a rewarding journey. Aside from some tremendously frustrating boss encounters and one seemingly impossible fight, this game gets it all right.
  11. Lee_Godspeed
    Mar 24, 2017
    8
    Really enjoyed my time with this game but felt it was a bit too easy as the puzzles could be solved almost first time every time. I very much liked its linear style of navigating whilst hiding its secrets across its world making you want to back track upon unlocking certain abilities. The story was very unique much like Drink boxes last game Guacamelee and also similar art style. A highlyReally enjoyed my time with this game but felt it was a bit too easy as the puzzles could be solved almost first time every time. I very much liked its linear style of navigating whilst hiding its secrets across its world making you want to back track upon unlocking certain abilities. The story was very unique much like Drink boxes last game Guacamelee and also similar art style. A highly recommended Vita game… Expand
  12. spaceVulture
    Jun 6, 2018
    10
    This is a near perfect game for the Vita platform. While the "combat" could be considered repetitive, I found it to be more like a puzzle, trying to find an effective solution and get better at it as well. The story is fantastic, the graphics perfect and the use of the Vita's touch screen was ideal. I cannot recommend this game more. If you have a Vita, you should have this game.
  13. HeadsetHavoc
    Oct 2, 2018
    8
    DrinkBox Studios, the developer of Guacamelee fame, has expertly crafted another beautifully unique experience for owners of Sony’s Playstation Vita. The game casts you as Sasha, an amputee on a quest to find the remains of her family before they’re eaten by the monsters inhabiting the world. While finding her family is the driving force behind the game, Sasha’s journey to coping withDrinkBox Studios, the developer of Guacamelee fame, has expertly crafted another beautifully unique experience for owners of Sony’s Playstation Vita. The game casts you as Sasha, an amputee on a quest to find the remains of her family before they’re eaten by the monsters inhabiting the world. While finding her family is the driving force behind the game, Sasha’s journey to coping with their death takes a backseat to the first person dungeon crawling and combat.
    The world DrinkBox has created looks great. It somehow feels eerie while being vibrant at the same time. While the color palate isn’t the same as Guacamelee, it shares a certain aesthetic. Traversal through the world feels odd at first, going from block to block, but makes perfect sense within 15 minutes and prevented me from getting lost as I sometimes do in dungeon crawlers. However, for all its beauty, I spent most my time only looking at the mini map while exploring the games environment. The puzzles scattered about the games three dungeons aren’t overly complicated and complement the battles nicely. The puzzles do get a little repetitive towards the end and I felt like a few environmental elements could have been integrated a little more to provide some variety as poisonous rooms and caverns with blinding crystals offered a nice change of pace, even if they were rarely used.
    The battles are solely based on utilizing the Vita’s touchscreen mechanics, and while this may sound off-putting to some, it never felt gimmicky during my roughly seven hour playthrough. The battle system does a great job of introducing you to different enemy varieties as well as their armored variants. The pacing in Severed is exceptional, keeping each of its battles engaging by constantly ramping up the difficulty and enemy variety. The combat is built around a parry system and taking advantage of openings in your enemy’s defenses and armor. Each enemy has a yellow timer around their icon that visually represents when they will attack, keeping an eye on this timer is crucial in succeeding during the later stages of the game when multiple enemies with multiple defensive and offensive buffs are thrown at you. You quickly learn which opponents to deal with first and which ones can be left until the end of a battle. Slashing on screen while watching your enemy’s health drain is oddly satisfying, made even more so by severing their body parts once defeated.
    Severed offers a nice upgrade system that rewards you for your mastery of the combat. There are three skill trees to invest in, one for your sword, and one for each of the magic abilities you learn, and I never felt like an upgrade wasn’t useful. Each upgrade was noticeable in the next battle and upgrading Sasha was a must for success in later fights. Since the currency used to purchase upgrades is the body parts collected from monsters, I highly suggest investing in upgrades that increase your window of opportunity for doing so. I focused solely on increasing loot in the early game and had to do minimal grinding, 30 minutes or so, to max Sasha’s stats before heading into the final boss battle. Speaking of the final boss, I felt like it was a letdown and was more of a marathon of finger swiping than a culmination of the battles leading up to it. Aside from one battle on my way to one of the collectibles in the game I was never overwhelmed or frustrated and after failing numerous times I remembered I had an upgrade available and after using it the very next attempt, breezed through the battle.
    I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Severed and ended the game with a platinum trophy, feeling satisfied with my experience. DrinkBox scratched an itch that I didn’t know I had. While it has it’s missteps, Severed is a gorgeous game with tight gameplay that every Vita owner should give a chance.    … Expand
  14. Louis-Loong
    Jun 16, 2019
    8
    墨西哥暗黑版水果忍者。地图设计、谜题很不错，手指简直要摩擦起火！

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PS Vita Game of 2016
2
#2 Most Discussed PS Vita Game of 2016
4
#4 Most Shared PS Vita Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 64 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 64
  3. Negative: 1 out of 64
  1. Games Master UK
    Jul 5, 2016
    81
    The touchscreen combat is hit and miss, but the world is thick with irresistible atmosphere. [June 2016, p.70]
  2. Edge Magazine
    Jul 5, 2016
    60
    A frustrating step backwards for a studio that can do better. [July 2016, p.122]
  3. DarkStation
    Jun 29, 2016
    70
    Though its bewitching world and stimulating combat are brought down by some counterintuitive mechanics, it’s still a provocative tale about fate and the human condition that left me contemplating what it really means to be part of a family, and the sacrifices we make for the sake of those we love.
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