ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree

 Switch
ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree Image
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: The Gods have abandoned Midgard. Once a prosperous land teeming with mythical beasts and beings, it now rots from the inside, tainted by unknown forces. Odin's chosen guardians of the realm are gone. In their absence, the sacred Elder Tree they swore to protect is exposed to abuse andThe Gods have abandoned Midgard. Once a prosperous land teeming with mythical beasts and beings, it now rots from the inside, tainted by unknown forces. Odin's chosen guardians of the realm are gone. In their absence, the sacred Elder Tree they swore to protect is exposed to abuse and manipulation. Now, the only remnants of hope reside in Estra, the daughter of mankind's last great leader.

    With a heavy emphasis on narrative, Estra's journey through Midgard is filled with Nordic lore, mysterious twists, and consequential decisions. Players will converse with a variety of characters and share in Estra's discoveries as she learns more about her family's past and the looming darkness spreading across the realm.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Universo Nintendo
    Jun 10, 2023
    95
    ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree is everything I expect from a game and maybe more: It's both modern and retro at the same time, there are several different ways to have fun, the characters are deep and remarkable, the decisions sound meaningful and the technical quality is high. Everyone should know this game.
  2. WellPlayed
    Jan 26, 2023
    85
    ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree sets out to do a lot in a short space of time and manages to pull it off impressively, even though I wanted to spend even more time within its take on Midgard compared to what it holds.
  3. TouchArcade
    Feb 7, 2023
    80
    ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree is if nothing else a unique experience, and it’s nice to see it make a relatively unscathed trip to the Switch.
  4. Checkpoint Gaming
    Jan 28, 2023
    75
    ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree is a game with lots of love put into it. The story is emotional, the art is beautiful and original, and the soundtrack is outstanding. It’s just unfortunate that the rhythm game portion doesn’t work quite right on Nintendo Switch. I think it would only take a few small changes for it to be greatly improved, and I hope the team at Wildboy Studios may have the time to implement these in future. The game is already good, but it could be even better.
  5. Pure Nintendo
    Feb 21, 2023
    75
    ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree is a vibrant game, artistically, that tells a dark tale involving coming to terms with one’s loss, making amends, and being pushed into a place of power. It surprisingly did a great job with its unique combination of action, adventure, puzzle, rhythm, and role-playing genres blended together. It is a short game that offers replayability due to the decisions one makes changing the course of the story.
  6. God is a Geek
    Jan 31, 2023
    70
    Issues with the combat aside, there is much to enjoy in what Untold Tales have served up with Atone.
  7. NintendoWorldReport
    Mar 3, 2023
    60
    For me personally, Atone’s greatest obstacle is that it’s just not terribly engaging. I note here that I’ve had the game for about a month now. The usual review turnaround time is a week, maybe ten days if it’s a big game. I just found it difficult to find the motivation to grind out an hour here and there. My wife watched me play Atone for awhile and at one point remarked that all I was doing was talking to people and solving puzzles, and she’s not wrong. For some of you dear readers out there, that may be all you need, but I was unsatisfied.

See all 8 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. BobsYourUncle
    Jul 8, 2023
    9
    The game is so varied in its gameplay with rhythm sections, interesting puzzles, engaging characters and writing. It’s all so great! I playedThe game is so varied in its gameplay with rhythm sections, interesting puzzles, engaging characters and writing. It’s all so great! I played it on apple arcade and bought on the switch just to support the devs. It shouldn’t be overlooked!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Best Switch Game of 2023
89
#89 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

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