Severed

 Wii U
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 21
  3. Negative: 4 out of 21

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  1. moothemagiccow
    Sep 23, 2016
    9
    This game uses the analog stick and the touchscreen only, and it is the first action game to do that well. I've played Kid Icarus, Dillon's Rolling Western, and Liberation Maiden, and they were all kind of awkward and hard to get used to. Severed, on the other hand, is designed with this control scheme in mind. It is not an afterthought, a compromise, or a substitute for a pointer orThis game uses the analog stick and the touchscreen only, and it is the first action game to do that well. I've played Kid Icarus, Dillon's Rolling Western, and Liberation Maiden, and they were all kind of awkward and hard to get used to. Severed, on the other hand, is designed with this control scheme in mind. It is not an afterthought, a compromise, or a substitute for a pointer or second analog stick. It works.

    You're given a first person view, and travel around dungeons one room at a time. It feels a bit like Doom (90s) since you can't point up or down, but there's less freedom as you can only turn left, turn right, or exit the room. You explore, pull levers, pick up items by poking the touchscreen, and attack by swiping in specific directions (like Fruit Ninja or Theatrhythm). The limited mobility reminds me of point-and-click adventure games, but is far more intuitive.

    The game eases you into the controls gradually, so it feels natural very quickly. After you get used to walking, you're taught how to swipe to damage enemies and parry their attacks. It felt challenging at first, but an hour later, I was fighting multiple enemies at once. It was intimidating, turning the analog stick rapidly before an enemy could attack you.

    Walking through the dungeons has a slower-paced Zelda feel to it. You're equipped with a map and doing everything from pulling levers, lighting torches and using keys and stairs to reach the end of the level.

    It has an upgrade system, where the better you are at fighting, the more trophies you get, which you can spend to learn skills, like raising damage and armor. This seemed unfair to me at first, since enemies don't respawn in the dungeons, and I'm not great at fighting, but it encouraged me to improve and figure out how best to beat enemies.

    The game is very gruesome. The hacking and slashing is realistic, but even things like upgrades to the life meter and eating to regain health are a bit macabre. I like it, (it suits the story's tone) but others might be put off.

    On Wii U, you could play the entire game without looking at the tv screen, because all the action takes place on the gamepad. The default option is to put the map on the tv, but the graphics are so detailed that I decided to use the other option - mirroring them on the big screen. I can easily swipe the touchscreen without looking down, but you might find yourself looking less at your tv in more trying scenarios.

    Severed is an immersive experience and a novel game concept that works perfectly for Wii U.    … Expand
  2. hirschlord
    Mar 16, 2019
    2
    good graphic but i dotn like the fighting system and the map is not so good
    12345678912345678123456781234567812345678 to get 75 letters is hard !
  3. saraha206
    May 14, 2021
    10
    Amazing game!! Stunning, great ending, amazing fights. Kept my attention for the whole game, which is hard to do. It was also a fun game to 100%, instead of grueling. Absolutely incredible!!

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best Wii U Game of 2016
12
#12 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2016
13
#13 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Cubed3
    Nov 28, 2016
    90
    The combat, combined with the haunting, memorable aesthetic, makes the game stand out as one of the better indie titles available on the Wii U. So grab your stylus and be prepared, because Severed is a cut above the competition.
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Nov 7, 2016
    65
    The best word to wholly describe the experience of Severed is "unsettling." [Issue #24 – November/December 2016, p.21S]
  3. FNintendo
    Oct 9, 2016
    70
    Severed is a simple and quick-to-learn game that puts the players at the centre of a rather harsh story that is further advanced by its visuals and navigation. While there certainly is room for improvement in the way the story is presented and on the level of interaction with the Wii U's potential, fans of dungeon-crawler types will find plenty of assets in Sasha's adventure to be reunited with her family.
    Read full review
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