Massive Chalice

 Xbox One
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 50 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 50
  3. Negative: 8 out of 50

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  1. SurlyAardvark
    Jun 2, 2015
    9
    I was a Kickstarter supporter of this project and I've been waiting a long time.
    Reminiscent of Myth:the Fallen Lords in art direction and style, with a winking, tongue-in-cheek style of humor that lightens the mood in the face of harsh combat choices and situations, Massive Chalice is an engaging game that kept me playing for hours from tutorial on. It has a learning curve that    I was a Kickstarter supporter of this project and I've been waiting a long time.
    Reminiscent of Myth:the Fallen Lords in art direction and style, with a winking, tongue-in-cheek style of humor that lightens the mood in the face of harsh combat choices and situations, Massive Chalice is an engaging game that kept me playing for hours from tutorial on. It has a learning curve that challenges, but the narrators and tutorials brought me up to speed smoothly and easily.
    The genetic element of heritage and bloodlines is interesting; looking forward to mastering the intricacies of it. The limited longevities of the heroes can be frustrating; feels like i just get a hero advanced and she/he dies off. Can't keep a bloodline healthy or vibrant for long enough to keep it going strong. Need to learn better how to tweak it; the game seems to give all the tools and resources to do so, with add-ons, advantages, tools, etc. that can modify.
    Combat choices are harsh and unforgiving, but very satisfying when (if) conquered. Turn-based strategy allows for time to think, but the delay also creates enough dread that one can tell when the end is coming and one's goose is cooked. Sometimes, I snatched victory out at the last minute by a random missed shot that upset the balance in my favor, and other times, I lost massively at the last second. It was genuinely exciting fighting against enemies that had frightening consequences and appearances.
    This game made me think and make real choices. I really enjoyed the extra "thrown in" missions that took out heroes for some years and brought back advantages or harm (reminded me of the mechanics from the "Castles" game from Interplay way back when); lots of variables to choose from that affect one's outcome.
    I've only played one session. Need to play more. There doesn't seem to be an end to the number of times I'll go back. Not unlike Sid Meier's "Pirates," that has a career time limit and an ending, I look forward to taking what I'm learning and going again, and again.    … Expand
  2. Meolac
    Jul 29, 2015
    8
    XCOM clone but you will be addicted as long as you press A button to begin this game. A good strategy game, but maybe a little to hard for a new.
    Graphic 7.5
    Sound 8
    Gameplay 8
    Total 8
  3. Hyrdgun
    Jun 14, 2015
    8
    I am a fan of turn based strategy, especially the x-com series. When I saw this game was free on xbox live I downloaded it not realizing how good it was going to be. It did not take me too long to get used to the game mechanics but they are not what I am used to. In a normal game you build up heroes and let them live out grand lives creating grand tales along the way. In this game youI am a fan of turn based strategy, especially the x-com series. When I saw this game was free on xbox live I downloaded it not realizing how good it was going to be. It did not take me too long to get used to the game mechanics but they are not what I am used to. In a normal game you build up heroes and let them live out grand lives creating grand tales along the way. In this game you will cycle through several sets because they will die of old age or get slain in battle. Still enjoyable non the less. Even at the regular price point I would recommend this as there is nothing else like it on xbox 1 so far.… Expand
  4. Caste
    Jun 4, 2015
    10
    This game is a big surprise for me, thankfully in a good way.

    It mixes XCOM and Game of Thrones to create a game progression based on marriages and children generated by your decisions involving each house. Combats are like in XCOM. Different enemies, permadeath, squad members with a small tree to develop certain skills and not others, etc. The art direction, voice acting of the    This game is a big surprise for me, thankfully in a good way.

    It mixes XCOM and Game of Thrones to create a game progression based on marriages and children generated by your decisions involving each house.

    Combats are like in XCOM. Different enemies, permadeath, squad members with a small tree to develop certain skills and not others, etc.

    The art direction, voice acting of the Chalice (charming!) and the overall music and feeling is quite good too.

    In short, it's in GWG now, so if you like this kind of game go for it right now!    … Expand
  5. Daelus
    Jun 22, 2015
    3
    I loved X-com....loved it. From a combat perspective this Indie attempts to follow the mechanics of X-com and does a decent job of that....that's the end of the pros about this game.

    Unlike X-com, the combat isn't as refined or strategic; the environments are bare bones; they try to make it challenging by spawning hordes of enemies in random locations, but meh. The real problems with    I loved X-com....loved it. From a combat perspective this Indie attempts to follow the mechanics of X-com and does a decent job of that....that's the end of the pros about this game.

    Unlike X-com, the combat isn't as refined or strategic; the environments are bare bones; they try to make it challenging by spawning hordes of enemies in random locations, but meh.

    The real problems with this game are:
    1. The "story" is garbage, so you are only fighting in a tower defense-type way only just trying to last for 300 years.
    2. Because it is over 300 years, with fights on average every 10 years, you only get to fight 3 maybe 4 fights with any 1 hero, before they die of old age....you can rarely level up any hero to any significant degree or, if you do, it is in their last battle. With no vested interest in any of the characters, combined with a junk story....zzzzzzzzz.
    3. As you are constantly having to use new, no-ability, characters, they are under-powered, and yet the foes get tougher every fight...very odd set-up and not well thought out at all.
    4. The whole bloodlines thing, while I do appreciate devs taking chances and pushing the boundaries, this was obviously done in someone's basement without any real thought put into it....whoever the regent is, that is the class fighter they will produce...god forbid you get all the cabers....zzzzzzzzz.

    Bottom line for me, this is a PC or iOS quality game. The devs tried to add a new idea to the genre, but either because it was on a shoe-string budget or they simply aren't very good at this, it was not well done, very simplistic and boring. The devs should have stuck with trying to do a simpler X-com, as there is definitely a market for that, not so much for this.    … Expand
  6. AdamStarks
    Dec 13, 2016
    10
    It's hard to put my finger on it, but Massive Chalice pushed all the right buttons for me. The gameplay, art, ambience, and tone were all sublime, and I can't think of anything that should have been added or subtracted.

    For me at least, it's one of those perfect games.
  7. Joshatron1205
    Jun 6, 2015
    7
    Im a complete new comer to this game and did find Massive Chalice to be a little bit tricky to get into, I guess I should say that this game is not for me, having said that I believe that for what it is, its a very good game. There are gamers who I could see spending easily 100 hours playing this game with the many different paths you can attack this game with.

    Its strategy with turn    Im a complete new comer to this game and did find Massive Chalice to be a little bit tricky to get into, I guess I should say that this game is not for me, having said that I believe that for what it is, its a very good game. There are gamers who I could see spending easily 100 hours playing this game with the many different paths you can attack this game with.

    Its strategy with turn based combat thrown in for good measure, the combat can be a little slow, I feel there should be a way to get all your characters to move at once rather than individually, other than that the combat is instinctive and fun. For me it was the strategy aspect that put me off, but its still done rather well.

    Overall Id say if your a fan of strategy games you will enjoy this one.    … Expand
  8. Broyax
    Sep 21, 2017
    3
    Un jeu très inspiré de XCom et de son tour par tour et mâtiné ici d'un brin de gestion simplifiée, pour ne pas dire simpliste mais néanmoins stratégique. Le jeu se déroule sur des génération entières, les "héros" vieillissent, ce qui implique de s'assurer d'un vivier constant de jeunes recrues à former éventuellement et à envoyer au combat défendre le royaume contre la corruption qui leUn jeu très inspiré de XCom et de son tour par tour et mâtiné ici d'un brin de gestion simplifiée, pour ne pas dire simpliste mais néanmoins stratégique. Le jeu se déroule sur des génération entières, les "héros" vieillissent, ce qui implique de s'assurer d'un vivier constant de jeunes recrues à former éventuellement et à envoyer au combat défendre le royaume contre la corruption qui le menace de toutes parts.

    Ce n'est certainement pas une mince affaire au vu de la difficulté de la campagne qui va crescendo alors que votre équipe de 5 branques ne touche pas une bille et s'avère aussi frêle qu'un château de cartes dans votre dynastie en carton. Le tour par tour n'est pas aussi bien développé que dans un XCom (sans parler d'un King's Bounty) et se révèle fort limité (pas de couverture, pas de mode "veille", un inventaire limité... à un objet ! et ainsi de suite...).

    Comme susmentionné, la difficulté complètement craquée du bousin en devient décourageante et on tourne vite en rond à combler les brèches de ce royaume qui part à vau-l'eau. C'est vraiment regrettable, car le jeu avait malgré tout du potentiel et se révèle drolatique à travers les commentaires en voix off (anglaise) de deux conseillers lunatiques.

    Du coup, les défauts flagrants de la réalisation ne sont plus aussi pardonnables, car j'ai omis de préciser qu'il s'agit d'un indé financé par Kickstarter à la base, puis porté sur consoles. Les graphismes simplets en très simple 3D polygonale nous replongent des décennies en arrière et nuisent beaucoup à la lisibilité sur certaines cartes.

    En outre, la direction artistique très pauvre ne relève certainement pas le niveau et si l'on peut déjà légitimement critiquer la gueule des XCom, alors que dire de ce Massive Chalice sinon qu'il est massivement immonde en comparaison !

    Quel dommage d'avoir un jeu aussi mal équilibré et aussi perfectible dont la première bonne impression se transforme au fil des heures en grande déception ; mais après tout, il ne s'agit que d'un jeu indé qui a été clairement bâclé.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

87
#87 Best Xbox One Game of 2015
78
#78 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2015
90
#90 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. games(TM)
    Sep 1, 2015
    60
    It’s a game with a huge amount of ambition, not to mention imagination, but a few unrefined core mechanics and tedious world can overshadow all of its fun.
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  2. IGN Spain
    Jun 30, 2015
    80
    An interesting take on the turn based strategy games that also brings to the table some interesting ideas. It could be more ambitious, but still is fun.
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  3. Everyeye.it
    Jun 26, 2015
    70
    Massive Chalice is not perfect, ad the managing elements are repetitive and the combat system is sometimes unbalanced, but it's still an engaging and deep experience.
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