Guardian of Lore Switch Review

As you delve into Shalnor Legends: Sacred Lands, you'll soon discover that the item drops seem to be affected by your inventory. If you collect ten items of a particular type, it no longer drops, giving the impression that other items have a higher chance of dropping instead. This mechanic adds an interesting layer to exploration and component collection.

Speaking of components, the game has a limit of ten per item in the component section. When you first start playing, take some time to familiarize yourself with your inventory, component, and collectible screen. You'll find that this aspect is much more enjoyable than expected, as you search for components in the world to craft potions and upgrade your gear.

Unlike Zelda games where items are handed out throughout the adventure, Shalnor Legends' system requires you to actively hunt down components to create potions and enhance your equipment. The inventory screen can become quite engaging, with a variety of collectibles ranging from basic health and mana potions to more complex items that boost bow damage.

The provision bag has eight slots, two of which are unlocked at the start and used for storing potions. There are also two separate menu screens: the provision bag and general items/collectibles. The interface features three bars to manage: red for health, blue for mana (used by bow attacks), and green for stamina, limiting your dashing abilities.

Once you acquire your weapons, you'll use ZL to dash forward with your sword leading the way, B for basic sword attacks, and X for bow fire. Familiarity with top-down adventure-RPGs will make it easy to adjust to Shalnor Legends' gameplay.

While the game's story unfolds piece by piece as you progress, there are no grand revelations or complex lore to uncover like in Dark Souls. Instead, books scattered throughout the world provide insight into the narrative when read. The story is presented in a straightforward manner, with no surprises or twists.

Shalnor Legends starts with your playable character conversing with 'The Keeper,' who warns you about the dangers of venturing into the Sacred Lands. While the game doesn't fall into the same disappointment as Mana Spark, it's close. With pixel art and Zelda-inspired gameplay, Shalnor Legends: Sacred Lands is an affordable option at $0.99. Despite its limitations, I was drawn to this game due to its price tag and managed to complete it during my quarantine experience with a newborn.

Overall, Shalnor Legends: Sacred Lands offers a unique take on the top-down adventure-RPG genre, but it's not without its flaws. With some interesting mechanics and collectibles, it may appeal to fans of pixel art and Zelda-style gameplay at an affordable price.

Guardian of lore switch review