Testament: The Order of High Human is an ambitious fantasy adventure game developed by Fairyship Games. With a small team of just 15 people working on the project for six years, the game aims to deliver an epic tale of fallen gods, immersive gameplay, and captivating visuals. In this comprehensive review, we will delve into the various aspects of Testament, including its storytelling, gameplay mechanics, puzzles, and technical performance. Let’s explore whether this game lives up to its grand vision or falls short of expectations.
The story of Testament: The Order of High Human is set in a mythical realm plagued by darkness. As the last High Human, players assume the role of Aran, a former immortal king who must confront his treacherous brother and combat the encroaching forces of evil. From the onset, the game presents an intriguing premise, but it quickly becomes apparent that the storytelling falls short of its potential.
Testament inundates players with excessive exposition and lore, often delivered through monologues from the protagonist himself. While the developers’ intention to create a rich mythology is commendable, the execution feels forced and convoluted. The heavy reliance on proper nouns, such as Light and Darkness, evokes memories of Kingdom Hearts, detracting from the game’s ability to establish a relatable narrative.
The combat mechanics, while decent, lack the depth and impact necessary to leave a lasting impression. Swordplay feels average, with enemies exhibiting minimal reaction to attacks. The magic system adds some variety, but the lack of strategic depth reduces it to a button-mashing affair.
Where Testament truly shines is in its puzzle-solving segments. These sections provide a refreshing break from the monotonous combat encounters, offering intriguing challenges that evolve throughout the game. From light beam puzzles to complex mazes, the platforming and puzzle mechanics showcase the game’s potential for engaging gameplay. However, some puzzles suffer from excessive length, disrupting the overall pacing and immersion.
Testament boasts a visually immersive world, with detailed textures and commendable lighting effects. Environments are well-designed, though the level design leans towards linearity. Character models, on the other hand, appear simplistic, lacking the same level of detail as the environments. Despite these inconsistencies, the overall visual presentation is commendable, creating a captivating atmosphere.
In terms of audio, Testament features a mixed bag. The orchestral soundtrack elevates certain moments, adding a layer of depth to the game’s ambience. However, the voice acting falls short of expectations, struggling to convey the required emotions for the scenes. The script’s overreliance on exposition exacerbates these shortcomings, diminishing the impact of the narrative.
One area where Testament excels is its technical performance. The game runs smoothly on various platforms without significant performance issues. Bugs and glitches are minimal, with only a few isolated incidents reported. However, there have been reports of occasional character getting stuck in small places and respawn issues. Despite these minor hiccups, the overall stability of the game is commendable.
Final Verdict
Testament: The Order of High Human is a game that strives for grandeur but falls short in several areas. The game’s storytelling suffers from excessive exposition and convoluted lore, hindering its ability to engage players on a deeper level. While the combat mechanics are serviceable, they lack the depth and impact necessary to leave a lasting impression.
However, Testament’s puzzle-solving segments showcase the game’s potential for engaging gameplay and offer a refreshing break from monotonous combat encounters.
Visually, the game presents an immersive world with detailed environments, though character models lack the same level of detail. The audio design is a mixed bag, with a commendable orchestral soundtrack but subpar voice acting. From a technical perspective, Testament performs well, with minimal bugs and glitches.
Ultimately, Testament: The Order of High Human falls short of its grand vision, but it still offers moments of fun and intrigue. If you can overlook its flaws and appreciate its puzzle-solving elements, there is enjoyment to be found in this ambitious fantasy adventure.
Testament: The Order of High Human
Summary
Testament: The Order of High Human is a game that falls short of its grand vision, with storytelling that suffers from excessive exposition and convoluted lore, hindering player engagement. The combat mechanics are serviceable but lack depth and impact. However, the puzzle-solving segments showcase the game’s potential for engaging gameplay. Visually, the game presents an immersive world with detailed environments, although character models lack the same level of detail. The audio design is a mixed bag, with a commendable orchestral soundtrack but subpar voice acting. Despite its flaws, Testament still offers moments of fun and intrigue, particularly for those who appreciate puzzle-solving elements.