Tyrant’s Realm – A Retro Soulslike (Review)

Release Date: Jan 16, 2025
Developer: Team Tyrant
Publisher: Skystone Games
Genre: Action RPG
Style: Retro, Soulslike, PS1

The gaming industry today faces a truth many of us have known all along: big budgets and shiny graphics don’t necessarily make good games. This should be obvious, yet time and again, we see AAAA games with bloated budgets flop and nearly sink entire companies. These days, I find myself more excited about pixel art games or titles with an older aesthetic. Not because I’m nostalgic for those visuals (though that plays a small part), but because some of the best games of the last decade resemble ones you could play on a PSP or even a Game Boy Advance. I say all this to preface my thoughts on Tyrant’s Realm, a game that intrigued me from the moment I saw it. The opening feature was essentially: “This looks like a PS1 game.” I was hooked. So, was that a good idea? Let’s discuss.

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STORY

In Tyrant’s Realm, you play as a hero in a realm ruled by a tyrant who must be defeated. That may sound facetious and snarky, but it’s genuinely all the game gives you to work with. Some games have hidden lore or cryptic entries that invite you to piece together the story. Here? What you see is what you get. You’re a hero starting from nothing, tasked with defeating the forces of evil. A tale as old as time.

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GAMEPLAY

From an outsider’s perspective, you might assume this is another Soulslike. That’s not entirely incorrect. The dodge roll, stamina bar, parry system, uninterruptible attack wind-ups, overly long healing animations, and frustrating camera are all present. (Seriously, the camera is the most challenging enemy in the game.) Despite these quirks, the combat is where the game feels distinctly Soulslike: responsive and satisfying. I’ve never lost a run and felt it was due to poor controls.

That said, the game lacks some mechanics that could elevate it. For instance, there are no backstab attacks. Sneaking up on an enemy grants you a free hit—if you can even manage to sneak up on them. The AI’s spatial awareness is almost superhuman at times.

Another notable omission is the strategic use of enemy patterns and the environment. In most cases, you’re just learning parry timing, and even that feels optional. Many enemies can be beaten by walking in a circle until they whiff, then attacking. To counter this simplicity, the game relies on ambushes. You’ll often find enemies tucked into corners or face 2v1 situations where it’s unclear whether to attack or defend. Despite the frequent ambushes, the game isn’t overly difficult. If you’re experienced with Soulslikes, this will feel like a stroll in the park. Even the bosses, while enjoyable, become trivial after a few attempts. The first boss, in particular, is underwhelming compared to the others.

While Tyrant’s Realm is marketed as a retro Soulslike, it’s more accurate to call it a retro roguelike with Souls-inspired combat. The core loop involves collecting coins to unlock weapons and armor, which become invaluable as you progress. What seems insurmountable in one run may become trivial with better equipment. I gravitated toward the fists: short-range but fast and multi-hitting, perfect for melting health bars once you master enemy movement. There’s also a range of options, from daggers to scythes, dual swords, and katanas.

Between levels, you’ll find a merchant’s lounge where you can refill health flasks, spend coins, and review your unlocked items. Early on, progression feels painfully slow, but bosses offer decent payouts, and certain armor sets help increase your coin earnings.

Armor is one of the game’s standout features. Some sets provide flat defense boosts, while others grant unique abilities that make the game more engaging. For example, one set adds poison to your attacks, another allows shield charges, and yet another lets you loot enemy corpses. These mechanics encourage building a specialized character, which helps keep runs from feeling too repetitive—a common issue in roguelikes. My only gripe is that these features don’t extend to weapons and shields in meaningful ways. Adding more variety to weapon abilities could have made builds feel more distinct.

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VISUALS

The game embraces a PS1-era retro aesthetic, and it nails the look—for better or worse. While environments are vibrant and distinct, enemies often blend into the background. For example, an enemy clad in shades of brown can be obscured by similarly colored walls. It’s not enough to feel unfair, but it can lead to cheap hits.

The enemy designs are fine, but nothing extraordinary. It’s clear most of the design effort went into the bosses. While the regular enemies and even your character model are serviceable, they don’t stand out.

The environments, while initially charming, can become tiresome after multiple runs. This is partly due to procedural generation. Like many roguelikes, levels are shuffled to create variation, but the execution here feels limited. After a few hours, I felt I had seen every room in rotation. Fortunately, no single level feels overly long. For newcomers, levels might take 4-5 minutes; experienced players can clear them in 1-2 minutes.

The game includes plenty of graphical options and can run on just about anything. Even with max settings, my PC handled it effortlessly, and the Steam Deck ran it at the 90 FPS cap with minor tweaks. However, avoid the CRT filter—it’s awful. It turns the screen into a fuzzy blue mess, making the game harder to look at.

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AUDIO

The audio design is a mixed bag. I can’t recall a single track from the game’s music, but I’ll never forget the rhythmic thudding of the hero’s footsteps or the unintentionally comical wailing in the prison section. Monster grunts and groans are well-done, but they’re overshadowed by odd ambient noises and random screams. Strangely, equipping certain armor sets quiets the sound of your footsteps. While the audio didn’t ruin the experience, it often felt more distracting than immersive.

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CONCLUSION

As a Soulslike, Tyrant’s Realm is forgettable. As a starter roguelike, however, it’s worth a look. The game doesn’t break any molds or revolutionize the genre, but it’s solid. It’s the kind of game you can pick up for an hour and have fun with. With the rise of handheld gaming PCs, Tyrant’s Realm feels perfectly suited for those platforms.

Experienced roguelike players may find it too simplistic, as the build diversity isn’t enough to create drastically different playstyles. However, for newcomers, its simplicity and accessibility are strengths. It’s a solid, unpretentious game that doesn’t overstay its welcome. While it’s not the next indie darling, it’s undeniably enjoyable.

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