Review: Nine Parchments (Steam)

Nine Parchments combines real-time spell-shooting action with RPG elements – level up your character and collect magical loot, filling your wardrobe with a myriad of wizard hats and powerful staves.

Pros:

• Stunning graphics and art style that are a real visual treat.
• Steam achievements.
• Controller support.
• Opening tutorial with ongoing pop-ups.
• 5890MB Download size.
• Trading cards.
• Four player co-op support both online and offline.
• Action game and plays a lot like a streamlined more refined version of Magicka. Kill enemies and solve puzzles.
• Loot chests.
• Customise with your loot, Hats, Staves, and outfits give cosmetic change but also add or take away stat changes or buffs.
• Massive boss fights.
• Drop in/out co-op.
• Multiple save support.
• Same narrator front he Trine games.
• Set within the Trine world.
• Collectibles on each level, Feathers, and chests.
• Earn EXP and level up and unlock new spells/skills.
• Cast magic from four elements, Water, Electricity, Fire, and dark. You can combine your magic with other players to create new attacks.
• Friendly fire makes the game a lot more interesting.
• Eight characters to unlock and each one has four colour variants.
• One life but you do get a single  “second chance” that heals one random player.
• Discworld/Harry Potter vibe to it all from the magical locations to the strong story and lore.
• Huge loot table.
• Many enemy types along with different element types where you can do extra or no damage.
• Can rebind buttons.
• Easy to play.
• Fun with friends.
• Decent story.
• Progress is shown on the loading screen.
• Can sell hats on the marketplace.
• Fast frantic fun.
• Gets better the more you play as you learn the magic and levels get more clever.
• Cameo appearances from tRINE.
• you can keep your progress across multiple runs and plays.
• Tons of replayability.
• You can host or join set online games.

Cons:

• Areas can feel small and claustrophobic especially in four players.
• Awkward camera angles.
• Combining spells is way too simplistic.
• Hard to see chests.
• Long initial load.
• Slow paced especially the first few hours.
• Little explanation of events.
• Can be hard to see revive status.
• Cycling through the elements is painful.
• Weird UI decisions.
• Doesn’t use your steam name for online and instead, you have to type it in in one of the fields in the menu.
• For the large part it just feels like you fight, Walk to next fight find chest walk then fight rinse and repeat and finish the level.
• Chests loot RNG is stingy and gives out EXP more than item drops.
• Despite being four players from the start you only have two characters to choose from.