VED Review (PlayStation 5)

Rating: 8
Author: Jim Smale

by Jim Smale · November 25, 2024

VED Review, VED is a story-driven, hand-drawn RPG with a unique turn-based combat system and roguelite elements. Set in two different worlds, VED tells the story of Cyrus, a young hero who sets out on a quest to become a master of sword and magic and save everything he knows from destruction.

VED Review Pros:

Beautiful graphics.
2.64GB download size.
Platinum trophy.
You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game.
Two difficulties – Normal and story mode.
Choose your own adventure RPG gameplay.
Tutorial pop-ups as you play.
Animated hand-drawn cutscenes with voice work.
The game autosaves after each choice.
Multiple choice encounters and situations.
Story Combat plays out as you have three choices each having a difficulty rating (based on your stats) and that score is combined with a D20 roll to determine success or failure.
A very stylish game.
Success in combat and exploration is based on a D20 roll amd your trait score.
Teleport around this beautiful game world where every location looks like a piece of art.
The game manual acts like a tutorial.
Normal combat encounters are more traditional with turn-based mechanics and you pick what ability to play, you can see possible enemy attacks etc.
Every attack or attack placement shows a percentage chance of success.
Fast loading times.
I like how you can target parts of the enemy and do things like cut off their arm so they can’t attack or break the shield to stop blocking.
Every step of the game is choosing where to go and what to do.
Unique playthroughs mean everyone will have a different experience.
The game is accessible and very quick to action, within minutes you get the combat, the story starts and you just feel informed.
Cause and succumb to status effects like fear, slow, disease, etc.
Every character is fully voiced.
You have total control over your story and character.
All interactions auto-play.
End of chapter breakdown showing what happened in the story thanks to your actions with certain people or certain situations.
Actions can have a positive or negative effect on your stats or standing with characters.
Combat despite initial impressions is actually very deep, attacks are one thing but you need to bear in mind that some attacks move your position and you need to try and avoid attacks.
The Tree of life is the center of this world and you can help it by constructing buildings using resources you get from fights, in return you can unlock new buffs and abilities.
Customise and build your own bar of all your attacks and abilities.
Characters can become friends and each has three parameters for your friendship level – respect, friendliness, and fear.
Before each encounter, you may get to pick one ritual that can bless or curse the enemy from the three shown. These can do things like add crit to an attack or spawn in allies etc.
When teleporting around the world you may or may not get told where you are going or what could be there.
Earn experience points from story battles and use them to improve your stats.
Your diary fills in with character profiles as you find them.
A chapter selection is available straight after finishing one and you can jump between them on the main menu.
Your ability bar is split up into positions that correspond to your position in a fight as you can be left, right or in the. Middle.
When an enemy has multiple limbs and you target them, you can see the health of that limb.
The key to combat is to manage your positioning as all attacks move you afterward.
When you die you respawn back at the tree of life.
The ability bar allows you to have multiple instances of an ability as it has multiple positions.

VED Review Cons:

They may be quick but there are a lot of loading screens, it’s only annoying as you have to press continue after it loads.
You cannot remap the controls.
No actual game settings or accessibility options.
With so many abilities on your bar, it’s not always easy to know or identify each individual one and you can feel lost in battle.
At times you get almost stuck in a loop of options.
I don’t like all the voice work acting.
Anything outside of the combat or fast-paced decisions is particularly fun, it kind of brings the game to a halt.
I’ve had fights go on far too long and get tedious.
The pacing definitely feels up and down.
Difficulty spikes happen usually in random ways.

VED:

Official website.

Developer: Karaclan

Publisher: Fulqrum Publishing

Store Links –

PlayStation

8/10

Graphics - 8/10
8/10

Sound - 8/10
7/10

Accessibility - 7/10
8/10

Length - 8/10
9/10

Fun Factor - 9/10

8/10

Summary

VED is a visually stunning game, boasting beautiful graphics and a modest download size of 2.64GB. It offers both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions, complete with a Platinum trophy for dedicated players. The game features two difficulty levels—Normal and Story mode—catering to different player preferences. The choose-your-own-adventure RPG gameplay is enhanced by tutorial pop-ups, animated hand-drawn cutscenes with voice work, and an autosave feature after each choice. Multiple choice encounters and situations add depth to the narrative, with story combat playing out through a combination of difficulty ratings and D20 rolls to determine success or failure.

The game is stylish and engaging, with success in combat and exploration based on a D20 roll and your trait score. Players can teleport around the beautifully crafted game world, where every location looks like a piece of art. The game manual acts as a tutorial, and normal combat encounters feature traditional turn-based mechanics, allowing players to pick abilities and see possible enemy attacks. Each attack or placement shows a percentage chance of success, and fast loading times ensure a smooth experience. The ability to target specific parts of enemies, such as cutting off an arm to prevent attacks or breaking a shield to stop blocking, adds a strategic layer to combat.

VED offers unique playthroughs, ensuring that every player has a different experience. The game is accessible and quick to action, with combat and story elements introduced within minutes. Players can cause and succumb to status effects like fear, slow, and disease, and every character is fully voiced. The game provides total control over your story and character, with interactions auto-playing and end-of-chapter breakdowns showing the impact of your actions. Combat is deeper than it initially appears, requiring players to manage their positioning to avoid attacks. The Tree of Life is central to the game world, allowing players to construct buildings and unlock new buffs and abilities using resources from fights.

Customization is a key feature, with players able to build their own bar of attacks and abilities. Characters can become friends, with friendship levels measured by respect, friendliness, and fear. Before each encounter, players can choose one ritual to bless or curse the enemy, adding crit to an attack or spawning allies. Teleporting around the world can be unpredictable, and players earn experience points from story battles to improve their stats. The diary fills with character profiles as they are discovered, and chapter selection is available immediately after finishing one, allowing players to jump between chapters from the main menu.

However, the game has its drawbacks. The abundance of loading screens, while quick, can be annoying as players must press continue after each load. The inability to remap controls and the lack of game settings or accessibility options can be frustrating. With so many abilities on the bar, it can be challenging to identify each one, leading to confusion in battle. At times, players may feel stuck in a loop of options, and not all voice acting is well-received. Non-combat or slow-paced decisions can halt the game’s momentum, and some fights can drag on, becoming tedious. The pacing can feel inconsistent, with random difficulty spikes adding to the challenge.

In summary, VED is a visually stunning and engaging RPG with a unique combat system and a richly detailed world. While it has some performance and accessibility issues, it remains an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre. The game’s depth, customization options, and multiple-choice encounters make it a compelling adventure worth exploring.