Pharaonic (PC)

If you’ve ever wondered what Dark Souls would be like if it was 2.5D and set in ancient Egypt, then the extremely difficult and oddly named Pharaonic is for you. Much like Dark Souls, it is not a game for the impatient, or those who are prone to rage-smashing expensive gaming equipment. Timing is crucial, and not paying attention to enemy patterns results in a short trip to a quick death. While not quite as punishing as Dark Souls, the game does require the same levels of patience and rewards diligence and attention to detail. In short, Pharaonic is a lot of fun to play, if you’ve got the stomach for it.

 

Once Upon a Time in Ancient Egypt

The story is not especially inspired but it’s fun and it fits. Basically the Red Pharaoh has been reincarnating himself for years and he’s always been a bit of an asshole. You assume the role of a male or female slave who happens to be the chosen one, and you have been prophesied to bring balance to the Kingdom. Sure, the story is pretty cookie cutter, but coupled with great voice acting and a fun animation style, it really works, and I enjoyed playing it out to its logical conclusion.

The gameplay is surprisingly deep for a side scroller. You walk around in the 2.5D world, going through doors, opening chests, acquiring armor and weapons as you move throughout the level towards boss characters, and annihilating (and being annihilated by) enemies as you work your way to your goal. You can occasionally go “up” and “down” on the map, which gives the impression of three dimensions. While it’s a small thing, it makes the levels feel more fleshed out and makes the map feel “deeper” than it really is. Much like the aforementioned Dark Souls, you rely on parries, counterattacks, dodges, rolls, blocks and light and heavy attacks. The parry system requires precise timing and changes from enemy to enemy. There are some attacks that cannot be parried, and there are some attacks that cannot be dodged – it’s up to you to figure out which are which. Luckily there are a decent amount of save points, infinite lives, and the cost of dying is relatively cheap, provided you return to the scene of your death and pick up your “memories”, which are left behind when you die.

 

Pharaoh's Treasure

In addition to weapons and armor you can also pick up rings and other magical items that offer a variety of buffs. There are upgrades to health and stamina (which is pretty crucial, since almost everything but walking requires stamina), stronger attacks etc. The upgrades are pretty creatively designed and they all stick to the Egyptian motif. All your upgrades are shown on your character, which is a nice touch, as your character’s appearance changes as you become more powerful. Finding the somewhat rare gemstones is a challenge, but the effort always pays off, especially when you trade them to an NPC for upgrades and weapons. Most of the time, gems can be traded for “training” which allows you to use heavier weapons and armor without a huge weight penalty, or to use heavy or light weapons without such a large stamina drain. There is plenty here to do and find, which is great to see in a side-scroller.

The enemies are varied and look great, with a variety of skills and attacks that will keep you on your toes. Just when you start to get comfortable, Pharaonic will throw a new enemy or attack at you, mixing things up and killing you all over again. I played the same section for about 15 minutes, killing the same two guys then dying again and again at the mini-boss. As I ran towards the mini-boss again, I quickly went to dispatch the first of the two soldiers... and was knocked dead as he unleashed a charged attack that I hadn’t seen the last 10 times I killed him. This kind of variety, regardless of how simple, makes the game exciting even when fighting basic enemies. Giant reptiles, skinless, floating freaks, shaman-like magic users, long-reaching spearmen, 7-foot-tall women with big-ass scythes… this game throws a lot at you over the 7-12 hours you’ll spend carving your way through it, and each enemy brings about a new kind of challenge.

The Sounds of the Nile Valley

The sound in Pharaonic is great. Swords ring against metal shields, taking a blade to the stomach sounds appropriately meaty, and the shrieks of the dying are piercing and authentic. The music is excellent, kicking into high gear during a fracas and chilling out when you are just exploring. It's catchy in the best way, unobtrusive and enjoyable to listen to, even when you are just sitting at a menu screen trying to figure out which piece of armor is pushing your weight limit through the roof. The voice actors are well chosen, even if some of the swearing seems a bit off base, given the time period and setting. Hearing a character say, “If you kill that bitch for me, I’ll make it worth your while”, seems odd, but it doesn’t detract much from the overall experience.

Summary

Pharaonic is a difficult game that rewards patience, doggedness and attention to detail. If you like games like Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series, you are going to love this one. Deeper than it seems, Pharaonic has a robust fighting system that has plenty of variety, and a cartoonish but blood-soaked style that I loved right off the bat. If you are looking for a challenge, or are a masochist who is looking to be tortured while taking a break from Dark Souls III, there’s a lot to love in Pharaonic. (Review by Jake Ellis)


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2017-03-10 15:01:56... - Michel

i simply love everything that is themed after egypt and pharaohs, and this game seems interesting, so i would love to get a chance to play it.


2017-02-11 11:18:50... - 哲

key please


2016-09-11 16:40:28... - Frankénts

key please


2016-08-20 16:28:57... - Влад

очень похоже на prince persia ключик пожалуйста key please


2016-08-07 06:59:35... - niggawhat

Key pease!!


2016-07-31 17:49:00... - Khor

key for testing the game and review at thanks in advance


2016-07-25 10:56:50... - Кирилл

Hello can i get the key? please send key email:


2016-07-23 15:39:06... - Łukasz

Can you give me a key?


2016-07-22 19:38:53... - Csokolom

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2016-07-18 15:45:35... - Owen

key please


2016-07-18 15:15:54... - pleaaaaseeeeeee

please key in


2016-07-17 18:16:29... - רותם

can i get a steam key please?


2016-07-14 05:33:32... - Tyrtle

Please send the key to my email at

I am very interested in this game!


2016-07-12 01:58:54... - raoni

Can I get a steam key please? ;-;
Email:


2016-07-10 08:19:48... - Nik

can i get steam key


2016-07-09 13:16:49... - Damian

Can I get a steam key please...Email:


2016-07-07 20:58:41... - SixTekur

Can I get a steam key please...Email:


2016-07-06 11:50:34... - Russiana

can i get key please


2016-07-06 04:36:50... - Micah

this game is awesome i never try this game before. how much is this like a bunch of money. why can't you get the game. is it free for steam is it a yes or no okay so why i don't understand why people get all the games for steam.


2016-07-06 04:34:35... - micah

hi and today i will show you how to get cd-key for steam


2016-06-27 01:17:07... - Lucian

I now how to give this code


2016-06-21 20:09:44... - FatterCypress54

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