Playtime: 4+ Hours
First Impression: Needs a LOT of work in core gameplay & UI / Graphical Design (DON'T BUY UNTIL THIS GETS ADDRESSED)

After playing for some odd hours, I came away disappointed by the shallow gameplay, poor visuals, and frustrating grind. I wanted to like this game, I really did but I wish I refunded it instead of holding on to wishful thinking.

Graphics: The game’s visuals leave much to be desired. Even at Ultra settings, the graphics feel outdated—the foliage and terrain textures look awkward, and trees reminded me of Runescape's early 3D models. The main character design is actually decent, but the game relies heavily on fanservice with many female heroes wearing revealing outfits, pushing it toward an M-rating. Hero designs are at least unique, but the lackluster and outright misleading special effects for abilities is a major drawback. For example, a hero’s ability is described to “Fly up and engulf foes in fire” which is represented by the hero moving her hand slightly and some weak red particle effects come out that look unimpressive and just feels so out of place.

The game’s landscapes are also disappointing. Despite being advertised as “breathtaking,” they feel bland and uninspired. The User Interface (UI) is one of the weakest elements of the game. It is unintuitive and unhelpful, lacking basic instructions on key functions like accessing the mini-map, navigating, or even saving the game. Even team management in the menu is clunky, offering no filtering options aside from sorting by hero elements. The abilities listed in the menu can feel misleading compared to how they actually perform in battle, adding to the confusion. For example, "hits all enemies" actually only hits one or two. "Defends allies" actually is just a buff, not the illusive taunt skill I couldn't find after going through 40 different hero abilities.

Gameplay: Gameplay in Umbra feels shallow and repetitive. The turn-based combat system, which should be the core of the game, lacks any real strategic depth. You can build three teams of three heroes which you can select which team will fight before the fight actually starts, but you aren’t given any information on the enemy’s elemental affinities before the fight begins, which removes the tactical element of choosing the best team for new encounters. Additionally, heroes have fixed abilities with no customization, limiting variety in combat.

Buffs and debuffs exist but feel insignificant, and some heroes have abilities that don’t align with their own elements, adding to the confusion. After a few battles, the combat becomes monotonous, as all fights can be won quickly by simply exploiting elemental weaknesses. This isn't a 'P*kemon Water vs Fire is super effective', rather this is a 'I actually threw some water on fire and it went out kind in a second' of effective. Exploration also suffers from poor design; quests lack direction and often give vague instructions. For example, I spent an hour searching for a quest location with only the clue “north of the slime fields,” with no quest markers to guide me. This lack of clarity made exploration more frustrating than enjoyable.

Audio: The audio design is another weak point in Umbra. The music is repetitive and does little to enhance the atmosphere. Voice acting appears to be all AI-generated, which sounds awkward and unnatural, making the characters feel even more lifeless. Sound effects, especially for hero abilities, lack impact, leaving battles feeling underwhelming. Additionally, monsters encountered in at start of the battle start animation make the same irritating shriek (maybe it varies by a few octaves, I couldn't tell), further diminishing immersion. Audio issues, such as overlapping sounds from the main menu, battles, and other sources, added to the game's unpolished feel.

Targeted Audience: Umbra seems aimed at fans of mobile-style gacha games, particularly because of the hero summoning mechanic that uses a gem-like currency similar to premium currencies found in mobile games. (I was GENUINELY concerned that I was about to start getting pop-up deals for 500% value "deals".) This system may appeal to players who enjoy collecting heroes and upgrading gear in the most simplistic way possible (gold and gems), but the heavy fanservice elements, especially the revealing outfits on many female characters, make it unsuitable for younger audiences. Traditional RPG or strategy fans will likely be disappointed due to the lack of depth in the combat and overall game mechanics.

Difficulty: The game is far too easy, with little challenge after learning an enemy's elemental weakness. Battles become formulaic, where simply exploiting elemental weaknesses results in quick and effortless victories. There is no real need for tactical planning, making the game feel more like a grind than a strategic RPG. The lack of challenge only adds to the overall sense of monotony.

The Grind: The grind in Umbra is excessive and unrewarding. Each monster battle rewards only a small number of gems, typically between 2-15, while nearby chests provide far more (up to 300-500). This imbalance led me to start avoiding battles altogether, focusing on looting chests instead. Summoning heroes and upgrading equipment is expensive, requiring anywhere from 300 to 1,000+ gems. Unfortunately, the summoning mechanic often results in duplicates, and upgrading weapons or runes only affects raw stats, with no visual impact (ie: characters holding weapons) or clarity on which stats will improve. The grind feels frustrating and lacks any real sense of progression or reward.

Story: The story is forgettable and uninspired. The plot revolves around the return of a demon, and as the last Summoner, you are tasked with stopping it. However, the narrative fails to engage, and after several hours of play, I found it hard to recall any significant details. The AI-generated voice acting only detracts from the characters, making them feel unmemorable and unrelatable. Overall, the story feels like a missed opportunity to immerse players in the game world.

Bugs: While there weren’t many game-breaking bugs, I did encounter a few immersion-breaking issues. For example, consumables in the shop were supposed to be limited in quantity, but by simply reopening the shop, I could buy as many as I wanted. There was also a bug during combat where one of my heroes would be missing from the team, replaced by a black, empty portrait. While these issues weren’t a dealbreaker for an early access title, they added to the overall sense that the game is so far from completion or lacking in direction.

Price: At $30 (or $24 at 20% off on Day 1 in early access), Umbra: The Last Summoner feels vastly overpriced for what it offers. The repetitive gameplay, poor visuals, frustrating grind, and lack of polish make it difficult to justify the cost. The game feels more like a low-budget mobile game, and even at a reduced price, it fails to deliver a satisfying or enjoyable experience. Unless significant improvements are made, I just cannot recommend the game at its current price point.

Conclusion: Umbra: The Last Summoner is a game with high potential that falls short in nearly every way. Its shallow gameplay, poor visuals, frustrating grind, and lackluster story make it a subpar experience, especially at its current price. While fans of gacha-style fanservice games may find some appeal (albeit temporarily), most players will likely find themselves disappointed and frustrated so unless the game receives a major overhaul in future patches, it’s one to avoid.

This game offers an intriguing mix of addictive gameplay and numerous flaws, creating a unique experience for those who enjoy exploring large worlds and summoning legendary heroes. While the game has potential, it’s held back by several technical and design issues.

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- Engaging soundtrack and decent sound design.
- Simple but intriguing storyline, accompanied by beautifully illustrated opening cutscenes.
- A vast open world with multiple intricate locations to explore, filled with secrets and hidden treasures.
- A wide variety of summonable heroes, weapons, and runes, all of which can be upgraded.
- Plenty of enemy types to face off against, keeping battles somewhat diverse.

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- Graphics are overly simplistic, which may disappoint players who expect a more polished visual experience.

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- Glitchy graphics, such as disappearing textures and characters getting stuck in environmental objects during battles.
- Combat feels overly simplistic, with a lack of challenge, especially once characters are over-leveled.
- An awkward camera angle makes navigating the open world cumbersome and detracts from the immersion.

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This game, while technically rough around the edges, has an undeniable charm for fans of JRPGs and exploration. Developers appear eager to take feedback into account. For now, it’s a mix of frustration and fascination, but for those willing to look past its flaws, it offers an addictive experience that might just surprise you.

Hardcore? Yes, it's a bit present here. It seems to be normal for this kind of game genre.
The thing that catches my eye the most is a lot of magic + dialogs + quests. The thing I like most is doing quests, sometimes they can be boring. that was also the case here. i'm not sure i caught myself thinking that the older parts of The Witcher have anything in common. hmmmmm.
Stylistics... that's what I appreciate the most here. retro gaming atmosphere with modern execution.
I've been following the game and I waited for the early access release to enjoy the gameplay “without flaw”, but still encountered some inaccuracies...
But, at least I'm not forced to buy every move of my protagonist...as is now common among AAAA- well and endless AAAA's
7.5\10

I really enjoyed to play Umbra: The Last Summoner, the heroes, based on mythological characters are quite easy to summon since there are many chests spread out over the map.
The battle system is fast and simple so that the game progress comes quick.
Only some bugs with the controls and managing various things need to be fixed and the game will be rounded up very well.

unusual experience. unique
Umbra - combines several genres and remotely resembles legendary hardcore RPGs, but with a moderate level of difficulty. Perhaps even an easy one.

* although some tasks were really difficult.

The turn-based combat system seemed to me a fresh and modern look at the old and forgotten. it feels as if the developers' task was to take the best of retro RPGs and combine them into something one, but completely unique. isn't it?

** LIFE HACK: in any unclear situation, call on your team.

and fight. just fight. again.

~The game is quite interesting and addictive. It reminded me of the days when I first started playing RPGs.
~The mechanics and interface are very pleasant, the characters are beautiful, and the locations are well-designed.
~The graphics and sound in the game are top-notch, allowing for a complete immersion into the world’s atmosphere.
~The control of heroes and turn-based battles are intuitive and easy to master.
I would like the developer to perfect the game. For example, they could improve the leveling system, introduce additional parameters and characteristics that affect the gameplay.
Currently, in my opinion, the game is worth its money and time at 7/10.

Actually, another game purchased and another review after a few hours of play.

The game is of RPG genre, single-player, third-person view.
Graphics at the necessary level - in such games it does not play a role.
Control - could be better, in some places extremely unpleasant and uncomfortable, but in general will do.
Gameplay - interesting, dynamic. Sometimes the quests are not quite clear, but it's not critical, you should read a little more.
Plot - as usual, in games of this type, it is there as much as you just need. Do not expect a deep story and plot.
Videos - there are extremely interesting, well-directed, and there are terrible. But this is also trifles.

In general, the game is decent, it is definitely worth its money.
Recommended for newcomers to the genre - not hardcore and not the easiest to play.

too high system requirements... won't let me play it on my old laptop. Okay, all right. I played this on my desktop PC with bated breath and realized it doesn't fit my expectations at this point.
Too bad you can't give it a neutral rating. hmmm...then what should I do according to you?
handy camera. Reingard, can you hear me?! Sometimes he annoys me with his lack of understanding. Has he always been like this? Is this what the developers intended?!
please don't ask anything about Alessio! he's weird.

* I love those animated inserts *
* i'm gonna kill you, crab!
* okay, now I'm playing as a woman *

Best

Umbra: The Last Summoner" is a game that's got it all - action, strategy, RPG, and emotional investment. I mean, who doesn't love saving the world from demons and summoning epic heroes?
The game's got a ton of quests, over 100 to be exact, that'll test your skills and keep you on your toes. And those boss battles? Forget about it, they're EPIC. You'll need to use those strategic skills and manage your actions wisely to come out on top.
The world of Umbra is full of hidden secrets and surprises, and the characters are all unique and interesting. The dialogue is top-notch, and each NPC has their own storyline and motivations. It's like being in a fantasy novel come to life!