LOST EPIC Early Access: Is this Souls-Like Action RPG Worth it?

We gave the gods our unconditional love and faith. All we wanted was for their presence to protect us from the hands of the wicked. How foolish of us mortals! 

What has it come to now? Each and every one of them is wild and hair-raising as any bull. With eyes casting hatred, they gobble meat and grind on the bones of our brothers. 

The air’s so heavy. Its reeks of blood and has a thick sheet of deathly vapor. How do we breathe? Swaddled in the veil of pain, humanity cries out loud for a hero that would slay the gods and put an end to this misery. LOST EPIC lets you be one. 

Developed by oneoreight and Team EARTHWARS, LOST EPIC is a 2D side-scrolling action RPG that was released on 5 June 2021 and is in Early Access. This Souls-like game has amassed over 400 reviews as of yet and received a “mostly positive” rating.

LOST EPIC is a blend of Metroidvania, anime, and Souls-like genre – a formula that keeps bringing success to indie studios. While the game is nothing that’s going to shake up the sphere due to its unoriginality, it does sell you on its promise.

Buttery smooth combat, alluring animations, and elite Japanese voice acting are some of the elements through which LOST EPIC lures you in. 

The breathtaking landscapes and well-designed characters will make you put on your shoes to explore and soak in the beauty of Sanctum.

But best of all, the art is from Namie, the same artist that brought us Fate/Grand Order, Azure Lane, and Arknights, so more the reason to explore the game’s colossal maps.

Unquestionably, the foundations laid are pretty solid. However, they are not enough, and the sky is the limit from here. But again, it is in Early Access. Only two of the planned six regions are packed by the game. Therefore, the devs shall have all the time and feedback they need to mold LOST EPIC into a game that stands apart from a mountainous competition.

Knights VS Gods: Deciding Humanity’s Fate

Your peaceful realm, the Sanctum, is being shattered by the new gods who rip and rend humans. These death-hungry hell-kissing deities are no match for the ordinary. Writhed in pain, humans have just seen their sons and daughters get killed mercilessly. 

But where darkness exists, so does light. LOST EPIC lets you assume the role of God Slayer, a deity-defying knight, who, with the dance of their flesh-piercing blades, will kill all six unsparing gods and avenge the atrocities humanity’s been made to go through.

The fight is back-breaking; blood will be shed but better to live one day as a lion than a hundred years as a sheep. 

You start the game by playing as a black silhouette while seaming through the tutorial. After swiftly going through the basic mechanics, you set foot in a witch’s hut and pick one of the several male and female avatars available to you, along with their voices.

The witch, from here, basically explains the entire narrative to you. Entrusted with the responsibility of restoring peace, you put on the mantle of a knight and face all the hardships that await you.

Steady, Lively, and Fluid Combat 

The factor that hooked me the most to LOST EPIC is its combat system. It flows smoothly and, at the same time, is uncomplicated and easy to pick up. Even if you are a newbie, all you need is 5 minutes to master the craft of slashing foes.

Like pretty much any other game of this genre, here your combat moves incorporate light attack, heavy attack, divine skills, dodge, and parry.

All these roll up and lead to incredibly fast-paced and astounding fights. It must be kept in mind that divine skills are on a cooldown timer but recharge quickly. Amalgamating them with your basic attacks is a real eye-pleaser!

Moreover, being able to dodge and counter are definitely the two abilities that kept me on my toes as they depend heavily on timing. 

The stamina system that the game packs make every battle more interesting and challenging. Without any doubt, the Stamina bar is something you must keep your eyes glued to. It depletes with every offensive move you make. Once it’s empty, the knight won’t be able to attack the enemy, and you will have to give your character a second or two to recharge. So, as much as the enemy invites you to annihilate it, keep your mind steady!

Thanks to the stamina meter and pleasing combo hits, the game is perfectly balanced. Even if you prefer to play on the front foot, you will have to focus on your defensive side too! Eradicating monsters and clearing quests will help you garner some much-needed anima. 

They add more depth to the game by letting you upgrade your character’s level, your weapons’ level and craft new weapons to outmatch the enemy! However, upon kicking the bucket, you will lose out on your hard-earnt anima, so tread carefully.

Inventory System: So Problematic!

LOST EPIC’s inventory system is far from perfect. Navigating through it is soul-crushing! The world of Sanctum is brimming with magical items that can be collected. Racking them up can make a mess of the inventory.

Tweaking it must be the number one priority for developers. It could do with better optimization, which frankly shouldn’t be a back-breaking task.

Keyboard Issues: How Do I Dodge?!

Given that the game is far from polished, I faced a slight control issue too. LOST EPIC will ask you to dodge with ‘d’, but your character will stand idle upon pressing the key. Instead, it is ‘c’ that fulfills the function that ‘d’ is suppose to carry out.

Again, it’s in Early Access, so no issues, excusable!

Should You Buy LOST EPIC? Is It Worth Your Time?

The artwork is gorgeous, and the combat is enticing. However, despite such standout factors, I don’t think LOST EPIC is worth its $20 price tag. The devs still have a lot on their plate to sort out!

The world of Sanctum, despite its magnetic beauty, can seem featureless as there are not many points of interest. On top of this, the online mode needs a lot of work. Co-op can lead to lagging and is very limited. Match-making consistency needs a lot to be desired!

There is also another issue where the text description remains untranslated. Luckily, it’s not exactly a killjoy and can easily be fixed. 

Evaluating the current situation, I wouldn’t recommend grinding on LOST EPIC. Nevertheless, it must be said that with a few adjustments here and there, this hack and slash game can turn the tables.

It’s this cosmic potential that makes LOST EPIC a game to watch out for once it is out of Early Access, offering a polished adventure!

About LOST EPIC

LOST EPIC is a new side scrolling online 2D RPG by developers Team EARTH WARS and oneoreight.

The game is set on a magical land called the Sanctum where Gods are wrecking havoc and killing humans. Players are given the role of God-slaying Knights to fight these Gods and put their destruction to an end once and for all.

The game allows players to customize their characters, level up in skills and collect tons of weapons while also exploring the beautiful landscapes.

LOST EPIC is currently available in Early Access.