I'd like to thank Armor Games Studios for the review key to this title.

Not every game needs to be complicated. Sometimes simple is best and can be just as absorbing and fun as a complex game. Swords & Souls: Neverseen is a testament to this truism, albeit a bit of a pricey one.

First, some history. In the early days of the internet, gaming via web browser was uncharted territory. There were early text-based games, but otherwise, it was not a very viable platform for gaming until the advent of Macromedia and later Adobe Flash. These programs allowed for complex animation within web browsers in an interactive form and made it easy to create low-cost, web browser-based gaming with quality graphics. Flash eventually lost out to superior technology like HTML5 and is now mostly mothballed save for archive sites like the Flashpoint archive and that Flash software has now ended practically all support. Most games that used to use Flash now use HTML5 to keep up with modern-day. Swords & Souls was made using Flash, though Swords & Souls: Neverseen is a standalone followup made using the Unity engine, but using much the same aesthetic as the Flash game predecessor.

Swords & Souls: Neverseen is a simple RPG where the hero of the previous game gets shipwrecked on an island. He finds that a witch and some monsters are terrorizing some townsfolk and they want (and need) someone to stand up to these threats. Since being a hero is basically what you do, you don't say no. And that's the plot.

While the plot is simple, it sums up the game rather well. The gameplay is split between the town hub, with a variety of facilities, and the various world map challenges. In town, you can train your skills, spend your money on upgrades of various sorts, and generally take a break. On the world map(s) are various selectable challenges, pitting you against different types of foes, who you need to beat to progress, get better gear, and overcome to reach the end goal of the map. You repeat the latter until you beat the entire game. There is a post-game feature that uses a randomizer to allow you to play infinitely, but the game is basically just a way to kill time at that point with hardly anything you haven't seen before.

The town has multiple facilities. The training grounds allow for various skills to be improved, mostly by playing a series of rhythm-based challenges that will enhance various stats. The Blacksmith can make tiered adventuring gear, and you can get better gear with more money you earn. The Tavern can let you recruit certain former foes as mercenaries to assist you in a few battles. The Museum lets you see any unlocked gear or former foes and can passively generate income. The Home can be built up and each segment provides a passive EXP gain boost. There are a few more facilities that also provide other boosts.

The world map has various challenges. Selecting these starts a series of turn-based battles. If you win, you get rewards, and battles are repeatable (though with a mere fraction of the reward compared to the first time). These battles allow the various skills you have learned to be used and careful selection of equipment prior can be key. You essentially repeat a loop of town training and preparation and world map challenges until you beat the game. It's a simple gameplay loop, but given this is a follow-up to a Flash game, that's not to be unexpected. Most Flash and now HTML5 games tend to be short, simple, and meant for killing time, and this game knows it's simple and wants you to be able to put it down at any time.

While it's simple, it IS going to be repetitive. That's not exactly a demerit, that is something of the point of the game, to be a simple timewaster without too many complex play elements, so be advised if you want a game that is more complicated than simple rhythm gaming with a mild side of turn-based RPG mechanics, then you'll want to play something else. With that in mind, this game does have a decent sense of humor and the dialogue is at least chuckle-worthy in a kid-friendly way during the short but sweet plot.

Graphically, the game resembles a cel-shaded Western cartoon with similar animation. The whole game vibe is bright high fantasy with a younger child appeal. Given that it's not overly complicated, it works just fine in setting due to the sit-down and relaxed timewaster appeal of the gameplay. The music and sound effects are generic lighthearted high fantasy. Nothing in particular stands out too much, but it is pleasant to listen to and sets a slightly whimsical tone.

This title can be controlled with the keyboard and mouse or any Steam-supported controller. Both work well and generally, the mouse or its controller equivalent will get the most use. In-game are tutorials to ease you into how to play and the controls are simple and well labeled.

This is a very stable game. If you can boot your computer, this game will run fine. It runs natively in Windows and works quite well on Linux via Steam Proton. It is rated as playable on the Steam Deck, with a minor need to invoke the keyboard and some small text as the primary concerns.

Morally, this has a few minor concerns.

Violence is RPG style "give orders and watch it happen". Everything looks very cartoonish, bodies disappear after death, and there is no blood or gore. It's all violence for the purposes of self-defense only.

Language is generally mild aside from one offhand use of the word d*mn and another use of h*ll early on by some NPCs. There is no sexual content to speak of either. Magic is also entirely generic. They use the term "Soulcery" (a play on the term "Sorcery") to refer to it, but it's just a funny linguistic in-joke and nothing more. Morally, you are a questing hero and trying to stop a rather cliche evil. It's no more complicated than that.

Overall, it's a competent though short and simple RPG game. It's a tad pricey for the degree of content it has and I'd get it on sale. Morally, it's got some minor issues yet is generally suitable for almost any age. If you need a simple time-waster of a game, it's not bad for that if nothing else.