Pyre
A party-based RPG/visual novel/sports game hybrid wherein the player, dubbed the Reader for their literacy by the group of scavengers who discovers them, is sent in exile to a lawless wasteland called the Downside and has to lead their ever-growing party of misfits to locations wherein many similar parties compete in Rites in order to attain freedom and be absolved of their crimes.
What it feels like
The narrative treats its themes of exile, redemption, and friendship with sincere emotional weight and conviction. Despite the harsh Downside setting, the arc toward freedom and absolution carries an earned optimism. Achieving freedom for some exiles while potentially leaving others behind creates moments of conflicted joy and loss.
What it's about
The central narrative arc focuses on a band of exiles seeking absolution and freedom from their crimes through competition. The player's transformation from the Reader, discovered and illiterate, to a leader guiding misfits toward liberation is a long, transformative journey. Building bonds and understanding the backstories of the player's growing party of exiles is central to the emotional weight of the campaign.
How it plays
Assembling and directing a squad of distinct exiles through strategic competition is core to the campaign loop. The Rites are turn-based competitive contests where player choices directly drive the outcome of each ritual. Dialogue choices with party members and rivals drive relationship development and narrative branching.
How it looks and sounds
A sweeping, atmospheric original score from Supergiant Games is integral to the experience and widely praised. The game features hand-drawn character and environment art as a defining aesthetic from Supergiant Games' signature style. Colorful, bold visuals characterize the visual novel and in-game world design, as highlighted in community tags.
How it's structured
The game features a bounded, authored story arc where the player leads their party through a series of Rites toward a definite endpoint of freedom and redemption. Player choices throughout the campaign, particularly regarding which party members to prioritize and send to Rites, meaningfully branch the narrative and outcomes. The story resolves differently depending on which exiles the player helps achieve freedom, creating distinct narrative conclusions.
Kindred games
Shares Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Journey & Pilgrimage, Earnest.
Both lean into Campaign, Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Single-Player.
Shares Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Earnest, Hand-Drawn 2D.
Both lean into Campaign, Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Single-Player.
Shares Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Orchestral Score, Journey & Pilgrimage.
Both lean into Campaign, Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Single-Player.
Closest hidden gems
A lesser-known kindred — Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Journey & Pilgrimage, Earnest. 98% positive across 4,325 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Campaign, Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Single-Player.
A lesser-known kindred — Earnest, Branching Narrative, Turn-Based Combat, Multiple Endings. 96% positive across 4,713 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Campaign, Single-Player, Earnest, Branching Narrative.
A lesser-known kindred — Branching Narrative, Earnest, Dialogue Trees, Multiple Endings. 90% positive across 4,338 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Campaign, Branching Narrative, Single-Player, Earnest.