If you want better frame rate stability
Choose Atomfall. It scores 5.0 vs 1.3 for frame rate stability, with a 3.6 overall score.
1348 Ex Voto Review
Bottom Line
Choose 1348 Ex Voto if atmospheric medieval scenery, strong voice performances, and a short linear adventure matter more than mechanical polish. Skip it if unreliable targeting, rough performance, repetitive combat, or an underdeveloped second-half story will outweigh those strengths.
Best for
Best for players who value atmospheric medieval settings, striking environments, strong voice performances, and a short linear campaign enough to tolerate rough mechanics.
Not for
Not for players who need responsive combat, dependable targeting, stable performance, deep exploration, or a consistently polished narrative-action experience.
Verdict
1348 Ex Voto has the visual identity and performances of a far more accomplished game: medieval Italy is frequently gorgeous, and Alby Baldwin and Jennifer English give the central relationship conviction. The problem is that the action holding the campaign together rarely matches that standard. Across the reviews, lock-on behavior, dodging, group combat, boss balance, frame-rate stability, bugs, and basic traversal repeatedly turn intended tension into friction. The story also divides critics: a few found its devotion-and-betrayal arc deeply affecting, while many thought the relationship and social themes were too thinly developed for the late twists to land. Its low price and brief runtime soften the commitment, but the consensus still points to a striking historical adventure whose strongest artistic ideas are trapped inside under-refined systems.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
72 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.03 (4%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.45 (7%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.48 (11%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.438 (53%)
-
Very negative below 1.518 (25%)
Pros highlights
-
Visual quality is split between gorgeous environments and much rougher close-up character work. The scenery can be striking, but texture issues, clipping, facial problems, and performance compromises keep the package from looking consistently polished.
-
The environments are the most universally praised part of the package, with detailed villages, forests, mountains, ruins, chapels, vineyards, and lighting that frequently look far beyond the game's small-team scale.
-
Voice acting is the clearest non-visual strength. Alby Baldwin and Jennifer English are repeatedly praised for giving conviction and emotional credibility to material that many reviewers otherwise find underwritten.
-
The medieval Italian aesthetic is one of the clearest strengths, with striking lighting, countryside vistas, chapels, ruins, and period-inspired architecture giving the game a distinctive visual identity.
-
The best stretches create a convincing plague-era mood through lighting, scenery, sound, and bleak environmental cues. Technical problems and repetitive combat can puncture that atmosphere at key moments.
-
The orchestral score is generally well received and helps sell the somber period atmosphere, even if repetitive combat cues or mixing occasionally compete with dialogue.
Cons highlights
-
Sword fighting is the central point of disagreement. A few reviewers enjoy its one-on-one parry-and-guard rhythm, but the dominant view is that shallow tactics, broken targeting, unreliable dodges, and group encounters undermine it.
-
Across launch and pre-release builds, reviewers repeatedly describe the game as underbaked or unfinished. Glitches, rough transitions, animation problems, and inconsistent systems make the lack of final refinement hard to ignore.
-
The opening rescue premise earns interest, but the broader consensus is that the second half becomes disjointed or underdeveloped and the climax does not earn its twists. A notable minority loved the story.
-
The writing draws praise from a minority for its earnest themes and performances, but most reviewers criticize blunt exposition, thin character work, abandoned ideas, and a late twist that feels poorly earned.
-
Exploration is limited by strongly linear spaces and sparse interaction. Hidden paths and collectibles can reward curiosity, but many reviewers wanted more freedom and more meaningful reasons to leave the main route.
-
Input feel is a recurring problem, with delayed attacks, unreliable dodges and parries, finicky traversal prompts, and occasional moments where Aeta simply does not respond as expected.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Video Games, this product is above average in voice acting, visual effects quality, near average in environmental detail, art direction, below average in fun factor, performance optimization, sandbox freedom.
Comparison summary
72 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher2 (3%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts4 (6%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower66 (92%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| fun factor | 1.5 | 4.3 | -2.8 |
| performance optimization | 1.3 | 3.8 | -2.5 |
| sandbox freedom | 1.5 | 4.2 | -2.7 |
| frame rate stability | 1.3 | 3.7 | -2.4 |
| lore depth | 1.3 | 4.0 | -2.7 |
| controls responsiveness | 1.5 | 3.8 | -2.3 |
| world interactivity | 1.4 | 3.9 | -2.5 |
| gameplay mechanics | 1.5 | 4.1 | -2.6 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better level design
Choose Crimson Desert. It scores 5.0 vs 1.8 for level design, with a 3.5 overall score.
If you want better writing quality
Choose Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake. It scores 5.0 vs 2.0 for writing quality, with a 3.8 overall score.
If you want better value for money
Choose Saros. It scores 5.0 vs 1.9 for value for money, with a 4.3 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Better: combat refinement The combat is described as resembling Kingdom Come: Deliverance but with noticeably less refinement.
- Compared: visuals and performance The reviewer uses Kingdom Come: Deliverance as another medieval action-game reference point for visuals and performance.
Hellblade
- Better: overall feel and quality The reviewer says it resembles Hellblade superficially but falls short of it across the experience.
- Similar: cinematic action-adventure style The reviewer frames the game as a blend that includes Hellblade's cinematic action-adventure sensibility.
A Plague Tale games
- Similar: cinematic medieval adventure style The reviewer also compares its overall style to the A Plague Tale games.
FAQ
Is the sword combat good?
It can feel satisfying in one-on-one fights when parries and guard breaks click, but most reviewers criticize the lock-on system, dodging, group encounters, and shallow tactical depth.
How does the game perform?
Performance is a major concern in the reviewed builds. PC coverage repeatedly reports stutter and heavy frame-rate drops, while PS5 reviews note a 30 FPS cap and additional dips.
Is the story worth playing for?
The opening premise and performances win praise, but most reviewers find the second half underdeveloped or disjointed. A smaller group loved the story and its emotional turns.
How long is the campaign?
Reviewers generally finished in roughly five to ten hours, making it a compact linear adventure rather than a long RPG.
What does the game do best?
Its strongest consensus wins are the medieval Italian environments, lighting, atmosphere, and the lead voice performances by Alby Baldwin and Jennifer English.
Are there strong accessibility options?
No. Reviewers call the accessibility selection limited; some builds lack difficulty settings, and one PC review also criticizes the lack of customizable keybinds.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
Article Reviews
blog.xcvgsystems.com
Indie dev, writer, outsider artist, tech enthusiast
- Review score
- 2.2
xpnnetwork.com
1348 Ex Voto is one of those games that makes a stunning first impression. Its opening hours paint a plague‑stricken Tuscany with a level of...
- Review score
- 2.6
ps4blog.net
1348 Ex Voto from Dear Villagers and Sedleo is a third-person action adventure set in the Italian late medieval period. Learn more in our...
- Review score
- 1.4
clouddosage.com
1348 Ex Voto pairs a beautiful 14th-century setting with great voice acting, but struggles with frustrating combat and technical issues.
- Review score
- 2.0
avclub.com
Rather than luxuriate in the history of its era or express any insight into its characters, 1348 Ex Voto tediously sleepwalks through rote...
- Review score
- 1.8
Top Video Games to Consider
Best for fluid traversal, rewarding exploration, striking art, and forgiving quality-of-life features. Skip it if you want deep combat, radical genre innovation, or consistently demanding bosses.
Pros: difficulty balance, boss design
Cons: innovation, sandbox freedom
Good if you want fast, tactical roguelite combat with huge progression depth, striking art, and standout music. Skip it if repetition, resource micromanagement, or a less emotionally satisfying sequel story...
Pros: combat system, progression system
Cons: originality
Good if you want a beautiful, demanding survival sandbox built around exploration, building, progression, and memorable co-op. Skip it if long resource runs, harsh death recovery, and deliberate pacing sound...
Pros: town-building system, exploration quality
Cons: grind level, fast travel convenience
Best for joyful destruction, dense exploration, and a charming DK-Pauline adventure. Skip it if camera quirks, frame-rate dips, easy bosses, or premium Switch 2 pricing are dealbreakers.
Pros: fun factor, world interactivity
Cons: frame rate stability, boss design