Phrasemaker

From the moment I first launched The Lonesome Guild, I was immediately struck by its charm. Even from the main menu, gorgeously hand-drawn splash art has been paired with a menu theme/soundtrack that just screams whimsy and adventure.

It felt like as I was jumping into the game, I was stepping into a carefully crafted storybook world. Early impressions alone had me just a little bit starstruck, because I had been optimistic about this title, but had not expected it to just be the game I didn’t know I needed – and it did.

From the stylistic aesthetic and visual beauty to simple yet engaging mechanics and an empathetic, heartwarming story, The Lonesome Guild somehow manages to feel both strangely nostalgic and refreshingly new. If you’re looking for a more relaxing RPG adventure or love a touch of that ‘cozy’, calming aspect in your games, then you may find this title to be an enjoyable exploration.

Art & Visuals – Every Scene a Painting

One of the biggest successes of The Lonesome Guild is the absolutely stunning art direction. The introduction and memory cutscenes alone offer beautiful still artworks like scenes from a storybook, brought to life through immensely satisfying color-fill animations. Each illustration is bright, vivid, and so full of detail that it feels alive, as if it’s pulling you deeper into the world of the characters at hand.

The 3D models and art direction for gameplay maintain this fun charm without failure. The character designs are all so charming – simple, yet full of personality that shines through in each little animation or dialogue bubble.

The overworld and environments also have that bold, blocky style, and I think there’s been a really great balance achieved here. From the lush green grass to ancient castle ruins, everything feels perfectly stylized, yet detailed enough to feel tangible. Even smaller elements, such as the interactable map podiums, bring up a hand-drawn map to guide you through each area, keeping that lovingly crafted art direction throughout.

The animated cutscenes are nothing short of heartwarming. They all have smooth, dynamic movements for the animation, and vibrant character expressions that brim with personality. It’s the kind of art that feels instantly nostalgic, yet still fresh and full of life.

Characters & Story – A Guild of Misfits

At its core, The Lonesome Guild tells a simple, yet heartwarming story: a group of individual critters find one another by chance and form a guild from their shared isolation/loneliness. It’s cute, fuzzy, and just the right touch of empathetic.

Every dialogue feels intentional, with the words carrying real warmth and personality. The little moments of banter between the cast are consistently delightful, and helped me continue to grow attached to the cast, and this is further expanded on with the use of the campfire dialogues.

Also, a nice touch was that every character felt unique in a sense, yet unified with the others. Even from the very beginning of the game, Ghost has more of a curious, anxious, and polite persona, DaVinci is overly-enthusiastic and inquisitive, and Mr. Fox has a bit of a sarcastic, almost snobby streak, yet they all balance one another out beautifully.

Gameplay & Combat – It’s Time to Go Ghost!

In combat, Ghost takes over the body of a party member and can switch between them all to further empower them during the fight. Each character wields a unique weapon/attack style and set of combos, giving battles plenty of variety. My personal favorite would have to be Mr. Wolf, whose claw attacks make me feel as if I’m Wolverine, slicing and slashing away!

One of the things I noticed after my first few encounters was how fluid the movement and controls felt. Most importantly, I also appreciate the decision for combat to follow a more real-time beat-’em-up type of format, rather than the turn-based system that other RPGs may utilize, as The Lonesome Guild already has quite a slow and tranquil vibe/setting. With this type of combat, there’s a little bit of spark and engagement that makes you want to keep exploring.

I will admit, it wouldn’t surprise me if some players find combat on the easier side, as nothing ever really felt too stressful or punishing. However, to me, this is part of the charm. Plenty of other RPG titles push you to your limits in combat, but The Lonesome Guild instead feels enjoyable but not overwhelming – the type of game to unwind with after a long day.

Music & SFX – An Adventure in Every Beat

The soundtrack for The Lonesome Guild is magical and perfectly captures both the feelings of exploration and the warmth of companionship that the game thrives on.

The title screen alone features gorgeous splash art and a theme that manages to combine feelings of an exciting long journey ahead with serene peace, creating something quite special. It’s the same kind of feeling I got when booting up the title screen of Kingdom Hearts, for example – that same sense of peace and wonder found in Dearly Beloved.

The in-game music never loses this charm, from endearing little town tunes to the mystical ambiance of navigating ancient ruins, there’s lively music and background noise/effects to make each area more memorable.

UX/UI Designs – Simple, Clean, & Thoughtful

I’m a big fan of any UI that can enhance immersion rather than distract from it, and The Lonesome Guild nails this. Everything is laid out across the screen so cleanly, with menus that are easy to read and simple controls that take mere moments to master.

I am particularly fond of the wait/follow function for party members that has been woven into the puzzle-solving system. The in-game chat log is just lovely, too. It really is a small addition, but it makes exploration feel all the more personal, adding humor and depth to your adventure without cluttering the screen. It’s a great touch that gives the characters’ personalities a chance to shine and leaves the world feeling full of life and mystery.

Puzzles & Exploration – Adventure Through Etere

Puzzles are simplistic and far from overwhelming. They are fun to solve without feeling tedious, and maintain that same relaxing flow that I found in every other section of this game. The more I played, the more I wanted to keep going out of genuine curiosity.

The rest spots are one of my favorite exploration mechanics. Instead of a basic save point, they also double as cozy campfire scenes where you can talk to your companions. In doing so, you will learn more about them, hear their reactions to recent developments in your adventure, and deepen your bonds. It’s a lovely little wholesome touch that really makes the strength of companionship in this game sink in even more.

These rest point conversations earn Relationship Points (RP) for your allies, which increases their bond rank with Ghost. By continuing to increase the bond rank, you’ll be able to unlock new skills for combat, adding a mechanical incentive to these conversations to make them even more intriguing.

The Lonesome Guild – Final Thoughts

The Lonesome Guild is a gentle yet rewarding game with a lot of heart, humor, and visual impressions. It manages to feel personal and polished, and is the exact kind of title I’d want to play to finally relax after a particularly long day. The adventure feels less like the rush of fast-paced quests and more like a careful journal that slows you down, enabling you to take in the little moments and enjoy the world around you.

I cannot praise the visuals of this game enough. The hand-drawn art for the character icons/portraits and the still-frame illustrations/splash arts are just breathtaking.

There’s also this adorable, almost chibi-like shape and style to the character designs and models, which fits really nicely with the more simplistic, blocky style of the world. I simply can’t state it enough, the art direction feels incredibly well thought-out and crafted with a lot of time, care, and heart.

Additionally, I’m not typically into traditional ‘cozy’ games. Because of this, it’s not very often that I get to find one that captures that same warmth of a cozy game, but within a genre that I already love. However, that’s exactly what The Lonesome Guild has pulled off.

I can never seem to put my finger on it, but there’s always a particular sense of serenity that I find in every title I’ve played from the DON’T NOD publisher. From Life is Strange and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage to Jusant, and now The Lonesome Guild, there’s a quiet spark of magic that they all share. A perfect blend of atmosphere, whimsy, and emotion that keeps me coming back, no matter the genre.

I am beyond happy with The Lonesome Guild, and it has most definitely been one of my favorite recent RPG experiences. The music is smooth and serene, settling me in the world of Eterne with every new location I visit.

In the case of The Lonesome Guild, I felt that it was a success because it doesn’t try to overstep or reinvent the genre. It offers a simple, heartfelt adventure that will tug on your heartstrings. And because of this, The Lonesome Guild has bridged a gap in my games library, capturing that same feel-good warmth that cozy games are known for while still existing in a genre I adore.

In a lot of ways, this game feels like it arrived at exactly the right time, as it has reconnected me with a lot of feelings and memories that caused me to fall in love with the hobby in the first place.

The Lonesome Guild feels incredibly genuine and grounded, perfect for players who are chasing a simple yet soulful journey. I didn’t even know how much I was in need of a game like this, and I will now forever hold a soft spot for DaVinci and his friends.

The only point of concern that really popped up was that I can see some players wanting more challenge out of combat, as even the skills and team-ups don’t offer a huge amount of strategy. I also don’t see there being all that much replay value in the game, but that doesn’t really matter to me anyway, as the highs far outweigh the hiccups, and The Lonsome Guild has more than left its mark on my heart.