The Awakener: Battle Tendency

Diablo-style loot meets Dynasty Warriors crowd-clearing

The Awakener: Battle Tendency is a musou-meets-looter-slasher hybrid from TANER GAMES that fuses Diablo-style build depth with Dynasty Warriors-style crowd-clearing, sending players through 20-50 hours of monster-horde-clearing levels while collecting loot and crafting a build from hundreds of affixes and talents, according to its own store description. This review draws on an English review sample, 69 reviews at the time of research, rated Very Positive overall, though a notably detailed and consistent minority raises serious concerns about its launch state.

Praised repeatedly for satisfying, legible combat

The sample's most consistent theme is how enjoyable and readable the core combat feels, even amid its visual intensity. "The standout thing is that even amidst the total visual chaos of particle effects everywhere, I can still clearly read what's happening on screen. And that's all down to them making the attack tells vivid and legible," reads one detailed review. A separate reviewer independently credits the same combat feel: "The combat is pretty fun... You're able to animation cancel by pressing block while grounded, so this allows you to spice up your gameplay a bit." This review treats that convergence as fair and meaningful: multiple reviewers independently crediting clear, satisfying combat mechanics amid genre-typical visual chaos is credible evidence of solid core design, regardless of the game's other issues.

Praised for a varied cast and genuine build tactics

Reviewers also specifically credit the game's playable roster and build variety. "You can find multiple characters to play all equally fun and mechanically deep... You can really let your imagination go wild and make something entirely your own," reads one review. A separate reviewer independently notes real tactical stakes in some encounters: "Some of the bosses require legit tactics and choice of gear and require vastly different approaches depending on the character you play." This review treats that as fair: reviewers crediting both build creativity and genuine, encounter-specific tactical demands is a credible sign that some of the game's promised RPG depth is present, even if inconsistently realised.

Praised for strong value and active post-launch support

This review also found specific, credible praise for the game's price-to-content ratio and ongoing development. "As said, if this was a full price title it'd be such a hard NOPE, but for 15€ I am having decent fun as of now," reads one review. A separate reviewer independently notes the developer's responsiveness: "The Devs issued an apology and have updated the game numerous times since then. It's in a better spot now." This review treats both as fair: a reasonable launch price combined with reviewer-confirmed active post-launch patching are genuine points in the game's favour, even against a rocky start.

A serious, heavily corroborated complaint about its unfinished launch state

Set against that praise, this review found the sample's most serious and consistent complaint concerns the game's state at release. "I highly recommend this Tech Demo/Early Access. And before you ask, yes, as of launch this is marketed as a game, not a tech demo or early access title, but nevertheless it is one," reads one detailed review. A separate reviewer independently reports extensive bugs: "it had the most amount of bugs I have ever seen in a game [at launch]." A third reviewer is blunter: "you quickly notice that this is an unfinished game. There are sooo many bugs, it lacks optimisation." This review treats that as fair and serious: three independent, detailed reviewers describing the same specific concern, that a full-price, full-release title launched in a state more typical of Early Access, is a credible and significant complaint that any prospective buyer needs to weigh.

A fair, corroborated complaint about marketing overpromising build depth

This review also found a specific, corroborated complaint about a direct marketing claim. "On the game's Steam page they promise 'Diablo-style build depth with Dynasty Warriors crowd-clearing.' You do have the Dynasty Warriors type of gameplay, but the Diablo-style build depth does not exist," reads one review. A separate reviewer's own description of the loot system supports that read: "They are all 'numbers go up' style bonuses, and aren't generally very exciting." This review treats that as fair: a reviewer directly testing a specific marketing claim against the shipped game, and independently corroborated by a second reviewer's more neutral description of the same system, is a credible complaint about the gap between promise and delivery.

Achievement data corroborates early launch-state friction

This review's own check of Steam's global achievement data, across 20 tracked milestones, shows only 37.5% of players clearing even the first level, an unusually low bar to clear this early in a linear action game. Later milestones drop off sharply from there, with most challenge-specific achievements sitting below 5%. That early drop-off is consistent with reviewer accounts of bugs and rough launch-state issues turning away a meaningful share of players before they got very far, even as reviewers who stuck with it report the game improving steadily through post-launch patches.

Final verdict

The Awakener: Battle Tendency is a genuinely satisfying, cheap musou power fantasy with legible, rewarding combat and a varied playable cast, earning real credit from reviewers willing to look past its rough edges. This review found that praise significantly tempered by a serious, heavily corroborated complaint that it launched in an unfinished state more typical of Early Access, plus a fair, specific complaint that its marketed Diablo-style build depth doesn't yet match reality. For musou fans willing to tolerate launch jank at a modest price, it's a reasonable pickup, especially given the developer's active post-launch patching; players expecting the deep, polished build systems its marketing promises should wait for further updates before buying.