More than three-quarters of the player base plunges deep into the underground world, with 257 out of 330 reviewers logging over 25 hours. Backed by 290 post-release reviews maintaining a 90 percent positive standing, this old-school tactical adventure proves that intricate writing and deliberate pacing still command fierce loyalty.
What it's about: Huge indie fantasy role-playing adventure in a massive, underground land. Packed with over 100 towns and dungeons and an epic story. Fight to complete up to three distinct game-winning quests. Master over 60 spells and abilities. Hunt for hundreds of magical artifacts. Over 50 hours of gameplay.
In-game
« 500 mb game that is truly greater than 200 GB modern games. Need I say more? »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2024 · 65 h played1« La suite, avec quasi le même temps de jeu que le 1. Fidèle à lui même. Bien. Où l'on en apprends plus sur le monde. J'ai aimé le 1, j'ai aimé poursuivre cette grande campagne jdr. »👍 anonymous review · Mar 2024 · 115 h played« Very Good RPG, have all the Avernum games, i have allways liked games made by Spiderweb Software hope to see more games made over time »👍 anonymous review · Jan 2015 · 12 h played« I have been playing these games since the storied days of yore, and AOL... dark times, indeed. Looking and playing better than ever. If you like computer games you should buy this. 10/10 would recommend. »👍 anonymous review · Jan 2015 · 33 h played« Keeping the flame alive for turn-based, epic RPGs, Crystal Souls proves that you don't need massive graphical resources to have a grand roleplaying adventure. »👍 anonymous review · Mar 2015 · 300 h played« I've played this since it was "Exile", and this game and its pre/se-quels it has always kept me amused, nearly 30 years later. Good job, Spiderweb <3 »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2022 · 387 h played
« Even if I like retro games, it's too much. UI is not intuitive, not ergonomic. There's a LOOOOT of text before, and during the game. Etc, etc. I love RPG, especially turn-based ones, but for me, this is not a good game. »👎 anonymous review · Jul 2016 · 0 h played« 8/10 story 2/10 gameplay 1/10 price »👎 anonymous review · Nov 2018 · 1 h played« Probably ok if you're into this kind of game. Feels like it came from the early 90s. Very hard to get in to, strange UI, very outdated. Really liked the context of the story though. »👎 anonymous review · Jul 2016 · 2 h played« Very disapointed by this version of the game. »👎 anonymous review · Feb 2016 · 15 h played« Texture aren't the best and I have no Idea of what to do but my friend gave me this game is Idk really »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2016 · 0 h played« I love this style of game. I've been playing Spiderweb Software games for years and enjoy them all. Can't wait for Avernum 3. »👍 anonymous review · May 2016 · 78 h played
In players' words
« 500 mb game that is truly greater than 200 GB modern games. Need I say more? »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2024 · 65 h played1« Even if I like retro games, it's too much. UI is not intuitive, not ergonomic. There's a LOOOOT of text before, and during the game. Etc, etc. I love RPG, especially turn-based ones, but for me, this is not a good game. »👎 anonymous review · Jul 2016 · 0 h played« La suite, avec quasi le même temps de jeu que le 1. Fidèle à lui même. Bien. Où l'on en apprends plus sur le monde. J'ai aimé le 1, j'ai aimé poursuivre cette grande campagne jdr. »👍 anonymous review · Mar 2024 · 115 h played« 8/10 story 2/10 gameplay 1/10 price »👎 anonymous review · Nov 2018 · 1 h played« Very Good RPG, have all the Avernum games, i have allways liked games made by Spiderweb Software hope to see more games made over time »👍 anonymous review · Jan 2015 · 12 h played« Probably ok if you're into this kind of game. Feels like it came from the early 90s. Very hard to get in to, strange UI, very outdated. Really liked the context of the story though. »👎 anonymous review · Jul 2016 · 2 h played« I have been playing these games since the storied days of yore, and AOL... dark times, indeed. Looking and playing better than ever. If you like computer games you should buy this. 10/10 would recommend. »👍 anonymous review · Jan 2015 · 33 h played« Very disapointed by this version of the game. »👎 anonymous review · Feb 2016 · 15 h played« Keeping the flame alive for turn-based, epic RPGs, Crystal Souls proves that you don't need massive graphical resources to have a grand roleplaying adventure. »👍 anonymous review · Mar 2015 · 300 h played« Texture aren't the best and I have no Idea of what to do but my friend gave me this game is Idk really »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2016 · 0 h played« I've played this since it was "Exile", and this game and its pre/se-quels it has always kept me amused, nearly 30 years later. Good job, Spiderweb <3 »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2022 · 387 h played« I love this style of game. I've been playing Spiderweb Software games for years and enjoy them all. Can't wait for Avernum 3. »👍 anonymous review · May 2016 · 78 h played
Anonymized excerpts from public Steam reviews — picked among those most voted "helpful" by the community.
What players say, by aspect
PositiveMixedNegative
Gameplay
80 % pos · n=145
Story / writing
93 % pos · n=98
Content / longevity
97 % pos · n=35
Graphics / art
41 % pos · n=32
Interface / UX
31 % pos · n=16
Value for money
73 % pos · n=11
Performance
83 % pos · n=6
Audio / music
33 % pos · n=6
Stability / bugs
67 % pos · n=3
Detailed data (table)
Aspect
Mentions
Positive
Mixed
Negative
Gameplay
145
116
9
20
Story / writing
98
91
1
6
Content / longevity
35
34
1
0
Graphics / art
32
13
2
17
Interface / UX
16
5
1
10
Value for money
11
8
0
3
Performance
6
5
0
1
Audio / music
6
2
0
4
Stability / bugs
3
2
0
1
Positive reviews by playtime
🎮 Players who like it have spent 73 h on median; those who dislike it: 6.4 h.
<2h
48 % (n=23)
2-10h
62 % (n=21)
10-25h
93 % (n=29)
>25h
96 % (n=257)
💶 Price history
Steam price tracked automatically since Aug 19, 2026 · All-time low: €5.99 (Aug 19, 2026)
100% completion difficulty ("platinum")
2,1 %Demanding
of players have unlocked the rarest achievement — the upper bound of those who "100%'d" it. 35 achievements in total; the median achievement is unlocked by 18,4 % of players.
Engaging narrative craft anchors the experience with 91 positive mentions out of 98 regarding the story.
Tactical mechanics and system depth drive the core loop, earning 116 positive mentions out of 145 for gameplay.
Expansive world design and sheer longevity satisfy long-haul adventurers, supported by 34 positive mentions out of 35 for content.
Deep tactical freedom and rich text adventures resonate heavily, reflected by 25 mentions of the term RPG and 22 mentions of exploration.
Weaknesses
Dated visuals struggle to win over modern standards, gathering 17 negative mentions out of 32 for graphics.
Interface design creates friction during extended sessions, resulting in 10 negative mentions out of 16 for user interface.
Audio implementation falls flat for a portion of the audience, accounting for 4 negative mentions out of 6.
Who is it for?
Dedicating tacticians and lovers of classic, text-rich fantasy epics who gladly trade modern flash for deep, sprawling underground campaigns.
Is Avernum 2: Crystal Souls worth it in 2026?
Overall yes, the community is won over: 90% of 330 Steam reviews are positive (player score 87/100). Most-praised strength: Engaging narrative craft anchors the experience. Current price: 19,99€.
Verdict
Avernum 2: Crystal Souls demands patience with its archaic presentation and clunky interface, yet its masterclass in world-building easily wins over traditional role-playing enthusiasts. Sustained by a 90 percent approval rating across all 330 reviews, it stands as a rewarding subterranean journey for those willing to embrace its retro framework.
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