1348 Ex Voto

Lore & Background

1348 Ex Voto was developed by the 15-person indie team Sedleo. The game's protagonist, Aeta, is a young knight errant voiced by Alby Baldwin, who sets out to find and save Bianca, voiced by Jennifer English. Gameplay centers on sword combat and exploration of medieval Italy. Before launch, far-right influencers heavily attacked the game over a perceived lesbian romance that was not present in the final game. Upon release, this led to coordinated 'anti-woke' review bombing and further attacks, including false claims of government funding and death threats directed at the developers.

Reader's Guide

1348 Ex Voto holds significance as a case study in how pre-release culture-war targeting can shape a game's reception independent of its actual content. The game received mixed or average reviews, with a Metacritic score of 50 from 18 critics and an OpenCritic average of 50 from 28 reviews, only 7% of whom recommended it. Critics praised its visuals and acting, particularly the opening's 'gorgeous landscapes, gripping acting, and historically inspired combat animations' as noted by Jarret Green of IGN. However, the game was criticized for its combat system, technical performance, and overall polish at launch. Green stated that the rest of the game failed to live up to its opening promise, citing 'shoddy combat' and a lack of interactivity and variety. The controversy surrounding the game—including false claims of government funding and death threats—overshadowed its release and highlighted the vulnerability of indie developers to organized online harassment. Its legacy is thus tied both to its modest critical reception and to the broader social dynamics that affected its launch.

Did You Know?

• The game was developed by a 15-person indie team called Sedleo.
• Aeta is voiced by Alby Baldwin, and Bianca is voiced by Jennifer English.
• Far-right influencers attacked the game before launch over a perceived lesbian romance that was not in the final game.
• The game received a Metacritic score of 50 based on 18 reviews.