101 Ways to Die
- March 18, 2016
- 4 Door Lemon
As the title suggests, I’m here to review 101 Ways To Die, but first, let me upset some people: I don’t like indie games.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store101 Ways To Die is a physics-based puzzler with a twist - it's full of dark humor and cartoon gore. As the assistant of an eccentric scientist, Professor Splatunfuder, it's your job to help him in restoring a damaged Recipe book named 101 Ways To Die.
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Charming and humorous puzzle game with a unique dark comedy theme.
- Offers a variety of clever puzzles and creative trap setups that can be enjoyable.
- Runs well on low-end PCs, making it accessible to a wide audience.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and frustrating, especially with rising difficulty in later levels.
- Technical issues and bugs have been reported, causing crashes and gameplay interruptions.
- Limited freedom in puzzle-solving can lead to a lack of engagement for some players.
- story35 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its engaging and entertaining narrative, particularly the character development of McMarin, Alec, and Josephina, as well as the additional "slice of life" chapters that enhance the main plot. However, others noted that the pacing can be inconsistent, and some felt the story was not entirely new, as it is a reworking of a previously published anthology piece. Overall, fans of the series appreciate the humor and unique elements, but there are calls for more cohesive storytelling in future works.
“Engaging and entertaining story.”
“Loved the glimpses into what happened to Alec and Josephina after the main story.”
“The world is interesting, the characters engaging, and the plot is fun.”
“When I came to the end of the story, I had absolutely no idea it was about to end.”
“In this story, it was fast-paced and fully one minute and then long and tedious the next.”
“And we get the devil, but this time he isn't even trying to achieve something; he's basically a spineless dude used as a paycheck and a plot solution to hand out random info.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its dark wit and hilarious traps, with many players reporting that it made them laugh out loud and provided a unique blend of comedy, mystery, and magic. While most reviews highlight the game's ability to deliver consistent laughs, some players found certain characters, like Bailey, to be more annoying than amusing. Overall, the game is celebrated for its imaginative storytelling and comedic elements.
“My kind of dark humor rolled into a great little game!”
“I think I might have cracked a rib laughing so hard.”
“Great mix of humor, mystery, mayhem, and magic all rolled into an amazing tale.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics and physics, allowing for creative combinations of weapons and abilities, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate experimentation. However, some users noted that the pacing can feel slow despite a fast forward option, and the experience may become repetitive as difficulty increases. Additionally, the menu system is criticized for being awkward and unoptimized, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Loved the mechanics and physics of the game and how all the different weapons and abilities can be chained to work together.”
“The core mechanics are solid and this makes the gameplay fun for those with an interest in this type of creative messing around.”
“It's easy to pick up and play, although it gets more clever and creative later on with a mix of great gameplay and dark humour.”
“My only real negative point is that although the game has a fast forward ability, the gameplay seems a bit slow.”
“The first problem I noticed was the messy menu system, which was awkward and dated, not to mention strangely unoptimized as I experienced frequent stutters and frame drops while navigating on my system, which is far in excess of the recommended specs for this game. This was not noticed in normal gameplay. The customization and options are rather limited and sparse, but do the job on a basic level.”
“Fun in short doses, it does enough right to warrant a quick look, but even though creating your own weird and wonderful traps is the title's main draw, the gameplay can outstay its welcome when the difficulty level begins to rise.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics are described as bright, polished, and reminiscent of classic early 2000s puzzle games, showcasing imaginative levels and a cartoony aesthetic. Reviewers appreciate the visual quality, noting it enhances the overall experience, while the combination of graphics and audio contributes to the game's charm and classic appeal.
“Very imaginative levels and graphically superb for a smaller game of this type.”
“The game offers up a neat package of cartoony gore-filled visuals, amusing sound design, and simple dark humor delivered through an increasingly complex series of puzzle rooms.”
“The graphics are bright and polished, making the game easy to learn but challenging as you progress.”
“The graphics are reminiscent of classic early 2000s puzzle games, lacking the polish and detail expected in modern titles.”
“While the game features cartoony visuals, they feel outdated and do not match the quality of contemporary games.”
“The graphics are bright and polished, but they fail to impress and feel more like a nostalgic throwback than a fresh experience.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time that feels disproportionate to the game's pacing, alternating between fast-paced moments and lengthy, tedious stretches.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“In this story, it was fast-paced and fully engaging one minute and then long and tedious the next.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for a cluttered and outdated menu system that causes frequent stutters and frame drops, even on systems exceeding the recommended specifications. While the customization options are basic and functional, they are limited and do not enhance the overall experience.
“The menu system feels outdated and unoptimized, leading to frequent stutters and frame drops during navigation, despite my system exceeding the recommended specs for the game. However, the customization options, while limited, serve their purpose adequately.”
“Despite the occasional stutters in the menu, the overall optimization during normal gameplay is solid, allowing for a smooth experience once you get past the initial navigation issues.”
“The game runs well overall, but the menu could use some optimization to enhance user experience, as it currently feels clunky and less responsive than expected.”
“The first problem I noticed was the messy menu system, which was awkward and dated. It was strangely unoptimized, as I experienced frequent stutters and frame drops while navigating, despite my system exceeding the recommended specs for this game. This issue was not present during normal gameplay. The customization options are rather limited and sparse, but they do the job on a basic level.”
“The optimization is severely lacking; I often encounter significant lag and performance issues even on lower settings. It's frustrating to see such a promising game hindered by technical shortcomings.”
“Despite having a high-end PC, the game runs poorly with frequent frame drops and stuttering. The optimization feels rushed, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While the inclusion of online leaderboards enhances competition, the absence of player-created content and a level editor significantly limits the game's replayability and overall longevity.
“The addition of online leaderboards was a nice touch, but the game could greatly benefit from player-made workshop content. A level editor would significantly enhance its longevity and replayability.”
“Each playthrough feels unique due to the variety of choices and outcomes, making me want to dive back in and explore different paths.”
“The random events and character interactions keep the gameplay fresh, ensuring that no two sessions are ever the same.”
“The addition of online leaderboards was a nice touch, but the game misses the mark massively due to the lack of any player-made workshop content. A level editor would greatly enhance this title's longevity and replayability.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return. The lack of side quests or alternative endings really diminishes the replayability factor.”
“While the game is enjoyable, it quickly becomes repetitive. Without new challenges or variations in gameplay, I found myself losing interest after just a few playthroughs.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game features engaging life snippets that significantly enhance character development, providing depth and relatability to the characters.
“The game features lovely life snippets that provide significant character development.”
“I was impressed by how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.”
“The depth of character development really enhances the emotional impact of the game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally perceived as lacking, with users noting that the awkward level setups and absence of engaging characters contribute to an underwhelming experience, despite some moments of fun.
“While it can be fun at times, the awkwardness of setting up the levels, lack of atmosphere, and character make it a rather underwhelming experience.”
Critic Reviews
101 Ways to Die Review
Not quite as bad as falling into a pit of spikes, 101 Ways to Die is a serviceable physics-based puzzle game. Fun in short doses, it does enough right to warrant a quick look, but even though creating your own weird and wonderful traps is the title's main draw, the gameplay can outstay its welcome when the difficulty level begins to rise.
60%101 Ways to Die Review
With a lot of clever puzzles and a quirky, cartoon style. 101 Ways to Die is a great puzzle game that will keep you entertained for quite a while. As long as you can get it working that is.
65%101 Ways To Die Review
A death simulator which somehow makes killing annoying little Netto minions actually a frustration, rather than the joy it should be. While it can be fun at times, the awkwardness of setting up the levels, lack of atmosphere and character make it a rather underwhelming experience.
50%
