Agents of Mayhem

Despite fun combat and characters, Agents of Mayhem becomes repetitive and grinding. In trying to chase the popularity of Saints Row, it misses having an identity of its own.

59%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

optimization, stability

60% User Score Based on 3,471 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

Agents of Mayhem is a single player open world shooter game with comedy, violence, science fiction and erotic themes. It was developed by Deep Silver Volition and was released on August 15, 2017. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

Agents of Mayhem is the new open world game from Volition, the studio that brought you the Saints Row franchise. Play as a cast of unique and diverse Super Agents from all over the world, and lead them in MAYHEM’s epic fight to save the city of Seoul from the destructive schemes of the evil supervillain organization LEGION!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+14

Skip User Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,471 reviews

story357 positive mentions

optimization118 negative mentions

The game features a diverse cast of characters, each with unique abilities and personalities, making gameplay enjoyable.
The vibrant and colorful graphics create an engaging atmosphere, reminiscent of a Saturday morning cartoon.
The combat system is fun and fast-paced, allowing players to switch between characters on the fly.

The game suffers from repetitive missions and environments, leading to a lack of variety in gameplay.
There are numerous technical issues, including crashes and performance problems, which detract from the overall experience.
The story and character development are weak, with many characters feeling underdeveloped and the plot being predictable.

story
2,538 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
76%
10%
The story of "Agents of Mayhem" is often described as simplistic and clichéd, following a typical heroes vs. villains narrative with a campy, cartoonish style reminiscent of 80s cartoons. While some players appreciate the humor and character backstories, many find the overall plot to be shallow and repetitive, with missions that largely consist of similar objectives and environments, leading to a lack of engagement. Despite its entertaining moments, the story fails to deliver a compelling or memorable experience, often feeling like an afterthought amidst the gameplay.
- “One of Agents of Mayhem's standout features is its captivating storyline.”
- “The animated backstory flashbacks for everyone tend to be genuinely compelling and I crave more whenever it's over.”
- “The story is entertaining, as are the agent missions, and there is a good variety of enemies to get stuck into.”
- “The story and characters are not all that interesting and pretty mediocre.”
- “The story is bland and incoherent.”
- “The story is a little cheesy, and the acting is a little cheesy, but that's what they're going for here so I can let it slide.”
gameplay
1,128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
59%
9%
The gameplay of "Agents of Mayhem" is characterized by its fast-paced, third-person shooting mechanics and a unique character-switching system that allows players to control a squad of diverse agents, each with distinct abilities. However, many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of missions and a lack of depth in gameplay variety, leading to a sense of monotony over time. While the game offers enjoyable combat and humor reminiscent of the Saints Row series, it suffers from optimization issues and a shallow mission structure that may deter players seeking a more engaging experience.
- “The variety of playable agents each brings a distinct set of skills and playstyles, adding depth to the gameplay and keeping things fresh.”
- “The gameplay is fun and engaging enough to keep you playing until the end.”
- “The gameplay is solid, the writing is witty and has that signature Volition style, and the characters are absolutely fantastic and inspired.”
- “Where the game does show its weaknesses are in the overall gameplay, the side mission structure and overall character progression.”
- “The gameplay loop is repetitive and is overall a disappointment, as this was the follow up game after Saints Row 4.”
- “The gameplay is boring and repetitive and definitely not worth $60.”
humor
576 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The humor in "Agents of Mayhem" is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while it retains some of the irreverent charm of the Saints Row series, it often falls flat or feels juvenile. Some find the humor entertaining and reminiscent of 80s cartoons, while others criticize it as cringeworthy or lacking depth. Overall, the game's comedic elements are subjective, with some players enjoying the quirky banter and one-liners, while others feel disappointed by the tonal shift and less impactful jokes compared to previous titles.
- “This game is clearly positioned on the hilarious end of the scale.”
- “It's a rollercoaster ride of humor, explosions, and one-liners that will keep you entertained for hours.”
- “The humor is hilarious, and the main campaign has all the madness Saints Row had.”
- “The story is a mixture of cringe, childish, and unfunny characters and dialogues.”
- “You have a mix of some of the most unfunny, unlikable characters thrown in among some of the worst dialogue you could possibly have.”
- “The banter with the agents you choose for each mission is very scarce and is more often than not uninteresting and/or not funny.”
graphics
470 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant, cartoonish art style and detailed environments that create an immersive experience. However, players have reported significant performance issues, including graphical glitches and crashes, particularly when running on higher settings. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered appealing, the game's optimization and stability have been criticized, leading to a less enjoyable experience for some users.
- “The graphics are visually stunning, with detailed environments and dynamic effects that immerse players in a vibrant world of destruction.”
- “The open-world design gives you a lot of freedom to explore, and the graphics are top-notch.”
- “I love the cartoony style of graphics which are very detailed, atmospheric and reminiscent of well-fashioned action hero cartoons of the 1990s.”
- “First of all the optimization is horrendous, the game starts crapping the bed on ultra settings despite having a 1060 as its recommended spec but not only that, it'll start lagging the moment you activate mayhem regardless of any graphics preset.”
- “There are graphic glitches up the wazoo and I even encountered a ridiculous bug that wouldn't let me attack until I quit the game and came back.”
- “Overall disappointing graphics, very disappointing gameplay.”
optimization
372 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
57%
32%
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frequent crashes, stuttering, and low frame rates even on high-end systems. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance with specific tweaks, the general consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and requires substantial improvements to be playable across a wider range of hardware configurations. Overall, the game's performance issues detract from the otherwise enjoyable gameplay experience.
- “The optimization is great.”
- “For me, I'm running with all settings on ultra, 2560x1440 resolution, 144 frame rate and it runs flawlessly with great look, feel and zero lag or performance problems.”
- “While there are fps drops when large series of explosions happen, I've optimized my game for performance using Nvidia, and everything otherwise has been running perfectly fine for me for the 13 hours I have played at the time of writing this.”
- “The game is poorly optimized and will play like a brick on rigs that aren't uber amazing!”
- “This game is an unoptimized piece of garbage.”
- “First of all, the optimization is horrendous; the game starts crapping the bed on ultra settings despite having a 1060 as its recommended spec, but not only that, it'll start lagging the moment you activate mayhem regardless of any graphics preset.”
music
196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
64%
10%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the upbeat and ambient tracks that enhance the vibrant atmosphere, while others criticize the lack of variety and memorable tunes. Many noted the absence of a functional car radio and the reliance on generic soundtracks, which detracts from the overall experience, especially when compared to previous titles in the series. Overall, while there are moments of good music, it often feels muted or forgettable, leaving players wanting a more robust selection.
- “Also, when I first tried it, it didn't seem to have as much ambient sound, music, and atmospheric effects. I don't know if they updated it or something, but now it has all kinds of cool sounds, ambient music, and cool techno music in general (and different types of music in cars).”
- “+good soundtrack: the upbeat soundtrack definitely fits the vibrant & futuristic look of the game along with its main characters.”
- “The music in VR missions (training/challenge) is good to the point I lowered every other sound but music for those.”
- “Music is generic and boring as heck; I can't even hear it properly, feels muted even at 100%.”
- “The music was pretty non-existent.”
- “The game has almost no soundtrack whatsoever.”
stability
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
2%
91%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues, including soft locks, graphical anomalies, and occasional crashes. While some users noted improvements in stability over time, particularly after patches, others still experienced significant gameplay interruptions and frame rate drops during intense moments. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "unpolished," with a mixed reception regarding its playability.
- “However, if you pick this game up today, it’s almost bug free, and quite fun.”
- “No glitches or game-breaking bugs.”
- “Game plays smoothly on high settings with no problems at all, no glitches, bugs, or anything yet.”
- “One of the most bug-ridden broken games I have ever encountered.”
- “Due to numerous game-changing glitches and bugs that would randomly occur every time, such as the player icon not showing up on the map, the camera going under the map whenever I got into a car, to enemies not seeing me when I'm literally right in front of them, I can't recommend this game.”
- “It's a buggy mess sometimes, and I really wish they chose 3D animated cutscenes instead of the 2D segments, but it was worth the time spent playing, and introduces some great characters.”
grinding
152 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
2%
97%
The grinding aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding it tedious, repetitive, and uninspired. Missions often involve similar tasks that lack meaningful rewards, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration, especially when attempting to level up characters or complete achievements. While some players enjoy grinding for character progression, the overwhelming consensus is that the grind becomes tiresome quickly, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “Grinding is engaging and not tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Most missions involve infiltrating a tedious legion lair which a lot of previous players already pointed out as insanely repetitive. How did this even get past their QA testers?”
- “Unfortunately, with the servers being turned off, it is now technically impossible to 100% the game due to an achievement requiring a completion of online-only assignments. The final boss is more than tedious and annoying on higher difficulties, having 3 phases which send you back to the very start on phase one if you wipe at any point.”
- “This game had some good ideas and game mechanics, but it's just so tedious, boring, repetitive, and monotonous. Save your cash and time; avoid it like the plague.”
character development
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
47%
7%
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal and generic, with many reviewers noting that while character designs and animations are visually impressive, they do not contribute significantly to the narrative or player engagement. The system of character swapping feels more like a weapon change than a meaningful character evolution, leading to a lack of memorable interactions and depth. Overall, while the character designs are praised, the absence of substantial character development detracts from the overall experience.
- “The character designs are super cool, and the voice acting is great!”
- “Second only to the character designs is their animation, and it's the animation that really brings each character to life, making them feel unique and full of personality.”
- “There's a living city filled with sights and sounds, and some really good character designs, matched up with good voices, motion capture, and art.”
- “Certain design decisions were made to give AOM that Saturday morning cartoon vibe, which while charming at first, quickly reminded me why cartoons are different now—AOM's humor, narrative, and character development became bland and generic, to a point where it became difficult to justify it as 'it is meant to emulate Saturday morning cartoons.'”
- “The system of swapping characters should be seen more as a weapon change than a character change, since it happens instantaneously, so character development of your favorite characters is similar to upgrading weapons in other games.”
- “I love a lot of the character designs and backstories, but they aren't enough to carry the overall narrative.”
replayability
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
44%
28%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the character diversity and entertaining missions, many criticize the repetitive nature of the gameplay and lack of meaningful content after completing the story. The absence of online multiplayer and mod support further detracts from its replay value, leading to a consensus that, despite some enjoyable elements, the game ultimately lacks long-term engagement.
- “I only wish it had online gameplay; however, it does still have some replay value that never truly seems to tire out.”
- “Scalable difficulty with a cast of 12 (15 with DLC) playable characters of varying playstyles and strengths makes replayable missions and activities entertaining enough in doses.”
- “The biggest downside of this game is the attempt to make it highly replayable: with randomly generated enemy lairs to raid and how captured territory can be taken back by the enemy, it's guaranteed you'll never run out of things to do.”
- “And unlike Saints Row 3 & 4, there is no co-op play available, which deals a blow to the game's overall replayability.”
- “The biggest con for me is the lack of mods in order to boost replay value and variety.”
- “There is really no replay value after finishing this game. All the vaults, or lairs as they are called, are literally the exact same layout, the enemies aren't really that different from start to finish, and the only thing that's decent-ish are the boss fights, which are underwhelming after completing them.”
monetization
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
26%
65%
The monetization aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users labeling it a cash grab due to its grindy progression system and high price point, despite the absence of traditional microtransactions. While some players appreciate the lack of loot boxes and microtransactions, they criticize the overall value and marketing strategy, suggesting it was designed to exploit fans of the Saints Row series. Overall, the monetization approach has left players feeling frustrated and disappointed.
- “If you're a fan of action-packed single-player games with flashy graphics, no lootboxes and no microtransactions, you should definitely give this a try.”
- “The only microtransactions available for the game are the DLC listed on the game's page.”
- “(Also, there are no microtransactions... I can't find them. I read somewhere there were in-game, but so far none that I can find at least.)”
- “Now imagine the worst possible version of that, stuck in a single player game with a super grindy free-to-play character progression and no microtransactions to speed things up.”
- “It is (in my own opinion) the worst game of 2017 and I would not be surprised if the devs only released this as a cash grab to try and get money fast because they think people would buy this to associate this with the Saints Row games, and to top it off they are still charging £26.99 for this masterpiece of shit.”
- “Overpriced cash grab that adds nothing of real value from what I can see, so I skipped them.”
atmosphere
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
34%
12%
The game's atmosphere has received positive feedback for its engaging ambient sounds, diverse music, and detailed cartoonish graphics reminiscent of 1990s action hero cartoons. Players appreciate the fresh and exciting tone, witty dialogue, and the atmospheric rendition of settings like Seoul, although some note that certain effects may detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is described as fun and immersive, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the gameplay and story.
- “The gameplay, the atmosphere, the tone... all of it seemed fresh and exciting; and AOM's poor reception seemed to have come across as too harsh.”
- “I love the cartoony style of graphics which are very detailed, atmospheric and reminiscent of well-fashioned action hero cartoons of the 1990s.”
- “Loving the story, atmosphere, and gameplay.”
- “I mean, yeah, it sometimes really kills the atmosphere.”
- “On top of that, they all look the same, which could improve if they used different atmospheres, lighting, maybe even materials and foliage or props.”
- “There are tons of effects in this game that add nothing to the narrative or the atmosphere.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many reviewers describing the story and characters as boring and unoriginal. While some found the silliness of the main story reminiscent of childhood nostalgia, the overall sentiment reflects disappointment, as players hoped for a more engaging experience that lived up to the franchise's legacy. The music score is noted as forgettable, further detracting from any emotional impact the game might have had.
- “I hope there's a sequel for this game in the future, but I very much doubt it, and that's heartbreaking in my humble opinion.”
- “I found the main story to be silly enough that it constantly made me feel like a kid settling down in front of the TV before his favorite show was about to begin.”
- “There's only two or three vocal tracks that will likely be memorable (or stand out as annoying, which is understandable considering one of the threats is a supervillain expy of Justin Bieber), but this isn't too bad since you're probably not getting the game for its emotionally-driven music score.”
- “I once wrote a review, 1 and a half years ago in fact, that basically said I wanted to love this game but couldn't due to several things, such as resetting outposts, a boring story, and general repetitiveness, forcing me to download a savegame to have any semblance of fun.”
- “This game is basically Sunset Overdrive and was not a good game; it didn't have memorable characters, a boring story, and gameplay that didn't live up to its Saints Row hype.”
- “Other flaws include things like a boring story, unoriginal characters, and not really bringing anything new to the Saints Row universe.”