Arid

About

Arid is a single player open world simulation game. It was developed by Sad Viscacha Studio and was released on June 29, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

Arid is a gritty, exploration-survival experience that challenges players in surviving the most arid place in the world. By using your skills and adaptation, you must face the loneliness, the extreme temperatures, and mysteries of the Atacama Desert.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,344 reviews

story115 positive mentions

stability27 negative mentions

Arid is a well-crafted survival game with beautiful graphics and an engaging atmosphere, especially considering it is a free student project.
The survival mechanics, including resource management and the need to avoid sun exposure, add a compelling challenge to the gameplay.
The game features an interesting story told through notes and environmental storytelling, which keeps players invested in the experience.

The game suffers from performance issues and bugs, including crashes and glitches that can disrupt gameplay.
Inventory management can be cumbersome, with limited carrying capacity and tools that break too quickly, leading to frustration.
The pacing can feel slow, with players often having to backtrack to gather resources, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
300 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it engaging and well-presented, while others feel it lacks depth and can become repetitive. Some appreciate the environmental storytelling and the mystery surrounding the protagonist's journey, while others criticize the pacing and linearity of the narrative. Overall, the story is seen as a solid foundation that enhances the survival gameplay, though it could benefit from further development and complexity.
- “The story is interesting and well presented!”
- “I loved the simple story-line with the difficult challenges, and especially trying to find out what happened to the people who were there 'before me.' Absolutely 5/5 stars from me.”
- “The story becomes very mysterious and draws you in quite well, music matches the atmosphere and is really enjoyable and the voice acting is quite well done.”
- “I got confused by different notes/letters/books and the story mixed up in my head.”
- “The main story is very basic and not particularly noteworthy.”
- “I found myself wondering at the second hour whether it will be worthwhile at all to continue wandering around and collect clues to actually get to something of a story.”
gameplay
219 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
7%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its immersive survival mechanics and resource management elements, particularly the unique sun exposure and temperature systems. However, some criticize the repetitive nature of the gameplay loop and the reliance on dated mechanics, which can lead to a feeling of monotony. Overall, while the game offers solid mechanics and an engaging story, it may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced or varied gameplay experiences.
- “The survival mechanics are straightforward but striking, emphasizing resource management and smart navigation.”
- “It's great for its game mechanics, like the sun exposure and well-being, and its realistic difficulty; I would recommend this game.”
- “The mechanics work well, there's no technical issues, but the gameplay loop is very exhausting.”
- “But beyond the initial immersion, the gameplay loop reveals its limits.”
- “The gameplay loop is literally just to trudge through the desert to find food & water so that you can keep trudging through the desert to find more food and more water.”
- “I understand there's a stamina mechanic and that stamina is limited, but oh my goodness the walking speed is very slow and this is the only thing that has kept me from playing longer... the frustration just gets to me!”
graphics
137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
5%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the visuals as impressive and aesthetically pleasing, especially for a free or indie title. However, some users report significant performance issues, including lag and graphical glitches, which detract from the overall experience. While the game showcases beautiful environments and solid design, optimization remains a concern for players with varying hardware capabilities.
- “The graphics are great, the storyline is 10/10; this is one of the best survival games I have ever played.”
- “Beautiful visuals and effects on a very well-designed map, decent voice acting, a bit of a storyline, some lore-style collectibles and sub-plots, well-balanced survival mechanisms like trapping, skinning, crafting, foraging, and so on.”
- “The graphics are very clean and realistic.”
- “Absolutely unsmooth graphics; even slight and slow movement is like looking at Windows cursor trails, except all over the screen, like there are a dozen images all a tiny bit offset from each other.”
- “Some improvement there, but certainly not enough to stop the seizure-inducing graphical flaws. I don't get seizures from games, just this one, or at least I felt like I was going to get one.”
- “This game is also super unoptimized. I'm using an RX 570 4GB on all low settings, and the game completely maxes my card out. It shouldn't be that graphically intensive, and I'm struggling to maintain between 30 and 40 FPS or any higher.”
atmosphere
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
29%
8%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience with a strong sense of beauty and mystery. Players appreciate the atmospheric sound design, which complements the visuals and contributes to the game's survival elements, creating a feeling of isolation and tension. Despite some criticisms regarding depth and mechanics, the game's environment and ambiance are consistently highlighted as standout features that draw players into its world.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, and the challenge is both intense and rewarding.”
- “The atmosphere of Arid is great; the sun feels burning hot, dark is truly dark, and those monsters scared the hell out of me.”
- “The atmosphere, voice acting, music, and gameplay give such an immersive survival experience.”
- “Arid is an ambitious survival experiment — one that nails its atmosphere but struggles with depth.”
- “The atmosphere is absolutely oppressive.”
- “Eerie atmosphere in the cave system with horror vibes.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
35%
9%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the immersive experience, with a beautiful soundtrack that complements the desert setting. While the original soundtrack is available for free, some players noted that a couple of key tracks are missing from the downloadable version. Overall, the music is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's mood and storytelling.
- “The soundtrack is particularly nice music if you like desert-sounding instrumental music like I do.”
- “The environment is immersive, the ambient music very atmospheric and figuring out how to advance the story or rather move forward through the various locations makes for a treasure hunt type of gameplay.”
- “The story becomes very mysterious and draws you in quite well, music matches the atmosphere and is really enjoyable and the voice acting is quite well done.”
- “The credits song and a song which plays in a secret, hard-to-find cave are not included in the downloadable soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is actually decent and worth leaving on even after a few hours of playing.”
- “The music that is played from time to time completes the whole thing.”
stability
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, some of which can be game-breaking. While some users found the game mostly bug-free and enjoyable, others experienced significant issues that detracted from their experience. However, several reviewers noted that for a free or student-developed game, the stability is commendable, with some players not encountering any major problems at all.
- “Good game, quite entertaining and mostly bug-free.”
- “For a free game, it was really well done and not buggy.”
- “For a free game that was created by university students, this is exceptionally well polished and bug-free.”
- “So now I need to re-gather everything for the mine... decided... it is a slow game and not enjoying it and since it crashed and I lost progress (but kept items from inside the mine) that this is a buggy game and there are better games to play.”
- “There are no small glitches but I did have complete crashes a few times.”
- “I hesitate to say excellent (as I so wish to) because there are two game-breaking glitches that I have encountered.”
optimization
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance dips and crashes, particularly on lower-end systems. While some users noted stable performance and decent optimization, others highlighted the need for improvements, especially given the game's reliance on Unreal Engine. Overall, while the game shows promise, it suffers from optimization issues that detract from the experience, particularly in demanding environments.
- “I didn't encounter any bugs whatsoever, and aside from a few flukes in a few areas, performance was stable and decently optimized.”
- “Bravo to the students for putting together a pretty well optimized and playable game here.”
- “Needs some optimization, but given that it's a school project in early access state, I'd say they're surely off to a great start.”
- “It also suffers from the fact that it uses Unreal Engine, which requires a lot of optimization to run properly. This game experiences major performance dips sometimes, and I can imagine that this sort of smaller team project wasn't going to be polished for months.”
- “A lot of fun, but it seems poorly optimized and kept crashing after a specific point in the gameplay.”
- “Unfortunately, the optimization isn't the greatest. I was running outdoors in the game at 12 frames, and in the cave, I got up to 20.”
grinding
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
4%
93%
Reviews indicate that the game's grinding mechanics are a mixed bag; while some players find the experience tedious and frustrating, particularly with crafting and navigation, others appreciate the strategic survival elements and atmospheric design. The grind can detract from enjoyment, leading to moments of tedium, but many agree that it doesn't completely overshadow the game's fun aspects. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant factor that can either enhance or diminish the gaming experience, depending on individual preferences.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Neither adds any real challenge, they're just tedious and pad out the runtime unnecessarily.”
- “The crafting of low durability items got a bit tedious (how many hammers do I have to make anyway?).”
- “This game seems fun in the first half but then becomes incredibly tedious and a time suck.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
25%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players enjoying the quirky elements like dancing skeletons and the main character's snarky optimism, which grows on them over time. While some found the crude humor a bit forced, the overall comedic tone, including hidden plot twists and easter eggs, adds a delightful layer to the survival experience. Players appreciate the blend of humor with gameplay mechanics, making for a fun and engaging adventure.
- “While the main character is jarringly unbothered by her situation, her humor and optimism wound up growing on me once I decided to roll with it.”
- “Extremely funny, fast to finish, and definitely worth playing.”
- “I had a lot of fun with it, because when you expect a survival game, these irrational yet mandatory elements are quite hilarious.”
- “Even though I don't think her voice was supposed to be funny, every time I heard her say something snarky, I found it comedic.”
- “The attempts at humor often fell flat, leaving me more confused than amused.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes were stale and predictable.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's replayability is rated moderately, with a score of 5/10, as it offers limited plot variation and lacks multiple endings, which diminishes its overall appeal for repeated playthroughs. Some players suggest that adjusting the in-game clock could enhance the experience and make it more enjoyable for those seeking to replay the game.
- “This allows for some good potential replay value.”
- “I believe slowing down the in-game clock (10 to 1, 5 to 1, even 1 to 1) or allowing the player to do so within the game's settings would solve most of the grindy feel, leaving a more enjoyable and replayable game!”
- “Of course, this game would have been even better if it had multiple endings because as it exists, it has very little replay value in terms of plot. This tends to be my most common complaint about games that are otherwise pretty good.”
- “Replayability: 5/10”
- “It's even replayable.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, with some experiencing physical discomfort due to its immersive environment, such as feeling cold or hot in real life. Additionally, the game evokes a range of emotions, from frustration to warmth, particularly through its storytelling elements.
- “I actually got annoyed with being cold so much that it actually made me feel like I was freezing in real life... always have a blanket ready with that game.”
- “From trying not to bake in the hot Chilean sun to reading heartwarming stories like 'Amor Prohibido por el Desierto.'”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players appreciate completely free-to-play games that lack in-app purchases, emphasizing that these titles offer a risk-free opportunity to try them without any financial commitment.
- “With most of the completely free-to-play games I've played, I believe it's free, so get it and give it a try... it doesn't cost you anything.”
- “The monetization model is fair and allows players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content, making it accessible for everyone without mandatory purchases.”
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money just to enjoy basic features.”
- “It's frustrating that essential content is locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending real money.”
- “The game constantly bombards you with ads and offers, which detracts from the overall experience.”