Badlanders

About

Badlanders is a single player and multiplayer survival shooter game. It was developed by 101.Studio and was released on March 9, 2022. It received neutral reviews from players.

The Red Beach Shelter once housed the world's most advanced weapon tech. However, it was short-lived as war broke out. The only things left on that beach are massive ruins, competing scavengers, and endless opportunities... Gear up and get ready to enter the hot zone of riches and danger!

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53%

Audience ScoreBased on 657 reviews

gameplay17 positive mentions

monetization5 negative mentions

Fun and addictive gameplay combining looter shooter and extraction elements reminiscent of Escape from Tarkov and PUBG.
Runs well on low-end PCs and is accessible as a free-to-play game with a fair monetization model focused mostly on cosmetics.
Offers unique mechanics like keeping loot after extraction and diverse weapon customization options, with good sound customization and in-game voice chat.

Widespread and persistent cheating issues severely impact gameplay and fairness, with insufficient anti-cheat enforcement and frequent hacker presence.
Technical problems including bugs (mouse and camera control issues), server connection difficulties, long matchmaking times, and occasional crashes.
Small and shrinking player base leading to empty or bot-filled matches, limited map variety, and low overall game polish, contributing to a monotonous and frustrating experience.

gameplay
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
59%
12%
The gameplay is generally praised for its Tarkov-inspired mechanics, offering a strategic, loot-and-evacuate experience that appeals to hardcore and casual players alike. However, performance issues, slow pacing, unrefined mechanics, frequent cheating, and an abundance of bots significantly detract from enjoyment. While the core gameplay shows promise and has a dedicated niche, technical flaws and unfair practices hamper its full potential.
- “Cool mechanics like taking your armor and weapons home and preparing everything before you get in the game.”
- “The gameplay of this game is similar to Escape from Tarkov, which is different from the traditional battle royale mode.”
- “The gameplay is very rich, with a variety of strategic battles, and the gameplay of 25 people fighting on the battlefield is very strong.”
- “One of the biggest letdowns of Badlanders is its lackluster gameplay mechanics.”
- “It's a shame that the developers didn't put enough effort into refining the gameplay experience, as it severely hampers any potential enjoyment.”
- “Footsteps and third person ruin the entire gameplay experience because when you're the one entering an area an enemy is already in.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
39%
22%
The graphics receive mixed reviews, with many users describing them as outdated, simplistic, or mediocre, often reflecting a mobile port quality. However, some praise the graphics as good or sharp, noting stable performance and smooth gameplay despite the lack of high-end visual fidelity. Overall, the graphics are seen as functional but lacking polish compared to more modern or PC-focused titles.
- “No crazy computer needed, solid game, good gameplay and controls, good graphics.”
- “It is smooth, with good graphics and enjoyable.”
- “Frame rate is good, graphics are good, and easy matching for players.”
- “The graphics quality could use a little smoothing as well as the character physics and hitboxes, which often don't make sense.”
- “It felt graphically like a game from 2002-2007!”
- “The graphics are sharp but my Galaxy S9 Plus can do the same thing.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The story aspect is widely criticized for lacking a coherent narrative, meaningful progression, or atmosphere, with missions feeling repetitive and more like battle pass objectives than true quests. Some users note the game attempts a Tarkov-like experience but fails to deliver a compelling backstory or character development. Overall, the game is seen as having minimal or poorly executed story elements.
- “This game is fun and has so much potential. I recommend anyone download it who enjoys a good story with lots of action.”
- “After learning some basics and playing the very first mission, I was able to get some items and proceed to the exit point.”
- “There are tons of missions, guides, skins, boosters, diamonds, ores, etc., that become super hard to understand, even if they introduce them one by one.”
- “The missions and objectives are often dull and repetitive, offering no sense of progression or meaningful rewards.”
- “No story, no atmosphere, very robotic.”
- “One of the worst games I have played on PC; lack of content, backstory, main characters, and graphics.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game generally offers good optimization with smooth performance even on low-end devices and modest configuration requirements, providing an enjoyable experience. However, some users report significant freezing, stuttering, and issues with cross-platform play affecting optimization negatively. Overall, optimization is considered better than expected and comparable to titles like CS:GO.
- “Good smooth performance for low-end devices and nice overall killing experience.”
- “During the playing experience, the game screen runs smoothly, and the overall configuration requirements are not high.”
- “Rich firearm modification system, support for custom accessories and props, arbitrary firearm painting, free matching function entries, free trade market, real and delicate picture quality, full of exciting game experience, easy operation of the game getting started, the optimization is also very good, and you can't stop playing.”
- “The amount of freezing and stuttering is insane.”
- “It's a poorly optimized game from mobile to PC; it matches you with mobile players which seems unfair.”
- “Tbh, I thought it was going to be badly optimized and a trash game full of cheaters.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
The monetization of the game is heavily criticized for being aggressive and intrusive, with constant in-app purchase prompts and advertisements that overshadow the gameplay. Many users feel it is a blatant cash grab, prioritizing revenue over content quality and player experience.
- “The game shamelessly pushes in-app purchases at every turn, constantly bombarding you with advertisements and offers to spend real money on in-game items and upgrades.”
- “For NetEase, the game is just the foundation to sell you every monetization scheme possible.”
- “Honestly, just play some other terrible game; it would have more content than this cash grab.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The game suffers from frequent crashes and bugs, with some users experiencing freezes and glitches, though it runs well on Linux. Stability issues are common, contributing to a frustrating experience for many players.
- “Freezes up PC or crashes.”
- “Freezes for my friend, repetitive gameplay, buggy, very little features, Google translated from Chinese, a port of a mobile game.”
- “Buggy af.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Grinding in the game is widely considered tedious and excessive, with players facing long, uninspired tutorials and repetitive farming that feels artificially imposed. Many users find the experience monotonous, often complicated by poor AI and a reliance on artificial advantages.
- “It quickly becomes a tedious grind with no real purpose.”
- “The whole game is built on the artificial creation of advantages and excessive farming, as if they forgot to make a donation to it, or have not done so yet.”
- “Long and tedious tutorial, most of the players are actually bots with very bad AI, or very bad players.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is considered average, with some players finding comical moments in chaotic or unexpected in-game events, such as players unintentionally causing humorous outcomes. However, the overall funniness is rated moderately and not a standout aspect.
- “Badlanders are funny, yes we can't say anything about that.”
- “Actually killed one but that was because they hilariously decided to throw 5 grenades in one motion to kill my friend instead.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the atmosphere lacking and robotic, noting an absence of engaging story elements that contribute to immersion.
- “No story, no atmosphere, very robotic.”