BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 227 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION Game Cover
Beautiful Desolation looks incredible and the world is unlike any other, but the gameplay and bugs can often spoil the fun.
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"Beautiful Desolation" is an isometric adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic world influenced by African culture and advanced technologies. As Mark, you search for your lost brother while navigating conflicts, making tough choices, and encountering various inhabitants, some friendly and others hostile. Explore ruins of the past and shape the future through your actions in this visually striking setting.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 227 reviews
story75 positive mentions
gameplay8 negative mentions
  • Beautiful Desolation features stunning visuals and a unique art style that immerses players in its post-apocalyptic world.
  • The game offers a compelling story with interesting characters and rich world-building, reminiscent of classic sci-fi narratives.
  • The voice acting is generally well done, adding depth to the characters and enhancing the overall experience.
  • The gameplay can be tedious, with excessive backtracking and a lack of clear direction, making it easy to get lost.
  • Puzzles often feel convoluted and may require consulting a guide, detracting from the enjoyment of exploration.
  • Some voice acting is inconsistent, with certain characters lacking the same quality as others, which can break immersion.
  • story190 mentions

    The game's story is praised for its intriguing sci-fi elements, rich world-building, and character depth, with many players appreciating the unique setting and voice acting. However, the narrative is often criticized for being convoluted and difficult to navigate, with numerous fetch quests and a lack of clear direction that can detract from the overall experience. While some find the story engaging and replayable due to meaningful choices, others feel it falls short, particularly in its ending and coherence.

    • “The story is well crafted and is infused with a blend of comedy, tension, and wonderment.”
    • “Compelling story, excellent characters, and exceptional world building.”
    • “A terrific, satisfying and complex story and a good dash of humor thrown in.”
    • “You literally have to fly to one part of a universe, talk with someone, fly to another universe, exchange one or two lines of dialogue, then go back to where you were originally to get the next clue or item to further the story.”
    • “The story is complicated as hell (I still don't get it) and logically it is very messy to navigate.”
    • “It is rather sad to see a story-driven game with its story ending so abruptly and anticlimactically, as if the authors suddenly ran out of time or money or maybe inspiration to conclude the narrative with at least some general explanation of what this 'penrose' is and why this entire confabulation occurred.”
  • graphics62 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and unique art style, often compared to classic titles like Fallout and Planescape: Torment. Players appreciate the high-quality design, which effectively conveys the post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting and enhances the overall atmosphere, despite some minor gameplay criticisms. The combination of beautiful landscapes, intricate character designs, and engaging cutscenes contributes to a captivating visual experience that draws players into the game's world.

    • “The graphics are amazing and really suck you into this world.”
    • “With its gorgeous graphics and landscapes blending dystopian and sci-fi, with a fusion of African culture, you cannot help but be drawn into this world and it will live long in the memory.”
    • “The art style/graphics are beautifully done; these are the best pre-rendered landscapes I've seen yet in any game, and the setting is reminiscent of titles like Planescape and Fallout, except with an African twist.”
    • “Graphics might be sharper and more detailed.”
    • “The difference between visuals and gameplay is day and night.”
    • “Take Fallout 2, cut off the mechanics and fights, make better graphics, and what's left is this game.”
  • gameplay54 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the point-and-click mechanics and artistic visuals, while others criticize it for being tedious, clunky, and lacking depth. Some users enjoyed the exploration and puzzle elements, but found the overall experience marred by non-intuitive controls and a frustrating quest system that often felt like a fetch quest. Overall, while the game has potential with its unique story and aesthetics, significant improvements in gameplay mechanics and user interface are needed to enhance the experience.

    • “I love the 'modern' take on classic gameplay of isometric RPG and point-and-click adventure games.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it has an updated point-and-click adventure feel that I really enjoyed.”
    • “Great story, nice sightseeing of post-apocalyptic scenery, entertaining point-and-click-like elements (inventory, items combining, using them in the game world), relaxing gameplay; you won't fight, and you have no time limit whatsoever.”
    • “However, the gameplay is severely lacking, and I had to drag myself to the end of the game.”
    • “It's drawn nicely and the story is interesting enough, but the characters are so boring, the voice acting is lame, and the gameplay is clunky and seems unfinished.”
    • “The quest mechanics are tedious and require wasting a lot of time just running around fetching items from place to place while trying to avoid missing any hidden objects.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the high-quality soundtracks composed by notable artists like Mick Gordon and Mark Morgan. The music is described as immersive, atmospheric, and well-integrated with the game's narrative and visuals, enhancing the overall experience. While some players found the gameplay lacking, the soundtrack consistently stood out as a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's ambiance.

    • “Very high quality in terms of graphics, sound, music, story, and world-building.”
    • “Couple that with the amazing soundtrack by Mark Morgan, who has worked on several other titles such as Fallout and Planescape: Torment, the game fully comes alive and is a pleasurable experience for both the eyes and the ears.”
    • “The music varies from sometimes understated to bombastic and brilliant, and fits the world perfectly.”
    • “Brotherhood, I love your incredible art style and hiring Mick Gordon to do the soundtrack was a genius move since the soundtrack is ace, but the gameplay ruined everything for me.”
    • “I must admit that I was initially tantalized by the promise of a new Mick Gordon soundtrack, but this game gave me something so much more endearing than I could have anticipated.”
    • “- music.”
  • atmosphere24 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique and beautiful post-apocalyptic setting, enhanced by excellent voice acting and a rich narrative. Players appreciate the surreal, immersive world filled with strange characters and cultures, drawing comparisons to iconic sci-fi films and games. However, some critiques mention a lack of emotional depth in certain areas, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “This is a rather unique adventure-type game with an atmospheric post-apocalyptic setting, strange characters that are very well voice-acted and a trio of anti-heroes as the main characters.”
    • “I loved the atmosphere in this surreal, post-dystopian world full of strange creatures, even stranger cultures and a whole lot of sadness.”
    • “The mixture of a great atmosphere, good writing, and interesting characters keeps me wanting to see what the developers have waiting for me on my journey.”
    • “There is just no feeling and it doesn't contribute to the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “It's not just about good looks; I want the voice acting to be consistent. I want to take this universe seriously, but I can't because some of those side characters are just trolling, and it killed the atmosphere.”
    • “Although this game doesn't look like a triple-A production, this title really is full of atmosphere and very weird characters.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with many describing the gameplay as slow and repetitive, particularly due to fetch quests and cumbersome navigation. While the visuals, world-building, and voice acting receive praise, the grindy mechanics detract significantly from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a sense of tedium.

    • “The visuals and world/lore are great, but the gameplay is really tedious and slows the story down so much; I'm just done with it personally.”
    • “Progress is incredibly grindy here, and not to mention the major decisions in the game can easily be missed or skipped over.”
    • “Other than that, the voice acting and visuals are good, the UI is decent, but the quest mechanics are tedious and require wasting a lot of time just running around fetching items and sweeping locations while trying to avoid missing any hidden objects.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is highlighted by its multiple storylines, decision branches, and faction choices, encouraging players to explore different outcomes. While some reviews note that the game is relatively short and may not offer extensive replay value, others emphasize the enjoyment of reloading saves to experience various endings and interactions. The combination of engaging writing, voice acting, and unique settings contributes to a generally positive perception of replayability.

    • “The writing and voice acting was excellent and the multiple storylines make this game 100% replayable.”
    • “I must've reloaded my game like 200 times trying to make sure all my choices really led to the outcome I was hoping for, so I guess that speaks for the replayability of the game.”
    • “I'll be sad when it's over, but there would seem to be significant replay value, given decision branches.”
    • “It's a relatively short game with not a ton of replay value, although you can choose different factions to help.”
    • “The game consists of exploring an alien world via an overhead map in a ship, solving puzzles, interacting and carrying out tasks for the abstract characters/tribes you meet on your journey in hopes of finding your way back home and it too features a choice system which adds for replayability.”
    • “+ replay value is okay, 2 runs will cover most of the content.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by dry wit, clever dialogue, and unique character interactions, which many players found enjoyable and engaging. The incorporation of cultural references, such as Dutch words in the dialogue, adds an extra layer of humor that resonates with players. Overall, the combination of humorous voice acting and a lighthearted tone enhances the game's narrative experience.

    • “It really is a beautiful world; I enjoyed the dry humor, the unique and interesting characters, and the main quest.”
    • “The story was very enjoyable as well, with moments of triumph balanced by moments of poignancy, interspersed with some great humor.”
    • “There's great voice acting with witty and humorous dialogue and an overall atmosphere spilling with future-tech noir.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is marked by intriguing dialogue that effectively progresses the narrative, complemented by unique and visually stunning character designs. While the characters may not engage in extensive banter, their depth is conveyed through the art and world-building, creating a captivating experience for players. However, those seeking a more traditional RPG experience akin to Fallout may find this game lacking in that regard.

    • “From the character design to their dialogue, it becomes clear that they aren't spacefaring explorers; they just want to escape a world they don't feel part of anymore.”
    • “Their dialogue usually is interesting and progresses character development.”
    • “Phenomenal world building and character design.”
    • “I have no idea how the Chiznyama can use a forcefield or build a space ark, but from the character design to their dialogue, it becomes clear that they aren't spacefaring explorers; they just want to escape a world they don't feel part of anymore.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with their journeys.”
    • “While the visuals are impressive, the characters themselves are one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the game.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring a poignant narrative that explores themes of personal conflict, war, and PTSD through heartfelt dialogue and strong character interactions. Despite some puzzling gameplay elements, players find the experience profoundly moving and appreciate the historical context woven into the story. The voice acting further enhances the emotional impact, making it a memorable experience.

    • “This is one of the most beautiful and emotional games I've ever played - while short, I have never appreciated my time spent in a game more than in Beautiful Desolation.”
    • “Detailed references to 70-80's era South African history, war, and politics explore war veteran PTSD through heartfelt dialogue between the characters. For me, as a historian who works with border war veterans, this was especially interesting.”
    • “The voice acting is solid and heartfelt.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally well-received, with resource consumption aligning with expectations, and it performs smoothly at 1440p and 85Hz without any issues.

    • “Optimization: Good, resource consumption is within expected parameters.”
    • “Performance: The game runs without problems in 1440p, 85Hz.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
5-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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