BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION

About

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION is a single player role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by THE BROTHERHOOD and was released on February 26, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+15

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 368 reviews

story128 positive mentions

grinding24 negative mentions

Stunning visuals and beautiful art direction that create an immersive atmosphere.
Engaging and complex story with unique characters and meaningful choices that impact the outcome.
Rich world-building that combines elements of South African culture with sci-fi themes.

Gameplay can be tedious with excessive backtracking and pixel hunting for items.
Lack of clear objectives or a quest log can lead to confusion about what to do next.
Some puzzles and interactions feel illogical or obscure, requiring a walkthrough to progress.

story
343 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The story of the game is described as engaging and unique, set in a beautifully crafted post-apocalyptic world with a strong sci-fi theme. While many players appreciate the depth and complexity of the narrative, some find it convoluted and challenging to follow due to a lack of clear direction and quest tracking. Overall, the game is praised for its rich storytelling and character development, though the gameplay mechanics, particularly the reliance on fetch quests, can detract from the narrative experience.
- “The story is great, going into fantastical where stasis evoked a feeling of futuristic dread.”
- “I loved the story, the music, the characters, companions, animation and cinematics.”
- “The story pulls you in and you feel involved in everything that happens.”
- “The story is complicated as hell (I still don't get it) and logically it is very messy to navigate.”
- “The back and forth of hunting down items and things to progress the story just results in a tired game that wastes too much time and slows the story elements down to a crawl.”
- “Unfortunately the game is really bad at keeping track of the various quests that you'll be taking on.”
graphics
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and unique art style, often described as stunning and immersive, particularly in the context of its post-apocalyptic South African setting. Many reviewers highlighted the impressive visuals and character designs, although some noted that the cluttered environments could make navigation challenging. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, elevating the game's aesthetic appeal despite criticisms of gameplay mechanics and narrative execution.
- “The artwork is beautiful, and I credit the team behind it for their vision.”
- “Absolutely beautiful visuals and sound design.”
- “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 graphics are terrible, so it's very difficult to tell looking from the top-down view where you can actually walk to and where you can't (same thing as Stasis but made much worse by the number and size of the areas).”
- “While I do praise the artwork, it also works against the game; there is too much clutter, and in some areas, you cannot even tell which is the path to move on or which is just extra background/foreground fluff; they are not very well defined.”
- “Graphics in this game are hand-drawn, varied, and often well-done, but they also often look a bit blurry, as if the source image was drawn in a relatively low resolution.”
gameplay
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
81%
9%
The gameplay of "Beautiful Desolation" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and lacking in depth, primarily revolving around fetch quests and basic point-and-click mechanics. While the art and audio design are praised, the gameplay is criticized for being clunky, repetitive, and sometimes unfocused, leading to a frustrating experience for some players. Despite its potential and unique story, many feel that the game would benefit from more engaging mechanics and clearer direction to enhance the overall experience.
- “Gorgeous end to end, excellent audio design, wonderful companions, and a new spin on traditional adventure mechanics.”
- “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.”
- “Beautiful desolation is an idiosyncratic, multi-themed adventure, bringing some interesting gameplay ideas to the table.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it was a slog.”
- “Gameplay is also lacking because there's barely any interesting, challenging, ingenious puzzles; you just run between different characters to hand them different items, and that's the whole ingenuity of the developers.”
- “Holy s**t, is the gameplay tedious.”
music
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
36%
6%
The music in the game, composed by Mick Gordon, receives widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the immersive atmosphere, ranging from understated to powerful and bombastic. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, perfectly complementing the stunning visuals and engaging story, while also contributing to the overall ambiance of the game. Many players express a deep appreciation for the music's quality, noting its role in creating a captivating and memorable gaming experience.
- “The soundtrack is great, made by Mick Gordon, perfectly enhancing the broken alien-like world you find yourself in.”
- “The music varies from sometimes understated to bombastic and brilliant, and fits the world perfectly.”
- “A bewitching visual picture of the majestic landscapes opening in front of you, accompanied by the music of Mick Gordon, often makes you dumbfounded with delight.”
- “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.”
- “The game is most of the time silent, but when music plays, it is powerful.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
23%
9%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique and beautiful design, effectively immersing players in a surreal, post-apocalyptic world filled with strange characters and rich storytelling. The combination of well-executed voice acting, subdued music, and striking visuals creates a cohesive and engaging experience that resonates with fans of atmospheric and story-driven games. While some critiques mention a lack of emotional depth, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to transport players into its vividly crafted universe.
- “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.”
- “The atmosphere and setting is beautiful, the story is good though I didn't really like the ending; somewhat feels like a lost opportunity because I'm certain there's a better way to end it.”
- “The game is a visual feast depicting a post-apocalyptic southern Africa dripping with atmosphere and steeped in a unique and often bizarre mythos.”
- “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 that voice acting to be consistent. I want to take this universe seriously, but I can't because some of those side characters were 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.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tediousness, particularly due to excessive backtracking and fetch quests that slow down the overall experience. While some players appreciate the visuals and world-building, many find the gameplay frustratingly repetitive and lacking in clarity, leading to a sense of boredom and frustration. Overall, the grindy nature of the game detracts significantly from the enjoyment of the story and exploration.
- “Going back and forth to various areas became rather tedious.”
- “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.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Overall, the game offers a notable level of replayability, primarily due to its multiple storylines, moral choices, and faction dynamics that encourage players to explore different outcomes. While some players found the replay value significant, others noted that the game could be completed in a relatively short time, suggesting that two playthroughs might cover most of the content. The artistic world and engaging writing further enhance the desire to revisit the game.
- “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.”
- “Pros: gorgeous visuals, great (and weird) sound design, bizarre setting, several endings which give the game replay value (and battle arena mini-game tokens which you can collect through different playthroughs).”
- “+ replay value is okay, 2 runs will cover most of the content.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its stunning visual direction and unique character designs, which contribute to a rich narrative experience with multiple endings. While dialogue is limited, it effectively enhances character progression and reveals deeper motivations, creating a sense of connection to the characters and their world. Overall, the art and character development are praised for their originality and depth, making it a compelling choice for genre fans.
- “Character development leads to different endings.”
- “(ex: 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)”
- “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 art direction, character designs, character models, environment art, and even UI are all lacking in depth and cohesion.”
- “While there are some genuinely striking and otherworldly locales, the character development feels superficial and fails to engage the player.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt storytelling, rich character development, and impactful voice acting, which together create a deep connection with players. Many reviewers noted the game's exploration of complex themes such as PTSD and familial relationships, evoking strong feelings and moral dilemmas that linger long after gameplay. Despite some frustrating puzzles, the overall emotional experience is described as beautiful and memorable, making it a standout in its genre.
- “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.”
- “Some of the decisions I committed to made me feel sick to my stomach afterwards, which is all to the credit of the game's fantastic writing.”
- “The work with the characters is excellent; their development throughout the plot is pleasant to observe. You really begin to be friends with both of your companions, and the emotional connection between them is established.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of dry wit, quirky character interactions, and absurdity, with players appreciating the balance of comedic moments alongside more serious themes. Many found the dialogues and unique character dynamics to be particularly entertaining, with some even enjoying the incorporation of Dutch phrases into the English dialogue. Overall, the humor adds a distinctive charm to the game's narrative and character development.
- “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.”
- “All the while, our heroes meet characters ranging from funny and peculiar to the outright sinister and macabre.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is generally well-received, with resource consumption aligning with expectations. It performs smoothly at 1440p and 85Hz, indicating solid technical execution.
- “Optimization: Good, resource consumption is within expected parameters.”
- “Performance: The game runs without problems at 1440p, 85Hz.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report a high level of stability, with no glitches experienced even when settings are maximized.
- “I had everything cranked to the max and had no glitches at all.”

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73%Critics’ scoreBased on 16 critic reviews

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8h Median play time

9h Average play time

5-15h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION is a role playing game with science fiction theme.

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION.

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION was released on February 26, 2020.

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION was developed by THE BROTHERHOOD.

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION is a single player game.

Similar games include STASIS: BONE TOTEM, Primordia, CAYNE, Beyond a Steel Sky, Quern: Undying Thoughts and others.

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION

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