Better Late Than DEAD

About

"Better Late Than Dead" is a survival sandbox game set on a procedurally generated island. Gather resources, craft items, and build shelters to survive while uncovering the island's secrets. With varying weather conditions, dangerous animals, and the need to maintain hunger, thirst, and health, each playthrough presents new challenges. Online multiplayer allows for cooperative gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

28%

Audience ScoreBased on 462 reviews

story8 positive mentions

graphics18 negative mentions

The game has potential and an interesting concept.
Some players find the environment beautiful and atmospheric.
There are moments of fun and enjoyment, especially in multiplayer.

The game is riddled with bugs and has been abandoned by the developers.
Graphics and controls are poor, with many players reporting low frame rates and clunky mechanics.
There is a lack of content and direction, making gameplay feel repetitive and unengaging.

graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
62%
24%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as "terrible" and comparing them unfavorably to older titles from the PS1 era. Players have noted significant discrepancies between promotional screenshots and the actual in-game visuals, often citing issues like blurriness, poor animations, and a lack of detail. While some users acknowledge minor improvements and decent atmospheric elements, the overall consensus is that the graphics are subpar and detract from the gaming experience.
- “Its atmospheric, and the graphics are pretty good too.”
- “I know it's just an alpha and we can expect a certain amount of things that are works in progress but having crisp HD graphics right from the get-go is a must in this day and age.”
- “Love the opening cinematic and artwork style.”
- “This game does not match the screenshots and is buggy and graphically horrible.”
- “The graphics are bad to say the least; the screenshots really show the game in a different light compared to how it actually looks in real time.”
- “The graphics are hard to look at; trees in the distance give you a headache sometimes, and even with some graphic options pumped up, it still looks quite poor.”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
81%
11%
The gameplay of this early access game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users citing a lack of content, numerous bugs, and poorly implemented mechanics that hinder the overall experience. While some players see potential for improvement with future updates, the current state is described as boring and frustrating, with combat and scavenging mechanics particularly criticized. Overall, the game is viewed as needing significant refinement to justify its price and attract a larger player base.
- “In my opinion, you will be much better off saving up a bit more and heading on over to Subsistence and get involved with the thriving community and great gameplay.”
- “The gameplay (for me) is smooth, FPS is at 60.”
- “For alpha gameplay, it has all the core development done to make it ready to be built into a great game, with consistent updates and added content that isn't like all the typical games; this can be really something.”
- “There is no gameplay, no content, no performance, but there are bugs, a lot of them.”
- “The mechanics of the game are just broken: movement, looting, inventory, crafting, all together a real pain.”
- “The gameplay itself is somewhat lacking.”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The game's story begins with a promising cutscene but quickly loses momentum, leaving players feeling disengaged due to a lack of further plot development. While some reviewers appreciate the potential for a richer narrative and intriguing backstory, many criticize the game for its incomplete and underdeveloped storyline, suggesting it would benefit from a stronger focus on storytelling. Overall, the narrative aspect is seen as a mixed bag, with some interesting elements overshadowed by a lack of depth and coherence.
- “The storyline looks kinda promising.”
- “Great game, great storyline.”
- “Good story, fun to play, and a little creepy!”
- “It has a story you can complete, but come on; this is not a title you should sell as a full release, nor should anyone be fooled into buying it.”
- “After that intro, I found no other plot elements or anything.”
- “Please do not get this game; it looks good in concept, but after 9 minutes, I already lost interest. There's not much of a story at the start that gripped me, so it already lost me.”
optimization
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
68%
21%
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, bugs, and a lack of basic functionality. While some users note that improvements are expected in future updates, the current state is described as poorly optimized, making it nearly unplayable for many. However, there are indications that optimization has improved over time, with some players eventually experiencing better performance.
- “I suspect this will get optimized eventually.”
- “Optimization is a bit on the sour side but still playable for the most part (they are working on it).”
- “Edit 7.1.2016: nowadays this game has a good optimization and runs 60fps + ultra graphics on asus g750jz.”
- “Sadly, the game is very poorly optimized.”
- “Cons: this game... well, to get started, it seems like it was optimized by a caveman, and this comes from a guy with a really nice computer.”
- “As most reviewers are saying, I wasn't able to play it at all really due to the poor optimization, which I am aware you are fixing.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
69%
19%
The game's music has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the repetitive soundtrack and abrupt transitions between tracks to be distracting and annoying. While the ambient sounds contribute positively to the game's mysterious atmosphere, the intensity of the music can be overwhelming at times. Players appreciate the option to turn off the music, suggesting that improvements to the audio experience could enhance overall gameplay.
- “I hope that the creators fix some of the music, sound effect, and view perception bugs, which would definitely increase the gameplay and its value.”
- “Audio is nice with some good ambient noises; the music gets a bit annoying though, but it's easily fixed by turning it off.”
- “Whilst playing the game, you will have the same repetitive soundtrack playing in the background, and when it loops, boy do you notice it.”
- “The borky sound/music that plays when you get near a village just annoys the heck out of me.”
- “The ambience is quite pleasant, as the creators of the game are trying to give the game a mysterious feel to it, but unfortunately the music changes so abruptly as you scavenge through different villages and forests.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that render it unplayable. Many players express frustration over a lack of updates and support, leading to calls for the game to be removed from sale. Overall, it is not recommended for those seeking a polished and stable experience.
- “I bought it with an 80% discount and I have asked for my money back because I couldn't play the game due to bugs and glitches.”
- “Don't bother with this game; no work is getting done. It's so buggy it should not even be allowed for sale. Steam, please remove this and stop others from being scammed.”
- “Got the game when it was first put up on Steam. It was super buggy, but it was in alpha. They were updating it like crazy, then silence.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is overwhelmingly criticized as a "cash grab," with users expressing frustration over its incomplete state and the developers' perceived lack of effort. Many reviewers advise potential players to avoid the game due to its exploitative practices.
- “The game isn't even completed yet, and they released it out of early access, with nothing done... it's a cash grab from terrible devs.”
- “Undeveloped cash grab.”
- “Straight up cash grab.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with players finding themselves laughing uncontrollably during intense moments, such as character deaths. However, some users noted that while the comedic elements are enjoyable, the game's optimization leaves much to be desired.
- “He died... so there we were, him being dead, and both of us laughing like maniacs on the voice chat.”
- “Very funny but poorly optimized.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive quality, complemented by impressive graphics that enhance the overall experience.
- “It's atmospheric, and the graphics are pretty good too.”