Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

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In Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead, survive an apocalyptic wasteland by crafting tools, killing monsters, and building your home base. This survival RPG features a turn-based play system and RPG-like skill progression, with a vast open world full of secrets to discover. With every playthrough different, prepare for a challenging and ever-changing experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 258 reviews

humor4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead offers an exceptionally in-depth survival experience with a vast array of mechanics, crafting options, and character customization, making it one of the most complex survival games available.
The game features a unique and evolving world where players face a variety of enemies, including zombies, mutants, and Lovecraftian horrors, ensuring that no two playthroughs are the same.
Players can enjoy a high level of freedom in gameplay, allowing them to create their own goals, build bases, and even modify vehicles, which adds to the game's replayability.

The steep learning curve and complex controls can be overwhelming for new players, making it difficult to get started without external guides or tutorials.
The Steam version has been criticized for lacking updates compared to the free experimental version, leading to frustration among players who feel they are not receiving the full experience for their purchase.
Some players have expressed dissatisfaction with the community and developer support, feeling that paying for the game does not provide additional benefits compared to the free version.

gameplay
29 mentions
7 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead" is characterized by its exceptional depth and complexity, offering a vast array of survival mechanics that challenge even seasoned players. With intricate systems for crafting, vehicle modification, and emergent gameplay where monsters evolve, the game encourages exploration and experimentation, making it a standout in the survival RPG genre. While the learning curve can be steep, players who invest the time to understand its mechanics will find a richly rewarding experience that sets it apart from more casual titles.
- “Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead is an exceptionally in-depth survival game that makes even Project Zomboid's hardcore gameplay look relatively simple for the most part. Although it does not follow the usual rules in zombie games where a bite from an infected zombie is fatal, practically everything else is either just as complex or even more so once you really get down into the nitty-gritty of it!”
- “The survival mechanics for keeping yourself alive, well-fed, warm, and safe from the elements all lead to such a great and organic experience.”
- “There are many mechanics to understand that even newcomers might have a hard time grasping; you may die a lot, but once you get the fundamentals of the game, it won't be too difficult.”
- “The mechanics and keybinds and UI can seem a bit arcane at first, but within just a few characters you'll have a basic grasp, and from there, there really is such a breadth and depth of content to explore it's crazy.”
- “The depth of crafting, the number of mechanics, and the options are so vast I could not count them all here.”
graphics
16 mentions
19 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting their simplicity and basic pixel art style, which may initially deter some players. However, several reviewers emphasize that the game's depth and engaging gameplay far outweigh the visual shortcomings, and that adjusting settings can enhance the experience. Overall, while the graphics may not be modern or polished, they do not detract from the game's quality and immersive survival mechanics.
- “Convenient controls and uncluttered, stylish graphics.”
- “Don't let the graphics turn you away!”
- “This is unironically one of the best survival games of all time, with actual emphasis on 'survival', do not let the ASCII graphics fool you.”
- “At first you don't understand what you're looking at, why are these graphics so basic?”
- “There would be no way for the game to be this deep, or be developed as fast if the graphics were better.”
- “Yeah, it doesn't have modern visuals and the way vehicles look when they turn is awkward.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
"Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead" is praised for its exceptional replayability, offering near unlimited possibilities through its open-ended gameplay and extensive character creation options. Players can experience countless unique scenarios, ensuring that no two playthroughs are alike, making it a standout title in terms of replay value.
- “Considering the near unlimited replay value that Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead provides, I believe it is priced fairly.”
- “Replayability is at its maximum here in the Cataclysm!”
- “The replayability is unmatchable with its world and character creation.”
- “The game's open-ended nature also means that no two playthroughs are the same, making for endless replayability.”
grinding
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and confusing, with a high level of immersion leading to cumbersome crafting processes. The developers' plans to increase grindiness, making skill mastery take years, have raised concerns about enjoyment and player choice, as the game feels more restrictive compared to other releases.
- “The only real complaint I have is just how tedious and confusing the in-game systems are.”
- “Due to the high level of immersion the game is aiming for, it can be somewhat tedious to craft items.”
- “Just go get the free version, and even then they're going to be making the game infinitely more grindy (according to the devs, it'll take actual years to master certain skills) to force you to make use of the janky NPC system.”
story
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game's story is rich and diverse, featuring a wide array of characters, including NPCs that players can befriend and recruit for missions. Players encounter a multitude of fantastical and sci-fi creatures, engaging in quests that yield unique rewards and gear, ensuring that each playthrough offers memorable narratives and experiences.
- “Complete various quests for unique NPCs to get powerful gear like power armor or even futuristic guns.”
- “My favorite character story:”
- “Make friendships with NPCs and have them follow you on missions to help you fight.”
- “Cyborgs, mutants, dragons, zombies the size of two-story buildings, smokers, boomers, orcs, goblins, cyborg zombies, aliens, tentacle monsters from another dimension, wizards, necromancers, killer robots, giant animals, and insects.”
- “And after every run, I guarantee you'll have a story to tell.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as both amusing and unsettling, featuring quirky retro graphics and absurd scenarios, such as transforming into bizarre creatures. Players appreciate the comedic elements intertwined with the game's darker themes, particularly in its portrayal of zombies and character interactions. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay experience.
- “Often humorous, and equally terrifying.”
- “Incomprehensible layers of menus and funny little retro-spritey characters jerking around the screen.”
- “Me when I mutate myself into a freakish abomination with advanced military-grade bionics (there's a funny-looking zombie outside).”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a profound emotional impact from the game, highlighting feelings of intimidation and awe during initial gameplay. The experience is described as deeply engaging, leading to a sense of gratitude for the extensive enjoyment it provides, marking it as one of the most memorable gaming experiences in years.
- “I've been playing video games for over 25 years, and nothing has ever made me feel as intimidated as I did during the first hour of this game.”
- “I'm tempted to make some kind of meme-y, joke-y review but honestly I feel I would be cheating the developers of my heartfelt gratitude for genuinely thousands of hours of some of the most fun I've had in a game, full stop, at no cost.”
stability
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, with frequent game freezes, particularly when using the Steam overlay, which can necessitate force-quitting the game. Despite regular updates, many changes appear unstable, leading to persistent errors, glitches, and incomplete systems.
- “Most of the time it simply doesn't work, and sometimes it brings up the Steam overlay which freezes the game, forcing me to force-quit at times.”
- “I hope that more effort is put into integration with the Steam overlay, which freezes the game (or Steam?) if you attempt to 'backtab' using the default 'shift-tab' keyboard shortcut, a vital command in the game.”
- “It gets updates basically daily, but they may not all be stable changes or complete; errors, glitches, and unfinished systems are extremely common on experimental.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed perception of the game's monetization, with some players labeling it a blatant cash grab, while others acknowledge that the approach may be more justified given the involvement of certain developers. Overall, there is a sense of skepticism regarding the fairness and transparency of the monetization strategy.
- “Don't fall for this blatant cash grab.”
- “Some people are complaining that this is a cash grab by the developers, even though consideration was taken and it's only being given to one of the more 'involved' developers.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its unique sense of infinite freedom within a dynamic, living apocalyptic world, which sets it apart from its successors like Project Zomboid and 7 Days to Die. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to convey significant global threats that enhance the immersive experience.
- “None of its descendants, like Project Zomboid or 7 Days to Die, have managed to capture the atmosphere of infinite freedom in a living, breathing apocalyptic world, nor do they present the global threats that you have to deal with here.”